I AM – The Good Shepherd was an edgy comment by Jesus. Did you know that shepherds did not have a good reputation in Jesus’ day? I know what you’re thinking. The Christmas story prominently shows shepherds! They were one of the first ones to worship the New Born King! But it’s a sad truth. The rabbis in didn’t see shepherds in a good light. SO when Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, it was a counter cultural statement. He would give up his life for his sheep.
Psalm 23
King David was the OG shepherd. Surely there were shepherds before him. David didn’t invent animal husbandry, but he was very good at his job. How good, you ask? If a lion or a bear came after one of his sheep, he would go after the beast, strike it with his staff and kill it. This is where we might start to wonder if tending sheep is really the best business to be in! There has to be something less dangerous, right?
How Good of a Shepherd
For Jesus the danger was the point. Jesus was born to be a sacrifice. He knew very well that he would one day soon die for his sheep. What makes this all the more confusing for us is that we understand the concept of laying down life for the sake of a loved one or a just cause. Jesus was laying down his life for people who hated him! What sense did that make? That’s what makes him the Good Shepherd. That’s WAY better than we would ever be.
Want to hear more? Including how Jesus raised himself from the dead… Watch this week’s lesson from our Bible class series I AM – The Good Shepherd.
Please click HERE to find the rest of the lessons.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.