_He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold_ SHEPHERDHOOD The simple lesson which our Lord intended to teach in this familiar passage has often been strangely mistaken. The minds of men have been so fixed upon certain ecclesiastical conclusions which have been commonly derived from it, th... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_To him the porter openeth_ THE PORTER OF THE DOOR Who is the Porter? Christ we know is the Door. He says so Himself (Jean 10:7; Jean 10:9). But who is the Porter? An old Father of the Church writes, “Christ is the Door of the fold, and the Keeper of the Door, as well as the Shepherd of the sheep... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_I am the Good Shepherd_ CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD Christ is “the Good Shepherd. ” He is this because I. He OWNS the sheep. He is the Proprietor of the flock. They are His 1. By the gift of the Father. “Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me.” 2. By creative ties. “His own”--sheep which are H... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_There was a division … for these sayings._ --Here was I. A BAD SPIRIT. 1. Schismatic. “There was a division.” Sad that Christ and His doctrines should divide men into sects. One might have thought that as His life was so pure, loving, morally commanding, and His doctrine so congruous with reason... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_And it was at Jerusalem the feast of Dedication_ THE ORIGIN AND CHARACTER OF THE FEAST OF DEDICATION Antiochus Epiphanes, on his return from the conquest of Egypt, having entered Jerusalem with very great slaughter, and having pillaged the city, proceeded to pollute the sanctuary, placing on the... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Then came the Jews round about Him_ THE SCENE AND CIRCUMSTANCES Here in this bright colonnade, decked for the feast with glittering trophies, Jesus was walking up and down, quietly, and apparently without companions, sometimes, perhaps, gazing across the valley of Kidron at the whited sepulchres... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Then the Jews took up stones again_ RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE persecutes a man on account of I. HIS RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. The Jews took up stones merely because Christ had proclaimed a doctrine which was in conflict with their opinions, prejudices, interests and pride. This intolerance has been rampan... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Therefore they sought again to take Him_ I. MORAL INCORRIGIBILITY. What was the result of Christ’s appeal to His works and to their law? Of His noble life and strong logic? Were their prejudices broken down and their opposition overcome? No! here it is (Jean 10:39). Their opposition was intensifie... [ Continuer la lecture ]