The Shepherd Cares For His Sheep
Children's sermon
... Let the Children Come
Fifty-two Object Lessons For Children In Worship
Object:
Lamb or sheep stickers
Good morning, boys and girls. Who can tell me where New Zealand (Montana, Australia, Israel -- any sheep-producing area) is? (Response. Help them with the location if it is remote or strange to them.) I visited (place) for a period of time and saw lots and lots of sheep. Did you know that in New Zealand there are about 70 million sheep? That's about 20 or 25 sheep per person of the population.
Why do people raise sheep? (Responses -- Wool, meat, skins.)
Sheep have to be looked after and taken care of. In some places they have to be moved great distances to find enough pasture for them to graze. Do you know what a person who tends the sheep is called? (Response.)
Yes, a shepherd. Many shepherds spend long days with their sheep, and can even tell them apart, although they all look alike to us sometimes.
The Bible tells us that we are like sheep, and that we need a shepherd to take care of us, to feed us, to find us when we get lost, and to keep us from going astray. Who is our shepherd? (Responses -- God, Jesus, even the pastor may be suggested.)
We have lots of word pictures in the Bible that tell us of the special love that God has for us as part of his flock. He knows each one of us by name and is always searching for us to bring us into the safety of his fold.
Jesus said that his sheep heard his voice and came to him. As good sheep we need to be listening to hear the voice of our master.
(Prayer to help us to know the safety that comes from being in the care of the Great Shepherd.)
(Give each child a sheep sticker.)
Why do people raise sheep? (Responses -- Wool, meat, skins.)
Sheep have to be looked after and taken care of. In some places they have to be moved great distances to find enough pasture for them to graze. Do you know what a person who tends the sheep is called? (Response.)
Yes, a shepherd. Many shepherds spend long days with their sheep, and can even tell them apart, although they all look alike to us sometimes.
The Bible tells us that we are like sheep, and that we need a shepherd to take care of us, to feed us, to find us when we get lost, and to keep us from going astray. Who is our shepherd? (Responses -- God, Jesus, even the pastor may be suggested.)
We have lots of word pictures in the Bible that tell us of the special love that God has for us as part of his flock. He knows each one of us by name and is always searching for us to bring us into the safety of his fold.
Jesus said that his sheep heard his voice and came to him. As good sheep we need to be listening to hear the voice of our master.
(Prayer to help us to know the safety that comes from being in the care of the Great Shepherd.)
(Give each child a sheep sticker.)
