Known: A Study of the Good Shepherd

by Lisa Derhake

A Study of the Good Shepherd is a 10–week Bible study with a strong exegetical bent and a touch of devotion.  In it, the reader is taken on a journey to encounter our great Shepherd by using the framework of Psalm 23, layered with other passages of scripture that reveal the Lord as our Shepherd. The reader studies the text to first discover what it tells us about the Lord through observation and interpretation. The goal of the study is for the reader to be able to discover what the Biblical text means to her own life, in light of who God is and what He has done, with application coming after sound observation and interpretation because the Bible is first and foremost about God!   The first week of the study is a straight–forward Biblical theology outline on the theme of the Lord as our Shepherd, in which the reader uncovers this theme from the front cover of the Bible to the back.  She is invited to spend as much or as little time as her schedule allows in completing this overview, and an appendix with a sample outline is included at the end of the manuscript.   The second week of Known ushers in our exegetical studies as we dig deeply into Psalm 23. Each subsequent week contains a study of a different passage of the Bible that correlates with a specific verse of Psalm 23 and highlights an aspect of our Shepherd that is discovered in the psalm. The homework questions assist the reader in studying each of these selections verse–by–verse. We study John 10 to see how Jesus is the Shepherd, we look at Ezekiel 34:11–31 to learn about the pasture provided to us by our Shepherd, we delve into Psalm 30 to discuss restoration by the Shepherd, and we discover our righteousness found in the Shepherd in Romans 4:13–5:2. The study also covers suffering as a follower of the Shepherd as seen in 1 Peter 4:12–5:11, comfort found in the Shepherd with Isaiah 40, the preparation and blessing of the Shepherd which we will study in John 14, and our eternal hope in the Shepherd as we unpack Revelation 21:1–22:5.

168 pages, Hardcover

Published May 13, 2022

About the author

I am married to a wonderful man named Brian, and we are in the throes of raising three incredible children. After an intriguing turn of events that only the Lord could orchestrate, I felt called to leave my medical career to focus on being a wife and mother. I received my Medical Doctorate from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 2006, and since that time have spent my days falling more in love with God, managing my household (using my medical knowledge to minimize trips to the pediatrician!), supporting my husband, and keeping my heart open to whatever adventures the Lord has in store for us.

Becoming involved in the international organization Community Bible Study (CBS) was a happy accident to me, but clearly part of God's plan for my life. Through in-depth Bible study, I grew closer to the Lord than I could have ever imagined possible. Shortly after becoming a participant, I joined the leadership team of my local CBS women's class and discovered just how passionate I am about God's Word. After several years of deep friendships and fantastic training in both Bible literacy and leadership, an opportunity to help advance my own church's women's ministry arose.

Sojourn Church East launched a women's Bible study that grew quickly and beautifully. I served as a Teaching Director for this Bible study for five years and I continue to be just as much a student as a teacher. With a heart for writing, I followed God's call to create this particular study about the Lord as our Shepherd to help equip fellow believers to study the Word and ultimately draw closer to Him. Our church home is now Southeast Christian Church.

Reviews

[Joy Conkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful set of studies around psalm 23.