April 22, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 4:5 12 Ps. 23 1 John 3:16 24 John 10:11 18 Jesus the Good Shepherd Goal for the Session Children will listen to Jesus words about being a good shepherd and grow in understanding what it means to be part of Jesus flock. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on John 10:11 18 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Sarah S. Henrich Jesus is identified as a kalos shepherd. This Greek word, most often translated good, is frequently understood by Americans as the opposite of bad. While not inaccurate, kalos means good more in the sense of model. Jesus is the good shepherd insofar as he is a model shepherd as revealed in Israel s Scriptures. Kalos shepherding will protect at any cost those followers who are intimately known to the shepherd. At the end of this passage, we hear that Jesus knows the cost of being a good shepherd and willingly pays it, in accord with God s goal of the ultimate protection of the sheep. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Stephen A. Cooper Christ is the Word of God, the message of the self-giving love of God, who did not want the world to perish. The voice of Christ calls out to us; thus now is the time to examine our attitudes, practices, and behaviors that keep us safe from the concerns and needs of Christ s other sheep. To the extent that we decline to enter into the world of these other sheep due to discomfort or limited perceptions of our advantage, it is we who are refusing the voice that insists one flock is a correlate of the principle one shepherd. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Nancy R. Blakely Sheep must be led. Sheep will not go anywhere that their trusted shepherd does not go first, to show them that everything is all right. The shepherd s voice is key. As Jesus says, I know my own and my own know me (v. 14). Sometimes we go astray, just like sheep. There are many voices out there vying for our attention. Many distractions lure us from the path. Jesus promises that he will never let us go. His voice will bring us back. We belong to him. This is a strong word of reassurance to us in our struggles to be faithful. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Barbara J. Essex John makes it clear that the work of gathering the flock belongs to Jesus and God we are to provide a space where all are welcome. The community that John envisions is open and celebrates its diversity as a gift from God. The Good Shepherd is a powerful image for us who hunger for connection in a society that values individualism and secularism. In our moments of loneliness, isolation, alienation, and hopelessness, the Good Shepherd responds to our deepest yearnings for community by offering an alternative to our fears, separation, and insecurities. 1
Jesus the Good Shepherd FOCUS SCRIPTURE John 10:11 18 YOU WILL NEED white cloth white batteryoperated candle Singing the Feast, 2017 2018; CD player Bible Color Pack 10, 17, 18, 32, 34 newsprint markers or crayons copies of Resource Sheet 1 cotton balls, basket stuffed toy sheep or other animal For Responding option 1: copies of Resource Sheet 2, crayons or markers option 2: bag of cotton balls, glue sticks, markers, mural paper, construction paper, scissors option 3: plates, table knives, graham crackers, vanilla frosting, raisins, mini marshmallows Focus on Your Teaching Young children observe many people at work, including medical professionals, pastors, and teachers. Children may best understand today s Bible story by exploring the job of being a shepherd. Taking care of sheep, being responsible for their well-being, feeding them, and even caring for sheep outside the flock are ways to understand Jesus job as our shepherd. The aspect of sacrifice in the job of shepherd is less understandable to young children. Being a good role model for children is one way adults demonstrate this notion of sacrificial serving. Today, plant seeds of understanding the nature of caring sacrifice as you encourage the children to care for other people. Good Shepherd, lead me today as I lead the children in my fold. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING As children arrive, invite them to help you arrange the white cloth in the center of your meeting space. Place the candle and Color Pack 10 on the fabric. Gather the group. Remind the children that the church celebrates Easter for seven Sundays. Invite them to move around and shake hands with one another, saying, Happy Easter! As you light the candle, say, Jesus Christ is the light of our world. Sing Hallelujah (Color Pack 32; track 9 on Singing the Feast, 2017 2018). Lead the children in prayer, asking them to repeat each phrase after you: Dear God, / thank you for being with us always. / Help us learn, / help us pray, / help us be good friends today. / Amen. Begin a conversation about caring for others by asking: P What are some of the ways that people in your family take care of you? P In what ways do you take care of other people in your family? Marvel at the many ways we are cared for and the many ways we care for others. 2
Jesus the Good Shepherd Hallelujah Hallelujah,... Let us praise God.... We are blessings,... Hear our prayer now,... EXPLORING Pass around Color Pack 17 and ask the children to describe what they see. Take a moment to discuss the job of being a shepherd by asking, What kinds of things do you think shepherds do? Open your Bible to John 10:11 18, saying that today s Bible story is about a shepherd. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (The Good Shepherd: John 10:11 18). Read the story aloud, inviting the children to use a finger to follow along on the resource sheet as they are able. After reading the story, show Color Pack 18. Ask the children to tell how this picture reminds them of the Bible story. Discuss: P What does a shepherd do? P What is a hired worker? P According to Jesus, who is the good shepherd? Who are the sheep? P Who is in the flock that Jesus shepherds? Invite children to color their copies of Resource Sheet 1 to take home, so they can read this story with their families. Introduce the idea that Jesus shows care for us by always loving us and never leaving us. Give children a few moments to ponder and respond to this thought. Teach today s memory verse: I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me (John 10:14). Write the verse on newsprint as you speak it. Use a call-and-response activity to practice the verse. Form two groups, and have them learn the lines given below. Repeat the call and response several times, then switch groups. Group 1: I am the good shepherd. Group 2: I know my own and my own know me. Gather in a circle. Tell the group that because Jesus loves and cares for each one of you, you are able to give love and care to other people. Hold up the basket of cotton balls, inviting the children to pretend that each cotton ball is one of Jesus sheep. Take a cotton ball and give one to each child. Begin the activity by naming one way you care for other people and dropping your cotton ball in the basket. Pass the basket to the person on your right and say, Jesus cares for you and you can care for other people. Have the child drop a cotton ball in the basket and name a way he or she cares for other people. Continue in this way around the circle until each child has had a chance to put a cotton ball into the basket. EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use. 1. Jesus Leads Children will think more about Jesus, the Good Shepherd, as they complete the puzzle on Resource Sheet 2 (The Good Shepherd). Distribute copies of the resource sheet and crayons or markers. Read aloud the directions. Allow a few quiet moments for children to work independently to complete the sheet. Circulate to offer help as needed. 3
Jesus the Good Shepherd After all have finished, invite children to read the names they put on their sheep. Affirm that, indeed, Jesus is everyone s good shepherd. Check to see if this mural can be displayed in your church s narthex or gathering space. If so, plan to have an opening or unveiling with the children and their families. Jesus Loves Me Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; In his love we shall be strong. Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me! This I know, As he loved so long ago, Taking children on His knee, Saying, Let them come to me. Refrain Jesus loves me, still today, Walking with me on my way, Wanting as a friend to give Light and love to all who live. Refrain 2. Sheep Mural Create a community mural that can help children visualize the flock that follows Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Lay out a long piece of mural paper on the floor or a table. Demonstrate how to draw a simple sheep with a marker, rub a glue stick on the sheep s body, and then press cotton balls onto the glue. Print your name below the sheep. Invite each child to make a sheep with his or her name and one sheep with the name of someone else in the church. Save a space on the mural for the shepherd. When the children complete their sheep, ask for volunteers to draw grass, trees, and rocks on the mural. Ask for volunteers to create the figure of the Good Shepherd using construction-paper scraps and markers. Ask for a volunteer to print today s memory verse (John 10:14) at the bottom of the mural. 3. Sheep Treats As children give and receive a snack, they can wonder together about ways to show care to other people. Be mindful of any food allergies. After the children wash their hands, show them how to make treats that look like sheep (side view). Break a graham cracker square into two rectangular pieces and lay them on a small plate. Frost each piece with vanilla frosting. Add a raisin at one side of the rectangle for the sheep s eye and a mini marshmallow at the other side for the tail. Have each child give the snacks to another child. Before eating, say a table grace. While eating the treats, name all the people you know who are part of Jesus flock. How might Jesus want the sheep to treat one another? CLOSING Gather in a circle and show Color Pack 17 and 18. Invite the children to tell about their favorite part of today s Bible story. Review today s memory verse as a call and response between two groups: Group 1: I am the good shepherd. Group 2: I know my own and my own know me. Hold up the stuffed sheep or other stuffed animal. Tell the children how you are happy to follow Jesus, just like a sheep follows a shepherd. Your Good Shepherd, Jesus, takes care of you. This is another way of saying Jesus loves you. Sing Jesus Loves Me (Color Pack 34; track 14 on Singing the Feast, 2017 2018). Give the sheep to the child on your left. Invite him or her to name one other person who is in Jesus flock, and then pass the sheep to the next child. Continue in this same fashion until everyone has held the sheep. Remember to honor children who do not want to speak aloud. Encourage them to simply hug the toy sheep and then pass it on. Say good-bye to each child, offering this blessing: (Name), may Jesus, our Good Shepherd, lead you in joyful ways this week. Amen. 4
April 22, 2018 Jesus the Good Shepherd Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 1 The Good Shepherd: John 10:11 18 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12 Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don t own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. 13 Hired workers run away because they don t care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15 Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd. 17 The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so that I may receive it back again. 18 No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do. Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version. Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. 2018 Westminster John Knox Press
April 22, 2018 Jesus the Good Shepherd Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 2 The Good Shepherd Directions: Connect the dots as you count by odd numbers. Begin with 1. Who are the sheep in Jesus flock? Write your name on one sheep. Write names of friends and people in your family on the other sheep. Add more sheep to the flock and write names on those, too. 2018 Westminster John Knox Press