Welcome, everyone, to Resurrection Sunday. And today we’re celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Resurrection Sunday holds deep significance for Christians around the world. It’s a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, which is considered the cornerstone of our Christian faith. Now, Jesus resurrection signifies his victory over death and the grave, proving that he is the Son of God and has all power over sin and death.
The resurrection gives believers the hope that just as Christ was raised from the dead, they too will experience resurrection and newness of life. The resurrection celebrates our spiritual rebirth and new life. For all of us who believe in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it’s a reminder that sin has been defeated and redemption is available to all who will come and believe in and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. So, in essence, what we’re talking about here is Resurrection Sunday is not just a historical remembrance. It’s a powerful, living celebration of hope, renewal, and the unshakable promise of salvation and the gift of eternal life. Now, today is also the conclusion of our study of Psalm 23, which we began nine weeks ago. Wow. A little over two months ago, we began studying this chapter.
Our final verse, Psalm 23:6, also speaks to and points to the blessing we have through the death and the resurrection. Let me say that one more time, David. Psalm 23:6 also speaks to the blessing we have through the death and the resurrection of Jesus, our Savior, our shepherd. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been exploring who the Lord my shepherd is in Psalm 23. We started by studying verse one, which begins with that phrase, the Lord my shepherd. The Hebrew word for Lord there is Jehovah. The first few weeks, we studied the five characteristics which define Jehovah. So one more time, let me share with you what those are.
The Lord, Jehovah, Number one, the self existent, eternal one. Number two, he’s the God of all favor. Number three, he is the one bringing into life, bringing into being the life giver, the giver of existence, the Creator. Number four. He brings to pass. He is a performer of his promises, His Word. Number five, the one ever coming into manifestation as a God of redemption. Hallelujah.
Praise God. Praise God. Then we looked at what are the key themes we see in Psalm 23, and we saw four key themes. The Lord is my shepherd who provides. He provides for us. The Lord is my shepherd who protects. He protects us. The Lord is my shepherd who prepares.
He prepares us and prepares a table before Us. And the Lord is my shepherd who passionately pursues me. And that’s where we begin today, is exploring. What does that mean? The Lord, my shepherd who pursues me. Not only is he our provider, our protector, our preparer, he is God who pursues. Think about this, that God is pursuing you. Let’s look at that. Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Now we’re going to break this verse down and explore its meaning today so we get the first full context of what the psalmist is saying here. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Goodness refers to God’s blessings, his care and provision. God is looking to bring his blessing, his care and provision to you into your life. He wants you to experience his goodness. The word mercy there sometimes translated as loving kindness or steadfast love in Hebrew. It’s the Hebrew word hesed, and it refers to God’s loyal covenantal love, his forgiveness, his compassion, his faithful presence.
So God’s blessing, care and provision will follow me all the days of my life. His loyal covenantal love, which flows with his forgiveness, compassion and faithful presence will always be with me. As you trust in the Lord your shepherd, these qualities and characteristics of his love will follow you all of your life. They will never leave you or forsake you. In fact, the phrase follow me is actually a stronger word in Hebrew then it is translated here. The word follow me there actually means in the Hebrew to pursue or to chase after. So what it’s saying there, the goodness and mercy will pursue you or chase after you all the days of your life. So rather than just trailing behind you, someone following someone else, God’s goodness and mercy is an active pursuit of us.
He is an active pursuit, intentional pursuit, purposeful pursuit of you. Think about that. Think about that. Deuteronomy 28:2 gives us some insight into this. It says, in all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God. So Moses is speaking to the children of Israel here, and he’s saying, if you will obey the voice of the Lord your God, walk in his ways, then all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you. And he goes on to list them. If you read chapter 28 there in Deuteronomy, this verse tells us that God’s blessings will be so abundant and powerful that they will not only come to you, but they will also surprise and surpass you.
Essentially catching up with you. That’s what that means here. His blessing shall come upon you. Wow. They’re going to catch up with you. They’re going to surprise you, surpass you, his goodness and mercy. And this pointing back to Psalm 23:6, that’s what it’s saying there. His goodness and mercy will come upon you, will catch up to you, will surprise you and surpass you.
Hallelujah. Now, the following word, so it says, blessings shall come upon you and overtake you. The word overtake there is significant because in the Hebrew it means that the blessings will not be gradual or expected. They will be a sudden, surprising and overwhelming experience. God’s just going to come upon you and bless you beyond measure and overwhelm you. And you’re just going to be going, oh, wow, look at this. The idea is that no matter what happens, good or bad, God’s love, goodness and mercy are relentless and always near. And I’m going to talk about this in a moment, but I want to go ahead and say it now.
That’s why we can celebrate Resurrection Sunday. Because God’s love, His goodness and mercy for us has relentlessly pursued us all the days of mankind’s life, all of our time of being here on earth. That word relentless there, let me share with you the depth of the meaning of the word relentless. That means steady, unwavering determination, persistent, constant, unyielding, showing no signs of letting up, no drop off in intensity, severity or strength, pressing on and moving ever forward, always pursuing. Now let me say it this way. I’m going to take all these definitions we’ve had here and put them together. God’s blessing, care and provision, his forgiveness, compassion and faithful presence are relentlessly pursuing us. Steadily, with unwavering determination, persistent and constantly unyielding, always pressing on and moving ever forward with intensity, passion and strength.
He never lets up in his pursuit of us. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. That’s just the first half of that verse. Hallelujah. God is relentlessly in pursuit of you today. This just wasn’t for David. It’s for all of us.
Then the psalmist goes on to say this, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Now let me share something with you. That phrase there, the house of the Lord, refers to being in God’s presence. We go into the house of the Lord to be in his presence. Now we do this. We’re familiar with this from a context of a corporate gathering or a public gathering. So we go to church or into the tabernacle into the house of the Lord and encounter him and worship him, and we go and sit in his presence together. But even more beyond that, more important than that, is that we also have this on an ongoing daily basis with Him.
That word house of the Lord means coming into his presence where he dwells. And so through an ongoing relationship with him, daily we experience his presence. We can walk in his presence. Hallelujah. Then David ends that with that word forever. And forever means for all time and beyond. Throughout life here on earth and our eternal fellowship with God, we will live and dwell in the presence of our Lord forever here on the earth and throughout eternity. It’s a picture of both security and intimacy.
We’re secure in the fact that we are at home with God. We are in his presence, we dwell with him in peace and safety. But it’s also about intimacy with God. It’s not just visiting occasionally, but dwelling with him daily, permanently, every moment of every day. Whether you realize it or not, God is with you every moment of every day. David here is expressing his deep confidence and assurance that because of God’s faithful presence, which he’s described earlier in this psalm, he knows and trusts that God’s goodness and love will accompany him every day. That his final destination, his eternal home, is with God. And that’s what God wants.
God wants us to experience his goodness and mercy relentlessly pursuing us and us coming into relationship and intimate fellowship with him them daily. That’s been God’s heart all along. And when we look into the New Testament, John 3:16 tells us this. For God so loved the world, all of mankind, that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. There it is right there, folks. Jesus came and made a way so we could enter into intimate relationship and fellowship with God forever. An everlasting life. God’s relentless pursuit of us was fulfilled and the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
God wants us to enter in to an everlasting relationship with him, an everlasting covenant with him, and come and experience life forever in his presence in his house. Scripture says that in My house are many mansions. Now think about this. Think about how big God’s house must be if the mansions are in his house. But of course they are. We’re in heaven and we’re in his presence, so we’re in his house. Philippians 2:8 in the Amplified goes on to say this. And this goes on to give us an idea of God’s heart for us and this is speaking of Jesus.
It says, and after he had appeared in human form, he abased and humbled himself still further and carried his obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of. Of the cross. Max Lucado in one of his books, gave us some insight on this verse, and I love the way he says this. He said, Jesus descended the ladder of incarnation one rung at a time. He did not grasp equality with God. He made Himself nothing. He took on the form of a servant. He submitted himself to death, even death, on a cross.
Down, down, down, down. From heaven’s crown to Bethlehem’s cradle, to Jerusalem’s cross. And he did this just for you. Think about. He humbled himself even to death on that cross, just for you. Mark 15:37 through 39. Jesus is on the cross. And it says here, and Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last.
Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion who stood opposite him saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last. He said, truly, this man was the Son of God. Think about it. The veil has been torn in two. No more division, no more separation, no more sacrifices are necessary. He became sin for our sake, so we would have the opportunity to become his children and come into relationship with him. For his sake.
He made a way, because he loves you. He has been relentlessly pursuing you all of the days, all of the time, here on earth. And you specifically, from the day you were born. 2nd Corinthians 5:21 says this. For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Think about that. By accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are the righteousness of God in Him. It’s not something you’ll get when you get to heaven.
It’s not something you’re kind of halfway there. No. Right now, today, in this moment, if you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are the righteousness of God in Christ. You can get up every day and declare, I am righteous. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. You see, what started in the Bethlehem cradle was consummated on the Jerusalem cross. It is finished. Heaven’s work of redemption and restoration was finished.
And whatever barrier that had separated us from God was gone. Nothing separates you from God. If you’re willing to believe and receive him. You’re in. He’s looking forward to having an intimate relationship with you. Mark 16, chapter 16, verses 1 through 7. Let me read these to you. Now.
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Siloam, brought spices that they might come and anoint him. Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen, and they said among themselves, who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us? But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side. They were alarmed, but he said, don’t be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
Go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you into Galilee. There you will see him as he said to you. Ha ha ha. Oh, my gosh. How excited they must have been. Wow. What just happened? The celebration began right there. That first celebration of resurrection began right there.
Jesus had accomplished God’s plan of restoration. The way was open for all who would come, believe, and receive, even Peter, who felt like he had totally messed up by denying Christ. But the Lord was saying, no, I’ve made a way. Come to me. Come to me. Come to me. Romans 8:1 says this. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Again, nothing separates us from Him. We are the righteousness of God in Christ. It’s okay, Peter. I didn’t come back to condemn you. I came back to receive you and to empower you to go be all God created you to be. And now, as believers, as children of God, as a righteousness of God in Christ, the Word says, we are now seated with. With him in heavenly places. Let’s look at that.
Paul tells us here in Ephesians 2, 4 6. But God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Praise God. Right now, today, as a child of God, a believer in Jesus Christ, you are seated with him in heavenly places. Hallelujah. And it says this there in the beginning of the verse. It says, because of his great love, which he loved us. He did this because of his great love for us.
The call of love is to come into fellowship with the Lord. You Know, I think that few of us have realized the fact that the Father’s heart is hungry for companionship, the companionship of his children. He is hungry for you. Psalm 23 reflects this. He is the Lord our Shepherd who provides. He is there to make a way for us. He is the Lord our shepherd, who protects us. He surrounds us with mercy and grace and loving kindness, his favor to keep us and protect us.
He is the God who prepares a table before us, who promotes us, who gives us a place. He is the God who pursues us. Oh, how he loves us. His heart hunger is the reason for man. His hunger for companionship with his children is the reason we’re all here, and it’s the reason for redemption. That was his plan to bring us back into relationship with Him. Love compels him to call us into relationship with Him Himself. The call is proof of our ability to stand in his presence.
It is proof of his making us righteous. So we stand in his presence without reproof or condemnation. It means that we are ever welcome to the throne room to the house of the Lord. Hebrews 4:16 in the New Living Translation says this so let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Come boldly. Come boldly. Don’t come in with your head down and oh Lord, is it okay? No, Come boldly.
It’s like children visiting with their father. It’s children coming joyously into the presence of a loving parent running into their arms. It is the Father’s invitation to the throne room of love. God is love, and we find his fullness in his love. Paul told us this again here in Ephesians, Ephesians 3:14, 19. For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that we would grant you you that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through his in her. I’m going to start over, guys. Let’s try this again.
Ephesians 3:14, 19 for this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is name, that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and the length and the depth and the height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. God’s fullness is experienced by stepping in to a relationship with him where you know, his love. All of this that we’ve read so far today, that we’ve talked about Today, the last nine weeks, what we’ve talked about with Psalm 9, 20, Psalm 23, all of this was God pursuing us with his love, his goodness and his mercy. He is still relentlessly pursuing us today. He is yearning for us to come into his presence and fellowship with Him. You see, when we come into his presence, we come into the house of the Lord. We’ve.
We have a way. He has made a way and we have a way. You know, I was just remembering. I love it when my grandkids come and they love coming to see Papa and Nani, and we love it when they come running into the house into our presence. God loves us coming into his house into his presence more than we can ever imagine. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been given free access into the presence of God anytime, anywhere. All that Adam lost in the garden, Jesus has restored to us. We have it all, all the power, the authority, the dominion.
Praise God. The relationship with God. Hallelujah. Glory, glory, glory. Psalm 23:6. We’re going to end with this. And this is what I call the PDV version or the Pastor David version. Let me read this to you.
So God’s blessing, care and provision will relentlessly pursue me all the days of my life. His loyal covenantal love, from which flows his forgiveness, compassion and faithful presence will always be with me, surprising and overtaking me. I will live forever in the house of the Lord where His presence surrounds me continuously. Hallelujah. Jesus, thank you. Thank you for coming and pursuing us so passionately that you gave your life on the cross and redeemed us all, gave us the way back into relationship with you and the Father, the Lord, Jehovah, my shepherd is with me all day, every day, throughout eternity, in relentless pursuit of me forever and always. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
It’s time to celebrate all that God has done for you, all that Christ bought for you. Praise God. It’s Resurrection Sunday, the celebrated now. I want to close in prayer today. If you’re listening today and you haven’t received the Lord as your Savior, I want you to have that opportunity. So I just invite you to repeat after me as I pray. Say this prayer with me. Father God, I come to you and I repent of my sins.
I believe that Jesus Christ died and was resurrected so that I might have life eternal. Jesus, thank you for forgiving me of all my sin. Hallelujah. And making me the righteousness of God in Christ that I might come into relationship with you and walk in your love, your light and your life. Thank you for your blessings. Thank you for relentlessly pursuing me each and every day throughout eternity. In Jesus name, amen. Hallelujah.
If you just said that prayer, welcome to the family. Welcome to the family of God. We want to say God has so much for you and he will always be relentlessly pursuing you. Let us know. Let us know if you said that prayer and received the Lord Jesus. We want to reach out to you and there’s some things we’d love to bless you with. All right. Praise God.
Pastor Kanye’s coming with a closing word and a prayer. You guys go out and celebrate all week long your relationship with the Lord and know that he is relentlessly pursuing you today. His goodness and his mercy are ever with you forever and always. Amen. God bless.
