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READ: PSALM 23; JOHN 10:10-16\n\n\n\nShepherds were not held in high regard in ancient Israel. They spent most of their time outdoors, the sheep didn\u2019t smell great, and the job could be pretty dull\u2026until it wasn\u2019t. One part of a shepherd\u2019s job was to defend the flock against wild animals looking for a meal. Shepherds\xa0had to protect the sheep and guide them to safe pastures.\n\n\n\nIn the Old Testament, David was a shepherd before he was Israel\u2019s king. When God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint one of Jesse\u2019s sons,\xa0David had to be called in from the field because he was watching the\xa0sheep. As the youngest son, he wasn\u2019t even around when Samuel first arrived to see Jesse\u2019s family and anoint the future king. After all,\xa0someone had to watch and defend the sheep, and that job fell to the youngest son, David.\n\n\n\nIn the New Testament, Jesus is frequently called a shepherd. He fulfilled Old Testament prophecies of a Messiah who would shepherd God\u2019s people, including a poem/song written by David: Psalm 23. Like David guided sheep, Jesus guides us. In fact, Jesus is called the Good Shepherd. While every human leader fails, Jesus is the perfect and trustworthy leader. He shows us what it looks like to walk in \u201cpaths of righteousness\u201d in our lives, and He walks with us (Psalm 23:3-4).\n\n\n\nLike David protected his sheep\u2014even fending off a lion and a bear\u2014Jesus protects His people. Jesus performed the ultimate act of sacrifice a shepherd could\xa0do. When we were trapped in the jaws of sin, Jesus laid down His life for us. But even death couldn\u2019t stop the Good Shepherd. He rose from the dead, and then He shared the victory over death with His flock in the resurrection so that we can be\xa0with our Shepherd in the new creation forever.\xa0\u2022 Naomi Zylstra\n\n\n\n\u2022 In what ways is Jesus like a shepherd?\n\n\n\n\u2022 Jesus often associates with outcasts. In Luke 2:8-20, why do you think God chose to announce Jesus\u2019s birth to a group of shepherds?\n\n\n\n\u2022 If you want to dig deeper, read 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 17:34-36; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15, 22; Mark 6:34.\n\n\n\n\u201cI [Jesus] am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.\u201d\xa0John 10:11 (WEB)