The Good Shepherd Gathering His Sheep.
(John x. 16.)
In the city of Jerusalem, at the Feast of Tabernacles, a few months before His death, Jesus set forth this beautiful parable of the Good Shepherd. He had given sight to a man who from his birth had been blind. The Pharisees, as usual, had shown their hatred of Him, and He then described Himself as the true Leader, beloved and honoured of all believing, obedient souls, declaring that His enemies did not believe Him, because they were not His sheep.
"My sheep hear My voice; I know them, they follow Me, and I lay down My life for them." "And other sheep I have that are not of this [Israelite or Jewish] fold; them also I must bring; and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd" (John x. 16).
The Jews who listened to those gracious words were much divided in their opinions about them, some declaring that Jesus was mad; others, appealing to the great miracle He had wrought in opening the eyes of the blind; and three months later, at another feast (see ver. 22), their controversy was renewed, and Jesus concluded His striking allegory by saying, "I and My Father are One, and no power shall ever be able to snatch My people from My hand or from His" (ver. 29, 30).
Returning to our text, we find Jesus declaring that all His people are His before they know or love Him.
Up to that time the Jewish Church had been the only earthly fold of believers in the living God, and all the Gentiles who were taught by the Holy Spirit were led to unite with the house of Israel or the people of Judah.
God was Israel's Shepherd (Psa. lxxx. 1). He led His people "like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron" (Psa. lxxvii. 20). They were regarded as "the sheep of His pasture" (Psa. c.), and the world around them were strangers and foreigners, "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise."
But among these outcasts Jesus had many sheep. He gathered some in olden times. He came to lay down His life for a great multitude, to be drawn to Himself from every kindred, and tribe, and nation, and tongue. He spoke of them as being already His own—"Other sheep I have, and them also I must bring," or lead. "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost." "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way"; and He who paid the ransom price of His wandering flock, goes after every one for whom He shed His blood.
"He finds them wandering far from God,
And brings them to His chosen fold."
"As many as are led by His Spirit"—the Spirit of God—"they are the children of God," the sheep of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He brings them to feel that they are lost—that they are far off by wicked works—that they are guilty, and weak, and helpless—and thus they are drawn to the Good Shepherd, who can and will deliver them from all evil, and fill them with all good.
And having brought near, He leads in green pastures, beside still waters; and even when the way is less pleasant, He always "leads in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment" (Prov. viii. 20).
"They shall hear My voice," He said, and it is by His voice—His Word spoken to the heart—that He ever leads His people. Three thousand heard it on the day of Pentecost, and were pricked in their heart. Wounded, and imploring forgiving, healing grace, they heard again with gladness, and followed their Lord in baptism (Acts ii. 37-41).
Lydia's heart was opened to receive the glad tidings, and she followed the Good Shepherd; and Jesus leads His disciples all the way home. "In all thy ways," the wise man says, "acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Prov. iii. 6). "These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (Rev. xiv.).
Happy are they who know the sound of that heavenly voice! Have we heard it? It may not be recognized at first, as Samuel heard, but did not know who called him, until his name had been again and again repeated, and Eli had "perceived that the Lord had called the child." But as surely as He speaks, we shall, sooner or later, know His voice, and long and love to hear it.
Then Jesus promises that all His people, of all nations and all ages of time, shall become one flock—one in Jesus; one in heart, and mind, and judgment—and the whole redeemed and gathered flock shall at last dwell in one fold—the fold of heavenly, eternal life and glory.
"From sorrow, care, and pain,
And sin they shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity."
"And there shall be one Shepherd." "Jesus only" shall be seen, acknowledged, and followed. Now He is loved and honoured as the great Chief Shepherd of the sheep, and the ministers of the Gospel are pastors, or shepherds, serving under Him. Christ brings them forth, gives them their work, and blesses their careful labours. But He removes them one by one. He alone abides for evermore. And in the fold above, the pastors appear no more as shepherds, but as sheep, the redeemed and saved people of the Lord.
Yet, wonderful to relate, the one divine Shepherd is called "the Lamb" (Rev. vii. 9-17)—"the Lamb of God," all-seeing and almighty, yet the Lamb that once was slain.
"His life and blood the Shepherd paid,
A ransom for the flock."
And this wonderful work is to be remembered while the years of eternity roll, therefore it is "the Lamb in the midst of the throne that shall feed them, and lead them to fountains of living waters; and God shall wipe away tears from all eyes."
Shall we be among them? Let us rather ask, Are we asking Him to be our Leader now? Are we "hungering and thirsting after righteousness" now? And are we mourning over sin, and after Him? If so, our Leader in this world will be our Leader still.
"He that hath fed will feed;
He that hath blessed will bless;
He that hath led will lead;
Can He do less?"
And we shall hunger and thirst no more in that blessed fold, where "in His presence there is fulness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures for evermore." This is the life He gives His ransomed ones. May it be ours.
Our next subject will be, Elisha and the Shunammite (2 Kings iv. 8-37; viii. 1-6).
Yours affectionately,
H. S. L.