Lots of Sheep!
Jesus as the good shepherd
by Janice Ross (revised, originally published in 2016)
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider Jesus’ claim that he is the good shepherd.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Lots of Sheep!) and the means to display them.
- Have available the Bible passage found in Luke 15.3-7. You may wish to arrange for a child to read this story.
Assembly
- Explain that in the Bible, Jesus makes several statements where he says ‘I am . . .’ These include ‘I am the bread of life’, ‘I am the light of the world’ and ‘I am the good shepherd’.
We know that Jesus wasn’t actually a loaf of bread, a light or a shepherd – these are metaphors that tell us something important about him. - Tell the children that in the Bible (John 10.11), Jesus says, ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’
Ask the children what they think Jesus might mean by this statement.
Listen to a range of responses. - Tell the children that we’re going to think about sheep, their characteristics and the role of a shepherd.
In biblical times, there were many sheep in the fields, so many shepherds were needed. - Sheep need a shepherd to take care of them. We can see sheep in the fields as we travel through the countryside, and it is important that they are placed where they can get all the things that they need to stay healthy. A shepherd must place them in good pastureland where they can get water as well as food. In the dry area where Jesus lived, it was important that shepherds led their flocks to good pasture and streams of water.
- Show Slide 1.
In Jesus’ time, the shepherd walked ahead of his sheep and the sheep followed him. The shepherd would have a rod and a staff with him. The rod was for protection, to frighten away any wolves or wild animals that wanted to harm the flock. The staff had a curved bit at the top so that if a sheep got stuck in a bush or down a cliff, the shepherd could pull it out. - Sheep can get into all sorts of trouble. Ask the children for some examples.
Listen to a range of responses and show Slides 2-6. - When Jesus spoke about sheep, he was actually speaking about people. He describes us as his sheep.
Time for reflection
Let’s think about a few questions.
- Do you ever get all tangled up in a problem, in frustration? And the more you try to get free, the more stuck you become?
- Do you sometimes feel afraid and don’t know which way to turn?
- Do you sometimes feel helpless, weak, lost or in danger?
Aren’t we all a bit like sheep?
Show Slides 7-8.
Last year, there was a news story about ‘Britain’s loneliest sheep’, who had been stranded at the foot of a Scottish cliff for at least two years. Locals nicknamed her Fiona, and she was eventually rescued by five farmers, who managed to haul her up a steep slope.
There is a Bible story about a shepherd who looks for a missing sheep. It is found in Luke 15.3-7. The shepherd of a flock of 100 sheep notices that one of them is missing. He leaves the other 99 and goes in search of the missing one.
Read, or ask a child to read, the Bible passage at Luke 15.3-7.
Jesus uses the story to illustrate that he would never give up on us. He loves us very much and he knows that we need his love and protection. This is why he is a good shepherd.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you that you are a good shepherd.
Thank you that you know our names and that you care for us.
Thank you that you know all the dangers we can face in life.
Thank you that you never want us to walk alone.
Amen.
