The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-01
JTx
Swooq:Sckoa
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR APRIL ).

Subject: Jesus the Good Shepherd,
John 1O:1-1S- Golden Text,
John 1O:11-Commit Verse o.
Commentary on the Lesson.
TIME.-october, 29 A. D. PLACE.
Jerusalem.
EXPOSITION. Jesus the Door,
10. Anyone who seeks to get access
to the sheep in any other way than
by the door, /. e., by Christ, is~a thief
and a robber. The sheep can always
tell the difference between the true
shepherd and the robber Tvs. 8, A.,
&c, 27). Christ's sheep have six
characteristics: CD They know the
Shepherds voice ". A.. Every sheep
in the East, unless he is sick, recog-
nizes his shepherds voice as soon as
he speaks. Every one of Chrjst'a
sheep recognizes Christ's voice. The
true sheep recognizes Christ's voice
despite all the destructive critics,
(2) 1.-THE sheep hear His voice" Tvs.
8, 27). They not only know it, they
tests as to whether you are one OF
Christ's sheep. Are you needing His
voice? 60 1.-The sheep follow him"
"A, 27). Wherever the sheep see the
shepherd going they will follow
Matt. 1924. The way may seem
dark and dangerous and difficult, but
they follow him" "a They know
not the voice of strangers" A true
sheep will not follow a strange voice.
The voice may seem soft and silvery.
It matters not, it is not the voice OF
the shepherd. Those Christians"
who are forever running off after
strangers, lust to hear what they
have to say" are not sheep. 90
"A stranger will they not follow"
Evidently many protested Christians
are not sheep. (6) They will fee
from him." Jesus is also the door by
which the sheep pass in. To what is
lie the door? (1) To salvation, by
Me if any mar enter in he shall be.
saved" This makes the way Of sal.
walton very plain and simple, just
pass right in by Jesus Christ. The
door is open to all, ANY man."
Though a mar be the greatest Of sim
ners the door stands open Il IT..
1:15). He is the only door (Acts
4:12). Neither the law, nor. the
church, nor morality, nor baptism,
mol 8 creed is the door. II am the
door" This door was opened by His
atoning death Tvs. 10, II; Gal. 3:13;
Eph. II; Heb. 9:22). We enter 1t
by simple faith in Him (Rom- 3:26,
R. "; 4:3,'5; Eph. 2:S; Acts 1888,
.39). Any n who enters in by Jesus
Christ will be saved, no one else will.
(2) To liberty, shall go IN and out"
The true acceptance Of Jesus Leads
not to a life of fear and c%onstraint,
but to the perfect liberty of a child
(cf. Rom. $3.50. 90 To security.
This too is found in the "go in and
out" The one who really enters by
Christ is eternally secure Tvs. 20, 29).
(4) To satisfaction, shall find pas
ture." There Is no such pasture for
sheep in all the world as the one who.
| enters by Jesus finds. The pasture Is
green" Cps. 23:2). 1t is good" and
fat" (Ez. 34:14; CT. lisa. 40:9, 100.
II. Jesus the Good Shepherd, 10.
Is. But Jesus is not only the door.
He is the Shepherd also, "the Good
Shepherd" False christs and leaders
had come claiming to be shepherds,
but really thieves and robbers. The
| Pharisees were such. They came to-
steal and kill and destroy" But
Jesus mission was glorious. II came
that they may have life, and may
have it abundantly." Any of US then
may not only have life, but have life
Exceeding" life beyond measure"
Have you this su" 'Tbundant life?
So many have such a thin thread Of
life. How abundantly We may have
life appears in Jno. lis (cf. Col.
l:l9; Col. 2:9, 10, R. "; Eph. 3:16-
l9). Then comes that great declara.
ton, Il am the Good Shepherd" The
best exposition of those sweet words
is the one you will get upon your
knees bordering them, . ming them
over and over, constal.l,y looking TO-
God to let you into their wealth OF
meaning. 1t is not only a wonder
fully comforting thing that Jesus says
here, it is also an amazingly daring
one. In the Old Testament Jehovah
is the Good Shepherd FPS. %; lisa.
40:l0, II; Ez. ~34:11-13). If We
aspire to be true shepherds we
must be ready to do the same. II
at the approach of danger we leave
the sheep and flee for our own safety
we are hirelings and not shepherds
(cf. / Pet. 5:2). Jesus knows His
own and His own know Him even as
the Father knows Him and He knows
the Father (R. w.. Wonderful, who
can fathom that depth and intimacy
of that knowledge? And there is life
J and eternal security in it Ono. 1913;
2 ii. 2:19; 1:12).' Ten great points
about the Good Shepherd: (1) He
knows the sheep even as the Father
knoweth Him and He the Father.
GU He is known by the sheep. 30
Has personal interest in each sheep
and deals with it individually-cslls
it by name ". 81. (D "Leadeth
them out" 90 Thrust forth the lag
gard sheep ". ~. (6) Overlooks
none. "all His own" ". 4, r. W.
% "Goeth before them" He has
lrodden every step of the way that
we must take. ~ Careth for the
sheep ". 49,. E) 'Layeth down
His life for the Sheep Tvs. II, l5).
(1Ol Giveth eternal and abundant life
! 10 the sheep Tvs. 10, IS, 29). Jesus
has sheep outside Of Israel ". 1G).
When He has brought them they will
become one fold tEph. 2:14, 10;
Gal. 3:2S). 1t is through hearing
His voice that they are brought. The
LAYING down Of His life was a per-
fectly voluntary act on Jesus part.