Ezekiel 34 • Gather. See. Follow. Plan.
Good Shepherd Lab
See how the Lord answers every failure of Israel’s shepherds, watch Jesus Christ do what He promised, practise seeking and caring, and shape a private plan.
Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. He seeks out and cares for Heavenly Father’s children, and He invites us to do the same.
Gather the flock
How does the Lord answer each failure?
Read Ezekiel 34:2–6, then Ezekiel 34:11–16. The Lord lists what the shepherds of Israel did not do. Then He says what He will do. Match each failure with His answer.
“ye feed not the flock” (Ezekiel 34:3)
“neither have ye sought that which was lost” (Ezekiel 34:4)
“neither have ye brought again that which was driven away” (Ezekiel 34:4)
“neither have ye bound up that which was broken” (Ezekiel 34:4)
“neither have ye healed that which was sick” (Ezekiel 34:4)
For each thing the shepherds of Israel failed to do, choose the Lord’s answer. You can change any answer.
See Him do it
Which action of the Good Shepherd does each account show most clearly?
In John 10:11, 14 Jesus calls Himself “the good shepherd”. Read each account and decide which promise from Ezekiel 34 you see Him keeping.
As the Good Shepherd, the Saviour …
Luke 15:4–5. Jesus described a shepherd who will “go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”
John 9:34–35. The leaders “cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”
Mark 6:34, 42. Jesus “was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” Later “they did all eat, and were filled.”
3 Nephi 17:7, 9. “Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither … and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.”
First complete activity 1, then match each account.
Follow His example
What would seeking and caring look like here?
Ezekiel 34 shows two ways to treat the flock. Choose one situation and decide what each response does.
A situation:
Someone has stopped coming. A member of your class or quorum has not come for a month. Which of these follow the Good Shepherd’s example?
Send a message: “We missed you. Can I sit with you next time?”
Wait and see whether they come back by themselves.
Invite them to the next activity and offer to go with them.
Talk with others about why they probably left.
Someone new sits alone. A new student at school eats lunch alone every day. Which of these follow the Good Shepherd’s example?
Sit with them and learn their name.
Assume someone else will look after them.
Give some of your time: include them in what your friends are doing.
Keep your group as it is, because it is comfortable.
Someone is having a hard week. A friend has been unusually quiet and seems low. Which of these follow the Good Shepherd’s example?
Ask how they are, and listen without trying to fix everything.
Decide it is not your business.
Pray for them by name and ask what you could do.
Tell them to cheer up and move on.
First complete activity 2, then choose a situation.
Take it to the journal
Who might need you?
The lesson invites you to think of people who may be like the sheep in Ezekiel 34: lost, scattered, broken or weak. Choose one from each row to shape a plan for your own journal.
Someone in:
I could follow the Saviour’s example and:
Complete activities 1 to 3, then choose one option from each row.
