You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5a
From the valley of the shadow of death, to a table prepared for us in extraordinary circumstances. What is this table, and what does it mean for us?
Our passages: Psalm 23:5 & John 21:12-23. Preacher: Ian Bayne (7th June 2020).
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Taking stock
It’s providential timing that we come to this line as we are celebrating the Lord’s table, communion, today. As we take the bread and wine, we remind ourselves of our shepherd’s goodness.
A change in language has occurred
The observant amongst you may have noticed that between v3 and 4 has been a change in language.
In v1-3 he refers to what the shepherd has done for the sheep. e.g. “He leads me”, “He restores my soul”, “He guides me”
From v4 through to the end, though, it becomes more personal: “You are with me, you prepare a table before me.”
There’s been a change in the language from what God has done and is doing to the psalmist now talking to God in a very personal way. Like the psalmist, we should hopefully see this transformation in the way we relate to God.
A more personal relationship
It’s all well and good to talk about what God has done, but we need to move into a personal relationship with Jesus.
Most evenings my wife and I watch The Chase. It’s a TV show where a team of contestants take on an expert ‘Chaser’ at general knowledge questions. We like watching the super-smart Chaser.
From regular watching, we’ve got to know several questions that are always asked. If it’s a river, is usually the Thames; if it’s about Greek mythology is usually Zeus. Typically, there are two questions about the Bible. Whether the Chasers are believers or not is not revealed when they answer these questions, but they usually win because they know about the Bible. They know who came out of the Arc and who killed Abel. But simply knowing this doesn’t mean they have faith.
False prophets can tell the truth about God, but that doesn’t mean they’re in a close personal relationship with God.
Something amazing has happened in Psalm 23, which is easy to miss. The transformation occurs in v3 when “he restores my soul”. When regeneration occurs and God closes in on the sheep, the psalmist shifts language to ‘you’.
An intimate relationship
The Christian faith is much more than knowledge: we’re not called to play philosophy. We need to be “gripped by the gospel” so we move into this personal and intimate relationship with the gospel.
Historians have theorised that Psalm 23 is likely borne out of a real experience: perhaps when David’s son Absalom tried to take over as king. As we read in 2 Samuel 17: David was on the run, and Absalom wanted to kill him. It’s worth pausing for a moment to contemplate how this rejection and treason would have felt.
When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, [28] brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, [29] honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
2 Samuel 17:27-29 ESV
While the psalmist may be thinking of an actual event, the language of the table being prepared is future tense. King David is a type of the real king, Jesus. Therefore we can say:
He’s not just prepared a table once, but continues to prepare tables for us.
Explanation: The shepherd’s tables
Today we’ll look at where the great shepherd prepares a table. We’ll look at three examples (not exhaustive) of tables the Lord prepares for us.
It’s a table of:
- Compassion
- Communion
- Celebration
1. Table of compassion: feeding the 5,000
This event is recounted in Matthew 14:13-21. (It’s not the only example of Jesus feeding a large crowd)
This is a table borne of compassion.
When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:14 ESV
It was a table of necessity. The crowd is without food and food is unobtainable. The people are hungry in a desolate place because they’ve gone to follow Jesus.
Sometimes we will find ourselves in a desolate place because we follow Jesus. This table is given at a late hour to a needy people; giving an opportunity to demonstrate a miracle.
Imagine yourself in their shoes. How would you respond?
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. [27] Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
John 6:26-27 ESV
Like we often do, they focussed on the gift rather than the giver. They shouldn’t be thinking about the food. They should be thinking about who did the miracle and what it represents.
2. Table of Communion: the last supper
And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
Luke 22:15 ESV
A tale of communion is a feast of fellowship. Jesus earnestly desired to eat the feast with then.
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. [22] For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
Luke 22:14-22 ESV
There is close contact and intimacy at the feast.
So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”
John 13:25 ESV
This offer is repeated to us in Revelation:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20 ESV
It’s a feast of fellowship, rememberance and intimacy.
3. Table of celebration:
Our passage in John represents another table. Is a celebration because it’s at breakfast time (v12). We’ve broken the fast of the night and received the energy from the food. Here the table Jesus is at is a celebration in the presence in the Lord.
No longer mourning
to grant to those who mourn in Zion- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:3 ESV
As the song goes: “He gave me beauty for ashes; the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for heaviness…that we might be trees of righteousness.”
Songs such as this are how we remember the scriptures. Isaiah 63: a spirit of heaviness.
Formerly there was mourning: Jesus has died. There’s still an aspect of mourning, because they don’t realise the significance of the resurrection. In Peter’s depressed state he says he’s going fishing. They all go out for fish and are out all night and catch nothing. When they come into shore, they see the Lord on the shore, already cooking a fish.
They break the fast: they were mourning because Jesus had died. The breakfast is a table of celebration. The Lord is feeding his sheep with it.
Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. [22] So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
John 16:20,22 ESV
Celebration and restoration
The Gospel turns mourning into celebration. Now looking forward we have a table of celebration. We see this in John 21.
1. Confirmation (Forgiveness)
This table of celebration is a confirmation of the risen King Jesus: He’s risen from the dead and is proving it by eating with them.
2. Restoration
There’s been a restoration of the believer. On the night Jesus was arrested Peter betrayed him three times, yet in this passage we see Peter being restored.
3. Commissioning
Jesus then commissions him as an under-shepherd.
He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
John 21:16 ESV
Restoration is available for all true sheep: no matter how difficult and how many times we deny Him, He still commissions us to be his servant.
Every time I stand up to preach, I am so grateful for these verses.
4. Warning of what’s to come
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”
John 21:18 ESV
Peter was eventually crucified. He requested to be crucified upside down to not be like Christ (this is not in the bible – it comes from other sources, but it would be consistent with what we know of Peter).
Our individual responsibility
Our salvation is a challenge to individual responsibility.
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
John 21:21 ESV
Jesus effectively says to mind your own business because whilst Jesus gathers us corporately, but calls us individually. He wants us to mind our own spiritual business.
Personal application
I come from a line of shepherds. An enduring memory of my father was out at lambing time in August in New Zealand. It was often wet and stormy and he would be soaked. He carried flasks of warm milk with a tube and feed the lambs that wouldn’t make it through the night.
The milk: the word of God is given to the weak and those who can’t help themselves. He ensures that we survive still.
He prepares a table before us in the midst of our enemies. Praise Him.
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