Read: John 10
Watch: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/passage-insight-good-tree-bad-tree/
Pray:
Jesus, You are my provision, my bread of life.
Jesus, You are my Living Water, bubbling within.
Jesus, You are my Light, showing me the way.
Jesus, You are my Gate, inviting me to enter.
Jesus, You are my Good Shepherd, always guiding me.
Who do you say Jesus is? This is a question for the ages, a question to reveal the hearts of people. Jesus asked his followers this question, and He asks us the same, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 15:16).
Ancient prophets foretold the coming of the Lion of Judah, the suffering servant, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). He is Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
“Man of Sorrows, what a name, for the Son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim, Hallelujah! What a Savior!” “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” Jesus is our Bread of Life, Living Water, our Light bringing life in all its fullness, our Gate into the Kingdom of the Heavens, and our Good Shepherd. The Glorious Light of Creation emptied Himself into His created order to walk among us, to teach us, to lead us. He is the example of how to “lay down one’s life.” The Lion of Judah became the innocent sacrificial Lamb who takes away our sins. He voluntarily laid down His life so that we can have abundant life. He became our shepherd modeling for us how to be His sheep; we listen, we learn, we practice, and we apprentice ourselves to the only One who IS our Good Shepherd!
Discussion Questions:
Personal Reflection
- When Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” how do you personally answer that question?
- What aspects of Jesus’ identity (e.g., Bread of Life, Good Shepherd, Light of the World) resonate with you most, and why?
Biblical and Theological
- How does Jesus being both the Lion of Judah and the sacrificial Lamb impact our understanding of His character and purpose?
Application to Life
- How can we better listen, learn, and apprentice ourselves to Jesus as our Good Shepherd?
- How does knowing Jesus as the Prince of Peace affect the way we handle challenges, suffering, and conflict in our lives?