Jesus is the Good Shepherd

John 11:25–26 KJV 1900

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Introduction

Take your class on a little field trip around the church building. Instruct the class to take note of the different kinds of doors they see.

As you walk around, open and close doors. Look inside closets and rooms. (Be careful not to disrupt other.) Go in and out of doors. Notice signs on doors . Keep a count of how many door you find.

Ask: What is the purpose of a door? (to let people and tings in and out. To keep people and thing in or out.)

In our Bible lesson today, Jesus calls Himself a “door.” Of course, Jesus didn’t mean He is an actual door. We will learn what Jesus meant during our lesson today.

Jesus often used illustrations to help us understand important truths. An illustration is a word-picture of a common object that helps us understand a deeper truth. Le’t think back to some illustrations He used.

(Show the baby doll.) Remember Nicodemus? Jesus told Nicodemus he “must be born again” in order to have eternal life. Jesus didn’t actually mean for Nicodemus to become a baby and squeeze back inside his mamas belly! That would be crazy! Jesus was helping Nicodemus understand that he needed a new life and a new start. When we ask Jesus to be our Savior, He gives us a new, eternal life.

(Show a salt shaker.) Jesus told His disciples that they were the “salt of the earth.” Jesus didn’t actually mean for the disciples sprinkle themselves on top of food. Salt enhances the flavor of food and makes one thirsty. Jesus wanted His disciples to be like salt in the world by pointing people to Jesus and making them “thirsty” for God’s Word.

(Turn on a lamb.) Jesus called Himself the “light of the world.” We all know that the sun is the earth’s source of daylight. Daylight helps us see what we are doing so we don’t stumble around in the dark. Jesus helps us understand or “see” our sin and our need for a Savior. He doesn’t want us to blindly stumble through life in our sin. He shows us the way to God and eternal life.

In today’s lesson, Jesus uses another illustration to help us understand more about Him.

Shepherd, Sheepfolds, Doors, and Strangers

Jesus began His illustration by talking about shepherding. Most Bible-time people had a flock of sheep or had grown up around sheep. they would have had first-hand experience with what Jesus was talking about

John 10:1–5 KJV 1900

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

In those times flocks of sheep were kept inside a “sheepfold” at night. Le’ts build a pretend sheepfold one to give you an idea of what it was.

Activity: Clear a space in your classroom and arrange your your chairs in a circle. Be sure to place the chairs in close to each other to leave no gaps so the sheep don’t get out. Leave only one opening to crate the door. Gather the class outside the sheepfold as you instruct them.

At night, the shepherd would bring all the sheep to the sheepfold. The sheep-fold was often a high wall of stones built in a circle. The sheepfold had only one way in and out. The stone walls would protect the sheep from getting out and wandering away at night. But more importantly, the stone walls kept out thieves and predators like bears or lions. The shepherd would stand at the door and count all the sheep as they entered one by one into the sheepfold. (instruct the students to enter the fold one by one as you count them.) Then, the shepherd himself would lay down across the doorway.

Ask: Why do you think the shepherd would stay at the doorway? To keep the sheep in and the wild animals out. Anyone who came in had to go through the shepherd first!

Let’s suppose a person tired to enter the sheepfold by climbing up and over the walls. (Have a helper or an older student to put on a mask and scale the “walls” of the fold.)

The sheep would know that this is not the shepherd. The sheep all know their true shepherd. They recognize his voice, and they follow only their own shepherd.

Ask: Why do you think the sheep are willing to follow their own shepherd but not a stranger? They know their shepherd. They trust him. He has cared for, protected, and provided for them all their lives.

When Jesus finished talking about the shepherds, doors, sheepfolds, and thieves, the crowd was completely puzzled. They scratched their heads. They simply did not get it at all. Show me a confused expression.

So Jesus explained His illustration.

Jesus’ Explanation

John 10:7 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:9 KJV 1900

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Ask: What did Jesus call Himself? The door of the sheep and the good shepherd.

Ask: How is Jesus a door? Jesus is the only way to heaven and eternal life.

John 10:11 KJV 1900

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:14–15 KJV 1900

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Ask: How is Jesus like a good shepherd?

The Jews understood what it meant to have Jesus as their shepherd, They had read about God the father shepherding their ancestors in the Old Testament. King David often used the same picture in the Psalms he wrote.

Psalm 23:1 KJV 1900

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Ask: When Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd,” What was He saying? He is God.

God the Father and Jesus are one. You cannot separate one from the other. We worship one God. God came down in human form as Jesus to be our Savior. He is Emmanuel, “God with us.” Jesus was clearly declaring Himself as the Jews long-waited Messiah.

Then Jesus talked about the thieves and robbers.

John 10:8 KJV 1900

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

John 10:10 KJV 1900

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:12–13 KJV 1900

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

Ask: Who do you think Jesus was really talking about in these verses? Who was trapping the Jews in all their rules and laws? The religious leaders called the scribes and Pharisees.

The Scribes and Pharisees were like thieves who were stealing the people away from Jesus and the message of salvation. They were supposed to be shepherds. They were supposed to lead the people to God’s son and the truth. But instead, they were leading people away from God with all their rules and false righteousness. Jesus said they would only steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus came to give the people life to the fullest!

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

Do you think Jesus’ followers were beginning to understand His illustration? How do you think the Pharisees felt about Jesus’ words? Jesus continued to teach the people. He told them what was going to happen to him.

John 10:15–20 KJV 1900

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

Jesus willingly went to the cross for you. He gave His sinless life and shed His blood to pay the price for all your sin. He did all that because that is what God sent Him here to do. But Jesus did not stay dead in the grave. He “took up” His life when He rose on the third day. Jesus conquered sin and death. He became the way to Heaven and eternal life. God now offers the gift of eternal life to you.

Is Jesus your good shepherd?

If you have already trusted in Jesus to be your Savior, then you have eternal life. Jesus is your good shepherd. Since Jesus is our shepherd, we should trust Him to care for us. We should also thank Him for His love and care.