Message Notes for This Weekend
Printed notes will also be available in the lobby or you can subscribe to our weekly email list to receive the notes via email.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Teaching Pastor: Jason Huffman, Lead Pastor
Title: The Good Shepherd
Scripture Reference: John 10
Big Idea: Giving away your life is life-giving.
5x’s in this passage Jesus talks about laying down His life.
John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
1. Sacrifice reveals care & commitment.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep
Hirelings are not willing to suffer for the sheep, so sheep suffer because of a hireling.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
2. Knowledge reveals love & intimacy.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.
3. Obedience reveals trust & relationship.
John 14:5 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 15:4 You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
I John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
They seem desperate, but I think they are really just frustrated…
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. 40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.
Discussion Questions
Look over these questions before your group time. Write down your answers or ideas for at least a few questions if not all. You may not get to every question during your time, but speak up if you want to talk about one of them in particular. Always try to start with question #1.
Teaching Pastor: Jason Huffman, Lead Pastor
Title: The Good Shepherd
Scripture Reference: John 10
Big Idea: Giving away your life is life-giving.
5x’s in this passage Jesus talks about laying down His life.
John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
1. Sacrifice reveals care & commitment.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep
Hirelings are not willing to suffer for the sheep, so sheep suffer because of a hireling.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
2. Knowledge reveals love & intimacy.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.
3. Obedience reveals trust & relationship.
John 14:5 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 15:4 You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
I John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
They seem desperate, but I think they are really just frustrated…
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. 40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.
Discussion Questions
Look over these questions before your group time. Write down your answers or ideas for at least a few questions if not all. You may not get to every question during your time, but speak up if you want to talk about one of them in particular. Always try to start with question #1.
- What stood out to you and/or what do you think God might be speaking about from this message?
- How do you think sheep feel that have a hireling? How do you think sheep feel with a good shepherd? How does this translate to your life with God?
- What is the difference between us being a shepherd or a hireling in different areas of our lives (work, family, church, friendships)?
- If someone asks you, “Do you know Christ? Do you know what He likes, loves, or what pleases Him?" What could you say?
- Who are “other sheep” in your life that are not yet hearing the Good Shepherd? How could you help them?
- What are some reasons that following Jesus is such an important part of our relationship with Him?