LESSON 15: Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd

(John 10:1-18)

Have you ever seen people taking care of cows, goats, or sheep? Some families have a few animals at home and give them food in their stalls. But when there are too many animals, it’s hard to feed them one by one. Instead, they are taken to open fields, called pastures, where they can eat fresh grass. Once they are full, they are brought back home.

The people who take care of sheep are called shepherds. In Jesus’ time, there were many shepherds in Jerusalem and Judea. Some shepherds owned their sheep, while others were hired to take care of them.

Jesus told a story to help people understand the difference between a good shepherd and a hired shepherd. A good shepherd loves his sheep and will do anything to protect them, even if it means giving up his own life! But a hired shepherd does not care as much. If a wild animal comes to attack the sheep, the hired shepherd runs away to save himself, leaving the sheep in danger.

Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” He was telling us that He loves and cares for us, just like a good shepherd cares for his sheep. Many leaders came before Jesus, but they didn’t take care of God’s people the right way. But Jesus showed He was different—He gave His life on the cross for us, proving that He is the Good Shepherd.

What Should We Do as Jesus’ Sheep?

If Jesus is our shepherd, then we are His sheep! Just like real sheep listen to their shepherd, we should listen to Jesus. We should:

• Obey Him – Follow what He teaches us.
• Recognize His Voice – Learn to hear His words through the Bible.
• Walk on the Right Path – Trust Him to guide us in the best way.

When Jesus calls us by name, we should be ready to listen. Just like David in the Bible, we can sing with joy:
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)