The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-04-10

tion with the Good Shepherd of VS..
1918.
The Sheepfold. 1t was surrounded
by wall with one strong wooden
gate. 1t represents the kingdom Of
God where the fiocks are guided,
guarded, protected, cared for; where
they find home. In lesser degree
is symbolized the organized forms of
the kingdom. A church is a true
church only so far as 1t represents
the spiritual kingdom of God.
7. Then said Jesus unto them
again" Interpreting and applying
and making palmer the parable he
had spoken and which they did not
understand. Il am the door of the
sheep" 1. The door symbolizes
Means Of Entrance, by which the
flock can get into the fold, with its
safety, shelter, food, and care.
s. "All that ever came before me-"
Claiming to be the Messiah, the De-
liverer, and to give to the sheep an
entrance to the fold, and all that
true shepherd gives. Are thieves"
Who gain their booty by craft "And
robbers Who gain their booty by
force, suggesting organized bands
These represent the false teachers
who mislead the sheep for their own
interests, who steal from the people
the instruction, the influences, the
example which the leaders of the ma
tion were under obligation to give
They come ITO steal, and to kill and
to destroy" The Pharisees could see
their portrait in this picture. They
had just cast out from the fold poor
wounded sheep they should have
sheltered and cared for; they were
leading the people away from the
Messiah, they were guiding the peo-
pie into deadly ways of life, they
were bringing the whole nation into
ruin.
But the sheep (the real members
of the kingdom) did not hear them
Obey their teachings, but found the
true Shepherd and the Door.
2. The Door symboIizes Protec-
ton. g. by me, the true Shepherd
and Messiah IF any man enter in
BY accepting me as his Messiah
Teacher Savior. and King. He shall
be saved" One use of a door is to
shut out thieves and enemies of ev-
cry kind. Those who enter through
believing in Jesus shall be safe from
the robbers and wolves that seek to
destroy; safe from false teachers;
safe from the sins that would ruin;
safe from the punishment of his sins;
safe from the troubles, dangers, and
temptations of life
If the nation as a whole had re-
ceived Jesus as the Messiah, their
character would have become such
that they would have been saved
from the destruction which came up
on them forty years later As mat
ter of fact the Christians Of Jersalem,
believing Christ's warnings, fled from
the city during brief interval in
the Roman attack, and 1t is said not
Christian perished in its final over
throw.
g. The Door symbolized a Means
of Going Out as well as Of coming in.
It is sign and means of Liberty.
"And shall go in and out Once be-
longing to the flock and the fold, he
can go in and out under the care Of
the shepherd and everywhere be safe,
and have freedom of activity for all
his powers. Exercise is as needful
to the Christian as food. Wherever
there is help, or blessing. or wider
vision, through all the realms Of
knowledge, literature, and science,
through the most heavenly transfigur-
alton experiences. through the trials
that purify, the battles that ennoble
by victories, there the sheep may 60
under the guidance and protection of
the good shepherd. And find pas
ture.' The green fields and still
waters Of Psalm %. All the best
fruits of earth and of heaven are for
the sustenance of the disciple of
Christ. There is something to salts
fy every want and longing of the
soul.
H. "The Good Shepherd. .'--vs. 10
is. Compare the various references
to God and Christ as shepherding the
people
The characteristics Of the good
shepherd are:
First. The Good Shepherd Enters
the Fold by the Door Tvs. i, 2). That
is by the appointed way, fulfilling the
necessary conditions of good shep-
herd. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies
of the Messiah, his character was
that of a divinely appointed shepherd;
his purposes. his teachings, his works
his miracles, his methods OF work, all
were those which must belong to
good shepherd of Coos people. Every
true under-shepherd must in his de-
gree have the same characteristics,
and fulfil the ideal of good shep-
herd.
Second. The Good Shepherd Gives
His Life for the Sheep Tvs. 10, III, 12,
Is, I'D Note the two ways in which
he gives his life (1) In contrast
with the thief and the wolf who come
to destroy. he goes on doing his duty,
opposing all evil at the cost of his
life. 50 David slew the lion and the