Evening star., 1932-02-20
Sunday School Lesson
By
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

who needed to be saved themselves, II
they were to be admitted into the
sheepfold of the redeemed. Evidently
He did not limit the entrance into the
sheepfold to those of His own race.
There Is no evidence of any national
exclusiveness in His univefsality OF
grace and the extent of the kingdom in
His suggestion that If any man enter
in he shall be saved"
His messiahship was separated from
the false religious leaders by the fact
that He was the true shepherd, the
messiah of His own people. A messiah
ship of force and violence is by that
very fact false mesSiahship. And yet
1t was because He came not thus, but
in meekneSS and gentleneSS, that the
leaders Of the people rejected Him"
Jesus believed in the moving power of
love. As a shepherd, He loved His
sheep.
The True Shepherd.
No title selected by the Master as
referring to Himself reveals His tender
interest in His flock and His great
fidelity to its welfare more than the
one that refers to Himself as the true
shepherd He claimed that this was
the purpose of His coming into the
world. because the good shepherd never
hesitates to face death when his flock
is in danger. The spirit of the hirelins
causes him to put his own security
ahead of that OF the sheep, but the
gcol shepherd willingly faces death on
behalf of his sheep.
Jesus made triple claim to the
ownership OF His flJck. He has three
fold right to call us His own. We are
HIS by creation, by preservation and
bv redemption. The completeness OF
His ownership cannot be disputed for
He died to save us. This fact revealed
His interest in US and is the foundation
Of our religion. Its acknowledgment Is
an essential requirement Of our faith
If we individually acknowledge the
supreme authority of the Lord Jesus
over us, we are not His. II we recognize
His absolute sovereignty over us, We Will
seel; to obey Him at all times. for His
Srecp will obey His voice and stranger
they will not follGw.
ChriSts claim to our life. love and
labor is confirmed by His personal
knowledge Of us. He knows our name.
He understands our weakness and spe-
cial needs He has special interest
III our welfare and life. His mark has
been placed upon US. SO that He can
recognize us and claim us as His own
His lo:e for every member OF his f1ocK
is 50 great that He will not permit one
of us who has committed our life into
His keeping to be lost He never loses
sleht of an atom in the bulk, OF the
star in the constellation. OF the indl-
yiduql sheep in the flock or OF the
single. soul in the countless multtuoes
cf His disciples.
His relation as shepherd implies that
He will give to us a shepherds protec-
ton. to provide security. shelter, and
supplies for us daily. He did not stop
al giving His life for us. He has
right to expect that We will love Him
and always seek to do His will. We are
not only to look to Him for help, aid
and assistance, but We are summoned
to prove our faith by an indifference
to the calls of the world. and be alert to
heed His word Those who profess
their faith in Him should always follow
Him. 1t is the way of light. security
and life. If We are Chflst'S We
should prove it to the world by living
life that follows His footsteps. obeys
Hi, commands and carries His spirit
into all the affairs of life. The test OF
fellowship IS not in membership OF
some communion of faith. but in faith
fully following Christ. The unity that
unites His flock is a spiritual unity,
that is the result of being united to
Him through redeeming faith and love.
When the end of this life come to u.s.
al who are true to Him will be with
Him in His Fathers home. the sheep
field for His own throughout eternity
There He is providing place for every
ore who has demonstrated their love
for Him by accepting Him as the good
Shepherd of their soul.