CELL NOTES 11/5/09

ICE BREAKER

Do you have, or did you have in childhood, any pets? Do/did they recognise your voice?

THEME

I am the good shepherd

Reading John 10 : 11 – 18

SERMON OUTLINE

1) How do you introduce yourself? What do you see as the most important facet of you, that you want others to identify you by?

2) There are 7 “I am” sayings by Jesus in John’s gospel – all of them echoes of Exodus 3 : 14

3) This passage points the focus on who Jesus is, and our relationship with Him. The heart of the faith is not a set of beliefs etc – it is knowing, and following Jesus.

4) We can easily be distracted from this, by other priorities in our lives, or by focusing on “churchy” matters, rather than Jesus Himself.

5) Remember the shepherd is good – he will do anything for the welfare of the sheep.

6) As followers, our primary identity is as a child of God, who is a disciple – i.e. somebody who is seeking to become like their master in every way.

7) Interestingly the word “Christian” only appears in the Bible 3 times – and was originally coined as a term of abuse. The word “disciple” is there 269 times.

8) Being a disciple is not only the way we serve Jesus, and a broken world – it is the best way to live for our own well-being – see v10.

9) So do I have to be great, and successful in my following? No. It’s not about being good.  - we just have to seek to follow. Patrick Dixon quote.

10) v16 speaks of other sheep. Our role is to invite them in.

11) It’s time for us to step up, and listen to the Lord as to how to grow in this.

QUESTIONS OF APPLICATION

Read the passage? What is God saying to you? What did He say to you on Sunday?

1) How do you respond to point 1 in the outline?

2) What is most likely to distract or divert you from personal following of Jesus? Is there anything you are battling with at the moment?

3) How do you distinguish His voice from the many others in our lives? (see vv 4 & 16)

4) How can you practically invite other sheep in at the moment?