Modeling the Shepherd

Objectives

• Students will see how perfect love models Christ's love for the church as described by Christ in John 10.

Introduction

• We often associate Valentine's day with love and the Bible has a whole lot to say about love. In fact, the word love is used in the Bible over 700 times. Take a second and think about a few such passages. Maybe you are thinking of one of the following passages.
  • Ephesians 4:2-3: “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
  • Romans 13:8: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."
  • Proverbs 3:3-4: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."
  • John 15:12: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

• And of course, we have to mention 1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

• But consider Ephesians 5:25: “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her." for a minute. What does the love of Christ for the church look like. Consider John 10:1-30.

Main Body

The Bible references sheep over 500 times. To the audience in which much of the Bible was written they would’ve have either been pastoral people or at least been familiar with the shepherd’s life.