Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-02-28
CHRIST THE SHEPHERD.

One of the most beautiful lyric poems in
any language is the twenty-third Psalm.
The language is simple, expressive and
touchingly pathetic. There is volume of
meaning in the words,
"The Lord is my shepherd
This same poetic figure our Saviour adopts
and procaims to a lost world, 81 am the
good shepherd" In the twenty-third Psalm
the inspired penman, melted by the Holy
Spirit, states definitely the relation which
the believer sustains to Christ (Jehovah)
and in the gospel by John, Christ expresses
the relation which he bears to the believer.
The language is figurative in both cases, but
dignifed and illustrative of the absolute de-
pendence of believers upon Christ and of
Christ's supporting grace constantly granted
to believers.
The language, "The Lord is my shep-
herd" uttered by the believer, and the re-
ply, II am the good shepherd" made by
Jesus Christ, are two massive pillars upon
which the beautiful structure of a Cody
life may be built. The words, "The Lord
is my Shepherd" uttered by the believer,
denote several things Prominent among
these may be noted, 1st, The believers
knowledge of the fact that he is constantly
exposed to eminent danger, and may be
called upon, in the providence of God, to
pass through great temporal and spiritual
Affections. Every true believer in the Lord
Jesus Christ is aware Of the fact that, like
sheep on the mountains, he is exposed to
danger. He ivesin a community frequent
ed by prOWling wolves. His nearest and
best earthly friends are often his spiritual
foes. His enemies are many and they are
strong. His soul is in constant jeopardy.
Ind. Every true believer is conscious Of
the fact that, unassisted, he is not able to
combat successfully with his enemies. The
language of his unsanctitied heart is, that
one day he will fall a prey to his enemies,
but the language of faith is, "The Lord is
my shepherd"
The reply of Jesus Christ to the believer
sustains him. 81 am the good Shepherd"
is the prop which sustains the believer un-
der all his Affections. These affiictions are
many. Why it is that God permits his peo-
pie to be so afflicted we may not be able to
explain. The fact no one will doubt. All
the eminently pious, of whom we have any
account, were greatly afflicted. The ungod-
ly are not so afflicted. Why this is the case
we do not fully understand. Paul had his
thorn in the flesh. For the removal of this
thorn, whatever it was, he besOught the
Lord thrice. This the Lord did not grant,
but he granted him grace sufficient to en-
dure the thorn. This was better than If ne
had removed the thorn.
One of the names given in the Old Testa-
ment to Jesus Christ is Jehovah.jireh, which
means the Lord will provide. AS the shep-
herd provides for his sheep, so Jesus Christ
will provide for his people. There is one
idea in the language of the Psalmist and in
that of the Saviour, which we should not
overlook. 1t is the idea that Jesus Christ
owns believers and believers belong to Jesus
Christ. When the Psalmist says "The Lord
is my Shepherd" one idea contained in the
words is, that as sheep belong to the shep-
herd, so he belongs to the Lord. Paul plead
his Roman citizenship as a safeguard to his
person. The believer can say to all his enc
mics 81 am the property of Jesus Christ.
He will protect me and hold you accounta-
bic for all your attacks upon me-" TO the
enemies of believers Jesus Christ says,
'these are my sheep. | bought them with
my blood; they are mine."
There is something delightful in the
thought that believers belong to Jesus Christ.
1t suggests that Jesus Christ has in belev-
ers that peculiar interest which the possess
or has in his possessions. The idea that Jesus
Christ owns believers runs through the
whole Scriptures. aye are not your own,
We are bought with price," are the words
of the apostle Paul. Again, the same apos-
tie says to believers, aye are Christ's, and
Christ is Gods"