Thought For The Week

David - Sheep - Shepherd - King

 

Normally when we hear of David, we think of the little shepherd boy, out with his flocks, creating his hymns of joy to the Lord (Psalms), despised by the giant Goliath who mocked the God of Israel, and killing the giant with a stone from his shepherds sling. But David also became a shepherd to his followers, and to his countrymen. But not without criticism.

On one occasion when the Amalekites attacked his encampment and carried away all the wives and children, his followers wanted to stone him, but David knew where his strength was and (1 Samuel 30:6) "....But David strengthened himself in the Lord" But shepherds must be leaders, for they are responsible not only to the sheep, but also to the owner of the sheep, And David led by example - when his own son Absolam had incest with one of his concubines, and set up a seat of judgment at the gate of the city, to show the people that "He was more caring than his father." Then he led an uprising against David, but was killed. David forgave him and did not take revenge on him, but wept when the news came that Absalom ha been killed.

The term for shepherd is also used to describe the work of Jesus Christ, who the scripture says was "greater than David." Just as David did not avenge himself of Saul when the opportunity arose, so as Christ hung on the cross, suffering in torment, heat, ridicule, shame, torment, and could have called down a legion of angels to deliver himself, he said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." And the scripture refers to us as well as shepherds. In John 21: 16 - Jesus challenges Peter, "Simon Peter, lovest thou me rather than these.? ...... Jesus said, feed my sheep - feed my lambs. And as the Lord's sheep, we have a responsibility to the other lambs. Speaking to a largely Jewish audience, Jesus said, "John 10:16 ... and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold." Some might feel that this is by what we say, and while this is true in our witness, we must also attract people to the Lord's side by our example.

In the early years of the church, before 600 AD, there were many roman towns along the south shore of the Mediterranean. One of these cities was built with walls keeping the various nationalities, and religious groups apart. However, people have always been curious, and people living beside the wall that separated the Christians from others, would climb up the wall and looked over. What they saw were stable family relations, care for the poor, no fear of life after death etc. This attracted them, and they climbed over the wall and joined the Christian church.

The picture is drawn again in Ephesians 2 - broken down the middle wall of partition that stood between us. We leave this sanctuary, carrying with us the aroma of Jesus. II Corinthians 2 says, "Thanks be unto God who continually leads us about, captives in Christ's triumphal procession, and everywhere uses us to spread abroad the sweet aroma of Christ. NEB

Around us are many sheep, lost, bewildered, with no future except the present - may we be the under shepherds who will attract them to our great Shepherd - the Lord Jesus Christ.


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