Title: The Song of Recovery
Bible Book: Psalms 23 : 3
Author: J. Mike Minnix
Subject: Renewal; Restoration; Revival
Objective:
The Song of Recovery
Dr. J. Mike Minnix
Introduction
Robert Robinson, author of the hymn, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," lost his happy joy with the Savior because in his latter years he fell into sin. This led to a deep depression. In an attempt to overcome his problems he decided to travel. On one journey he met a young woman who was a dedicaated Christian. As they talked, she soon realized that he knew a lot about spiritual issues. She asked him what he thought of a hymn she had just been reading. To his astonishment he found it to be none other than his own composition. He tried to evade her question, but she continued to press him for a response. Suddenly he began to weep. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he said, "I am the man who wrote that hymn many years ago. I'd give anything to experience again the joy I knew then." She sought to assure him that the "streams of mercy" he wrote about were still flowing and available. He was touched deeply and returned to the Lord in full commitment and fellowship.
Even the very best of God’s servants are prone to wander. It is the nature of the sheep to get out of fellowship with the shepherd. Certainly that is true of us. What is true of sheep is true of Christians. “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.” If we are not right with God, we need to get right, and then once right with God, we need stay right.
A Backslider is a saved person who was slidden away from the Lord. The divine relationship is not lost, but the close fellowship with the Lord is lost. Every Christian goes through some periods of backsliding during a lifetime. What we are to do when our hearts are not as close to the Lord as they should be? That is what this message is about. You see, it is important for us to remain close to the Lord.
Two theological students were walking along a street in the Whitechapel district of London, a section where old and used clothing is sold. "What a fitting illustration all this makes!" said one of the students as he pointed to a suit of clothes hanging on a rack by a window. A sign on it read: SLIGHTLY SOILED - GREATLY REDUCED IN PRICE. When we wander away from the Lord, we become soiled and greatly reduced in worth to the Kingdom. Tonight, let us look at the sheep that wanders away and how it is restored.
I. The Categories of the Sheep
Sheep can be divided into three categories. As we look at these divisions or types of sheep, we can see ourselves. If we have slipped away from the Lord, it will be in one of these three ways.
A. Defiant Sheep Restored with the Rod
These are those who go their own way. “All we like sheep have gone astray, we’ve turned everyone to our own way.” When a sheep wanders away, the shepherd digs up a sapling, cuts away the roots, and uses the knob on the end as tool to straighten out a wandering sheep. The shepherd sometimes put pieces of metal in the end of the rod, and he practiced throwing it. He could use the rod to protect the sheep, or he could use it to discipline a sheep.
A lady visiting Switzerland came upon a sheepfold located high on a mountainside. Her attention was drawn to one poor sheep lying by the side of the road bleating in pain. Looking more closely, she discovered that its leg was injured. She asked the shepherd how it happened. "I had to break it myself," he answered. "It was the only way I could keep that wayward creature from straying into unsafe places. From past experience I have found that a sheep will follow me once I have nursed it back to health. Because of the loving relationship that will be established as I care for her, in the future she will come instantly at my beck and call."
Sometimes the shepherd has to use the rod on his own sheep. Occasionally he would even wound or break a sheep’s leg. Then he would take care of the sheep, which would train the sheep to remain close to the shepherd. I have read that such sheep could even become a leader among the other sheep.
Look at Hosea 6:1, “Come and let us return to the Lord, for He hath torn and He will heal us; He hath smitten and He will bind us up.”
The same God that breaks us is the God who will bind us up. David said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray. It is good for me when I was afflicted.”
Jacob got away from God. Jacob wrestled with God. God wounded Jacob - He crippled his hip. When he came to the end of his life, “Jacob worshiped leaning on his staff.” Jacob was literally broken that he might be blest! We must learn to lean!
Hebrews 12:5….”Despise not the chastisement of the Lord.” He restoreth my soul and leads me the paths of righteousness. Note in Hebrews that righteousness is always the goal of God following His chastisement.
You can do one of three things when you are chastised.
First, you can Resent It (Hebrews 12:5). You should not resent it. It reveals that you are a child of God It also renews your worship (Hebrews 12:9). We give reverence to our fathers who chastised us.. As adults we actually brag about it. We are glad about it. That is what happens when we properly accept the chastisement of God. It restores our fellowship. Look at 12:11. It is not joyous at the time it is taking place.
Secondly, you can Faint Under the chastisement of the Lord. Hebrews 12:5. Don’t despise and don’t faint. They are chastised and they throw up their hands and quit.
Thirdly, you can be Exercised by it. Hebrews 12:11.
B. The Drifting Sheep is Restored through Rescue
Careless sheep fall into pits. They get entangled. The shepherd would cut a sapling, straight and beautiful. He would soak it in water while it was green and then slowly begin to bend it. He would end up with a crook at the top of the shepherds staff. It was big enough to go around the chest of a lamb or the neck of a fully grown sheep. He used it guide the sheep. It was a instrument in his hand. He would pull sheep out of difficult mud, briers, holes, etc. David said, “He hath lifted me up out of the miry clay and put my feet upon the solid rock.”
C. The Diseased Sheep is Restored by Responsiveness
Disease, poison, etc., can harm the sheep. Each night the shepherd would bring the sheep into a fold. He would count them and call them by name. He would caress them and feel of them so that he might find any bruise, scratch, or wound. When he found anything wrong with the sheep, he would pour on oil. Nose flies. Oil kept them away. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who keeps the devil’s flies away.
II. The Companionship of the Shepherd
He restores us that He might lead us! “He leads me in the paths of righteousness.”
A. Fellowship with the Shepherd
The Christian must remain in close fellowship with Christ. A backslider does not lose his relationship with the Shepherd, but he can lose his fellowship with the Shepherd.
B. Following of the Shepherd
There must be a willingness go with the Shepherd. The will is the battleground.
In an exciting revival service people began to testify. The meeting had gotten a little out of hand. One man stood and said, "I've been smoking three packages of cigarettes a day, and I'm going to quit." "I've been drinking two cans of beer a day, and I'm going to quit," echoed another man. "I've been cursing an awful lot, and I'm going to quit," confessed another parishioner. Caught up in the excitement of the moment, a little old lady stood up and said, "I haven't been doing anything and I'm going to quit."
We can be guilty of doing things that are wrong, but we can also be guilty of not doing things that are right. One is as bad as the other.
C. Faithfulness to the Shepherd
We are too often of trying to get out of trouble rather than getting into righteousness. Football player: Coach said there is one kind of player we want on our team. What kind is that? Well, there is the kind of player that you knock him down and he stays down. Player said, “We don’t want that kind, do we coach?” “No. Then there is the kind that gets knocked down and gets up. But then the next time he is knocked down he stays down.” Player said, “We don’t want that kind, do we coach?” “No. Then there is the kind that gets knocked down and gets up, he gets knocked down and gets up. He keeps getting knocked down and he keeps getting up.” The Player said, “Yea, that is the kind of player we want, right coach?” “No! Find me that man that keeps knocking everybody down, that is the one we want!!!” Folks we need to get up and stay up. We need to do some knocking instead of being knocked around.
Conclusion
The Bible clearly tells us that we are like sheept. Sheep are not smart. They are overloaded with dumbness. Not very intelligent. Sheep are defenseless. Tigers have claws, snakes have fangs, bears can crush, but a sheep is defenseless. Sheep possess weak eyesight and weak muscles. They have no sense of direction. We are like that. Does not the Bible say, "All we like sheep have gone astray." The cows wander home in the evening. Dogs come home even when lost miles and miles from home. Ever tried to get rid of a cat? But sheep don’t know how to come home without leadership.
Let those who know Him tonight renew our trust in His love and leadership in our lives. Let those who have never trusted Him as Lord and Savior come to Him in repentance and faith. He will guide you in life and take you in His arms into heaven when this life ends.
