Whom Do You Call Shepherd?

Whom Do You Call Shepherd?

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

For he [is] our God; and we [are] the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Vocabulary

Worship   shachah  worship, bow down, bend, study

Bow down karah   knee, bow, crouch, sink

Kneel    barak    bend, kneel, bless, thank, praise

                          thank, congratulate

Pasture    meerite  flock, pastureland, grazing ground

We are Sheep

So what does it mean that we are sheep?

Genesis 4:2 is the first mention of sheep. What do we learn? ______________________________________

Abraham, Rachel each had sheep. They kept the sheep. If we are God’s sheep what is His responsibility toward us? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Consider sheep and their owner. Do sheep have a responsibility?____________________Considerng sheep and God and your relationship what can you assume?_________________________________

Isaiah 53:6 gives us a glimpse into the behavior of sheep which is characterized by _________________________________________________________________________________________

Isaiah 53:7 tells us something else about sheep __________________________________________________________________________________________

Jeremiah 50:6 tells of the horrible way God’s sheep have been treated by ‘shepherds’. Do you care to tell about an experience you have had under the care of a corrupt and deceptive ‘shepherd’? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Many people have turned from the Lord because of how they were treated by false shepherds. Comment __________________________________________________________________________________________

Ezekiel 34:6 speaks of the sheep that wanders off and no one comes to seek him or her out…to bring her back. Has it been your experience that you were abandoned by a ‘shepherd’ that you thought watch over your soul? _______If so how did that affect you? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Many people blame God because they trusted a ‘shepherd’ God did not call. What would you say to that? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Ezekiel 34:11, 12

 What does God, Himself promise concerning the sheep who has been abandoned, lost or even strayed away by his or her own will? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Micah 2:12 speaks of bringing sheep into the fold where there are many sheep assembled together. What can you see as the benefit of being in a large fold of sheep? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Matthew 7:15 Jesus speaks of how some sheep have been deceived. Your experience? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Matthew 10:16 tells of Jesus sending out his sheep! He went from gathering to sending. Discuss: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Matthew 6:24 speaks, not of the sheep under the cruel care of a false shepherd to the sheep with no shepherd. How does that speak to your heart? __________________________________________________________________________________________

John 10:7 Speak of this in terms of your relationship with the shepherd. __________________________________________________________________________________________

John 10:11 A good shepherd does what for his sheep? _____________________________________________

What does that tell you about the responsibility of anyone who considers himself or herself an overseer of God’s flock! _________________________________________________________________________________________

John 10:12, 13 speaks of the false shepherd who runs off and leaves his sheep. Have you suffered that in your own life? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Hebrews 13:20,21 offers a prayer for the sheep who want to do SOMETHING to repay the shepherd for his good care. What would that repayment be? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Of course we can never repay the Lord. Nor does He expect it! Salvation is a free gift, but look what devastation is caused—what harm done when sheep are treated poorly! Do you feel responsible to behave in a certain way ? Explain. __________________________________________________________________________________________