What’s In A Name?Jesus Our Shepherd

Session Five

HELLOMY NAME IS

Jesus

Characteristics of Sheep• What are some of the adjectives

you have heard to describe sheep?DumbHelplessDefenselessTrustingCan’t feed themselvesMust be led to water

• How many of these characteristics are appealing to you?

• Do you ever wish Jesus had described Himself as responsible for something a little more intimidating than sheep?

JESUSOUR SHEPHERD

• It may threaten our self-esteem and self-confidence to think of ourselves as sheep.

• We want to be seen as strong, independent, and self-sufficient. But the problem is, we aren’t.

• Jesus didn't describe Himself as a lion tamer, or an alligator wrestler, or a snake charmer. He called Himself a Shepherd.

• And no matter how much that goes against our feelings of self-sufficiency, that’s really the point.

• Today, we are going to learn what makes Jesus the Good Shepherd, and whether or not we are good sheep.

Doubtlessliving.com3

OUR SHEPHERD GIVES US LIFE

7So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Doubtlessliving.com4

J o h n 1 0 : 7 - 1 0 ( H C S B )

OUR SHEPHERD GIVES US LIFE

7So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Doubtlessliving.com5

J o h n 1 0 : 7 - 1 0 ( H C S B ) • I am the door stresses Jesus’ Deity and presents Him as the only means of salvation, the only access to God’s Kingdom.

OUR SHEPHERD GIVES US LIFE

7So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Doubtlessliving.com6

J o h n 1 0 : 7 - 1 0 ( H C S B ) • I am the door stresses Jesus’ Deity and presents Him as the only means of salvation, the only access to God’s Kingdom.

• Enters by Me emphasizes that only a personal relationship with Jesus enables people to enter God’s fold.

OUR SHEPHERD GIVES US LIFE

7So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Doubtlessliving.com7

J o h n 1 0 : 7 - 1 0 ( H C S B ) • I am the door stresses Jesus’ Deity and presents Him as the only means of salvation, the only access to God’s Kingdom.

• Enters by Me emphasizes that only a personal relationship with Jesus enables people to enter God’s fold.

• Will be saved is a conditional promise with the possibility of fulfillment depended upon a positive response to Jesus.

OUR SHEPHERD GIVES US LIFE

7So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Doubtlessliving.com8

J o h n 1 0 : 7 - 1 0 ( H C S B ) • I am the door stresses Jesus’ Deity and presents Him as the only means of salvation, the only access to God’s Kingdom.

• Enters by Me emphasizes that only a personal relationship with Jesus enables people to enter God’s fold.

• Will be saved is a conditional promise with the possibility of fulfillment depended upon a positive response to Jesus.

• Come in and go out expresses daily activities showing that Jesus infuses our daily lives.

OUR SHEPHERD GIVES US LIFE

7So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Doubtlessliving.com9

J o h n 1 0 : 7 - 1 0 ( H C S B )• I am the door stresses Jesus’ Deity and

presents Him as the only means of salvation, the only access to God’s Kingdom.

• Enters by Me emphasizes that only a personal relationship with Jesus enables people to enter God’s fold.

• Will be saved is a conditional promise with the possibility of fulfillment depended upon a positive response to Jesus.

• Come in and go out expresses daily activities showing that Jesus infuses our daily lives.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, HCSB)

ABUNDANT LIFEJesus came into this world that we might have life and have it in abundance.

• What do you consider an abundant life?

• What are some things people in this world look for as measures of an abundant life?

• What do you think Jesus meant by abundant life?

• Do you think He was referring to life on earth or in heaven?

Doubtlessliving.com10

J o h n 1 0 : 1 1 - 1 3 ( H C S B )

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

OUR SHEPHERD SACRIFICED HIMSELF

FOR US

Doubtlessliving.com

• 11

J o h n 1 0 : 1 1 - 1 3 ( H C S B )

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

OUR SHEPHERD SACRIFICED HIMSELF

FOR US

Doubtlessliving.com

• 12

• Jesus declares His deity once again by using the words I am.

J o h n 1 0 : 1 1 - 1 3 ( H C S B )

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

OUR SHEPHERD SACRIFICED HIMSELF

FOR US

Doubtlessliving.com

• 13

• Jesus declares His deity once again by using the words I am.

• Then He goes on to say that He is the good shepherd which has the strong meaning of genuine or authentic shepherd.

J o h n 1 0 : 1 1 - 1 3 ( H C S B )

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

OUR SHEPHERD SACRIFICED HIMSELF

FOR US

Doubtlessliving.com

• 14

• Jesus declares His deity once again by using the words I am.

• Then He goes on to say that He is the good shepherd which has the strong meaning of genuine or authentic shepherd.

• Jesus–the authentic Shepherd–voluntarily lays down His life in exchange for theirs, demonstrating His great care for His sheep.

J o h n 1 0 : 1 1 - 1 3 ( H C S B )

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

OUR SHEPHERD SACRIFICED HIMSELF

FOR US

Doubtlessliving.com

• 15

• Jesus declares His deity once again by using the words I am.

• Then He goes on to say that He is the good shepherd which has the strong meaning of genuine or authentic shepherd.

• Jesus–the authentic Shepherd–voluntarily lays down His life in exchange for theirs, demonstrating His great care for His sheep.

• Jesus contrast His sacrifice with the self-centered hired man (the Pharisees) who doesn’t care about the sheep.

FACING THE WOLF• Who or what does the wolf represent in verse 12?

• In what ways does the wolf snatch and scatter the flock today?

• In what ways did Jesus—the good Shepherd—face the wolves during his time on earth?

• How did Jesus respond when the wolves came?

• Why did He respond in this way?

Doubtlessliving.com16

14“I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. 16But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Doubtlessliving.com17

J o h n 1 0 : 1 4 - 1 6 ( H C S B )

OUR SHEPHERDKNOWS US

• Once again, Jesus asserts His deity, power, and genuineness in saying I am the good shepherd.

• The Pharisees to whom He was speaking were supposed to tend God’s flock with loving care but of course they put self-interest ahead of the flock.

14“I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. 16But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Doubtlessliving.com18

J o h n 1 0 : 1 4 - 1 6 ( H C S B )

OUR SHEPHERDKNOWS US

• Once again, Jesus asserts His deity, power, and genuineness in saying I am the good shepherd.

• The Pharisees to whom He was speaking were supposed to tend God’s flock with loving care but of course they put self-interest ahead of the flock.

• As the authentic Shepherd, Jesus has an intimate personal relationship with His sheep just as the Father has an intimate personal relationship with Him.

JESUS OUR SHEPHERD

• Our Savior Gives Us Life - Jesus is the only door to eternal life, open to all people who will place faith in Him.

• Our Savior Sacrificed Himself for Us - He is the Good Shepherd who voluntarily laid down His life for us.

• Our Savior Knows Us - Because of every believer’s personal relationship with Jesus, He knows us by name and attends to us.

Doubtlessliving.com19

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

• It truly is a miracle to realize we are capable of knowing the Creator of the universe. As we have learned over the past few weeks, God has revealed Himself to us as:– Yahweh Our God – The sovereign, powerful, ruler over all

– Yahweh Our Father – Caring for us in ways earthly parents cannot

– Yahweh Our Righteousness – Doing for us what we cannot do ourselves

– Jesus Our Immanuel – God among us, never leaving or forsaking us

– Jesus Our Shepherd – Guiding us, sacrificing for us, and knowing us

Doubtlessliving.com20

Can we ask for more in a Savior?

What’s In A Name?Jesus Our Shepherd

Session Five

HELLOMY NAME IS

Jesus