Curriculum
Parable of the Lost Sheep
Memory Verse:
“I tell you there is much joy in heaven when one sinner changes his heart.” Luke 15:7
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
No matter how lost we are or how lost we feel, Jesus will never stop searching for us or give up on us.
Scripture Summary
Parables are often described as earthly stories with heavenly meanings. Jesus used these stories that took what His disciples and followers knew to be true and helped them understand a new concept.
In this parable, the shepherd knew his sheep well. The 99 sheep were safe together, and they depended upon each other. The lost sheep, however, was in grave danger on his own. This lost sheep would get colder on its own and was an easier target for predators.
Each sheep has great value to the shepherd. It’s unthinkable to the shepherd to lose just one sheep–no matter how many sheep he has. It was completely worth it to spend the time and energy to search for the one lost sheep.
Jesus was mocked and judged for spending time with sinners–though that’s exactly who He came to save. Jesus intentionally sought out those who were discarded by society, those who were considered beyond help.
It makes sense that a loving God would forgive a sinner who had gone astray and then repented. But the fact that God eagerly searches for each and every sinner and joyfully celebrates the sinner’s return shows His extravagant love for each of us.
Why Is This Important
Each one of us is so special to Jesus. He will search high and low just for you and just for me. In His extravagant love for us, He will not give up searching for us.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
Jesus Never Gives Up on Us
“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
I finally mustered up the courage to try the zipline at family camp. We had attended the same camp for years, and the zipline loomed overhead and in my heart–each year. I wanted to try, but I was scared.
So there I was–helmet and harness in place and ready to go. Well, I was at least ready on the outside. You see, this 400-foot zipline required me to climb a couple stories up a tree using small climbing holds to a platform the size of a postage stamp. From there, I would soar among the treetops for the ride of my life.
But I had to climb the tree. Inch-by-inch, I made my way up, and I was super-slow. About halfway up, I considered turning back. There was a line of others who wanted to try, and I was holding them back. Then, I heard my children yelling up to me, “Come on, Mom! You can do it!” “Go, Mom!”
Their encouragement was just what I needed to not give up and keep going. I got to the stamp-sized platform and leapt for an incredible ride. It was so worth it. (And, I ended up doing it a second time!)
I thanked my kids and let them know how much their encouragement meant to me and helped me to not give up. Just as Jesus never gives up on us, we are to follow His example and not give up on each other.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for never giving up on me. Please help me see someone who needs the same encouragement from me today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: “Sheep Hunt” handout Bible
Get Ready: Cut up the sheep from the “Sheep Hunt” hand- out. Then hide them around the room.
Follow these steps:
- Have kids search for all 16 of the sheep.
- Once all are found, have children put the words in order to create the verse.
- Have children recite the verse.
- Then remove several of the words at a time and lead children in saying the memory verse.
- Do this several times.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: A purse with items in it
Get Ready: Choose one child to be the teacher and three children to be the “lost” kids. Set the purse on a chair.
Children will act out a modernized skit of today’s Scripture. Today we’re going to put on a skit that shows what it’s like when people are lost. I’m going to give you some ideas for your skit. You can change these if you want. For our skit…
- The place will be a playground.
- The people will be kids your age.
- The problem will be that one of the children is lost. This person has given into peer pressure and is tempted to steal from someone’s purse.
SAY: I will read the Scripture and stop to let you play your parts.
Suppose we have (the number of kids present). But three friends are off by themselves. (Allow the three children to move to the other side of the room.)
The children were playing and having fun. (Have kids decide what they’re playing and let them pantomime that.)
One of the children saw someone’s purse sitting by itself on a bench. The first child went to the purse and stole something out of it. (Allow the child to act this out.)
Lead the children in gasping and putting their hands over their mouths.
The second child went to the purse and stole something out of it.
(Allow the child to act this out.)
Lead the children in gasping and putting their hands over their mouths.
The third child went to the purse and looked around. Should he/ she steal something out of it? The child thought about it but did not steal anything. (Allow the child to act this out.)
Just then, a teacher came onto the playground and saw the third child. (Allow the child to act this out.) The teacher asked the child what he/she was doing. (Allow the children to act this out.)
The teacher puts his/her arm around the third child and said, “Jesus never gives up on you.” (Allow the children to act this out.)
Soon, the teacher and the child walked back to the group of friends. (Allow the children to act this out.)
SAY: Remember what Jesus said in the story he told. When the shepherd found his lost sheep, everyone was very happy!
The group of children cheered and welcomed the child. (Allow the children to act this out.) And everyone started playing together again. (Allow the children to act this out.)
After the skit, lead children in applause for all the actors
- What was the bad thing these kids were doing in our skit?
- When is a time that you’ve felt lost and tempted to do something bad?
- How did Jesus or someone else help you when you felt lost?
Snack
Lost Sheep Snacks
You’ll Need: Frosted cupcakes Candies like Gum- my Bears, M&M’s, or jelly beans
Get Ready:
Bake a cupcake for each child. Before frosting the cooled cupcakes, care- fully push one candy into the cupcake. Then frost.
Give the children cupcakes to enjoy but don’t tell them there’s a surprise inside it. When children find their “lost sheep” inside, rejoice with them.
After everyone has eaten the cupcakes, remind children that in the same way that you rejoiced over their surprises, heaven rejoices when Jesus finds us.
SAY: I’m so glad that Jesus never gives up on us.
Game
Sheep Circle
You’ll Need: Stickers
Have the children form a circle facing inward. Choose one child to be the “shepherd,” and have this child stand in the center of the circle.
Walk around the circle and touch each child on the back, but only put a sticker on one child’s back. Then give the shepherd three guesses to say who is the lost sheep with a sticker. If the sheep with the sticker is found by the shepherd, then that sheep will become the new shepherd and the first shepherd will become a sheep in the circle. Play several times. (Remember to take the used sticker off each child before playing again.)
AFTER THE GAME, ASK:
- What was hard about this game?
- What do you think would be hard about being a shepherd for sheep?
- Why do you think Jesus never gives up on us?
Craft
“Parable of the Lost Sheep” Coloring Page
You’ll Need: “Parable of the Lost Sheep” Coloring Page, Markers or crayons, Cotton balls, Glue or glue sticks, Tissue paper, green,, blue, brown and, white, Scissors
Follow these steps:
- Give each child a “Parable of the Lost Sheep” Coloring Page.
- Encourage kids to color their paper.
- They can also glue cotton to the sheep and tissue paper to the shepherd’s clothing or the trees.
- As they work on their coloring pages, remind kids that Jesus never gives up on us.
Prayer
Party Prayer
You’ll Need: Party noisemakers –one per child; these can be homemade or store-bought.
SAY: Jesus never gives up on us. And when we are lost, when we are afraid, when we are lonely, when we need help, when we are in danger...Jesus finds us. Let’s celebrate this with our party noisemakers.
Have children stand around the room with their noisemakers, keeping them quiet. Tell children that you will pray and every time you say a prayer, they will celebrate with their noisemakers and move one large step closer to the center of the room.
PRAY:
Jesus, thank You that You never give up on us. (Pause for kids to respond.)
Thank You, Jesus, that You find us when we are lost. (Pause for kids to respond.)
Thank You, Jesus, that You find us when we are afraid. (Pause for kids to respond.)
Thank You, Jesus, that You find us when we are lonely. (Pause for kids to respond.)
Thank You, Jesus, that You find us when we need help. (Pause for kids to respond.)
Thank You, Jesus, that You find us when we are in danger. (Once children are all together, have them celebrate loudly together--just like a party in heaven.)
