THE FAMILY ALTAR 

 

May 10

"I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shallbe one fold [flock] and one Shepherd." John 10:16.

These are the last words of the Gospel of the Good Shepherd,

with its wonderfully rich comfort. Jesus had there described Him-

self as the one Good Shepherd, as the only one to whom that

designation applied in its full and unrestricted meaning. For

what is the chief characteristic of a good shepherd ? A good

shepherd, says Christ, lays down his life for his sheep. In this

one virtue the Lerd includes all that men expect from a faithful

shepherd. He thus indicates not only that He gained redemption

for all men by laying down His life for them, but He also points

out the nature of His kingdom and the character of His subjects,

as though He would say: My government consists in this, that

I rule My sheep, that is, the poor and miserable people on earth

who have accepted Me as their Shepherd, having learned to know

that there is neither counsel nor help for them elsewhere. This

He spoke not only of the Jews, but of all men, for He expressly

states that He has also other sheep which He wants to bring into

His flock. — Some men have understood and explained this text

as though its fulfilment would take place shortly before the last

day, after Antichrist had been revealed. Then, they taught and

do teach to this day, all strife in religious matters will cease, all

men will be brought into the one great visible fold, or sheep-pen,

of the Church, where Christ shall reign visibly among His adoring

people in great, divine peace and glory. But that is not true,

as the Millennialists will have it, that all men will become Chris-

tians. By such doctrine the Word of the Gospel is darkened, and

men are lulled to sleep in a false security. What our Lord means

to say is this: He has His sheep not only in the fold of the

Jews, but also among the heathen, and these He must bring to

His flock, to His Church, by means of His voice, that is, by means

of His converting and saving Gospel. Thus there will be one

Christian congregation, or Church, the communion of saints, one

faith, one love, one hope, one Baptism. That is the flock which

the Lord has in mind, and to that flock every poor sinner belongs

that has accepted Christ and believes in Him as His only Savior.

The Church's one foundation From heaven He came and sought her

Is Jesus Christ, her Lord; To be His holy bride;

She is His new creation With His own blood He bought her,

By water and the Word; And for her life He died.