Backpack 
Part 2: What is a Good Shepherd?
Let's hear more from Terry about what is a Good Shepherd?
Q: Why have you chosen to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd? What makes him trustworthy?
Q: What is the difference between the Good Shepherd vs. Hired hands?
Q: How would you think of Creator Sets Free shares stories like our elders?
REFLECTION QUESTIONS (FROM VIDEO)
- Think about the sacred teachings of your people that you’ve embraced or tried to follow—how has it helped you?
- How did it become something you trusted and embraced?
- Jesus does the same thing: he tells stories to help people like our elders do—what would it look like for you to see him that way (as opposed to how dominant culture has framed him)?
A READING FROM THE (FIRST NATIONS VERSION)
10 Creator Sets Free (Jesus) told this story to the Separated Ones (Pharisees), for they were blind guides, leading the tribes of Wrestles With Creator (Israel) down a false path to a bad end.*
1 “I speak from my heart,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said *to the blind Tribal Leaders*. “Thieves and outlaws do not use the gate to the sheep pen, but sneak in some other way. 2 But the shepherd uses the gate to enter, 3-4 and the gatekeeper opens the way. The sheep know their shepherd's voice, for he calls each one of them by name, and they follow him as he leads them *in and out of the sheep pen.*
5 “The sheep will not follow the voice of a stranger; they will run away, for they do not recognize a stranger's voice.”
6 Because he was using a story to teach them, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) could see that they did not understand, 7 so he told them the meaning of the story.
“I speak again from my heart,” he said. “I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who put themselves before me are thieves and outlaws—*false shepherds.* My sheep do not listen to them.
9 “I am the gate for the sheep. The ones who enter by me will be safe and well cared for. Following the Shepherd, they will go in and out and find good food to eat.
10 “But thieves enter only to take away life, to steal what is not theirs, and to bring to ruin all they cannot have. But I have come to give the good life, a life that overflows with beauty and harmony.
11 “I am the Good Shepherd, *the one who watches over the sheep*. I will lay down my life for them. 12 The ones who watch the sheep only for pay will run away when a wolf comes because the sheep are not theirs. Then the wolf preys upon the sheep and scatters the flock. 13 The ones who do it only for pay are not true shepherds, for they do not care for the sheep *but only for themselves.
LOOKING AT THE TEXT
- What stood out to you in the text?
- How is the Good Shepherd different than the hired hand?
- As Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said he is the gate, why do you think the thieves and outlaws use the other way to sneak in?
- What do you think it looks like to go through the gate and be safe and well cared for?
APPLYING THE TEXT
- Have you ever heard the Good Shepherd’s voice? What do you see from this passage that shows his voice is trustworthy?
- If you choose to listen to the Good Shepherd's voice, what do you think he will lead you to? What good things does he promise?
- Use this time to pray over what Terry shared about the Good Shepherd and how you see the Good Shepherd. What do you think Creator is telling or showing you at this moment?
