(May 2004 Edition)
At the Lord's Table - The Great Shepherd of the Sheep
At the Lord's Table - Humility
A Tribute to Brother Walter Draper
At the Lord's Table
The Great Shepherd of the Sheep
This description in Hebrews 13 tells us perfectly the meaning behind the term ‘high priest’ as it applies to our Saviour the Lord Jesus. The best scripture in this regard is from the prophet Isaiah: “he shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall carry the lambs in his bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.”
The most exalted definition of the Great Shepherd is given to us in Hebrews 1:1-4. The language is superb, to match the one whom it describes. Is this the concept of our Saviour that we have learned of him? How does our appreciation of our Lord compare with that of the one who wrote those words? In the experience of this inspired writer – and his readers – God had spoken in unequalled terms in His Son. He was not just another prophet.
“Never man spoke like this man,” declared men who, sent to arrest him came back empty handed. For the best part of a day, Jesus held an audience of thousands spellbound, so that they forgot all about food. Then he fed them.
As a teacher he had no equal, then and now. Additionally, he spoke with authority. His personal claims were unique: I am the light of the world; I am the bread of life; I am the water of life; I am the resurrection and the life; I give to my sheep eternal life. No man could ever make such claims but the Son of God.
Nor was the message confined to words. Every miracle, every act of compassion, underlined his work as the Great Shepherd of the sheep. His was the glory of God described to Moses and all Israel: merciful, gracious, longsuffering, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving sin. Before him the darkness of sin retreated and was exposed. Even when his light was eventually put out, the sun burst through the darkness which pervaded the cross, lighting up his lifeless body.
Consequently, he was the express image, the very stamp of God’s person. In every way he reflected God his Father. In His wisdom, God sent His Son as a man like ourselves, so that we might see the Father in him, and be drawn by him to the Father.
A great act of self-sacrifice for sins brought the Great Shepherd’s work to its climax, to be followed by a triumphant victory over the grave, and ascension to a place of honour at the Father’s right hand. The “purification for our sins” is that which qualified Jesus for resurrection and exaltation to his Father’s side.
Men have left their memorials in tombs and pyramids, testifying to the futility of human glory. God has left as His greatest memorial a plate of bread and a chalice of wine. They speak of agony such as we shall never know. They speak of joy which sustained him. They speak of sins forgiven. They speak of a Father who yearns to forgive, who holds out arms of welcome, who loves all men and all women and all children. Whose love is so deep and wide and high that all the shame of the cross was not too high a price to pay. Whose love is such that He “did not spare His only Son, but gave him for a world undone” as we often sing.
Whenever and wherever we share the memorials, let us not just remember the Lord Jesus, but exalt him. Let us honour the Son as we honour the Father. Let us honour the name which is above every name, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, and through him draw nearer and bolder to the Father of all.
Walter Draper, April, 1999
How God hates pride! How it taints this world, making people unlovely and unlovable. How disastrous when it invades God’s world, poisoning what is best, making a mockery of religion. Yet sad to say, it is entrenched there, pride of the worst sort. Subtle, blinding, destructive of all that is true and pure, no wonder God puts it first among the things He hates.
The strongest words Jesus used were levelled against pride – “whited sepulchres; generation of vipers; fools and blind; children of Gehenna!” These were words of scorching rebuke, spoken with an intensity which made the hearers wince, deepening their hatred of the One who had no pride.
Sharply, Jesus draws a picture of pride: a Pharisee in prayer, parading his goodness before God and men, self-satisfied, praying with himself, sneering at the poor publican who dared to worship alongside him in the same holy place. Imprisoned by a barrier of pride which sealed him off from God, he went away unjustified, unheard, unwanted by God.
How God loves humility, for He Himself is humble, dwelling with the contrite humble spirit!
How else can we understand the God who was moved by the domestic problems of a woman of faith, listened to her pleadings, gave her a son, and then revealed Himself through that son, while still a boy?
What other meaning can we attach to the One who “stretched out His hands all the day long” to rebellious people, getting up early to plead with them through His prophets? This is not a picture of a proud autocrat, but of One great enough to be humble, teaching us the greatness of humility.
Nothing is more revealing, unless it be the cross, than the stable in Bethlehem. Deliberately, God’s hand ruled the events which led to the birth of His beloved, His only begotten Son. In a place which no woman or man would have chosen, He chose His Son to be born. In the overcrowded, unhygienic outbuildings of an inn, in circumstances human dignity would blush with shame to confess, God proudly presents His Son. Then, hand in hand, they walk the path of humility, bowing to the wickedness of men that they might crush pride.
“God forbid that I should glory,” cries a humbled Paul, “save in the cross of Christ.” Which is his way of saying, God forbid that he should boast at all. What was true for him is true for us too! There is no place for pride in our midst.
Walter Draper, 1962, Kingston, Jamaica
A Tribute to Brother Walter Draper
Bro. Walter Draper fell asleep in Christ Feb. 25, 2004, at 85 years of age.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, and friends:
Please accept the love and greetings and condolence of the brothers and sisters here in Atlanta, who have come to know Bro. Walter from my much speaking of him, and from the frequent prayers we have had for him; and the love of my own family and yours: Sharon, Stephen, Patricia, and Abigail; and, not least of all, my love to you all.
I am so very sorry I am not able to join you on this sad occasion, and yet not altogether sad, for I want to think of this gathering as a celebration of one of the most wonderful blessings our God and Father has given to us in this life — the life of Bro. Walter Draper. His was a life committed and dedicated to God and His service; a life lived not just for the truth, but one that lived the truth; a life which developed a phenomenally scriptural mind, and a life which powerfully impacted my own, and that of many others, I am sure.
Bro. Walter, in his youth, was a tall, handsome, strapping young man. From a worldly perspective, he had all the right characteristics to make a great success in this life. The time came in his life, as it does in all our lives, to make a choice. He could have decided to exploit his physique, good looks, and intelligence to serve himself in worldly ambition and do well materially, or he could choose to commit and dedicate his life to God. He chose the latter. And such was his commitment and dedication to his God that he also chose not to marry; as he once said, jokingly: “Such shall have trouble in the flesh, but I spare you.” Bro. Walter’s commitment and dedication led him to serve his God in a very special way — that of a missionary. At the beckoning of Bro. Alan Eyre, he left the U.K. and came to Jamaica to assist in the work and to dedicate the rest of his life to serve his God in this way.
Bro. Walter did not just live for the truth; he lived the truth. It is one of the supreme joys in the truth to see the power of the word of God manifested in the life of a brother or sister who has allowed it to do its transforming work. Bro. Walter’s life is a manifestation of that transforming power. The truth got hold of him and molded and made him in the image of his Father in heaven — the expressed object of the truth according to the scriptures. The fruit of the spirit found expression in Walter’s life. For those who knew him well, and for those with the slightest acquaintance, please read Galatians 5:22-24, and see for yourself how fitting a description these are of Walter Draper. He lived for the truth! He committed his life to its service. But he went beyond that. He lived it. And in so doing, brothers and sisters, Bro. Walter added a powerful dimension to the truth, making it alive, making it real, making it truly a wonderful, beautiful, and glorious thing. He let his light shine before men that God might be glorified.
Open a scriptural discussion with Bro. Walter and immediately you become aware that you are in the presence of a man, not just solidly grounded in the knowledge of the scriptures, but one with a phenomenally deep scriptural and spiritual insight. He spent many hours meditating on the scriptures. Pay him a surprise visit at any time and, most likely, along with his very welcoming smile, he will be closing his Bible to talk with you. The depth of his thoughts are reflected in his writings, but more so in discussions. The Caribbean Pioneer has published quite a few of his writings which have proved inspirational to many around the world. His “The Wilderness Journey” series and his poetry often reflect the depth of his insight; and I would like to take this opportunity to ask Bro. Alan Eyre to initiate the collection of his writings that they may be published as volumes. Spend as much time with Bro. Walter as I have in scriptural discussions and arguments and you will spend the rest of your life wanting to develop your knowledge and insight in the word of God — not to mention the tremendous learning that takes place in the process. On leaving Jamaica, I soon realized how much I missed those many hours each Sunday, after the meetings, through 9, 10, 11 o’clock at night, discussing the scriptures with Bro. Walter.
He was for me a mentor, teacher, and father in the faith. He has powerfully impacted my life. I remember as a mid-teenager wanting to be like Bro. Walter. I thought I would not get married; I would be like Bro Walter because he was faithful to the meetings, always in attendance; he was available to meet the spiritual needs of members, visiting the absentees and shut-ins for breaking of bread after the meetings on Sundays; he would give really good exhortations, taking you on a spiritual journey that left your soul satisfied; he would exhort at a moment’s notice, and from the daily readings deliver a well-reasoned and powerful exhortation; he was available for the members and for spiritual things generally. The impact of Bro. Walter’s life on my early years continued through to maturity. I grew in admiration of his spirituality, his steadfastness, his love of God, and his passion for the word and things spiritual.
In our quest for spiritual growth, we can learn from the life of Bro. Walter which we have come here to celebrate today. Like him, let us be committed and dedicated to God and His service. Like him, let us live not just for the truth, but let us live the truth. Like him, let us develop a scriptural mind, as phenomenally as we possibly can. Like him, let us live our lives that we may be the best example we can be to others. Who knows, we may very well be powerfully impacting someone else’s life.
To Bro. Walter I say, sleep on now. You have received a well deserved rest from all your toil and labour in this life. Should our Lord’s return be later than we anticipate, we trust that, like you, our eyes will close in faithful love and service to our God, our Lord, and our brethren; and then they will be opened to find us called from sleep to a glorious waking. Amen.
Tony Isaacs, Atlanta, Georgia
Brother Walter Draper will be remembered with affection by many older Brothers and Sisters of the North Kent ecclesias, UK, and in Chelmsford where Bro. Walter went for his wartime national service. He is survived by his older sister.
His service to ecclesias was notably thoughtful and always soundly based on scriptural exposition. His leaving the UK to serve the truth in Jamaica in 1957 was a loss felt both by his family and the ecclesias here, but was tempered by the knowledge of how wholeheartedly he served in Jamaica and how warmly he was received by the brotherhood there.
We thank God for the example of a brother beloved.
Derek Palmer, Tenby, UK
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Put Away/Put Off
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Put On |
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“Put away childish things“ 1 Corinthians 13:11
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“Put on the armour of Light” Romans 13:12 |
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“Put off the old man“ Colossians 3:9
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“Put on the new man” Ephesians 4:24 |
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“Put away the evil of your doings” Isaiah 1:16
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“Above all these things, put on charity” Colossians 3:14 |
Ascending, ridge by ridge, Mount Pisgah’s slopes,
Now lost, now in full view,
His figure, shrinking as he higher climbed,
At last so slender grew.
Ten thousand eyes, from Israel’s camp below
Broke off their straining gaze,
As Pisgah’s higher peaks, circled in clouds,
Clasped Moses in their haze.
The crowd below forgotten, now one thing
Consumed the old man’s thought:
This last encounter with the God he’d served,
Whose presence he had sought,
And dared to come so near that he had learned
To know God as a friend.
This thought his tired steps kept urging on
To his life-journey’s end.
There, God and Moses view the glorious land
He so desires to know,
On which he yearns to set his aged feet.
He feels the thrill, the glow,
Which comes to men of faith who know God’s plan
His purpose understand.
With dreaming comes deep sleep; a quiet grave.
God’s own Almighty hand
Lays him to rest He counted as a friend,
To peacefully wait the day
When he, with all God’s sleeping saints, shall rise
And know God’s land for aye.
Walter Draper, Kingston, Jamaica
During his earthly ministry, Jesus spoke often about the dangers of religion. He encouraged people not to be clones of a rigid religion, but to express their faith with joy and exuberance. He spoke about…
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The danger of being caught up in the traditional activities of a religion that has lost its real meaning, Mark 8:14-21.
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The danger of studying a book instead of the message of the book John, 16:31.
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The danger of respecting the words of God but ignoring God Himself, John 5:39-40.
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The danger of squashing the enthusiasm of the young, Matthew 21:15-16.
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The danger of ignoring the sufferings of the sick and helpless, Luke 10:25-37.
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The danger of thinking we are good and holy and looking down on others, Luke 18:9-14.
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The danger of creating a religion of the intellect and decrying the emotions and deep feelings of the heart, Mark 7:6.
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The danger of promoting a religion which exists merely to justify our own ideas, Matthew 15:1-14.
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The danger of sponsoring a religion which supports elitism and privilege while despising the poor, the weak and the oppressed, Luke 7:44-47.
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The danger of a religion which stifles dissent and simply casts off protesters and those with problems, John 9:34-41.
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The danger of publicising the faults of others while being blind to our own, Matthew 7:3-5.
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The danger of making religion dull and uninviting, Matthew 23:1-14.
The greatest fear of the ordinary believer is being castigated by critical religious leaders and held up to humiliation and ridicule. Concerning those whom Jesus drew around him with the bonds of God’s love, he said: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Renaldo Braham