CreatingCommunity is an email devotion to guide your preparation for worship next weekend. Imagine how much clearer and relevant God's Word will be if you have had an opportunity read, reflect, and dwell in the Word prior to worship. You may do this devotion alone, with others, as a family, or over Zoom as a small group.

This devotion is to be done in preparation for this coming weekend's worship.

Please follow these three steps:

1. Read through the text
2. Respond to the questions (select one of the sets of questions)
3. Offer a Prayer
John 10: 11-18

[Jesus said:] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
No Experience Necessary Questions:
  1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text?
  2. What delights me in this text?
  3. What stories or memories does this text stir in me?
  4. What is God up to in this text?
Family Questions (for the entire family):
  1. Have you ever seen sheep? Tell of a time. What was your impression?
  2. What do you know or imagine a shepherd does? What would make for a good shepherd? How is a good shepherd different from a hired hand?
  3. What do you think Jesus means when he says there will be one flock, one shepherd?
Advance Questions:
  1. What do you make of, find helpful in, the image of Jesus as the good shepherd? Is there anything troublesome?
  2. What do you make of the comparison between a hired hand and a good shepherd? How is that illustration helpful in your faith life?
  3. What is Jesus referring to when he mentions laying down his life? Why is it important that Jesus lays down his life "of his own accord"? How does he take it up again?
Click here to enjoy
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (Lyric Video) .
Say a Prayer of your own or offer this one.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus is the Good and Great Shepherd of the sheep and that He has brought me into his extended sheepfold and died so that I might live. I pray that I would increase in my knowledge and understanding of Scripture, so that I will not be hoodwinked by a wolf in sheep's clothing or led astray by unbiblical teachings. Keep me looking to Jesus and help me to grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus, in Whose name I pray, AMEN.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/John/10
 
Pastor Lutz would love to hear your responses, questions, thoughts about your experience with CreatingCommunity. You can reach him at poppastorpaul@sbcglobal.net