Norwich bulletin., 1916-04-07

bring Is thought of in terms Of inn
proved social conditions, or where by
some process of evolution mankind, in
some as yet far distant age, reaches a
development we can at present only
dream OF. there is the danger that we
may forget the personal relation be-
tween ourselves and God
But this direct relationship between
the individual and his God should not
lead US to overlook the relationship
which comes to us only through our
membership in the flock.
All this Is taught us as we come to
the holy communion. The broken
bread, which is the body OF Christ; the
outpoured wine. which is His blood, is
placed in the hands or at the lips OF
each Individual; then as we eat that
bread and drink that cup our souls are
fed and we are individually made one
with Him and He with US. But this
individual feeding. this individual re-
lationship. does not exhaust or explain
the meaning OF the service. That
broken bread, that outpoured wine. are
in memory of the great sacrifice for
sin once offered on the cross. We can
not get the full benefit of that service
unless we see in 1t the Lamb of God
taking away the sins of the world; we
must see the Good Shepherd not only
seeking and finding US but laying down
His life for the flock. Yes, our indi-
vidual spiritual life comes to us
IHGOu8n others. 1ne OF
Christ as the Good Shepherd implies
fellowship as well as personal care. He
is leading the entire flock as we'll as
seeking for the one that has gone
astray, and your following Of him de-
Ponds not merely on the fact that he
found you when you had wandered but
in your willingness TO share in that
leadership which he gives to all.
He cares for you individually. but he
also cares for you as a member of the
flock. and you inevitably forfeit some
of that care when you in any way
separate yourselves from the flock.
And does not the fact that our own
religious life depends on our continu-
ing in the membership of the flock
place on us a new responsibility?
If we nave a corporate as well as an
individual life, we have a corporate as
well as an individual responsibility.
How shall we feed our own spiritual
life? BY feeding with the flock. How
shall we try to feed the spiritual life
| of others: how shall we prevent them
wandering; how shall we lead them
back when they have wandered?
If a sheep strays away from the rest
| of the flock il may still be careful 10
| keep within sound of the voice of the
| shepherd and so be in no great danger
| of becoming lost. But may not its
strayings induce another sheep to
| wander further, one who is not so
| careful to keep in touch with the flock
or within hearing of the voice, and SO
that sheep does get lost?
Keep then in close touch with the
! f1oCk-that is, with the part of the
| visible church with which you are con-
| neCted-not only because thus your
| own spiritual life will be fed and you
| will be able to hear the voice of the
| Shepherd as you cannot in any other
| way; but because you will thus be the
| means whereby some other sheep is
| prevented from wandering from the
| fold; you are doing what you can tC
! make those other sheep" of whom tho
| Saviour spoke, hear His voice and SC
/ helping on the time when there shall
be One flock, one Shepherd"