LESSON NOTE FOR CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES SSONE
FIRST TERM
WEEK ONE:
TOPIC: JESUS AS THE LAMB (John 1:29-34)
MEANING OF PRAYER:
A lamb is a young sheep. A lamb also figuratively means a person who is meek, docile and easily led. In the Jewish community, a lamb is used as sacrifice for the sin of the people. The lamb is seen as sinless, meek and obedient even till death. The blood of the lamb is shed as a remission of the sins of the people.
In Exodus 12:21, Moses commanded the people to select a lamb to kill the Passover by the instruction of God. The lamb was a replacement for the firstborn of the Israelites when God wanted to kill the firstborns in Egypt.
In John 1:29-34, when John saw Jesus coming toward him and he said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!. The implication of this is the assignment Jesus has taken upon Himself. In Isaiah 53:1-10, the Bible explicitly gave an account of how Jesus has come to take the punishment for the sins of all of us.
JESUS AS THE DOOR AND THE GOOD SHEPHERD John 10:1-18
The door means an opening or flap that makes entry and exit into a room possible. It is the point of legal access into a place. Jesus stating this in the face of adulterated principles of worshipping God says that He is the door through which every person can reach God. In John 10:1-2, Jesus said that, “Anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate (door), must surely be a thief and a robber!. But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.”
Jesus in John 10:9, states “He is the door.” This is because while other religious leaders take advantage of their followers, Jesus gave Himself for the benefit of His followers. That is why He laid down His life for his sheep.
This is what also made Him the Good Shepherd because He cared for the welfare and wellbeing of His sheep unlike other religious leaders. In John 10:11-18, Jesus drew the attention of the people to the difference between a good shepherd and the hired servant. He said that the good shepherd does not think about himself but about the safety of the flocks first while the hired person only looks out for his own benefit and works only for money. While a good Shepherd laid down his life voluntarily for the sheep, the hired servant runs away when danger looms.
In conclusion, Jesus gain acceptance and approval from God because He pays more attention to the will of God the Father and voluntarily laid His life for the purpose and will of God on this earth. This made Him the Good Shepherd and the only Door to everlasting life
Unprecedented 