JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD BmLE BASIS John 10:1-18 LESSON AIM That the child will understand what a shepherd is and that Jesus knows him and cares for him as a shepherd does for his sheep. SCRIPTURE INSIGHT No one who heard Jesus refer to Himself as the Good Shepherd would have been unfamiliar with the role of a shepherd, since shepherds and their flocks dotted the hillsides ofisrael. The shepherd was totally responsible for the welfare of his sheep. Their protection, physical needs and need for supervision were all part of his responsibility. How secure we should feel as Christians when we realize that our Good Shepherd has promised to love us, call us by name and keep us through eternity (John 10:27-29). Through the centuries Christians have been inspired and comforted by David's eloquent "Twenty-third Psalm." Will your read it now, appreciating the promises to be found in it and thanking the Lord for His great love? GREETING The teacher teaching the lesson on this day will want to dress up as a shepherd (by belting a white sheet around his waist and draping a towel over his head, also wearing a head band or strip of fabic around his forehead to keep the towel in place, carrying a cane or large stick as a staff.) Greet each child at the door in your shepherd's apparel. Carry a stuffed lamb with you. Conversation: " (Child's name), I am dressed up as a shepherd. A shepherd takes care of his lamb." (Show the child your lamb.) "Did you know you are Jesus' lamb?" 1. Feed My Sheep CENTER TIME The purpose of this center is to have the children experience the love and care of a shepherd and to learn that Jesus is their shepherd. The teacher who is in charge of this center will also need to dress up as a shepherd. (See Greeting.) Place a small "pond" of blue butcher paper on the floor. Nearby place a strip of green butcher paper for grass. Also make a "fold" in the corner of the room by squaring it off using furniture, blocks or masking tape. Be sure to leave space for a door. Gather six or seven children around you and have the following conversation: "I am your shepherd, and you are my little lambs. I want to take care of you. Little lambs, line up and follow me. Here is a pond. You need to drink some water." (Demonstrate for them how to bend down and pretend to drink.) "Is everyone full of water?" "I am your shepherd. I love you. Let's walk along to the grass. This grass is so green. I know you are hungry. Little lambs, eat some grass." (Sh-sh-sh, little lambs are quiet.) "It's getting dark. Now it's time to go to the fold. a fold is a place the lambs go to sleep. Everyone, go in." "The shepherd knows all his lambs' names." (Point to the children.) "You are Jesus' little lambs. He watches over you all day and all night. Let's say a prayer thanking Jesus for being my shepherd and watching over me." The children may want to repeat this activity. 2. The Shepherd Cares The purpose of this activity is to teach the child how much Jesus, the shepherd, cares for him. Have a piece of butcher paper on a table. Place a small blue "pond," some green "grass," a crumbled up piece of brown construction paper in the shape of a ball (the "rock") and sheep "fold" on the butcher paper. Cut sheep and shepherd out of construction paper. (See mural patterns.) The teacher at this center will be the "shepherd" and will manipulate the paperdoll shepherd.
Give each child at the table a lamb. (The children may need to stand around the table so they can move better.) You will begin by walking the shepherd from the grass to the pond, to the rock, to the fold as you explain what each spot is. Then begin the activity. Conversation: "Everyone, hold up your lamb. The shepherd wants to lead all the lambs to the grass. Lambs can't find the grass by themselves; they must be led:' (Guide all the children to place their lambs onto the grass. Have one child pretend that his lamb is lost behind the paper "rock:') "The Shepherd watches over His lambs. He makes sure they have good grass to eat." "Oh, no! One of my lambs is lost. I must find him." (Move shepherd around paper until you reach the rock.) "I'm so happy to find my lamb:' (Pretend to let the shepherd hug the lamb.) Repeat this procedure each place on the paper. Each time use the same conversation but let different children be the lost sheep. When you reach the "fold," lay the shepherd outside the fold to protect the lambs from bad animals. Explain to the children that the shepherd knows each lamb's name. Call each child's name and let him reach into the fold and get his lamb. At this point show the children an open Bible and tell them the Bible says that Jesus is our Shepherd. He wants to take care of us and watch over us. Show the picture of Jesus and the children. Point out Jesus as the shepherd and the children as the lambs. End in prayer thanking Jesus for being our shepherd. 3. Hold The Lamb Gently The purpose of this adivity is to teach the child of Jesus' (the shepherd's) lovefor him (the lamb). This activity can be done using a chair, a stuffed lamb, a towel, and a head band. Let the children take turns being a shepherd. Place the shepherd's head piece on the child and secure it by tying a strip of fabric or a head band around the child's forehead. If you have a cane or small stick, let the child Llseit for a staff. Give the child the lamb to carry. Have the following conversation: "Shepherd, your lamb is hurt." (Guide the child to a chair and have him sit down.) "Hold your lamb and let's fix his leg:' (Pretend to rub the lamb's leg. Guide the child in doing this.) "Shepherds hold their lambs so gently. They love to rub the lamb. Sometimes the shepherd whispers, 'I love you, lamb.'" Guide each child through the above actions as they take turns being the shepherd. Remind each child as he gets up that he is Jesus' little lamb and that Jesus loves him so much. I. _~S~r ~\c~-;-::::::====-~==:a~ FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER 1. Jesus Cares For Me Activity Tape a piece of butcher paper on the wall. Make a small pocket out of construction paper, tape it to the butcher paper and place a paper doll in the pocket. Cut out of construction paper or draw a bed, a sad face, an apple or a banana and a ball. Let each child move the paper doll from item to item as you have the following conversation: "Jesus cares for (child's name) Can (same child's name) put the paper doll on the apple? Jesus cares for (same child's name) He gives (same child's name) food to eat" "Can (child's name) put the paper doll on the bed? Jesus watches over (same child's name) when your are in the bed:'
\J~;'.... 1 \ -~, -,- \---- (~~): '--'Uj FOR CmLDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER (cont'd) Repeat this conversation with the sad face (when you are sick) and the ball (when we are playing outside). Then let the child place the paperdoll back in the pocket. Pray with each child, thanking Jesus for watching over (child's name) 1. Supplies Needed STORY TIME Bible; a picture of Jesus and the children; a stuffed lamb; the pond, grass, sheep, shepherd, fold and rock from Center #2, The Shepherd Cares. (Instead of placing the figures on a table, place them on the floor where all the children can see.) 2. Preparation For Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing' 'Where is." act out monthly rhyme, say the monthly Bible verse and begin story with prayer. "Dear God, thank you for Jesus who loves me and cares for me. Amen." *BIBLE LEADER - Have one child come up and read (repeat after you while he is holding the open Bible). "Jesus is the good shepherd." John 10:14. 3. Outline For Story 5 "What am I dressed up as? I am a shepherd." (Hold open Bible.) "The Bible says right here that Jesus is a shepherd, and we are His lambs." " (Stand up.) "Do you know what a shepherd does?" (Pick up stuffed lamb.) "A shepherd cares for his lambs." (Walk over and lay lamb on the floor in the middle of the story circle.) "And sometimes when a lamb hurts his leg, the shepherd picks up the lamb very gently and rubs the leg." (Demonstrate.) "The Bible says Jesus is our shepherd." o "When a lamb is a baby, it cannot walk very well. Do you know what the shepherd does? He carries the lamb in his clothes." (Place lamb inside your shepherd's tunic by pulling the tunic up around the stuffed animal and holding it together with your hands.) "The Bible says Jesus is our shepherd." \) "Let me show you what else the shepherd does." (Layout the pond, grass, sheepfold, sheep and shepherd,) "The lamb cannot find the grass by himself. The shepherd must lead the lamb to the grass." (Walk shepherd and lamb with your hands to the grass.) "The lamb can't find water by himself." (Walk shepherd and lamb to the water.) "At night, the shepherd makes all of his lambs go into the fold. They go to sleep." (Place all of the sheep inside the fold.) "The shepherd sits outside the door," (place the shepherd outside the fold) "to keep bad animals away." "When one lamb gets lost," (place one lamb behind rock) "the shepherd loves that lamb so much that he walks all around looking for him." (Walk the shepherd around, then let him find the lamb behind the rock.) o Hold up a picture of Jesus and the children. Point to Jesus and tell the children that Jesus is our shepherd and the children are the lambs. End your story by going to each child as you kneel in front of him, remind him that he is Jesus' little lamb and that Jesus knows his name. He knows His lambs' name is (child's name)
FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER 1. Supplies Needed Home center bed and table; a small baby doll; a stuffed lamb; a picture of Jesus and the children. 2. Preparation For Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing "Where is." act out monthly rhyme, say the monthly Bible verse and begin story with prayer. "Dear God, thank you for Jesus who loves me and cares for me. Amen." *BIBLE LEADER - Ask one child to come forward and sit in a small chair. Tell him that he is the Bible Leader. Place an open Bible in his lap and say, "The Bible says Jesus is my shepherd. Jesus watches over me:' Be sure to applaud for the Bible Leader. 3. Outline For Story If your children are used to sitting in the story circle, use the following as an application. You will want to do the story for the older children. The story should be told on the felt board using pieces indicated under Supplies Needed. You can use felt pieces or construction paper pieces. Begin with a prayer thanking God for watching over you. If you have been feeding your children a snack during this time, delay the snack until after the Bible has been passed around. Passing the Bible around and letting each child hold it gives you the opportunity to remind the children that the Bible is a book about God. This activity, along with holding a hand mirror in front of some of the children and reminding them that Jesus loves them, can be done each week. (Show a picture of Jesus and the children.) "This is Jesus. Can you say Jesus? Jesus loves you so much. He watches over you all day. See the children. Jesus loves the children. Jesus loves you. Jesus is your shepherd:' (Cuddle a baby doll in your arms) "Does Mommy ever hold you close and wrap a blanket around you? Does Mommy say, 'I love you?' Jesus loves you, too. He cares so much for you. Jesus is your shepherd: ' (Place a baby doll in the bed.) "Does Mommy put you to bed and cover you up? Did you know that Jesus watches over you all night? Jesus is your shepherd." "A shepherd loves his lamb." (Hold lamb.) "He rubs the lamb's back. You are Jesus' little lamb. Jesus loves you." End your story in prayer, thanking Jesus for watching over you. MUSIC TIME Sing "Jesus Loves Me" as the children enter the room. Ask one of your teachers that is dressed up as a shepherd to come forward. Tell him one of Jesus' little lambs is lost. You can't find him anywhere. The lamb's name is (child's name) lamb. Let the "shepherd" walk around trying to find (child's name) lamb as he says, "Where is (child's name) lamb?" The shepherd should be very excited when he finds his lamb. He will hug his lamb as he tells everyone how happy he is. Next ask two children to lead the following song. Let one hold a stuffed lamb and the other child hold a picture of Jesus and the children. (Sing the following song to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb.") 1 am Jesus' little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. 1 am Jesus's little lamb. And He loves me so.
Also sing "Prai~ Him, Praise Him:' "Pitter, Patter:' "Jesus Lovesthe Little Children" and "Give Him My Heart". CRAFT TIME 1. Before Sunday cut out the lambs and add detail with a black marker. 2. As you hand each child at your table his lamb, print his name on it and say, " lamb. Jesus knows (child's name) name and takes care of him. (Child's name) is Jesus' little 3. Add glue around the child's name on the lamb and have the child add cotton. Children 3 years old may enjoy doing the Jesus is my Shepherd craft. (See craft pattern.) The shepherd and the lamb can be cut from white construction paper~ Write "Jesus is my shepherd" on the front of the craft. Tape a small square of construction paper on the front of the shepherd for the pouch where the shepherd carried the baby lambs or sheep that had been hurt. On the back of the shepherd the child will glue on blue water, green grass, a small brown fold and a red heart. Be sure to explain each piece of the craft as the child glues it on. (See story conversation.) The red heart reminds the child that Jesus wants him to love Him. NUfE TO PARENTS Because we as teachers are shepherds of our children, prayer between us and our parents is important. Let your parents know that you are praying for their child to grow to be the boy or girl God wants him to be. Parents also need to know that we need their prayers to be the teachers of children God expects us to be. Encourage the parent to let his child dress up as a shepherd. Two towels and a man's tie for the head piece are sufficient. Guide the child through shepherding activities as he loves and hugs and cares for his stuffed animal or doll. Remind the child that Jesus is his Shepherd. The Bible needs to be nearby for reference. Always encourage the parent to pray with his child.
EXPANDED SESSION JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD Supplement - BmLE BASIS John 10:1-18 and Luke 15:1-7 LESSON AIM That the child will understand what a shepherd is and that Jesus told a story about a shepherd so the people would understand that He is a shepherd. 1. The Shepherd Cares For Me GREETING Greet each child today dressed as a shepherd (see greeting in curriculum). CENTER TIME (See pattern for this in curriculum in craft patterns and copy on copy machine.) Cut out shepherd and all (Ither pieces (from appropriate color of construction paper) or children may cut out all pieces drawn on white construction paper and color them. They can tape on pocket for lamb and tape staff onto shepherd. The shepherd can be colored also. The child should print his name onto the lamb. The shepherd's back will have the water, over grass, the fold dots and.. Q glued on it (one dot of glue for each item). The child can draw the shepherd's face and write The story of the shepherd's responsibilities and Jesus as our shepherd can be told as children are working. A lamb isa baby. Sheep and Shepherd... Water and Grass. fold. Q. Staff. 1. "The shepherd was a man who cared for sheep. He named eachlittie lamb. He knows their names and the lamb knows his voice (write name on lamb). You are Jesus' lamb, and He is your shepherd:' Write over dots. 2. "A shepherd leads his sheep to water and grass. The sheep can't find their own water and grass. Jesus is your shepherd. He makes sure you have water and food to eat. 3. "The shepherd leads his sheep into the fold to sleep at night. A fold has a door. The shepherd sleeps there at night to keep wild animals from hurting them. Jesus watches over us at night. He is our shepherd." 4. "Most important, Jesus loves me very much. A shepherd loves his sheep so much that he even carries them in his clothes when they are babies:' 5. "When the sheep are scared the shepherd taps the sheep with the staff and says, 'I'm here sheep: The sheep know his voice." STORY TIME 1. Supplies Needed Bible; props used in center #2; craft pieces. 2. Preparation For Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing
"Where is ", act out monthly rhyme, monthly Bible verse and begin story with prayer. Dear God, thank you for Jesus who loves me and cares for me. Amen." BIBLE LEADER - "Jesus is the Good Shepherd" John 10:14. 3. Outline For Story Combine the center time and craft (use shepherd to lead sheep to water, grass and fold. Make these from construction paper and place on floor (use rock in story also). See curriculum center time #2 and read Luke 15:1-7 to talk more about the sheep and the rock. Be sure when talking about the fold you find and use pictures. For life application, see back of the shepherd used for the three year old craft.