John 10:10-42

Go Deep

I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-42)

Read John 10.

(John 10:24-25) The leaders demand that Jesus tell them whether or not he is the Messiah. He answers that he did tell them. How do you think they took that statement?

When did Jesus tell these leaders if he was the Messiah?

Jesus says he told them, but they didn’t believe. Why didn’t they believe?

How is it possible that Jesus can tell a person something and they not know they’ve been told?

Read John 10:11-18. List characteristics of the Good Shepherd. Which one is most meaningful to you?

If someone asked you what Jesus meant by saying that he was the good shepherd, how would you answer? Would Jesus say of your answer, “Yes, that is what I meant”? Why or why not?

What is the Old Testament background to Jesus’s claim that he is the Good Shepherd? (See Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ezekiel 34:1-24.) What insights do these Scriptures provide concerning Jesus’s claim?

If Jesus is the shepherd, is it the job of the sheep to defend themselves? With this question in mind, what should we do when we are under threat?

What is the sheep’s responsibility in regard to the shepherd?

How would you counsel a person who feels like they are not getting an answer from God regarding their prayers?

If I want to know what God’s will is for my life, what kinds of things should I be doing?

Read Romans 12:1-2. In what order do these things come: Testing and approving God will and presenting your body as a living sacrifice? Is the order important? Are there any other steps?

How does one become a sheep of the Good Shepherd?