Alma 5:33–62

“The Good Shepherd Doth Call You”

After encouraging members of the Church in Zarahemla to reflect deeply on their standing with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see Alma 5:1–32), Alma invited them to come unto Christ using tender imagery such as His “arms of mercy are extended” (Alma 5:33), “repent, and I will receive you” (Alma 5:33), and “the good shepherd doth call you” (Alma 5:38). This lesson can help you in your efforts to come unto Jesus Christ and receive the blessings He offers you.

Repent and I will receive you

An old saying states, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

• Why might that be true?

Look at the following images that depict Jesus Christ.

• What messages are these images communicating to you?

You might remember that Alma 5 contains Alma’s teachings to members of the Church in Zarahemla, some of whom had become prideful and fallen into sin (see Alma 4:8–12). After asking these people a series of questions to help them evaluate their spiritual progress, Alma taught important truths about the Savior.

Read Alma 5:33–34, looking for what Alma wanted his people to understand about Jesus Christ.

• What words or phrases from these verses were the most meaningful to you? Why?

• What similarities did you see between these verses and the images of the Savior you looked at?

• How can understanding the principles in these verses change how someone views Jesus Christ?

Think about your current desires to accept Jesus Christ’s invitation to repent and come unto Him and whether you face obstacles that make it difficult to be His follower. As you continue studying, look for teachings that can help you in your efforts to overcome those obstacles and follow Jesus Christ.

Hearkening to the voice of the Good Shepherd

After teaching about the Savior’s invitation to repent and come unto Him, Alma shared additional teachings about Jesus Christ to persuade his people to follow the Savior.

Read Alma 5:37–39 and look for Alma’s message to his people.

1. Answer the following questions:

   • What do you think Alma wanted his people to know and feel about Jesus Christ (the Good Shepherd) from this analogy?

   • What do you think Alma wanted his people to know and feel about themselves (the sheep) from this analogy?

One truth we can learn from these verses is that we must hearken to the voice of the Good Shepherd in order to be His sheep.

President Russell M. Nelson shared the following definition for the word hearken:

It means “to listen with the intent to obey.” To hearken means to “hear Him”—to hear what the Savior says and then to heed His counsel. (Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 89)

• What do you know about the Savior that makes you want to hearken to Him and be numbered among His sheep?

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared some of the blessings the Savior offers us when we allow Him to be our Good Shepherd. Read the following statement or watch the video “Hearts Knit Together,” available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 13:56 to 14:51.

Hearts Knit Together

As we look through a gospel lens, we recognize that we too are under the watchcare of a compassionate caregiver, who extends Himself in kindness and a nurturing spirit. The Good Shepherd knows each one of us by name and has a personal interest in us. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said: “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep. … And I [will] lay down my life for the sheep” [John 10:14, 15].

… I find abiding peace in knowing that “the Lord is my shepherd” [Psalm 23:1] and that each of us is known by Him and under His kind watchcare. When we confront life’s wind and rainstorms, sickness and injuries, the Lord—our Shepherd, our Caregiver—will nourish us with love and kindness. He will heal our hearts and restore our souls. (Gary E. Stevenson, “Hearts Knit Together,” Liahona, May 2021, 23)

• What stands out to you about why we would want to follow the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ?

Ways you can hearken to the voice of the Good Shepherd

Alma suggested several ways that the people of Zarahemla could hearken to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Read Alma 5:40–41, 50–51, 57 and look for what Alma counseled.

• What did you learn from these verses about ways you can hearken to the voice of the Good Shepherd?

• What are some ways we can “come … out from the wicked” and “touch not their unclean things”? (verse 57).

2. Complete the following sentences:

   • Some reasons I want to follow Jesus Christ are

   • One way I will hearken to His voice is

Optional: Want to Learn More?

How can we benefit from listening to the voice of Jesus Christ?

President Russell M. Nelson gave the following insights about hearing Jesus Christ’s voice:

Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son.

Because when we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.

… God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. We are to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us!

As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths. (Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 89)

The following video, “#HearHim: Listen to the Voice of Jesus Christ,” illustrates the importance of quieting the noise around us so we can hear the voice of Jesus Christ.

#HearHim: Listen to the Voice of Jesus Christ

Alma 5:57. How does the Savior view unclean things in our lives?

Speaking of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Since God uses disease as a metaphor for sin throughout the scriptures, it is reasonable to ask, “How does Jesus Christ react when faced with our metaphorical diseases—our sins?” After all, the Savior said that He “cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance” [Doctrine and Covenants 1:31]; so how can He look at us, imperfect as we are, without recoiling in horror and disgust?

The answer is simple and clear. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ views disease in His sheep as a condition that needs treatment, care, and compassion. This shepherd, our Good Shepherd, finds joy in seeing His diseased sheep progress toward healing.

The Savior foretold that He would “feed his flock like a shepherd” [Isaiah 40:11], “seek [out] that which [is] lost, … bring again that which [is] driven away, … bind up that which [is] broken, and … strengthen that which [is] sick” [Ezekiel 34:16]. Though apostate Israel was depicted as being consumed with sinful “wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores” [Isaiah 1:6], the Savior encouraged, exhorted, and promised healing [see Isaiah 1:18]. (Dale G. Renlund, “Our Good Shepherd,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 30)