Jesus taught that He is the Good Shepherd. He used this metaphor to help His listeners understand more about Him and their relationship to Him. The purpose of this lesson is to help you feel greater confidence in Jesus Christ as your Shepherd and increase your desire to hear His voice and follow Him.
Using pictures. Pictures can help students visualize the people, places, events, objects, and symbols in the scriptures. Combined with the words of the scriptures, pictures can help illuminate truths and enhance students’ learning experience.
Student preparation: Invite students to read the entry “Good Shepherd” in the Guide to the Scriptures. Ask them to be prepared to answer the question “Why is the title ‘Good Shepherd’ a good description of Jesus Christ?”
Possible Learning Activities
Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd
To help students visualize and think about Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd, consider displaying a picture of the Savior with a sheep.
Look carefully at the picture displayed at the beginning of this lesson, and consider what it might be teaching. The following questions may help: Why might the Shepherd be carrying the lamb? What do you notice about the position of the Shepherd compared to the other sheep?
Today you will study the parable of the good shepherd. In this parable, Jesus Christ compares Himself to a shepherd who leads and protects his flock of sheep. As you study, pay attention to what you learn about the Savior.
Students could be invited to share what they learned in their student preparation studies. If students are keeping a list of various titles for Jesus Christ in their study journal, they could add to it here.
At the top of a page in your study journal, write the title “Good Shepherd.” Here you can list what you learn or feel about Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, and what He does for His sheep. If desired, you could draw a simple sheep on your paper like the one shown below and write inside the drawing what you learned or felt.
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sheep
If preferred, the list could be made on the board as a class rather than in students’ journals.
Students could work individually or in small groups or pairs. Consider displaying the verses below so that students can refer back to them.
Read John 10:1–5, looking for a parable Jesus teaches about His role as the Good Shepherd.
Students could be invited to share their findings. It may be helpful to invite students to ask questions they have about the meaning of these verses.
Watch the video “The Good Shepherd” from time code 1:54 to 3:33. In this video, President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles talks about an experience of observing shepherds and sheep. This video is located on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Add any insights you gained about the Good Shepherd to your list.
What impresses you about the relationship between shepherds and sheep as described here?
Some of those that were listening didn’t understand the parable Jesus taught (see John 10:6). Jesus explained how the parable taught about Him. Read John 10:7–18, 27–28, looking for additional insights about Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Add your observations to your list. (Note: A hireling is someone whose primary motive for working is getting paid.)
Consider sharing some of the following scriptures to help students learn more about the Good Shepherd: Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34:11–16; Alma 5:57–60.
Looking over your list, what does the parable of the Good Shepherd help you understand about Jesus Christ?
What did you learn from these verses about why you would want to follow Him?
Write the unfinished sentence on the board and invite students to complete it. Students may write insights like “abundant life,” “protection from wolves and thieves,” or “eternal life.” Consider discussing any of these responses more fully. Pay attention to how students respond, and be open to the spirit as you consider possible follow-up questions to ask.
If I follow the Good Shepherd, I will receive …
What experiences come to mind where you have felt the Savior care for you as a shepherd?
How can you hear the voice of the Good Shepherd?
This part of the lesson is intended to help students recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd and increase their desire to hear and follow Him. Consider inviting them to reflect on some or all of the following questions.
Think about the following questions:
What do you need the Savior’s help or guidance with?
Which of the blessings that the Savior offers His sheep do you desire?
Why would you want to increase your ability to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd?
In this parable, the sheep of the Good Shepherd are those who hear His voice and follow Him (see John 10:3–5, 27).
President Russell M. Nelson gave the following insights about hearing Jesus Christ’s voice:
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President Russell M. Nelson
Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son.
Because when we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.
… In [these] two words—“Hear Him”—God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. We are to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us!
As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.
(Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 89)
Consider making a list based on students’ responses to the following question. Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 and Doctrine and Covenants 18:31–32, 34–36 could be used to identify that the Lord’s voice comes through His prophets, the scriptures, and the Holy Ghost.
What are ways that the Good Shepherd’s voice can be heard?
Consider showing one or more of the following videos of Church leaders sharing how they hear the Savior’s voice.
If possible, watch the videos entitled “How I #HearHim: Elder David A. Bednar” (1:15) and “How I #HearHim: Sister Joy D. Jones” (2:45) to hear examples of how Church leaders hear the Savior’s voice. These videos, along with additional examples, are available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
How do you think hearing Jesus Christ’s voice could help you with your needs?
What have you learned or felt about Jesus Christ from learning about His role as the Good Shepherd?
Commentary and Background Information
John 10:7. Why did Jesus say, “I am the door of the sheep”?
Shepherds in Israel stood at the entrance of a sheepfold and inspected each sheep as it entered, treating injuries as needed. After the sheep were gathered in the enclosure for the night, the shepherd would lie down to sleep in the entrance, barring the way so that predators or thieves could not hurt the sheep. The Savior’s statement “I am the door” makes clear that He was willing to “lay down [His] life for the sheep” (John 10:7, 15) and that He ultimately will decide who will enter the kingdom of heaven. Using an image similar to a door, the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob declared that “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel” and that “he employeth no servant there” (2 Nephi 9:41).
What is the difference between the Good Shepherd and a hireling?
President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught:
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President Ezra Taft Benson
Sometimes, however, a wild animal driven by hunger would leap over the walls into the midst of the sheep, frightening them. Such a situation separated the true shepherd—one who loved his sheep—from the hireling—one who worked only for pay and duty.
The true shepherd was willing to give his life for the sheep. He would go in amongst the sheep and fight for their welfare. The hireling, on the other hand, valued his own personal safety above the sheep and would usually flee from the danger.
Jesus used this common illustration of [H]is day to declare that He was the Good Shepherd, the True Shepherd. Because of His love for His brothers and sisters, He would willingly and voluntarily lay down His life for them. (See John 10:17–18.)
John 10:30. What did Jesus mean when He said, “I and my Father are one”?
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
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Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Our first and foremost article of faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost” [Articles of Faith 1:1]. We believe these three divine persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner, in testimony, in mission. We believe Them to be filled with the same godly sense of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness, and redemption. I think it is accurate to say we believe They are one in every significant and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance, a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because it is not true.
Consider the following activity as an option to begin the section with this same title in the lesson.
Blindfold a student or have them close their eyes. If it is a larger class, more students could be blindfolded as well. Then silently select a few of the remaining students and invite them, one at a time, to read John 10:27 out loud. See if the blindfolded students can identify the voices of the students reading the verse.
Consider asking the question “What does it take to recognize someone’s voice well enough that you can distinguish it from other voices?”
Other sheep
In John 10:16, the Savior taught the Jews in Jerusalem that He would visit God’s children in other lands, teach them His gospel, and bring them into His fold (His Church). The Book of Mormon sheds light on this verse.
Students could read 3 Nephi 15:13–17, 21; 16:1–3, looking for one way this prophecy was fulfilled. Consider suggesting that students cross-reference these verses with John 10:16 or that they mark John 10:16, footnote a. Students could be invited to discuss what these insights teach us about the character and mission of Jesus Christ.