Sheep and Goats
Children's sermon
Object:
Two small wads of wool or pieces of wool cloth for each child. If possible, have one piece of white wool and one piece of black wool for each child. If that is not possible, a picture of a sheep and a picture of a goat could be used.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (vv. 32-33)
Hi everyone! Before we begin, I have something for you. (Give the children the two pieces of wool.) These are pieces of wool that come from sheep and goats. They might help us remember the story that Jesus told about sheep and goats.
I have a question for you, but first, let me tell you a quick story. One day, Jesus was talking with people and someone asked him what God was going to do about the people who were being mean to them. Jesus told them that God was going to get all of the people together and divide them into two groups like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The people who had been good would be put on his right side, and the people who had not been good would be put on his left side, just like the shepherd does with sheep and goats. And then God would take care of the sheep on the right and punish the goats on the left.
Now here is my question. Why did the shepherd separate the sheep from the goats? (Let them respond.) Do you think God didn’t like goats? Are sheep better than goats? Are goats bad animals? (Let them respond.) That’s what some people think when they hear Jesus’ story. If shepherds have to separate the goats from the sheep, there must be something wrong with the goats, especially if God separates them too.
Do any of you have sheep and goats at home? (Let them respond.)
A shepherd takes care of their sheep and goats. In the morning when they let the sheep and goats out of the pen, the shepherd stands at the gate with their shepherd’s staff and watches as they all come out. When a sheep comes out, the shepherd taps the sheep on its shoulder and the sheep moves to the right. When a goat comes out, the shepherd taps the goat on its right shoulder and the goat goes to the left. Do you know why the shepherd separates them like that? (Let them respond.)
Sheep and goats are different animals. For example, they like to eat different things. Sheep like to eat grass, while goats like to eat leaves. So, the shepherd needs to take them to different places to graze. Goats like to eat during the middle of the day when it is hot, but when it gets hot the sheep like to get in the shade and rest. Goats can be more stubborn and independent, while sheep are usually calmer and more easy-going, so the shepherd may need to watch the goats more closely to make sure they don’t get into trouble. The Shepherd separates the sheep and goats, not because one of them is good and the other is bad, but because they are different, and need to be taken care of differently.
Jesus talked about separating sheep and goats because everyone there would have understood what he meant because they all knew about sheep and goats. Today, Jesus might have talked about separating something different. Maybe Jesus would have said God was going to put the Xbox owners on the right and the PlayStation owners on the left. Or maybe he would have said God was going to put the Coca-Cola drinkers on one side and the Pepsi drinkers on the other side.
Jesus wasn’t saying that sheep were good and goats were bad. He was saying that just like sheep and goats are two different kinds of animals, there are two different kinds of people in the world. Some people try to take care of other people, and some people just think about taking care of themselves. There are people who help others, and there are people who take advantage of others. And Jesus was saying that God wants us to be the kind of person who takes care of and helps other people.
Let’s say a short prayer to ask God to help us remember about the sheep and goats.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you again for reminding us how much you love all of us, and how much you want us to love and take care of each other. Please help us remember to be the kind of person you want us to be.
Hi everyone! Before we begin, I have something for you. (Give the children the two pieces of wool.) These are pieces of wool that come from sheep and goats. They might help us remember the story that Jesus told about sheep and goats.
I have a question for you, but first, let me tell you a quick story. One day, Jesus was talking with people and someone asked him what God was going to do about the people who were being mean to them. Jesus told them that God was going to get all of the people together and divide them into two groups like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The people who had been good would be put on his right side, and the people who had not been good would be put on his left side, just like the shepherd does with sheep and goats. And then God would take care of the sheep on the right and punish the goats on the left.
Now here is my question. Why did the shepherd separate the sheep from the goats? (Let them respond.) Do you think God didn’t like goats? Are sheep better than goats? Are goats bad animals? (Let them respond.) That’s what some people think when they hear Jesus’ story. If shepherds have to separate the goats from the sheep, there must be something wrong with the goats, especially if God separates them too.
Do any of you have sheep and goats at home? (Let them respond.)
A shepherd takes care of their sheep and goats. In the morning when they let the sheep and goats out of the pen, the shepherd stands at the gate with their shepherd’s staff and watches as they all come out. When a sheep comes out, the shepherd taps the sheep on its shoulder and the sheep moves to the right. When a goat comes out, the shepherd taps the goat on its right shoulder and the goat goes to the left. Do you know why the shepherd separates them like that? (Let them respond.)
Sheep and goats are different animals. For example, they like to eat different things. Sheep like to eat grass, while goats like to eat leaves. So, the shepherd needs to take them to different places to graze. Goats like to eat during the middle of the day when it is hot, but when it gets hot the sheep like to get in the shade and rest. Goats can be more stubborn and independent, while sheep are usually calmer and more easy-going, so the shepherd may need to watch the goats more closely to make sure they don’t get into trouble. The Shepherd separates the sheep and goats, not because one of them is good and the other is bad, but because they are different, and need to be taken care of differently.
Jesus talked about separating sheep and goats because everyone there would have understood what he meant because they all knew about sheep and goats. Today, Jesus might have talked about separating something different. Maybe Jesus would have said God was going to put the Xbox owners on the right and the PlayStation owners on the left. Or maybe he would have said God was going to put the Coca-Cola drinkers on one side and the Pepsi drinkers on the other side.
Jesus wasn’t saying that sheep were good and goats were bad. He was saying that just like sheep and goats are two different kinds of animals, there are two different kinds of people in the world. Some people try to take care of other people, and some people just think about taking care of themselves. There are people who help others, and there are people who take advantage of others. And Jesus was saying that God wants us to be the kind of person who takes care of and helps other people.
Let’s say a short prayer to ask God to help us remember about the sheep and goats.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you again for reminding us how much you love all of us, and how much you want us to love and take care of each other. Please help us remember to be the kind of person you want us to be.
