The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-02-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially For The Repub-
leans Readers by Rev. U. S.
Wright, DID,.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY IA, 1926.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
John 10:1-30.
I am the good shepherd; the good
shepherd layeth down his life for
the sheep.-John 10:11.
THE GOOD SHEPHERDS
PURPOSE.
Three words are ineXtricably min
gled in the Gospel of John. These
are life, light and love. Jesus is the
great life iver in its joy at Cana, in
it's restored vigor at Bethesda, in its
sustenance in the feeding of the five
thousand, in its persistence in Laza
rus, in its indwelling in the branches
of the vl1e. He is the great light
giver in the mind of the Samaritan
women, Nicodemus, the man born
blind and the disciples. He is the
\great love-giver to all in this Cos
pei and in all Gospel as seen supreme
ly in the Cross. These threads are
wound together throughout the chap
tiers sometimes one appearing more
distinctly than another, but always if
we examine carefully they are to be
leerned. Here we may find them in
characteristic fashion. 1t was the
picture as familiar to those folk as
would be that of a garage or tele-
phone to US, for shepherds jostled one
the streets of the town, met one in
the lanes and highways, appeared
among the features of every land
cape. And Jesus used it to give not
a definition that might be forgotten,
but a picture that would live as long
as life itself.
The overcoming contrasts are
here in the shepherd and the thief.
What is the purpose of the thief? 1t
is to limit life, to destroy it, to util-
ize it for personal gain. Much of the
old ecclesiasticism and some of the
modern holds the likeness Jesus was
painting. When church counsels,
1--WE must put in thus and so, it will
bring US members" The thing de-
sired is life for the organization and
not for the sought. The over-church-
ing of community is not shepherd
ing of it's life but robbery Of its re-
sources. The lines of that old picture
were as clear as sunlight to those
listeners who had guarded their folds
thru long nights and had been reused
so often to repel the proving bands
who today as then infest Palestine
and fatten from the toll of others. 1t
is not an unknown feature of Amerl-
can conditions. Over on the other
side stood the lifegiving Shepherd
whose whole purpose was to see that
shose under his care had more and not
less of life. The door was his and he
who has its use owns all to which it
gives entry. 1t is the mark of free
dom, the badge of sonship. He who
carries a latch key belongs to the
family whether by blood or privilege
and it is this that the fright OF the
door" conferred. 1t makes the user
a "son of the house" Such is the
spaciouness of the 'life" conferred
by the Good Shepherd that gives the
possessor free access to all the wealth
of God both within His rest places
and without where lies the work of
His world. And the sweep of His
purpose included every member Of
every flock everywhere.
THE MOTIVE OF THE GOOD
SHEPHERD.
Once more there is the sharp con-
trast so attractive to the author and
so familiar to the reader. The hire
ling and the Shepherd appear togeth-
er so that their differences may be
studied. There are three levels of
service in the fields of God; the slave,
the servant, and the son. The first
does his task because he must and
feels the horror of depart from Me"
and leaps to his duty. He dates not
stay away from church, he must pay
his dues, every ceremonial must be
performed in minutest detail and his
religion is a burden. The hireling
servant is different; he is looking at
his wages and calculates the return
for his work. Heaven offers reward
for present discomfort in connection
with tasks he would not choose and he
feels a justifying joy in having been
shrewd enough to accept what prom
Uses to be a good bargain. But let
some immediate offerer suggest a
higher return and it will be closed
with at once. If the task will cost
life it is asking too great price even
for Heaven and he feels himself lucky
in leaving the flock to its fate and es-
Gaping with a whole skin. A merch-
ant joins church because it will pro-
mote business, woman may for en-
try into desired circle of acquaintan-
ces, but let there be failure for either
and the church is deserted. But the
son is SO full of joy over being mem
Der of the family today that he never
! thinks of either judgment or reward
tomorrow. There are younger and
weaker members in the circle and Of