"Fear Not Little Flock"

by HYLAND, D. T. | Category: General | Aug 1980

God's purposes of blessing in sending His beloved Son into the world were universal in extent. The divine plan was to redeem "men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Rev. 5:9). As God said to Abraham, "In thy seed (Christ) shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). It was God's will that this plan should be accomplished according to the principle "to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16) and it was in keeping with this principle that the message of John the Baptist was primarily to the nation of Israel. His mission as the forerunner of Messiah was "to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for Him" (Luke 1:17). Paul succinctly summarized John the Baptist's assignment: "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Jesus (Acts 19:4).

The disciples of John the Baptist were as sheep gathered in the safety of a sheepfold, having entered the fold by the door of John's baptism. The Baptist was not the Shepherd, he was the porter who carefully guarded the door. The sheep waited for the Shepherd while the porter kept watch for His coming. When the true Shepherd, Israel's Messiah was revealed, John recognized Him and opened the door of the fold to Him. Although sinless, the Lord was baptized of John in the River Jordan thus fulfilling all righteousness. By this means the seal of divine approval was set upon John's life and work, which were drawing to a close as, with characteristic self-effacement, he said of the Man he came to herald, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John. 3:30).

From the fold of which John was the porter the Good Shepherd "calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out" (John 10:3). Having put forth all His own, the Good Shepherd led them to a fold of which He says, "I am the Door" (John 10:7). Entrance to this fold, which is open to all, is by an initial act of faith. Once within the fold none can stray or be removed either by force or allurement for it is under the figure of the fold that personal relationship to Christ, the Good Shepherd, and the eternal security of every believer are clearly seen. Every child of God is safely gathered in the safety of the fold, even as the Saviour said, "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish" (John 10:28).

The enjoyment of this liberty and security will promote friendship and fellowship between the Shepherd and His sheep. It is the Shepherd's desire that His sheep whom He describes as "Mine own" should "go in and go out, and... find pasture" (John 10:9), referring to the believer's devotional life of communion with Christ and feeding upon God's Word. There is a further desire of the Shepherd, which was before Him in His sufferings and death. This is that His sheep, through listening to His voice and following the guidance of God's written Word, should be gathered together and become "one flock, one Shepherd" (John 10:16). As used in the New Testament "the fold" and "the flock" are not interchangeable terms and it is important to differentiate between the different aspects of truth associated with their use. The security of the sheep in the fold in the care of the Good Shepherd describes the believer's unconditional and eternal relationship to Christ.

To the company gathered by the Lord in the days of His flesh He said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). When the Shepherd was smitten, the sheep of the flock were scattered abroad but after His resurrection the Lord went before them into Galilee where He gave them the "Great Commission", during 40 days teaching them "the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). This company and others obedient to the Word of God formed the nucleus of the flock of God which gave expression to the revealed will of God after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The flock of God was an expression of the kingdom of God. The work began in Jerusalem where the first church of God was planted and eventually there were churches of God in many parts of the Greco-Roman world.

In relation to the fold, Christ is the Shepherd; He is the sole Guardian, while the work of caring for "the Hock" has been delegated by the Lord to men. Peter was guided to exhort the elders in the churches of God to which he wrote, "Tend the flock of God which is among you" (1 Pet. 5:2). The elders are to exercise a pastoral care over the churches of God and are accountable to the Lord as the Chief Shepherd in the discharge of their work as under-shepherds.

There can be no scattering or straying of those gathered in the safety of the fold. In contrast to this, Paul warned the elders of the church of God at Ephesus that after his death "grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29). False teachers would arise, who, if they were not silenced, would ruin the testimony of the churches. It was with apostolic vision that Paul forewarned of these things and pleaded for watchfulness. His warning was not heeded and the churches of God which were planted as a result of apostolic labours eventually ceased.

HYLAND, D. T. | Aug 1980
General