1. Reflections from Psalm 23 and shepherd imagery in scripture

2. * The kingdom of God is God coming to his people and doing for them what they cannot do for themselves in order that he might establish his loving and holy purposes in all creation. – Paul Jensen * Question How is the kingdom of God displacing the kingdom of evil in me and in my vocational work? Where is God and his reign still waiting to break in?

3. * Work is the gift of self to the service of others that becomes the fabric of civilization. - Lester DeKoster * Question How is my self being formed into that of a sheep for & thru my work? The King will separate sheep from goats on the last day – those who serve Him in service to others from those who dont serve others. (Mt. 25:31-46)

4. * Work in the Day of Judgment Mt 25:31-46 * The King chooses to be served through the work that serves the basic needs of civilization - food, water, shelter, clothing, health, communications, community, social justice. * To work is to pray – St. Benedict / The Protestant work ethic sees work as a holy calling. * DeKoster - Protestants have drifted from this ethic and must return to a holistic discipleship that is worked out in our vocational work, not just our gatherings of Christians.

5. * At the Judgment, the King will say to those who worked effectively in his name but without inward intimacy with himself, I never knew you Mt. 7:23. * David reflected on how God used his experience as a boy shepherd to prepare him to shepherd Israel even as Yahweh shepherded him & Israel (Ps 78:11-13). * Inward Vocation With upright heart he (David) * Outward Vocation tended them (Israel) and guided them with skillful hands (v 13).

6. * Inward vocation of Davids intimacy with God grew from his primary identity as His sheep who was weak but gifted. * Inward vocation of being intimacy with the Shepherd allowed God to fill Davids outward work with Divine care, power& protection. * Outward vocation did not establish his primary identity but expressed it through his secondary identity defined by his unique strengths and skills for the particular work he did. * Psalm 23 integrates inward and outward vocations of King David; John 10 does that for King Jesus and us his disciples.

7. * A Pasture (v. 1-3) * A Valley (v. 4) * A House (v. 5-6)

8. * The King of Love My Shepherd is, so He leads me to

9. * The King of Love My Shepherd is, so He leads me through

10. * The King of Love My shepherd is, so He leads me to