Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1914 — BROOKLYN TABERNACLE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BROOKLYN TABERNACLE

BIBLE-STU DY. ON

HEAVENLY INTEREST IN SINNERS. Luke 15:1-10—April 26. •There it joy in the pretence of the angel* es God over one tinner that repenteth."— F. M CODAY’S lesson tells that the Pharisees and the scribes murmured against Jesus, charging against Him as a sin that He received sinners. Whatever did not harmonize with their standards they could only contest. Their difficulty In part was that they had too hic'a an opinion of themselves. In this matter their spirit was an evil one, begotten of the Adversary. Hence Jesus sometimes spoke of them as children of the Devil, because his works they did. Tho Heavenly Ninety and Nine. So It Is with us. “His servants y« are to whom ye render service." “By

their fruits ye shall know them," said the Master. Applying His words to many who profess to be His disciples, we are bound to suppose that either intentionally or ignorantly they are in opposition to the Master’s spirit adversaries of His teachings. Knowing the

Pharisees’ thoughts, Jesus answered them In a parable, saying, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine In the wilderness, and go after that which is lost?" The shepherd’s course, Jesus declared, Illustrates the attitude of God and all the holy angels. They have a special Interest In those who have strayed, and especially rejoice in the recovery of such How encouraging It Is to know that this is the sentiment of Heaven, and that our imperfections are not a perpetual bar to recognition by the Lord, if we return to Him! But any sheep, having been found by the Shepherd and then preferring to live with the wolfish, would no longer interest the Heavenly ones. Many seem to think of the whole world of mankind as representing the flock of a hundred sheep, and the one straying sheep as representing the sinners of earth, comparatively few. Surely this cannot be the true interpretation! Rather, as the Prophet declared, “All we like sheep have gone astray." "There Is none righteous."

Mankind the Lost Sheep; interpreting the parable on a broader scale, in comportment with the facts and the Scriptures, let us understand the one strdying sheep to represent Adam and his family, and the ninetynine just persons the holy angels. To this view every feature of the parable Inclines. The Good Shepherd left the Heavenly Flock and came to earth to redeem, to recover, mankind. And there is more rejoicing in Heaven over human recoveries from sin and alienation from God than over the holy ones themselves, who have never been redeemed with such a price, and never needed recovery. The lesson to the Pharisees is plain. Theirs was an earthly view, selfish, proud, haughty. Jesus would have Ills disciples copy God: "Be like unto your Father in Heaven!" God's mercy sent His Son. tlie Under Shepherd, to be our Redeemer His mercy wijl pursue the lost sheep until every member of Adam’s race shall have been brought to a full opportunity of returning to the fold of God. To this end the Messianic Kingdom is to be established, when Satan shall be bound and the knowledge of the Lord s.hall be made to fill the whole earth How Merciful God’s View! How different is this view of our loving Creator from that handed down from the Dark Ages, and representing the Almighty as hrtving prepared a

place for the eternal torment of mankind, except an el«;<t few'. On the contrary. God’s loving provision is only beginning to be manifested, in llis favor toward Christ and , the Church. Ultimately the knowledge of the glory of God shall All the whole earth.

“The Son of Man caine to seek and to save that which was lost” The race was lost, not merely a few, the Church; and the recovery will include all. This does not signify universalism, however. Every member of Adam’s race will brought to a full opportunity of recovery from sin and death.—l Timothy 2:3. 4. The Lost Coin. Jesus gave another parable to illustrate the same great truth from another angle. It was the custom among Jewish women to wear on the forehead a fringe of coins. These might be of gold or silver, and sometimes represented their dowry. The loss of one of these coins would represent more than its Intrinsic value; for its absence marred the beauty of the bangles. The search for the lost coin would mean that, Instead of being abandoned as not worthy of consideration, it would be sought until found The neighbors would learn that it was found and would rejoice. This is another illustration of joy among the an gels over one, repentant sinner-

Murmuring againat Jesus.

Finding the lost sheep.