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| RESPOND: (7–10 minutes) Hand out the student worksheets and ask students to find places alone where they can think about the question and spend some time praying. Bring them back together and close the class with the following prayer: Good shepherd Jesus, we are a bunch of straggly sheep. Some of us are right there with you, hearing your call and eager to follow. Some of us are hearing lots of calls, and your voice gets lost in the midst of it. Some of us hear you but we don’t want to follow right now. Be with us, Jesus. Don’t give up on us. Keep calling. We know you love us. Thank you. Amen INSIGHTS FROM SCRIPTURE: Throughout the New Testament stories of Jesus, time and time again Jesus uses parables and illustrations to help people understand him and his purpose. The story here in the book of John is really no different. In the case of this story or illustration, the primary discourse of verses 1 – 18 is on a shepherd and his flock. This passage can be broken down into two parts with verses 1 – 6 being the story, and verses 7 – 18 being the meditation on it. The Jews understood what was being said about sheep, yet they did not understand what was being said to them. Because of this, Jesus tells the story again. This time Jesus refers to himself as the gate and the keeper, who manages the access the shepherds have to the sheep and later the access the sheep have to pasture. Jesus is saying that he has control of both the ministry and the membership of the church. Secondly, Jesus refers to himself as the “good shepherd” who is willing to die for his sheep, unlike the hired gatekeeper who would flee at the sign of danger. The bond between Jesus and the Father is illustrated by the bond between the shepherd and his sheep. When Jesus says he has other sheep, he is referring to the Gentiles. Continued... |
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