The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-11
JESUS CAME THAT
 MEN MIGHT LIVE Christ Not Only Gives But
 Gives AbundantIy REV. DR. FOSTERS SERMON Text Was, "l am Come That They Might Have Life, and That They
 Might Have 1t More
 Abundantly.
 
REV. DR. FOSTERS SERMON


 church, conducted morning and evening services Sunday. At the morning service he delivered the sermon which follows: T am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abun- dantly."-John, 1O:10.
 I The text Is found imbedded in that beautiful passage of Scripture Jesus rep resents Himself under the figure of the good shepherd of the sheep. To the minds of His listeners this figure would | immediately recall scenes with which they had been associated from child hood.
 There was no more familiar character in Palestine than the shepherd, who led his sheep from valley to. valley searching for the richest pastures and always dis playing an affection for them both touch ing and tender. It would recall incidents in the lives of shepherds heroic and brave, where they endangered their lives in defense of the sheep. Such an incident as that in the life of David, who slew lion and bear. And doubtless to this one figure would suggest to them the beautiful Psalm, "The Lord is my Shep- herd, shall not want; He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters"
 Vast Contrast.
 But however beautiful and touching were the suggestions of this figure. Jesus used it to emphasize the vast contrast between Himself and all others who had gone before. 'All that ever came be- fore me are thieves and robbers" "The hireling feeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep" All others had not true shepherd instinct, 'the rob bers caring only for the flesh and the fleece and the hireling tended the sheep only for gain.'
 But am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." Here we have the distin- gushing characteristics of Jesus, the true Shepherd of the sheep.
 Stands Apart.
 | First. He gave, and gave only. In this one aspect He stands apart from all mankind. In this was He unique for all others of the race. receive. We belong to a dependent and needy race.
 The first feeble cry of the newborn child as he calls for sustinance and nourishment, is prophetic of his attitude give to him. he would perish in few short hours, and as he grows to youth and manhood his necessities grow and his wants increase As he labors 1t is in order that he may receive the reward of his efforts Ask the proudest and most self reliant of the race and he must confess himself insufficient to meet the requirements of his own nature. And with declining years as his feeble steps go tottering down to the grave, his neces- sities, and longings, though changed in form, grow more clamorous and in sistent.
 I've are children crying in the night, children crying for the light and with no language but a cry Thus has the poet expressed the deepest truth of hu- man experience, and none can deny 1t.
 Jesus the Master.
 Not so with the good shepherd, not so with Jesus, the master. He and He alone, could say. 'I am come that they might have; am come. the purpose and object of my coming is to give.
 "The son of man came not to be minis tered unto but to minister and give" Many have thought that He came to sell, that His possessions could be purchased, or exchanging. There is story of poor woman whose son was parching with fever, who came to the gardens of the king, bringing her basket with her. On entering she met the kings son, and mstaking him for the gardener, asked to be allowed to purchase some of the ripe fruit hanging from the over-laden trees. Taking her basket the young man filled 1t to overfowing with the richest and ripest fruit, and returned it to her. and when she offered to pay him out of her slender store, he said proudly. the kings son is no peddler. He gives. And so with Jesus, He. is no merchant alone.
 What Jesus Gave. Second--But If Jesus was distinguished by giving only how much more when that which He gave Is considered. He did not give wealth to men nor houses and lands. Though He lived upon earth for thirty-three years, no man was richer in goods for his having lived. It is true that His coming has been the means of | increasing the worlds wealth million fold. Society has been elevated and law and order established, so that men may labor in security and enjoy the returns oi their effort.
 But this has followed as the result but was not the object of His coming T am came that they might have life" am came to give life. Who of all the race has dared to make this declaration? Who has ever had the audacity to declare that they could give life?
 The strange subtle things that defies analysis, that defies definition. is the life of animate beings. But, though He claim ed to be the author of animal life His claims did not rest here. There is higher life still, the life of the soul, more subtle, moro elusive, more difficult to de- fine in terms, and this He came to give. Not the life possessed in common with the beasts of the fields, that goes out at death, forever, but the life of the soul that persists and defies the tooth of time or the ravages of disease. It was .~oo,t x-bar I4o soid. q x~,