If you'd please open your Bibles to John 10. And you can keep a thumb on Psalm 23 once again. As we continue looking at our Good Shepherd, I want to look at Psalm 23, verse 5, and actually make verse 5 kind of the lens by which we view John 10 and look at our Good Shepherd. We learn much about our Savior and our Shepherd in Psalm 23. He's a good shepherd. He's a shepherd king, which we see in the next chapter. He's also a warrior king. You think of shepherds and you think of this peaceful flock, and all things are just lovely, and he's sitting with the nice little lambs running around. David tells us, when he approaches Saul in 1 Samuel 17, that he's killed lion and bear as a shepherd. He's already a warrior. And He's a type of Christ. Yes, Jesus is our Good Shepherd. But He's coming again. And He's not coming this time as a shepherd. Revelation 19 describes our warrior Shepherd King who returns. It reads, Then I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse. And one sitting on it is called Faithful and True. And in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and a name by which He is called is the Word of God. In the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, we're following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread on the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. He is a good shepherd. He's a fighting shepherd. He's a warrior shepherd. And we even see this in His incarnation when He was born. The angels gathered in the heavens and they showed themselves to the shepherds and they sang praise and glory to God. But this was no choir per se. It was the angel army of God. The army of God came to sing His praise as a choir. Their commander, their king, was being born as a man. Well, as you think of Jesus as a king, as a warrior, as a conqueror, I want you to listen to these verses, really, kind of through that lens, because this is in here, in John 10, if you notice. Again, I'm going to read John 10, verses 1-18. This is God's holy word. "'Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he has brought out all his own, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches them and he scatters them. He flees because he's a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I'm the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the father knows me and I know the father. And I laid down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." Again in verse 27, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, again, we come to You on this most precious of days, on this Lord's Day, and we ask that You would let us hear Your voice. Let us hear the voice of our Shepherd. Comfort our souls and be glorified in Your Word, in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, in Psalm 23, we also read that in verse 5, that our shepherd prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. He anoints our heads with oil and our cups overflow. The presence of our enemies. It's an interesting addition to the psalm of a shepherd. You may not have thought about it, but to think of enemies as a shepherd. There's a reason, of course. The entire psalm describes our shepherd. And in verse 5, the language shifts from describing God as a comforting shepherd to God as a conquering and gracious host. Think of that. He's a conquering and gracious host. There are enemies, but the enemies are those who are under His absolute power and domain. His enemies have nothing that they can do before our warrior shepherd. So I want to talk about three things. The enemies, the table, and the anointing. Again, straight from verse 5 in the text. The enemies, the table, and the anointing. And finally, we'll close with the cup. So it seems that our warrior king, our good shepherd, does three things in verse 5. Three things and I'm going to talk about them. He prepares a table in the presence of our enemies. He anoints our heads with oil. And he causes our cups to run over. And each one of these things are allusions to Eastern traditions that may not mean the same thing in our Western culture. So I hope to be able to explain this in such a way that it comforts you as it has comforted me. First, let's talk about our enemies. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, David says. after describing in such beautiful language the leading of His shepherd, the making to lie down in green pastures, the still waters. It seems like an abrupt transition to talk about enemies. And yet, David now shifts from that kind of leading and guiding to just life in the world. Life in a hostile world. And he states that God prepares a table before him. in the presence of enemies. Who are the enemies? What's the table? That's what I want to know. Well, I'd say the enemies of David are the enemies of every Christian who have ever lived. The world and the devil. The serpent and all the seed of the serpent. Everyone who doesn't serve Christ. Called the world. Especially in the book of Revelation, you see this again and again. The world against the church. But especially in John 10, against the leaders, those pseudo-leaders of the flock who are actually wolves. Those who would push you from Christ instead of bringing you to Christ. These thieves and robbers. These wolves in sheep's clothing. They certainly are the enemies. Jesus said, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in another way, that man is a thief and a robber. All who came before him are thieves and robbers. The thief comes to steal and to kill and destroy. It seems that there are enemies even in the church. And you're in a battle. You have enemies as well. If you have enemies and you're not in a battle, that means you've been killed. If you have enemies and you're still alive. Then you're in a battle. Well, Jesus doesn't seem to to shirk this this message at all. He goes straight at it. Over and over, Jesus tells us not to be surprised if the world hates us. It hated Him first in John 15. He says, if the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of this world, that I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you. If you feel like God has chosen you out of the world for salvation, then you're hated by the world. Verse 20, John 15, 20. Remember the word that I said to you. A slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they would keep yours also. So our spiritual enemies are Satan and all of his people. Even in the prayer that he taught us to pray. We pray, deliver us from the evil one. Every person in the world who doesn't serve Christ is either an active or a passive enemy of Christ. And we are called to battle like our Good Shepherd. Does that mean we go out and get the latest new guns? Or sharpen our knives? No. Here's how Christ says we fight our enemies, our spiritual enemies. The world and the devil. But regarding the people of the world, we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you. That's our battle plan. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. We fight the enemies that we have with love and prayer. We're not praying for Satan, of course, we pray for the destruction of Satan, but for all the people who are breathing, who are serving Satan. We love them and we pray for them. So in the midst of our enemies, in the midst of the world that hates us because of our love for Christ, in the presence of our enemies, David proclaims that God prepares a table for him. So our enemies are everywhere. They are all those who are not serving Christ. And yet, even in the midst of that, we hear David talk of a table. Let's talk about the table. Our good shepherd, our warrior king, sees enemies and then prepares a meal. That makes no sense, does it? Unless you understand the great power, the great might of our Almighty God. We heard this in Psalm 2. God in the heavens laughs. and derision at those who would rise up against Him. This preparation of a meal just shows complete dominance. He's preparing blessing, preparing a meal, even in the midst of enemies. Well, first of all, this shows that He is present in the midst of enemies with us. In contrast to the false shepherds, We read in John 10-12, the hired hand, who's not a shepherd, doesn't own the sheep, doesn't care for the sheep. What does he do when the enemy comes? He runs away. He runs away. And the flock is scattered. God Himself is our Great Shepherd. The under-shepherds are the elders of your church. Jerry and I are both committed to this flock. I know for sure Jerry's not one to run, and I hope to be like that as well. Never to run. Have Jerry talk about what his life was like six years ago? I probably would have run away. He's faithful. Because of Christ, He's faithful. And I'm striving to be as faithful as well. Good shepherds do not run in the midst of danger. They stand their ground. Christ stands His ground and indeed, sups with His sheep in the midst of enemies. He eats with them in the battle. He nourishes them in the presence of enemies. Well, again, we have to understand what this is. The eastern context of eating a meal. If you understand that, you'll understand just how radical this statement is to do it in the presence of enemies. In the ancient Near East, also in the Middle East today, eating a meal is a major undertaking. Hospitality is not just something you do. After church, I'll have a family over. We're going to eat a meal together. Hospitality is a duty. It's an honored and blessed duty. It's a responsibility of the person who bring someone else into their house to make sure all their needs are cared for and that they are protected while they are in their home. That code actually still exists today in many parts of the Middle East and the East. If you go into someone's home, even if they hate you, they should protect you. That's part of their culture. So to share a meal with someone is a very special part of hospitality. And the guests were supposed to be given the very best food, the very best wine, the very best meat, the fatted calf, the oldest wine that could be procured, and to share a meal was often to seal a covenant together. We see this really all through the Scriptures, and you may not have noticed, but when you read about food anywhere in the Bible, of eating a meal together, stop and take notice. It's probably reflecting some form of covenant or sealing of covenant. In Genesis 18, Abraham ate with the angel of the Lord, the pre-incarnate Christ, who covenanted with him. In Exodus 12, we see Israel and God's Passover meal. It was a covenant meal. In Exodus 24, when God came down upon Mount Sinai, He invited the elders up. And shockingly, what did they do? To our ears, it just sounds weird. Everyone in the Middle East and everyone in the East understood it completely. God brought Moses and all the elders of Israel up onto the mountain, Mount Horeb. And they saw God, quote, and they ate and drank with God. It was a covenant meal. And of course, in every one of the Gospels, we see the New Covenant being ratified with what? A covenant meal. Suffice it to say that to prepare a meal for a guest was a great honor. It was a sign of honor and peace and prosperity and faithfulness that you want all of this for that person. To break bread together was to bind your hearts together. Of course, it still is. This is the last thought on the meal. One of my very favorite meals in all of the Old Testament is when Elisha is surrounded by the Aramean army, and he doesn't know what to do, or his servant doesn't know what to do, and he says, We're surrounded, what are we going to do? And Elisha called on the armies of heaven and then opened the eyes of the servant that he could see them as well. And then he struck all the Arameans with blindness and he led them all into the capital of northern Israel. And the king of Israel said, well, what should we do with all of these Arameans? Should we kill them? And the answer, of course, was a piece of Eastern culture genius. No, let's feed them. Let's feast them. What's happening? Well now, these people have been blessed by the Israelites. And it would be a huge dishonor to continue treating them as enemies after this wonderful, wonderful blessing of this meal. So when David says that God prepares a table for him, He's pulling on this wonderful tradition of hospitality. God is covenanting with David that he will be in fellowship with him. No matter who's around, no matter what enemies are around, that meal will never change. The blessing, the abundance, the fatted calf, the fellowship, the blessing, all that it represents. David is a friend forever. And he's safe. He's safe at this table. The power of the host is such that nobody can do anything about it. The enemies just have to watch. They just have to watch the meal as it happens. He who sits in the heavens laughs, and the Lord holds them in derision. Nothing can keep God from blessing His children. Nothing. God still blesses His people in this way. As Jim McGowan often says, We are blessed so much more than we deserve. I think if we were to see all the ways that God blesses us that we don't know about, that he preserves us and protects us and blesses us, I think we would all just be humbled to the point of shame for our presumption. We live like we really have all of it. by our own hard work and gumption. The reality is we have nothing apart from Christ. And His extravagant care for our spiritual needs and our physical needs is beyond compare. And there's nothing the enemy can do to stop it. Nothing. And it's done right in the enemy's face. Of course, Christ is the greatest example of this. If you think, well, I don't feel that blessing right now. I don't feel like I'm eating a meal with God. Well, the reality is that we don't see the whole picture. We don't see the whole canvas. We just see a small slice of today. And Christ is our example. He was perfectly in the Father's will. He was despised and rejected by men and ultimately killed on the cross. At the hands of wicked men. But then He was resurrected from the dead. And God brought salvation to all the world because of this thing. Certainly, God was laughing in derision at those who would kill our Lord. He prepared a table for us, for His Son, in the midst of that suffering. We know that even suffering brings blessing. It's a table of spiritual blessing. It's a closeness to Christ and it reflects our union with Christ. So God is a good shepherd. He doesn't run. He doesn't flee. The wolf doesn't snatch the sheep from the flock. Rather, he is the one that gives eternal life. And they will never perish. And no one will snatch them out of My hand. And no one will snatch them out of the Father's hand. And this is the key, I think, for the table. The enemies of God can do nothing to stop God's blessing on His flock. If you love Christ, praise be to God, you are perfectly safe in His arms. And He will bless you and continue to bless you with every spiritual blessing in Christ. But what's this anointing? You anoint my head with oil. Is He shifting gears here? No, this goes along with the table. It goes along with the meal. It goes along with the overflowing cup that comes later. This is something foreign to Western culture as well. I think if I came to your house and you dumped oil on my head, I might not feel so honored. But anointing a head with oil is akin maybe in the West to bringing someone comes over and you just give them a very special gift. A very thoughtful gift. You've thought about it. It's nice. It's expensive. It's thoughtful. And you give them this gift. And that blessing that you feel. You feel blessed. That's similar to the anointing someone's head with oil in the East. It shows welcome. It shows honor. It shows extravagance. And it's the opposite in the Bible of covering your body in dust and ashes. You see that often and you know kind of what that is. That's just absolute shame and disgrace and sorrow. The opposite of that is to anoint with oil. It's a joy and a celebration. And we see this even in the life of Jesus. Remember, He was in the house of a Pharisee. And a woman, maybe a prostitute, came and just began weeping. She had been forgiven, and she just was weeping. And she washed His feet with her tears, and wiped them with her own hair, and anointed them with perfume. And the Pharisee is just indignant that he knew who this woman was. And Jesus said, do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet. She's wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss. But from the time I came in, she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. You see, Jesus just methodically went through all of the common courtesies that you would give a guest. And he shows this Pharisee that he's been greatly dishonored by his hospitality. Great disrespect shown to Christ. And yet this woman washed his feet, kissed him, and poured ointment on him. She honored him where he had dishonored him. Do you see some sense of what this means to welcome someone and to pour oil or ointment on the head. Later we read about another woman who anointed Jesus' whole body with expensive perfume just before his death. This is Mary, the sister of Lazarus, in John 12. Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave him a dinner. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, it's an extravagant gift, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of perfume." And of course, Judas Iscariot is upset because it was so expensive, and Jesus said, leave her alone. She may keep this always for the day of my burial. Just like Christ, for the Christian, we see that our anointing is certainly an anointing of great blessing. We receive the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful anointing that is. But I believe like Christ, it's also seen in the context of suffering and attack. It's in the presence of enemies that He anoints our heads with oil. He also causes our cup to run over. Again, this is this table metaphor. He anoints our head with oil. He causes our cup to run over. When David says he's anointing with oil, I'll conclude with this point. And the cup overflowing, he's saying that God is not only faithful, but He's generous. He's kind and extravagant in His love. The blessings are abundant. Christ said in John 10.10, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Don't let those last words be lost on you. It's not just that He saved us. He's given us life and given it abundantly. Well, what is the abundant life? It's a fair question. It's everything that we have because of Christ's work. Our warrior King has laid down His life for the sheep. In John 10, he says it three or four times. I lay down my life for the sheep. I lay down my life for the sheep. And because he did that, we are brought into blessing. We are brought into abundance. The blessings of our redemption. Our short of Catechism 36 asks, what are the benefits which in this life, do accompany or flow from our salvation, from justification, adoption and sanctification. What benefits in this life do we get from being saved, being part of God's family? What are the blessings? What is this abundant, overflowing cup? Well, the answer is God gives us great riches and wealth and perfect health. No, of course not. That's not what it says at all. The blessings in this life that flow from our justification, adoption, and sanctification are the assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. And while God is overflowing these blessings upon us in increasing measure, Satan just has to watch. Yes, he may be allowed or permitted to come at us in various ways, but even as attacks flow right into this blessing. Because God uses it. He uses it to bring us to a place of increased assurance of his love, peace in our conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace. In a. In a perseverance that will last to the end, his love is overflowing in every way that matters. This is our abundant life in Christ. While Paul summarizes this entire sermon for really all of Psalm 23, but especially verses 4 and 5, if you'd open to Romans 8, I want to read together with you Paul's summary of our great blessing in Christ. Our great overflowing cup. Our table with Christ in the midst of our enemies. Paul also talks about enemies. He talks about our advocacy and our protection that we have in our Good Shepherd. He talks about the great blessing that is ours. Although we to the world are sheep to be slaughtered, we are to God beloved and blessed. Beginning in Romans 8.29. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined. to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that we might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined, He also called. Those whom He called, He also justified. And those whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Notice the conflict. There's enemies out there. Who can be against us if God is for us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. More than that, who was raised. who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us, who shall separate us from the love of Christ. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, for your sake we are being killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I'm sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present or things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. We have a good shepherd. We have a warrior shepherd. We have a shepherd who does not run, and indeed prepares a feast for us, a spiritual feast of blessing, right in the presence of our enemies. Even now, even today, your heads have been anointed with His Spirit. Your cup overflows with all the blessings that are ours in Christ. And surely, we have an abundant life. Trust in your good shepherd every day. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we are so grateful that you have given us a Savior. We are in awe of your grandeur, your power, your might, your holiness, your goodness, and your care for your flock. We're so grateful that you brought us into your family. We have no words. We're at a loss. when we think of you saving people like us. And yet we are so grateful to be in your flock, so grateful to be part of your family, so grateful to have such a good shepherd, who is also our king, who is also our conquering king, who will someday return. Lord, give us great confidence in this life. Let us not be terrified by life or dismayed at all, but remember that you are with us wherever you're going. Indeed, even in the midst of our enemies, you prepare a table for us. Lord, you laugh at your enemies. You laugh in derision over them. Lord, please use us. May we not just have this confidence for our comfort. May we have this confidence for the mission you have given us to go out and make disciples of all nations, to speak the truth and love to those who are lost. Lord, we need you. Without you, we cannot do anything. Please help us in Jesus' name. Amen. Will you please stand with me and sing our closing hymn. It's number 382.