LEAven Blog
Teaching about the Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd Sunday Is Approaching
Eleven days from the publication of this blog, the Church will be celebrating Good Shepherd Sunday (GSS). This affords us the opportunity to teach about the Jesus’ powerful parable found in John 10:1-18. It’s replete with imagery, metaphors, and symbolism that children need to know to understand it and participate fully in worship on GSS. Here are some ideas to help you give children a robust preview of the parable.
A Primer for GSS
Here are the Gospel lesson and the Psalm of the Day, linked to ESV translations for GSS. Copy and duplicate them for your children. I’m emphasizing only the Gospel reading for the sake of space.1
John 10:1–18 – Gospel Lesson: See:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010%3A1-18&version=NIV
This Gospel reading contains imagery that children need to be taught so the vocabulary and metaphors in the are understood.
Important vocabulary and metaphors found in the reading:
Sheepfold: John. 10:1 – See illustrations in the link below that will help children understand what a sheepfold looked like in Jesus’ time:2
The door: John 10:2;7-9 – Jesus is the door to heaven (pasture).
The thieves & robbers: John 10:1; 8-10 – They are only interested in themselves and could not care less about the sheep.
The (Good) Shepherd: Jesus uses the strong, direct comparison (“I am”) throughout the passage. Jesus is the true shepherd who will lay down his life for his flock. Also see Psalm 23.
The Gatekeeper: John 10:3 – The gatekeeper knows the voice of Jesus, as do the sheep.
The Sheep image: It is use throughout the John reading and Psalm 23; we are the sheep of Jesus’ pasture.
The Hired Hand: John 10:12 – Doesn’t own or truly care for the sheep. He’s only in it for the money and abandons the sheep with the wolf comes.
The Wolf: John 1:12 – Those who hate Jesus and want to destroy and/or scatter his flock.
Note that in verse John 10:6, people did not understand any of these “figures of speech” that Jesus was using. That’s why we, like Jesus, need to help children understand what he is saying.
Use the Notes Found in the Concordia Study Bible’s
One of the best and easiest ways to teach the symbolism of the passages is to use the notes found in the Lutheran Study Bible from Concordia Publishing House. If you don’t have one, I’m sure your pastor, other colleagues, or your church’s library will have it and other reference books and Bible commentaries.
John 10:1-18: A Parable in Three Parts
Telling parables was Jesus’ favorite teaching technique. Many people understood Jesus’ parables and followed Jesus; some understood his teaching, but despised his message.3 Here are the three parts of his good shepherd parable.
Part 1 – John 10:1-6: Christ is the True Shepherd
Jesus call himself the true shepherd. He’s not a hireling – a vailed reference to the Pharisees. He won’t run away from danger – Jesus goes toward to the cross on our behalf. The sheep recognize Jesus’s voice when he calls them to himself. Don’t listen to false shepherds, they’ll only lead you astray.
Part 2 – John 10:7-10 – Christ is the Shepherd and Door Who Saves
Jesus is different from all other shepherds because he is the only shepherd who will truly lead his flock and die for them so that they can truly live. In John 9 (Jesus heals the man born blind) the Pharisees kick the man who Jesus healed into the street because he told them that Jesus cured him (and on the Sabbath day, to boot!). Read John 9 – especially verses 13-41 to see what Jesus says to the Pharisees. You’ll see exactly why they hated Jesus and wanted to get rid of him.
The chapter continues as Jesus leads his sheep through the door (John 10:7, i.e., Jesus himself) into the open and verdant pasture of new life. All who follow Jesus through his door will live.
Part 3 – John 10:11-18 – The Good Shepherd Give up His Life for His Sheep
In verse 11, Jesus begins by saying: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” In a way, that says it all. Jesus knows “his own and his own know” him (vs. 14). Yet, Jesus has other sheep that aren’t in his fold that he want to gather (vs. 16) so that they will be in one flock of the Good Shepherd. Jesus does this of “his own accord” at the behest of God the Father (vs. 18).
Share this parable with your students so they can know and believe that Jesus is truly their Good Shepherd who will lead them in “the paths of righteousness” now and through the gate to eternal life.
PS: Please click here to get my play based on John 10:1-18 titled, I Am the Good Shepherd: An Interview with Jesus. It may be reproduced free of charge by LEA members.
Don’t forget to have children sing hymns about the Good Shepherd.
See: LSB 434, 550; 547, 709, 710, 711, 735, 740, 864, etc.
End notes:
1 The other readings for GSS are: Acts 2:42–47; Psalm 23; Peter 2:19–25.
2 Children could make a model of a sheepfold using small stones for walls and toothpicks for the gate (door).
3 See: Parable of the Sower (Mt 13:1-23). Jesus tells the parable and his purpose for telling it. It’s one of the few parables Jesus explains.
Also see Matthew 13:34-35.
