Chapter VIII: The Good Shepherd and the Lost Sheep

[LUKE 15.4]

IN this story we have a peep of what happens on earth, and another peep of what happens in Heaven.

Think of that, children! For Jesus says that when anyone is sorry and comes back to God to be forgiven, the angels in Heaven rejoice!

Jesus tells us of a shepherd in that Eastern land who had a hundred sheep—and everybody who heard Him tell this beautiful parable of the Good Shepherd, would instantly recognize it as true of what happened all around them—of the shepherd, who on counting his sheep at night, might find one of them missing.

He tells us how that loving shepherd would leave the ninety and nine of his flock in the wilderness, and go to seek the lost one.

Over the mountains wild and bare, the shepherd sought the wandering one. The thorns pierced his tired feet, and his loving hands, as he looked here and there until he found it, perhaps caught in a thicket of thorns, or fallen into a pit from which it could not extricate itself!

He would disentangle the thorns from the imprisoned sheep, he stooped low, regardless of his own life, to reach it from the miry pit.

And then, when the shepherd had reached it at last, and had grasped it in his loving hands, he laid it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he got home he called together his friends and neighbours, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost!"

And our Lord Jesus adds these words; and it is here we get a peep into Heaven:

"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance."

Jesus says that He is the Shepherd—the Good Shepherd—Who giveth His life for the sheep!

Little children are the lambs; and the Bible says, "He shall gather the lambs with His arm."

He sees them wandering, He loves them; He goes after them; He seeks them.

And when He finds them, even the angels in Heaven rejoice!

IX. "JESUS CALLED A LITTLE CHILD UNTO HIM"

MATTHEW 18.2

OUR Lord Jesus loved the little children. He took them up in His arms, and blessed them. He rejoiced to hear their glad hosannahs as He entered Jerusalem.

One day there was a crowd round Him, and the disciples were asking Him who should be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Among the crowd there was a little child, and the Lord called him, and set him in the midst, close by Him; and then He explained to His disciples, that if they wanted to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, they would have to be as humble as this little child!

Then He went on to say to them, that they must be careful not to hurt or wrong one of these little ones who believed in Him; and that anyone who received such a little child, was receiving Jesus Himself.

And then He said these very wonderful words: "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say unto you, That in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in Heaven."

Many years ago, we had just moved into the country with our three little children.

A stranger kindly called on me, and having seen our children, she said gently to me, "Do you try to teach them about Jesus?"

I was an earnest Christian, and I said, "Are they not too young?" and I told her that I meant to do so when they were a little older.

And I never forgot her reply: "You cannot begin too soon!"

And then she went on to tell me of her own little boy, who had lately gone to be with Jesus in heaven.

She said, "I had always talked to him about Jesus, and though he was not much over two years old, he could repeat the verse, ending—

"In the kingdom of Thy grace
Give a little child a place!"

Then she told me that a sudden attack of illness had come on, and that he had kept on repeating, "In the kingdom of Thy grace, give a little child a place!"

But he grew weaker, and just before he died, he suddenly looked up with a lovely smile, and exclaimed: "White babies! Oh, white babies!" and so passed away to the home above the clouds.

* * * * *

I never forgot that visitor's words, and I began at once to teach our little ones about Jesus; and when, some years after, our most cherished darling came to die, he had a peep into Heaven too.

He had learned a little hymn also, and he used often to say—

"And oh what delight, in heaven so bright,
To see the dear Saviour's face—"

And just before he died, he raised his head, and pointed eagerly towards the ceiling, and a lovely smile overspread his face.

He, too, had seen the glory, which Jesus had spoken of, "Where their angels behold the face of My Father which is in Heaven!"