Open-ended, Life-centred,
Gospel-Focussed Explorations of Australian Prayer Book Psalms.
Psalm 23...PENTECOST PLUS 22 (A)
.... (For the
Gospel, please scroll)
INTRODUCTION: 1]PSS
used here are
alternatives for SS. after
Pentecost. 2] PS23
is based on the Hebrews' understanding of God as their true
Shepherd. In JN 10:11 Jesus personalises that to proclaim His
messiahship. 3] PS 23 was also
set for Easter 4, & some material is re-used here. 4] In v.3, although we're used to
'soul', the Hebrew means 'life force'. 'The image is of someone who has
almost stopped breathing & is revived, brought back to life'.
(R.Alter)
WARMING UP: Does anything in particular spring to mind
when we hear the word 'shepherd' today?
TREASURES OLD & NEW:
Identify God at work in anything this week?
ENTERING INTO THE STORY:
1 How does
God's total ownership of us sit with us
within our more-or-less democratic life-style? Is the kind of 'lording'
extremists want to impose on us by their selective understandings of
God's
lordship actually shepherding as Jesus understands that? Is whether a
church is shepherding its people in a Jesus-like fashion a litmus test
of its
genuineness? Is it God who mainly gets the blame for poor shepherding,
when we're really the ones who're failing?
2-3 Are
green pastures & still waters something we relate to, except maybe
for recreation? How do we 'promote' the God
of PS 23 to those on the land who are doing it tough? Who's shepherding
them - or should be? In the light of N.5 above, are we constantly aware
of God breathing life into us? If we're not conscious of that in the
here & now, does that raise questions about what resurrection is
& whether it'll be worthwhile in the then & there? Is the whole
idea of God being a good shepherd just escapism from big bad wolves?
4
Why has darkness always been such a threatening
thing for humans? Is it still a primitive built-in fear we all carry
inside us? (But see 1JN4:18)
Would any shepherd worth their salt lead
their flock into any kind of a dead end? If God is our Shepherd is the
only thing we
need to be afraid of fear itself? What kinds of 'rod & staff'
might Jesus be using - or offering to use - to guide & protect us
as He shepherds
us today?
5-6 When most of
our physical needs can be met reasonably well at the local shopping
centre, are there other needs only God can supply? Who
needs God when we have anything God could give us anyway? Is this why
we often transfer this kind of imagery to the next-life (as,
e.g. in African-American spirituals)? Is transferring images of
blessing to the next life simply a cop out from wrestling with the hard
questions of this one? Does this shepherd imagery of God translate
even to, say, financial issues where people are 'doing it tough' with
high interest rates,
unaffordable & unavailable housing, all that sort of thing?
What do we make of today's phenomenon in the USA
& Australia of churches that preach 'success' as distinct from
servanthood & sacrifice? Is it dangerous that churches like this
are often courted by, or become platforms for politicians. Does it sit
comfortably with us when people are encouraged to get more, make more,
&
give more to prove God is blessing them? How does this sit with the
idea of a God who's a faithful shepherd to ordinary people, including
apparently unsuccessful ones? Or is that
kind of question just sour grapes from those of us who're not
particularly successful in worldly terms?
PLUS: Can we see any
principle(s) shared by PS 23 & the Gospel (MT 22:1-14)?
