FMR develops youth ministry curriculum that is free to all local churches. Each monthly release includes a sermon series, small group guides, and supporting graphics packs that are original, practical, and ready to use.
Who is Jesus? I know it seems like a simple question at first, but can you imagine all the ways to answer that?
He was a carpenter.
He was a rabbi.
He was divine.
His birth changed the world calendar from BC to AD.
There are so many ways to describe Jesus, so let’s go right to the source.
Over the next four weeks, we will journey through the Gospel of John to learn about Jesus in His own words.
ILLUSTRATION
Ask some of your students to “tell us about yourself.” Then comment on how hard that can be to do.
Do you know what drives me crazy? When you have to go around the class and say your name and a weird fact about yourself.
Is it just me, or do moments like this make you forget everything about yourself?
I always freeze. Nothing comes to mind.
My brain is a blank slate. How do you answer, anyway?
Do you just answer with your age?
Do you share your favorite hobbies?
Do you give them your mother’s maiden name and city of origin?
- I never know.
- These open-ended icebreakers stress me out more than a text that reads, “We need to talk.”
TENSION
How do we sum ourselves up in just one sentence? It’s hard because people are complex.
No single statement can contain all the intricate details that make up your identity and personality.
If it’s challenging for you to answer this question, imagine how hard it was for Jesus.
Throughout His ministry, people asked Christ who He was over and over again.
How did He answer them? By saying, “I AM” (John 4:26).
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus shared several power-packed sentences called the “I AM” statements.
- To us, these may seem confusing. To an ancient Jewish believer, they were groundbreaking.
- For context, God did this first.
- Jesus was mirroring His model. The most popular example is when God revealed Himself to Moses by simply saying, “I AM.”
- Over a dozen centuries later, Jesus mirrored God’s “I AM” statements by describing Himself the same way.
- Why? Every statement reveals His identity as Divinity. Jesus is saying, “I Am He,” as in “I am God in human flesh.”
TRANSITION
Over the next four sessions, we will unpack four “I AM” statements from the Gospel of John.
Each one gives us a peek into the supernatural nature of Jesus.
• Do you see the parallel here? Jesus is the shepherd, and you are the sheep.
- Of all the animals on a farm, sheep are among the most vulnerable.
- Predators find them delicious.
- Thorns and thistles sink into their wool.
- Sheep are prone to get lost and even more prone to injury.
- They break limbs, scrape their legs, and get stuck in the silliest places.
- The life of a sheep is hard.
- Fascinatingly, sheep are the most mentioned animal in the Bible, with a whopping 500 appearances on the pages of Scripture.
- Do you know the most common reason the Bible mentions sheep?
- As a metaphor for you. You are a sheep.
- How does it make you feel that the Bible calls you that? You may ponder, “Does God think I wander too much, experience a lot of injuries, and have mountain lions breathing down my wool?”
- Well, kind of, yeah.
Like sheep, you have been wounded in the pasture of life. You’ve experienced cuts, scrapes, wounds, and attacks.
As life goes on, you will experience hurt, loss, betrayal, injustice, and illness.
Deep hurts are inevitable.
You need help. • You need a good leader.
You need a dedicated protector.
You are a sheep.
And fortunately, Jesus is a good shepherd.
We are the sheep, and Jesus is our protective Shepherd.
Shepherds lead their flock to the safest places for the night.
Shepherds fight off predators with their staff.
Shepherds go to great lengths to save their sheep in times of danger.
This means that our Good Shepherd does the same for us.
Jesus is our “Good Shepherd,” but what does that mean? This metaphor reveals three roles that Jesus performs for us.
Your Good Shepherd Knows You
Just like a shepherd keeps track of his sheep, Jesus knows us and watches over us.
Jesus explains, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
Jesus sees you and keeps a close eye on you.
Why? To protect you from the danger and damage that can come from the pasture.
If you wander off, Jesus will notice.
If you struggle, Jesus will come alongside you.
If you feel like you are just a face in the crowd, the eyes of Jesus meet yours.
He remarks, “That’s my sheep; I love that sheep.”
There are a few billion sheep in the world right now, and Jesus wants to know each of them deeply—including you.
He doesn’t just know us, he also fights for us. This brings us to our next point.
Your Good Shepherd Protects You
In this sermon, Jesus intentionally points out the difference between a bad shepherd and a good shepherd.
He points out that most shepherds will “see the wolf coming and abandon the sheep to run away.”
You’ve inevitably had people leave you when you needed them most.
Maybe it was during a difficult season, as you were mourning, or after a heartbreak that left you reeling.
People let us down, don’t they?
We may rub our tear-soaked eyes and look up to see that no one is sitting beside us.
Jesus will never do that. Why?
Because He is a good shepherd.
A good shepherd protects at all times, sticks by your side, and never allows his gaze to leave you.
Not even for a moment. In times of difficulty, follow your Shepherd.
He is leading you somewhere safe and secure.
Jesus not only prevents injury but also heals it. Jesus healed the eyes of the blind, the wounds of the leper, and the broken hearts of the hurting. His protection goes beyond prevention. There is also action, which brings us to our next point.
Your Good Shepherd Laid Down His Life for You
A normal shepherd may abandon his post when things get dangerous.
Imagine there is a flood or a pack of wolves. A bad shepherd will run for the hills and leave his sheep to struggle. On the other hand, a good shepherd will stand between his flock and the danger.
That’s the route our Good Shepherd always chooses. Jesus is willing to lay down His life for His sheep.
You read that right. He’s willing to fight to the death for you.
A story in a Chinese newspaper article from 2012 illustrates this well. It highlights a man named Deng Jinjie, who was declared a hero. The Sunshui River had flooded, and Deng noticed his family struggling in the current. When their heads disappeared beneath the rapids, he pounced into action. He jumped into the river to save his family one person at a time. Tragically, his effort exhausted him, and he disappeared just after bringing his last loved one to shore. The current swept him away. Deng Jinjie drowned that day. While deeply tragic, we can all agree that Deng was a true hero. His sacrificial act beautifully mirrored the love of our Good Shepherd.
When you were drowning, Jesus gave His life to rescue you.
Jesus went to the cross with you on His mind. Why did He do it?
He allowed His own execution because of His affection for you.
He loved you that much!
You were on death row, and He took the chair.
You were in the line of fire, and He took the bullet.
Jesus intentionally chose to die so that you don’t have to.
The cross isn’t the sign of a vengeful God. Rather, it’s the sign of a loving Savior who would rather sacrifice Himself than see you suffer.
Landing: The “I AM” statements are so powerful because they’re the words of Jesus about Jesus.
While each mention is a mere sentence, they all radiate profound truth about the identity of Jesus.
Every statement is an invitation to know Him more intimately, deeply, and fully. Why is that important?
Because knowing Jesus helps you know yourself.
With Jesus as your Shepherd, you can be assured that you’re safe, secure, and sheltered.
TALK IT OUT
Ice Breaker: Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the best part of your week and what was the lowest part of your week?
Q1: What stuck out to you from today’s message?
Q2: Why does the Bible so often refer to us as “sheep”? How does that make you feel?
Q3: What’s one thing you learned about Jesus from this passage about Him being a good shepherd?
Q4: Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He knows you, protects you, and laid down His life for you. What are some examples of Christ being a good shepherd in your life?
Q5: What kind of prayers can you pray to Jesus when you approach Him as your Good Shepherd?
Application: As we journey through the “I AM” statements of Jesus, please read the verses in the reading plan and write down all seven “I AM” statements.
READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY
John 6:35-51
John 8:12
John 10:1-6
John 10:11-14
John 11:25
John 14:1-7
John 15:1-5
Do the following with each passage:
ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.
READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.
REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?
RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.
Phone: 918-994-2638 | Email: support@churchapps.org
2025 © Live Church Solutions. All rights reserved.
