Bible Study – The Good Shepherd
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
Easter - the unearned gift of grace. Of course, we cannot “figure it out.” How comforting, then, to have these scriptures, showing first how the disciples struggled to grasp what had happened and then stories of Jesus before the crucifixion, which are written in the light of the Resurrection.
As Easter people we know, as Paul said, that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God. We are people who expect life out of death. And so, in Eastertide we celebrate the wonder and prepare ourselves to take the awesome message out into the world on Pentecost.
For the rest of the Easter Season, we have stories Jesus shared before the crucifixion. Now, in the light of the resurrection, they take on a powerful new value. Jesus is portrayed as the Good Shepherd. Even though sheep are not part of our lives like sheep were for the people who first heard these stories, we can resonate to the concept of a shepherd who knows his own and whose own know him. We belong to this shepherd. Yet, if, as Jesus tells us, he has other sheep that are not of this fold that he must bring also, we have work to do – work given to us by the Good Shepherd.
Jesus looked for examples that his followers would easily recognize. And so Jesus often told stories about sheep. Our job when we read stories Jesus told is to see what the stories say to us in our lives.
Opening Prayer: Let’s read Psalm 23 for our prayer today.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Please open your Bibles to John 10:11-18 and read or read the scriptures below.
John 10:11-18
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 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. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Reflection Questions: (Answers at the bottom of the page)
- What is a hired hand?
- What is the difference Jesus makes between the Good Shepherd and the hired hand?
- Jesus says he knows his “own” and his “own” know him.
- Who are some of the people we listen to and who take care of us?
- Who are some of the people who listen to us and who we take care of?
Click here for the young learner’s lesson.
Videos (Click on url)
Daily Gospel Reading Video St. John 10:11-18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8D8l0015ak
John 10:11-18 I Am the Good Shepherd Gospel Lesson for Children: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OncVF1yigzE
Gospel of John Summary – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-2e9mMf7E8
Song: Jesus, The Good Shepherd – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-m25eMG2lQ
Activities:
Create a poster of a silhouette of Jesus with sheep. Label each sheep with the name of someone Jesus takes care of. Add as many sheep as you.
“Edible Sheep” Snack: You will need: Paper Plate, Pretzel sticks, Large and or miniature marshmallows, M&Ms, and Coconut. Follow the directions on the following url: https://sundayschool.store/products/the-good-shepherd-lesson
Good Shepherd - Crossword: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/the-good-shepherd-1
The Good Shepherd - Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/the-good-shepherd-3
Good Shepherd – Maze: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/good-shepherd-1
The Good Shepherd – Jumble: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/the-good-shepherd-2
Prayer: Today we look at “the welfare of the world.” Consider what things would be included (e.g., the natural world, the places animals and birds live; the social world, people with insufficient food, no jobs, or victims of wars and natural disasters). Create your own prayer.
Thank you Jesus for your guidance and care. Help me to trust in your loving care. Amen
Answers to Reflection Questions:
- What is a hired hand? (Someone paid to do a job and with no say as to how it is done.)
- What is the difference Jesus makes between the Good Shepherd and the hired hand? (When things get too hard, the hired hand will not stick around.)
- Jesus says he knows his “own” and his “own” know him. (Sheep recognize the voice of the person who takes care of them. Do any of you have a dog that will come when you call the dog? Sheep are like that.)
- Who are some of the people we listen to and who take care of us?
- Who are some of the people who listen to us and who we take care of?
