"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said"--
"Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give
you the kingdom."--Luke xii. 32.
The Little Flock.
The music of the Shepherd's voice again! Another comforting "word," and
how tender! _his_ flock a _little_ flock, a _feeble_ flock, a _fearful_
flock, but a _beloved_ flock, loved of the Father, enjoying His "good
pleasure," and soon to be a _glorified_ flock, safe in the fold, secure
within the kingdom! How does He quiet their fears and misgivings? As
they stand panting on the bleak mountain side, He points His crook
upwards to the bright and shining gates of glory, and says, "It is your
Father's good pleasure to give you these!" What gentle words! What a
blessed consummation! Gracious Saviour, Thy _gentleness_ hath made me
_great_!
That kingdom is the believer's by irreversible and inalienable
charter-right--"I appoint unto you" (by covenant), says Jesus in another
place, "a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me." It is as sure
as everlasting love and almighty power can make it. Satan, the great foe
of the kingdom, may be injecting foul misgivings, and doubts, and fears
as to your security; but he cannot denude you of your purchased
immunities. He must first pluck the crown from the Brow upon the Throne,
before he can weaken or impair this sure word of promise. If "it pleased
the Lord" to _bruise_ the Shepherd, it will surely please Him to make
happy the purchased flock. If He "smote" His "Fellow" when the sheep
were scattered, surely it will rejoice Him, for the Shepherd's sake, "to
turn His hand upon the little ones."
Believers, think of this! "It is your Father's good pleasure." The Good
Shepherd, in leading you across the intervening mountains, shows you
signals and memorials of paternal grace studding all the way. He may
"lead you about" in your way thither. He led the children of Israel of
old out of Egypt to their promised kingdom,--how? By forty years'
wilderness-discipline and privations. But trust Him; dishonour Him not
with guilty doubts and fears. Look not back on your dark, stumbling
paths, nor within on your fitful and vacillating heart; but forwards to
the land that is far off. How earnestly God desires your salvation! What
a heaping together of similar tender "words" with that which is here
addressed to us? The Gospel seems like a palace full of opened windows,
from each of which He issues an invitation, declaring that He has no
pleasure in our death--but rather that we would turn and live!
Let the melody of the Shepherd's reed fall gently on your ear,--"It is
your Father's good pleasure." I have given you, He seems to say, the
best proof that it is _mine_. In order to purchase that kingdom, I died
for you! But it is also _His_: "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in
the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so," says God,
"will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where
they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." Fear not, then,
little flock! though yours for a while should be the bleak mountain and
sterile waste, seeking your way Zionward, it may be "with torn fleeces
and bleeding feet;" for,
"IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, THAT ONE OF
THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD PERISH."