First Thoughts: When Jesus told stories he really told whoppers! Because we're reading them from a different cultural perspective than the time of Jesus, we might miss just how radical these stories are. Jesus says that a good shepherd will leave the 99 behind to search for the lost one, but that would be the very definition of a BAD shepherd to those listening. A shepherd's job is to constantly guard and protect the sheep. Leaving the flock undefended in the wilderness would be the height of folly, particularly to search for one little sheep, which is likely already dead. The shepherd's commitment to the lost sheep defies all logic and reason, and this is the point of the lesson. God's love for us is so profound, so undeniable, that if we're lost, God doesn't simply "cut losses" or take comfort in the faithful that remain. God refuses to accept the present circumstances and is determined to bring us home. It's hard to imagine that God thinks so much of us and of all those around us (even the people we'd just as soon "get lost"!). Spend a few moments allowing the power of this story to really sink in. What does it change about how you see yourself? What does it change about the way you see others? How about the way you see the "little lambs" you'll be teaching this Sunday?
Teaching On Your Own: Hey everybody. See what I have here? (shows action figures) These are some of my favorite toys. This one's Krog, Champion of Arlos. And this one's Perto, the Lizard King. (Feel free to use whatever silly names you want or the names of real action figures.) Aren't they cool? Yeah, I like them all, but I just can't be totally happy. (sighs) You know why? I can't find Melkoy. Melkoy is the Warrior of the Three Forts and he's awesome! I've torn my room apart looking for him, but so far no luck. Do you guys have a favorite toy that you would look for like that? Would you ever give up on looking for it? Not me. I'm going to keep looking until I find him. You know what it reminds me of? A story Jesus told to his disciples about a good shepherd.
He said that a good shepherd would leave behind his entire flock to search for a single sheep that was lost. And when he finds the sheep he throws a huge party with his neighbors to celebrate that the sheep was safely home again. Now why do you think Jesus was talking about shepherds and sheep? He was trying to describe how much God loves us. Just as the shepherd will drop everything to find that lost sheep, so God works long and hard to bring us home when we've wandered away. We're pretty important to God, just as Melkoy is important to me. (pats pocket) Hey, wait a minute. (pulls third action figure out) Look, it's Melkoy! Am I glad to see him! Guess you know what we need to do now. We need to have a party, of course! But let's have a prayer first, all right?
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has a handful of action figures)
Leader 1: What do you have there, (name)?
Leader 2: Oh, just a few of my favorite toys. This one's Krog, Champion of Arlos. And this one's Perto, the Lizard King. (Feel free to use whatever silly names you want or the names of real action figures.)
Leader 1: Those are really cool.
Leader 2: (sighs) Yeah, but...
Leader 1: What's wrong?
Leader 2: I can't find Melkoy.
Leader 1: Who's Melkoy?
Leader 2: Who's Melkoy? Only the Warrior of the Three Forts!
Leader 1: Oh. Is he missing?
Leader 2: He sure is. I've torn my room apart looking for him, but so far no luck.
Leader 1: Well, maybe you can just play with these two.
Leader 2: No way. I'm going to keep looking until I find him.
Leader 1: Sounds like he's pretty important to you. You know, you have reminded me of a story Jesus told to his disciples about a good shepherd. He said that a good shepherd would leave behind his entire flock to search for a single sheep that was lost. And when he finds the sheep he throws a huge party with his neighbors to celebrate that the sheep was safely home again.
Leader 2: Um, that's a nice story. But why was Jesus talking about shepherds and sheep?
Leader 1: He was trying to describe how much God loves us. Just as the shepherd will drop everything to find that lost sheep, so God works long and hard to bring us home when we've wandered away.
Leader 2: I guess we're pretty important to God -- just like Melkoy is important to me. (pats pocket) Hey, wait a minute. (pulls third action figure out) Look, it's Melkoy! Am I glad to see him! Guess you know what we need to do now.
Leader 1: What's that?
Leader 2: Have a party, of course!
Leader 1: Uh, okay. But let's have a prayer first, all right?
Closing Prayer: God, thank you for being our good shepherd and looking for us when we feel we are separated from you. Help us to remember that just as we are precious to you, so is everybody else, and that we need to treat each other with kindness and respect. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, spend more time reviewing Jesus' lesson about the good shepherd. This story is a good parable because it raises many issues for us. One discussion we can have is from the perspective of the lost sheep. What might we do to be "lost" from God? Of course, we know God is with us all the time but sometimes we make choices that bring us to some bad situations, and it seems that God is far away from us. Maybe we lie to our parents about something and find ourselves in trouble, or we cheat on a test and our teacher finds out, or we get into a fight at school and end up in detention. The parable shows us that whatever mistakes we might make, God is always reaching out to us, to help us face the problems we have, and to bring us back to right living. Another discussion we can have is to consider the perspective of the flock that is left behind. How do you think they feel when the shepherd abandons them to find the lost sheep? Maybe they feel resentful or angry at the lost sheep. Why didn't the sheep keep up with everyone else? Isn't it his own fault if he's lost now? Ask the children if they sometimes think that people really do deserve punishment and maybe shouldn't be forgiven. Sometimes we might feel that way, but this parable reminds us that everyone is important to God. God never gives up on anyone, and we can ask God to help us grow kinder and more forgiving as well.
For a craft idea, give each child a piece of black construction paper, scissors, glue, wiggly eyes, and cotton balls. Invite the children to trace around each hand on the construction paper and cut it out. Then allow them to glue cotton balls to the palm part of their hand prints. Finally invite them to glue or draw wiggly eyes on the thumb cutouts (so the other fingers are legs). Now invite the children to write their name on the back of one of the sheep, and someone else's on the back of the other sheep. (See if children can think of somebody they struggle with or need to forgive, and use this name on the back of the second sheep.) Invite the students to pray for both "sheep" -- themselves and the other person -- and encourage them to continue this practice every day throughout the following week.
