The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-04-10
LESSON oNE-APRIL 2.

pherd: the good shepherd giveth his life
have life Abundantly." Jesus
does for his disciples what the shep.
herd cannot do for his sheep. He
gives life, eternal life to them. He
feeds and inspires this life more and
more. 1t is not mere living a sickly
existence, but abundant life, the
freshness and overhowing vitality Of
youth, when mere living is a Joy,
when activity is a delight, like the
song Of a bird or the play Of child.
"Of his fulness have all we received
II. "Giveth his life for the sheep"
Jesus, the Son of God, came from
heaven to save men. His whole life
was given for the sheep. Then he
died on the cross to make atonement
for them, bearing their sins on the
cross, for both Of which they owe him
eternal gratitude and love; and all
their lives should be a singing Of the
new song Of the Lamb, For thou hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood
Blessing and honor and
glory and power be unto him that
stitch upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb for ever and ever" (Rev. 5: o
13).
Compare the beautiful hymn, THE
Ninety and Nine"
IL. But he that is an hireling."
The shepherd in the East is usually
the owner or the son OF the owner of
the flock, though sometimes an agent.
whose salary is a fixed proportion OF
the produce, as Jacob ulder Laban
The hireling is the man who happens
to be hired for fixed wages, merely
for the day and has no further inter-
est in the flock. Canon Tristram.
The Hireling. Not every one that
receives pay is a hireling, but one
who serves only for pay, without love
for the work. or care for the en-
ployer He is hireling who is seek
ing his own interests, his reputation,
his pecuniary gains, more than the
good of the flock. He sacrifices the
sheep for himself. not himself for the
sheep. The true pastor never works
for his pay but the people support
him so that he may give all his time
to the care of the sheep.
Third. The Good Shepherd Knows
His flock Tvs. IA, Is, and 81. Con-
meet verses IA, Is, with only common
between. Il *% know my
sheep as the Father know
eth me- Perfectly, completely,
through and through. He knows our
secret thoughts and hopes, our plans
an6 needs, our temptations and dan
gers. what is good for us, the effect
Of each influence upon our characters
and lives, what discipline is good for
u.s. Thus he can take perfect care Of
his sheer. In v. this thought is ex-
pressed by He calleth his own sheep
by name" An Oriental shepherd has
a name for each Of his sheep, as we
have for horses and dogs, even iL a
flock of hundreds or thousands"
Fourth. The Good Shepherd is
Known by His Sheep Tvs. IA, is, and
A. IA. And am known of mine. 90
The Sheep follow him: for they know
his voice" This is the fact with the
sheep of the Oriental shepherd,
though, according to the missionary
Hartley, ''the shepherd told me that
many of his sheep are still wild; that
they had not yet learned their names:
but that, by teaching they would all
learn them" The Christian knows
Jesus by being in sympathy with him,
having the same purposes, hean,
aims. by sitting at his feet to learn,
by working together with him for
the same ends. by loving council to-
gether, by relationship to the same
Father.
Fifth. The Good Shepherd is over
the Whole Flock ". 16). "And other
sheep have. which are not of this
fold" The Gentiles. who were not in
the kingdom of God, but would be
brought in as members of the church
he was soon to found He does not
say of another fold" as if there were
then another true church, but not Of
this fold, scattered abroad. without
fold as yet. They shall hear my
voice. They will listen to the Cos
pei, unu " tHS VOICE OF OrOQ IN InelT
souls, and accept his invitations. and
become the sheep of his flock. And
there shall be one fold" Better.
'cne dock' Or. VI; no one exclusive
enclosure Of an outward church.
but one flock, all knowing the one
shepherd. and known Of him. Al
ford.-"All one flock because one
shepherd; one not in creed, or organ
ization, or method Of worship. but
one in Christ Jesus. Abbott One
in heart, one in purpose, one in the
service of God and man.
Sixth. The Good Shepherd is an
Ever-Living Shepherd Tvs. IL, 1S). IL.
Therefore doth my Father love me.
Because he was in such sympathy
with his Father that he was willing
to die to carry out his saving purpose.
He was worthy of Gods love- He
expressed his love. THAT might
take it again The taking his life
again was essential to the work OF
salvation. Otherwise he would have
ceased to be the Good Shepherd.
Like the hireling he would cast aside
his duty hnfore N waa co,,.lx,4 ..,ls,