Nuggets 60: A Shepherd's Heart

  • B. Shelburne
  • Mar 9, 2007
  • Series: Nuggets

I was walking down the hall between college classes when my professor stopped me.  Struggling at the time, I had gone to Dr. J.D. Thomas a day or two before for counsel.  "I have been thinking about our talk," he said, "and something else occurred to me that might help you."  I was not just one of many students to him, but someone God had placed on his heart for care.

There was a spring-fed public pool in Jerusalem.   People believed that whoever first entered the water after it was stirred by an angel would be healed.  A man lay next to the pool on a mat.  Invalid for 38 years, he watched the water every day.  But when it moved, again and again someone stronger reached the water first.  People were too absorbed in their own need to help the helpless.

Jesus noticed the sick man and learned how long he had suffered.  "Do you want to get well?," he asked.  A strange question.  But this was Jesus' way of getting involved and stimulating faith.  He said to the man, "Get up!  Pick up your mat and walk."  And joyfully the man did!  Next day Jesus looked the man up and counseled him, "See, you are well again.  Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."  No wonder Jesus is called the Great Shepherd.  He notices needs, he gets into people's lives, he helps them, he remembers them and he follows up.

Israel's Old Testament high priest wore a special breastpiece.   It had twelve mounted stones inscribed with the names of Israel's twelve tribes.  This was so that when the priest approached God to intercede for Israel, he would "bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart."

John 5:1-14;  10:1-18;  Hebrews 13:17,20,21;  1 Peter 5:1-4;  Acts 20:28;  Ephesians 4:11-16;  1 Thessalonians 1:1-5;  2:7,8;  Exodus 28:21,29

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Copyright 2007 by G.B. Shelburne, III.  May be freely reproduced or forwarded for non-commercial purposes provided content is unchanged and this copyright notice is included.  These shepherding messages are sent to members and friends of New Beginnings Church (www.nbchurch.com), to students and alumni of South Houston Bible Institute (www.shbi.org), and to other interested persons.

Scripture quotes are from the HOLY BIBLE:  NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION © 1978 and 1984 by the New York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

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