Jesus loved to tell stories called parables. One day He told about a shepherd who had one hundred sheep.
One hundred sheep
A shepherd had one hundred sheep, and he knew and loved every single one. Each evening he counted them to make sure they were all safe.
One goes missing
One day, as he counted, one sheep was missing! Ninety-nine were safe, but one little sheep had wandered away and was lost.
The search
The shepherd left the ninety-nine and went to look for the one lost sheep. He searched over hills and through valleys, calling for it, until at last he found it.
Carried home with joy
Gently, the shepherd lifted the little sheep onto his shoulders and carried it home, so happy! He called his friends, “Rejoice with me — I found my lost sheep!”
How much God loves you
Jesus said heaven is filled with joy when even one person who was lost comes back to God. That is how much God loves each and every one of us.
⚓ The big truth
You matter so much to God that He would go looking just for you. Like the good shepherd, Jesus loves and searches for each one — including you.
“I am the good shepherd.”
— John 10:11 (WEB)
Try saying it out loud three times to help it stick!
Talk about it
- How do you think the lost sheep felt when the shepherd found it?
- Why did the shepherd go after just one sheep?
- What does this story tell you about how God feels about you?
Let's pray
Dear Jesus, thank You for being my Good Shepherd. Thank You that I matter to You and that You always love me. Help me stay close to You. Amen.
Try this at home
Hide a stuffed animal and play a “find the lost sheep” game, then talk about how happy God is when He finds us.