The Good Shepherd in Three Positions

“And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

“And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.”

The love of Jesus is not mere sentiment; it is active and energetic.

It is prevenient love, going after sheep that have no notion of returning to the fold from which they have wandered.

It is engrossing, making him leave all else: making one lost one to be of more present importance than ninety and nine.

It sets him upon resolute, determined, persevering search.

Let us behold our great Shepherd—

I. IN THE SEARCH. “Until he find it.”

Mark him well, as, with his eyes, and heart, and all his faculties, he goes “after that which is lost.”

1. No rejoicing is on his countenance. He is anxious for the lost.

2. No hesitation is in his mind. Despite the roughness of the way, or the length of the time, or the darkness of the night, he still pursues his lost one.

3. No anger is in his heart. The many wanderings of the sheep cost him dear, but he counts them as nothing, so that he may but find it.

4. No pausing because of weariness. Love makes him forget himself, and causes him to renew his strength.

5. No giving up the search. His varied non-successes do not compel him to return defeated.

   • Such must our searches after others be.
   • We must labor after each soul until we find it.

II. AT THE CAPTURE. “When he has found it.”

Mark the Shepherd when the sheep is at last within reach.

1. Wanderer held. How firm the grip! How hearty! How entire;

2. Weight borne. No chiding, smiting, driving; but a lift, a self-loading, an easing of the wanderer.

3. Distance traveled. Every step is for the Shepherd.

   • He must tread painfully all that length of road over which the sheep had wandered so wantonly.
   • The sheep is carried back with no suffering on its own part.

4. Shepherd rejoicing to bear the burden.

   • The sheep is so dear that its weight is a load of love.
   • The Shepherd is so good that he finds joy in his own toil.

5. Sheep rejoicing, too. Surely it is glad to be found of the Shepherd, and so to have its wanderings ended, its weariness rested, its distance removed, its perfect restoration secured.

III. IN THE HOME-BRINGING. “When he comes home.”

Mark well the end of the Shepherd’s toil and care: he does not end his care until he has brought the stray one “home.”

1. Heaven is home to Christ.

2. Jesus must carry us all the way there.

3. The Shepherd’s mission for lost souls is known in glory, and watched with holy sympathy: in this all heavenly ones are “his friends and neighbors.”

4. Jesus loves others to rejoice with him over the accomplishment of his design. “He calls together his friends.” See how they crowd around him! What a meeting!

5. Repentance is also regarded as our being brought home. See verse 7. “I have found” refers to the repenting sinner, and it is a finding which secures salvation, or angels would not rejoice over it.

6. One sinner can make all Heaven glad. See verses 7 and 10.

Let us learn a lesson from each of the three pictures which we have looked upon—

Of perseverance until souls are saved.

Of patience with souls who are newly found.

Of encouragement in expectation of the gathering into glory of those for whom we labor on behalf of Jesus.

Sheep-Tracks

One evening in 1861, as General Garibaldi was going home, he met a Sardinian shepherd lamenting the loss of a lamb out of his flock. Garibaldi at once turned to his staff, and announced his intention of scouring the mountain in search of the lamb. A grand expedition was organized. Lanterns were brought, and old officers of many a campaign started off, full of zeal, to hunt the fugitive. But no lamb was found, and the soldiers were ordered to their beds. The next morning, Garibaldi’s attendant found him in bed, fast asleep. He was surprised at this, for the General was always up before anybody else. The attendant went off softly, and returned in half-an-hour. Garibaldi still slept. After another delay, the attendant awoke him. The General rubbed his eyes, and so did his attendant, when he saw the old warrior take from under the covering the lost lamb, and bid him convey it to the shepherd. The General had kept up the search through the night, until he had found it. Even so does the Good Shepherd go in search of his lost sheep until he finds them.—The Preachers’ Monthly.

Christ a Shepherd.—He is the Good Shepherd that laid down his life for the sheep (John 10:11); the Great Shepherd that was brought again from the dead (Hebrews 13:20); the Chief Shepherd who shall appear again (1 Peter 5:4); the Shepherd and Bishop of souls (1 Peter 2:25); he is the Shepherd of the sheep, who gathers the lambs with his arm, and carries them in his bosom (John 10., Isaiah 40:11); the Shepherd of Israel (Ezekiel 34:23); Jehovah’s Shepherd (Zechariah 13:7).—John Bate.

Why does he not drive the sheep before him, especially seeing it was lively enough to lose itself? First, because, though it had wildness more than enough to go astray, it had not wisdom enough to go right. Secondly, because probably the silly sheep had tired itself with wandering. “The people shall weary themselves for very vanity” (Habakkuk 2:13). Therefore the kind Shepherd brings it home on his own shoulders.—Thomas Fuller.

Yam Sing, on his examination for membership on experience before the Baptist Church, San Francisco, in response to the question, “How did you find Jesus?” answered, “I no find Jesus at all; he find me.” He passed.

A little boy, in a Chinese Christian family at Amoy, wishing to make a profession of religion, was told that he was too young to be received into the church. He replied, “Jesus has promised to carry the lambs in his bosom. I am only a little boy; it will be easier for Jesus to carry me.”—The Sunday-School Teacher.