PARABLES #7 | The Good Shepherd | August 14, 2022

PARABLES #7 | The Good Shepherd | August 14, 2022
Brandon Edwards | Worship & Creative Arts Pastor

1) Sheep are helpless
2) Sheep are hard headed
3) Sheep follow the herd
4) They’ll eat almost anything
5) They’re easy prey for predators

John 10:1-13 (NLT)
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.”

John 10:17 (NLT)
“I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

John 10:28 (NLT)
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Reflection Questions:
1) What kind of “valley” experience have you felt in the last two years?

2) What fears, worries or lies come up during times of struggle?

3) What is Jesus’ promise to you during times of struggle? (Psalm 23:5, 1 Corinthians 10:13)

4) Are you in a small group community and have other friends that are Jesus followers? Do you feel connected and supported by other believers?

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Notes Page: https://journeyweb.net/sermons/notes/2022.08.14.pdf