" You anoint my head with
oil; My cup runs over."
Scripture
Ps. 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Ps. 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
Ps. 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Ps. 23:4 Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil; For You are with
me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Ps. 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Pray
Intro
" You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over."
√ Summer time
We left off our study with the sheep on the mountaintop! This is the time that the shepherd and sheep have been looking forward to for so long.
The clear spring water
The fresh green grass
Lazy days in the pastures under a warm sun
Time alone with the shepherd
Yet, it is here - even on the mountaintop - that the enemy works to spoil the experience and the contentment of the sheep.
You see, as Spring gives way to Summer, a whole host of new challenges are introduced on the mountain top that left unchecked will rob the sheep of its…
Contentment
Health
Life
Once again we find that it is the Good Shepherd that provides a remedy for flock.
Ap. The mountain top
I long for those mountain experiences with the Lord…
Fresh clear insight from the Lord
New revelation from Jesus
Lazy days basking in His presence
Time alone with the Shepherd
…yet, it almost never fails that the enemy attempts to rob me of my contentment and joy right in the middle of what is supposed to be an awesome time with Jesus!
Ex.
Just as the shepherd makes provision for what would keep the sheep from enjoying their mountain top experience…
…so Jesus, our Good Shepherd, makes provision by the gracious presence of His Holy Spirit in our lives that we might enjoy all the He has for us on the mountain.
Flies
√ Summer time is fly time!
In the sheep business they have a proverb….
"Summer time is fly time!"
…that is to say, that with the warm weather on the mountaintop comes a horde of buzzing, pestering, and annoying flies!
Warble flies
Bot flies
Heel flies
Nose flies
Deer flies
Black flies
Mosquitoes
Gnats
All of which I'm convinced are from the pit - a consequence of the Fall!
Ex. Nigeria outreach - bugs in our ears, nose, mouth, hair, etc.!
More than just annoying, these flies can actually cause serious problems for the flock.
Ex. Nose flies
Get into the nose, lay eggs, the eggs hatch, the larval work into the sheep's head causing serious infections, blindness and even death!
√ The sheep's response
The poor little sheep are helpless to protect themselves from these flies but will exhaust themselves trying to keep them away.
They stamp their feet
Pound their head into the ground, or a tree
Race around in circles
All of which causes a lose of contentment, joy, and health to the flock.
√ The shepherd's response
At the first sign of flies a good shepherd will treat the sheep with a special mixture of olive oil, sulfur and spices that keep the flies away from the head and nose of the poor sheep - so that they can experience contentment, joy and the presence of the shepherd once again.
Note our text…
" You anoint my head with oil;"
…inspired by the Holy Spirit, David sees himself under the care of the Good Shepherd Who anoints his head with oil - just as he had done so many times with his own sheep.
Ap. What "bugs" you?
Specifically, what "bugs" you to the point of distraction? Or even, to the point that you respond to people or situations in a non-Christ like manner?
Often, it's the "little things" - like flies that push us over the edge!
Ex. Pastor's conference - guy talking to me during worship
It may be another person, even another Christian, who has some little personality quirk, or habit that simply drives you to the point of distraction - or even responding in your flesh!
√ Our Shepherd's provision
Oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. You and I as Christians have been given the Holy Spirit to live within in us, yet, daily we need His fresh "anointing" so that we can maintain our peace and contentment when those around us "bug" us.
Ap. How's it work?
Begin the day in His presence, ask the Lord to grant you the anointing of His Spirit to…
Soften that hard head and hard heart
…so that we can respond in a loving and Christ-like manner to the people and situations that drive us crazy.
It's a exercise of faith! Just as when you gave your life to Jesus - by faith in His promise to save you…
…so you must by faith take the Lord at His Word to grant you the anointing of His Spirit to transform our thinking to be like His!
You may discover that with the clear thinking that the Holy Spirit gives that the very thing that "bugs" you about someone else…
…is one of the things about you which "bugs" other people!
So, if you want to enjoy that mountain top experience with the Lord you need the daily anointing of His Spirit upon your head - your mind - your thoughts.
Scab
√ Scab time!
With the warm summer temperatures comes another painful distraction…scab!
Scab is highly contagious skin disease that is spread when the sheep rub their heads together.
Under the Mosaic Law only a sheep without blemish could be brought before the Lord for sacrifice…
…a sheep with scab was considered unclean.
Scab is a type of sin - or contaminated thinking.
√ The shepherd's response
Just as with flies, the shepherd applies the same oil mixture to the infected areas of the sheep. The oil sooths the skin irritation and kills of the parasites that cause the disease.
Ap. A contaminated mind
As Christians we're called to have "the mind of Christ" (I Cor. 2:16). However, in our daily experience we come into contact with all sorts of wrong thinking.
"Putting our heads together" with the world.
Whether it's the unrighteous conversations that go on around us at work, or the subtle anti-Christian sentiment that is woven into the TV shows we watch, or the advertising that we're subjected to that targets our flesh.
All of it produces a contaminated mind - "scab" on the brain!
√ The problem
Our thoughts, ideas, emotions, behavior, etc., are all shaped (or conformed) by the people around us - or the people we listen to (on TV, books, etc.)
We cannot be exposed to these contaminated minds without it having an effect upon our own thinking.
Ex. The hypocrisy of MTV executives
On the one hand they deny that what they put on TV has any effect on teen behavior, therefore, they argue in court that they can't be held responsible for teens who kill themselves after watching some of the garbage they air.
At the same time they market their airtime for huge amounts of money telling potential sponsors that they can influence the behavior of teens to buy their products!
Ap. GIGO
Don't fool yourself into thinking that you're somehow mature enough, or spiritual enough, to be unaffected by what you read, listen to, watch, and whom you hang out with.
1Cor. 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
√ Our Shepherd's provision
The "oil" of His Holy Spirit must be applied to our thinking in order to cleanse our mind.
The Lord calls us to trust Him and the power of His Word to bring our contaminated thoughts under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Ap. If you struggle with your thought life
2Cor. 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
2Cor. 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
And…
Phil. 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
As we step out in faith and commit our thoughts to Jesus, He will give us the power to cleanse our minds and keep our thoughts on Him.
Close
√ The mountain top
We should be the most contented people on earth…
Fresh clear insight from the Lord
New revelation from Jesus
Lazy days basking in His presence
Time alone with the Shepherd
If you're not contented this evning…
Perhaps you're allowing the "flies" to bug you to the point that you're distracted from the contentment found in Christ.
Or, maybe you've allowed your mind to be contaminated by "scab" - wrong thinking.
Ap. Jesus our Good shepherd wants to apply the oil of His Holy Spirit on your life this evening.
Remember to daily ask the Lord to reapply His anointing to your head.