
“I am the Good Shepherd”
Main point: Jesus is a leader we can trust with our lives
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. —John 10:1-6
Some who would be leaders should not be followed
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. —John 10:7-13
Worthy leaders are known by their character and their care for their followers
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” —John 10:25-30
Because Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we are safe when we are in His care
Takeaway ¬– Jesus is a leader we can trust with our lives, now and for eternity
QUESTIONS
1. Identify someone who has been a leader to you. What were they like? What did you learn from them? How did knowing them impact your life?
2.Have you ever experienced profound disappointment in someone you considered a leader? How did that affect your ability to trust other leaders? What did you learn from that experience?
3.Committing our lives to Jesus is committing to follow Him throughout our lives. Sometimes that’s hard. As the song says, we are “prone to wander.” How would you describe the way you are following Jesus today? Are you “close behind him” or “wandering too much” or is there another way you’d describe it?
Table Discussion Question: Are there any celebrities (in sports, politics, entertainment, etc.) that you really admire? What is it about them that you admire? How can we know when we are giving them too much influence in our lives?