The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-16
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER 20.
Lesson Text: "Christ, the Good
Shepherd" John T., Lilo
Golden Text: Ps. xiii,
documentary.

I. 'Verily, verify, say unto you" These
great and most emphatic words occur 80 Of.
ten some twenty-five times in this gospel
that the careless reader Is apt to slight them
which they deserve. verify" Is "Amen,"
and carries us back to lisa. XIV, 16, where we
read of 1.-THE God Of Truth" or ''the. God
Amen (R. ", margin). 'I say unto you''
is equal to the Thus saith the Lord" OF the
prophets, found over 500 times in Jeremiah
and Ezekiel.
''He that entereth not by the door into
the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other
way, the same is thief and a robber. +"
There were shepherds of Israel in the days Of
the kings and in the time of Christ also who
were not Of Gods appointing, and who cared
more for themselves than for the sheep.
They did not strengthen the diseased, nor
heal the sick, nor bring back tae driven
away, nor seek the lost, but were cruel and
oppressive rulers of the people lEzek. xxxiv.,
4. Such were the Pharisees of the pre-
ceding chapter, who devoured widows
houses, and for pretense made long prayers
(Math. xiii, 14,. They even made the house
OF God den OF thieves by their merchan-
disc (Math. xxi, 49,.
g But he that entererh in by the door is
thesbepherd of the sheep" Jesus was sent
of God, as He afflrms over thirty times in
this gospel. He neither did His own will nor
sought His own glory chapter vi, 49,: viii,
5N. He pleased not Himself tRomans w.,
81. He emptied Himself, taking the form OF
sick, brought back the driven away, sought
the lost, and in every sense proved Himself
the true shepherd Of the sheep.
3. 'To him the porter openeth, and the
sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own
sheep by name and leadeth them OUT The
porter is the Lord the Spirit, the third per-
son of the Blessed Trinity, who opens the
heart to the Lord Jesus and His message as
He opened the heart of Lydia (Acts xvi,
l4); and who also opens doors for the follow
ers Of Jesus, tActs xvi, q; Cor. xvi g; II Cor
H., 12. His own sheep who hear His voice
are those that are truly His. not having
merely name to live. but having life in
deed. having sincerely received Himself as
their life.
4. "And when He puteth forth His own
sheep He goeth before them, and the sheep
follow Him, for they know His voice" He
does not drive them out He does not ask
his sheep to 60 where He has not gone Him.
self, nor to do what He Himself has not
done. The Phariaees, on the contrary say
and do not, they bind heavy burdens and
lay them on mems shoulders, but they them
selves will not move them with one of their
fingers (Math. xiii, 8, A..
S. 'tAnd stranger will they not follow,
but will flee from him; for they know not
the voice of strangers" The stranger Is the
thief and robber Of verse !. the shepherds
chat feed themselves of Eek. xxxiv., 2, or
the idol shepherds Of Zach. Ii, II. They are
those who say they are apostles, but are not,
for they are liars (Rev. H., q.
8. This parable spake Jesus unto them:
but they understood not what things they
were which He spake unto them" Even the
disciples understood not many Of His say
ings John xii, l6; Luke xvii, "a; Mark *,
By, so that He had to say to them. "Are ye
also yet without understanding? Do ye not
understands tMath. Iv., 16, ~. -
z. Then. SAID jesus unto them again,
Verify, verify, 1say unto you, am the door
Of the sheep" He is the door by which the
sheep enter the fold, for no one can come to
the Father but by Him, and there is none
other name given under heaven, among men
, whereby we must be saved John xiv, 6;
Acts iv., 12). He is also the door of acces:
! to the sheep, for without Him we who be-
lieve in Him can do nothing John xv., s..
8. "All that ever came before Me ar;
thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not
uC1I LAO COuIo AOu HOoolOky kCkS2 w
such as Moses and the prophets who wers
before Him in the sense Of antecedent tc
his faithful Witnesses But tse Word B Before
erenes sses to,a as When % Gaa ssia, fhoa Il Bal
have no other gods before Me- (Ex. xx., 81.
/ ~9.'I am the door; by Ne if any man ea
ter IN be shall be saved, and shall 60 in anc
out, and find pasture" He is not only the
entrance to Life and to the Kingdom, bu
Heisan entrance wide open, inviting and en-
treating all to enter in.
|, 10. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal
and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that
they might have life, and that they NIGH
stranger or false prophet is well described II
Eek. xxxiv., and elsewhere in the prophets
His aim is always selfish; he speaks to please
the king and the people, that he may hav'
their favor and receive their wealth, or b.
oppresses that he may enrich himself. Jesus
on the contrary, seeks nothing for Himself
but gives Himself to all who come to Him.
H. II am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" HI
is also called the Great Shepherd and th
Chief Shepherd heb. xiii, 20; Pet. IL.
2s,. Instead Of killing and destroying TO
His own benefit, like the thief, BE suffer
Himself to bs killed for the benefit
others.
12. "But he that is an hireling, and no
the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not
seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep
and feeth, and the wolf catcheth them and
scattereth the sheep" Hireling and wolf ar
all one with the thief and robber-that is
they are all on the side Of the enemy, an
against the sheep and the Coop Shepherd
HE that is not with Me is against Me, ant
he that gathereth not with Me scattered
abroad (Math. Xii, 39).
IS. "The hireling 1eeth, because he ia al
hireling, and careth not for the sheep" HI
cares only for his hire, as il a minister shoul
think more of his salary than of the soul:
committed to his care.
ga. am ths Good Shepherd, and know
NJ sheep and am known Of Mine" This i
the essential theme Of the whole discourse
church many who are not His, and may fai
to gather in many who are His. "Neverthe
less the foundation of God standeth sure,
having this seal, The Lord knoweth them
that are His I'll Tim H., 19). In reference
to receiving those that are not His we would
do we'll to remember His own words: Every
plant which My Heavenly Father hath moi
planted shall bs rooted up" (Math. 1v, 49,.
IS. LAS the Father knoweth Me, even 50
know the Father. And l lay down My life
for the sheep" At another time He said
"No man knoweth the Son but the Father
neither knoweth any man the Father say,
the Son. and he to whomsoever the Son vii
reveal Him" (Math. Ii, ~. he dwell:
much upon the oneness Of the Father and
Himself, and also upon the oneness Of be
levers with the Father and Himself. If we
but grasped this great truth more fully we
would be more ready to lay down our live:
for the brethren, as we are taught in l John
ILL.,, 16.
16. "And other sheep have which ars not
of this fold; them also I must bring, and they
shall hear My voice; and there shall be one
IL L., inanH