THE UNDER-SHEPHERDS AND THE FLOCK by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1900

THE UNDER-SHEPHERDS AND THE FLOCK.

By John Norton Loughborough

“BEHOLD, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Matt. 10:16.

When our Saviour left the world, intrusting his people to the care of his ministers, they had the example of the great Shepherd before them; and with the aid of the Spirit promised for their guidance, he expected them to imitate their Master in tenderly caring for the flock. In his interview with the apostles, after his resurrection, he said to Peter, when repeating the inquiry, “Lovest thou me?” “Feed my sheep.” “Feed my lambs.”

The tender regard of the great Shepherd for his flock is expressed in these words: “Let us remember that Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows the wants of each of his creatures, and reads the hidden, unspoken grief of every heart. If one of the little ones for whom he died is injured, he sees it, and calls the offender to account. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He cares for his feeble, sickly, wandering sheep. He knows them all by name. The distress of every sheep and every lamb of his flock touches his heart of sympathizing love, and the cry for aid reaches his ear. One of the greatest sins of the shepherds of Israel is thus pointed out by the prophet: ‘The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was

broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.’ Jesus cares for each one as though there were not another individual on the face of the earth. As Deity, he exerts mighty power in our behalf, while as our Elder Brother he feels for all our woes.” — “Testimony for the Church,” No. 32, page 102.

The apostle Peter, in carrying out the instruction of the Master, gave the following counsel to his associate ministers: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5:1–4.

Paul, in his farewell personal testimony to the elders of the Ephesian church, who met him at Miletus, said: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” Acts 20:28, 29. So confident was the apostle that his life and labors had been not of himself, but of Christ dwelling within him, that he could commend his life as a sample of labor, saying, “Be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.” Phil. 3:17.

The kind of ensample which Paul commended is quite fully set forth in his epistle to the church in Thessalonica: “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak of anything.” 1 Thess. 1:6–8. The manner in which they received the word from the lips of the apostle is also stated: “For,” said he, “when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thess. 2:13.

Of the character of his example set for them, he says: “For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness: nor of man sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.” 1 Thess. 2:5–8.

Leaders of the same character he commended to the Philippian church, in the persons of Timotheus and Epaphroditus, of whom he says: “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, as soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.” Phil. 2:19–30.

How the same tender care should be in the church is set before us in the following words: “The true brethren of Christ are those who guard the interests of their brethren and sisters. How inappropriate it is to condemn others, when every soul is to be saved, not on his own merits, but by the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour! We are all erring, finite creatures, accountable to God for our words, works, and influence. . . .

“Deal tenderly and graciously with every soul, and especially deal tenderly with those who are liable to err. They, of all others, need your help the most. Never take up a report against a brother or a neighbor, or harbor evil surmisings against him. Thou shalt not imagine evil in thy heart against thy brother. . . .

“Instead of looking for the faults of our brother, let us seek for every redeeming quality, obtain his confidence, come close to the one who needs his hands upheld, his feeble knees strengthened. Let us, brethren, make straight paths for our feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way. . . .

“As mature Christians we shall love more and more, not less and less. We need the warmth and glow of Christ in our cold, stony hearts. We want our hearts broken by the love of Christ, and then we shall defend the characters of those who are giving their lives to the service of him who has died for them.”—Mrs. E. G. White, in Review, Oct. 24, 1893.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.