III. CnmsT, AB A Doon, IIAB CERTAIN QUALITIES WRICH MAY AWAKEN OUR GRATITUDE, 1. lie iH a strong Door. His strength is used to resist the incursiou or any invader or foe, cm<l thus to proted tho members of the fold. Christ. i~ to his people a b11lwark ngninst every evil. 2. He is to those who wiHh to enter into the enjoyment of spiritual blessings cm open Door. Sometimes a door is used for excluding those without, in e. spirit of churlishness. There is nothing like this in the posture, the bearing, of the Lord Jesus. 'rhis door is indeed shut to unbelief e.nd hardness of heart, but is ever open to the lowly, faithful, e.nd contrite. 3. He is the only Door. Those who seek another eutre.nce are like such as climb over the wall. There is none other Name whereby we ccm be saved. IV. Fon WHOSE ADMISSION CHRIST, THE DOOR, IB INTENDED. Two classes are men- tioned in the context, as contemplated in the benefits of this Door. 1. The nnder- shepherds, or those who are engaged in the spiritual tuition and guidance of their fellow- men. 'l'hese are bound to enter in by the Door into the sheepfold. Spiritual pastors must find Christ before they can truly feed the sheep. 2. The sheep themselves enter by this Door, and by this only, into the fold of God. These are they whom the good Shepherd came to seek and lind, when they were lost in the wilderness. These are they for whom the Shepherd la.id down his precious life. APPLICATION. 'Those who have entered by the Door, and are within the fold, should rejoice with gratitude. 'l'hose who are without should seek at once to enter by this Door.-T. Ver. 10.-Life and abundance. Sad indeed is the perversion of Divine gifts, which takes place when those who teach and lead mankind use their influence for moral harm. Yet so it was, our Lord Jesus tells us, with many who came before him with great professions indeed, yet with no help for the spiritually necessitous. Some such had altogether carnal notions of what deliverance, salvation, means. Others were animated by selfishness and ambition. The purpose of many who made great claims was in reality far from benevolent. Jesus does not hesitate to designate them as thieves, entering God's flock with the intention of stealing, killing, and destroying. This was a heavy charge; and our Lord would not have brought it had there not been good reason and justification for so doing. The aim and the conduct of such pernicious leaders was contrasted by Jesus with his own. He, too, came claiming to shepherd the flock of God. But his one purpose was this, that through his ministry of devotion md sacrifice the sheep of the fold might have life and abundance. l. THE BLESSINGS WHICH THE GOOD SHEPHERD CAME TO BRING TO THE FLOCK. 1. ltije. Jesus was "the Life;" "in him was lil'e." What he possessed in himself he came to communicate to bis own. (1) This was spiritual life. Not psyche, but zoe. Of this man only, amongst the living inhabitants of this teeming world, is capable. (2) This life is salvation from death. Our Lord himself contrasts it with destruction. To this terrible fate, to spiritual death, this human race was hastening. But Christ, as a great Physician, undertook the case of those who were ready to perish. He came to save. (8) This life is a new and Divine principle. Its origin is in the nature of God; its seed-germ is implanted by the Divine Spirit; its spring-tide and growth are the result of heavenly influences. (4) This life is distinguished by progress, and is not, like terrestrial and bodily life, subject to decay and dissolution. (5) This life is itself i=ortality. "He that livcth," says Christ, "and believeth on rue shall never die." 2. .Abur,dance. If we trn.nslate the word as in the marg;in of the Revised Versiun, we underet'ln<l not the enrichment aod perfection of life (abundantly), but the provision mRde for the life preserved, quickened, perpetuated. The good Shepherd, having saved the flouk from destruction, and conferred upon each member of the flock a new and spiritual lifo, secures l'or those whom he has saved and divinely quickened a suitable and sufficient provisi,m for all their wants. 'l'he fold, the pasture, the living waters, the Shepherd's guard'1anship and care, may be all included in this word. 'fhe wants of those who receive are mauy and various, but the bounty and benevolence of the great Giver are adequate for their full satisfaction. II, 'J.'HE AGENCY AND METHOD BY WHICH THESE BLESSINGS ARE BESTOWED, 1. Christ, the living Person, himself confers them. There are many who look. rather to the under-shepherds than to the chief Shepherd. But all who serve the flock are 60 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [ Oil, X, 1-42,
merely the _m_inisters 1md m_essengers of the eternal Lord. Not only did he, by his o,vn personal rum1st-:J: e.nd sacnfloe, &ave the flock from dest1 uction; hr, by his perpetual presence and spmtne.l care, supplies in abundance the ever-recurring wants of his sheep. 2. Chmt secured these blessings by his coming to this Wl)rld. 'l'he method by which be sought and saved mankind was mediatorial; it involved his incarnation and advent. 'l'bis was his con~cious aim. "I am come," said he, implyin~ that his was a mission, yet one volunt&ri.ly undertaken and cheerfully fulfilled, 3, Even this Divina Person in executing a purpose so gracious, found it necessary to submit to suffering, to offe~ himself a sacrifice, t.o consent to dea.th. He gave up his life (not zoe, but psyche) that we might live spiritually and immortally. 4. And the redemption was completed by our Lord's resurrection and victorious reign. It is observable that in this conversation our Lord Jesus no sooner foretells his death than he declares his intention of rising again. And in fact be resumed life, not only in vindication and assertion of bis proper dignity, but in order to exercise from the vantage-ground of his risen life and reign the pow~r he delights in, because it contributes to the_abwidance of his people's privileges and Joys.-T.