| 1 | Wonderful Counselor | Isaiah 9:6, James 1:5 |
| 2 | Mighty God | Isaiah 9:6, Col 1:15–16 |
| 3 | Everlasting Father | Isaiah 9:6, Gal 4:4–7 |
| 4 | Prince of Peace | Isaiah 9:6, Luke 2:12–14 |
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
– Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
John 10:11–18
A good shepherd loves his sheep and knows his sheep and cares deeply for them. He’s prepared to make sacrifices to be sure that his sheep are healthy and safe! Jesus described himself as the good shepherd. He knew that we needed our sins to be washed away, so he was prepared to lay down his life for us!
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.”
– John 10:14 (CSB)
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!”
– 1 John 3.1a (NLT)
Supplies: You could bring things used to look after a pet. eg. Dog bowl, leash, chew toy.
Welcome the children and say to them that if they have pets, it might help them understand today’s story. If you have your own pet you could use it as an example. Talk about what it takes to keep and look after a pet. If you want to take care of a pet you need to understand what it needs. Does it need regular food and water? Where does it sleep? Does it need to exercise? When we understand our pets and know their needs then we can look after them better. Who knows us better than anyone else? God does! He knows our inner thoughts and he’s with us every moment. He cares deeply for us and loves us for eternity.
Tell the children that today’s Bible story is from the book of John. Jesus is talking about how God looks after us, and how he leads and guides us safely so that we can be with him forever in heaven!
Last week Jesus called himself the “door’. Jesus decided to use another example to help the people to understand his love. He compared Himself to a good shepherd and he compared all of his people (that’s us!) to sheep. However, the Pharisees probably still didn’t understand. Let’s read the story together, and find out what Jesus is saying to us.
Tell the story or read John 10:11-15
In the same way that we would look after a pet carefully, a shepherd looks after his sheep. Jesus explained that he’s like a shepherd, but a really good shepherd that would even lay down his life for his sheep.
That means that Jesus loves us so much that he laid down his life for us to take away our sins and make us pure and clean before God so that one day all of us who put our faith in him can go live with him!
It also means that Jesus leads us and guides us just like a shepherd leads and guides his sheep. Jesus has given us his word to feed our souls, so that we can know how he wants us to live and be reminded of how much he loves us! When our souls are hungry, we can turn to God’s living Word to be fed.
For 9-11s you could talk about what it looks like to grow in reading the Bible regularly for themselves. It’s a gift and a joy to have God’s word and we want to instill that sense of excitement in that for them!
Jesus also gave us his Spirit to live inside of us and help us grow from the inside out! We can talk to God at any time that we need comfort and guidance. Remember that John wanted us to know how much God loves us! He said:
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!”
– 1 John 3.1a (NLT)
Prayer: Thank Jesus that he is the good shepherd. Thanks him that he loves us, leads us, and feeds us! Pray that the children would turn to him for safety whenever they’re afraid.
I am the Good Shepherd- Balloon Game
Supplies: One balloon per child, Rolled-up newspaper taped to keep it from unraveling, for each child.
Help the kids blow up and tie their balloons. Give each of them a rolled-up newspaper that will be their shepherd’s staff. Make a “pen” using chairs or stools on one end of the room. Line the kids up on the other side of the room. When you say ‘go’, The children will herd their balloon with their roll of newspaper across the floor and try to get it into the pen. You can make it a race, a relay, or time them. Have the volunteers be obstacles the children have to go around.
Jesus said “I am the Good Shepherd.”
Icon from www.flaticon.com
John 10:9–10
Imagine a house without a door! We would have no way to get inside. When Jesus said that he is the door, it was a proverbial way of saying that through him we have access to the kingdom of God. The emphasis of this lesson is that Jesus keeps us safe, and that through him we have eternal life. Continue reading I am: The Door
John 8: 12, 9:1–7
Before healing the blind man in John 9, Jesus declares that he is the light of the world! Jesus helps us to see God, and he sheds truth on what is true and righteous. This means that we never have to walk in darkness. We can trust Jesus to lead, guide us and protect us. And we can be lights to those around us!
Continue reading I am: The Light of the World
John 6.22–35, 47–50, 58
After Jesus fed the 5000, large crowds came looking for him hoping that he was going to do more miracles––and hoping that they would get food again! Unfortunately they were coming to Jesus looking for food that would leave them hungry again. Jesus told them that he is “the bread of life”. Bread might help keep us alive if we were starving, but if we want life that lasts forever, we need the bread of life! Continue reading I am: The Bread of Life
Luke 17.11-19
In this story ten lepers were healed by Jesus, but only one comes back to express his gratitude. The emphasis of this story is not merely on gratitude as a virtue. Jesus gives us many good gifts, but God’s intention is that, as we encounter his loving kindness, it would ultimately bring us back to him so that we can totally be made whole.
Matt. 17:24–27
The leaders of Jerusalem required a temple tax from the people. Jesus knew however that he wasn’t obligated to pay God to be his father. He accepted that as a gift. We learn that we do not need to pay to be God’s children! If God provides his love as a free gift, we can trust him to also provide in other areas in our lives.
Luke 5.27–32
Jesus called Matthew to follow him and he responded by leaving his job as a tax collector and becoming Jesus’ disciple! Later Matthew hosted a feast at his house and he invited other tax collectors and sinners to eat with Jesus. It was his way of celebrating that Jesus was happy to be friends with them, even though none of them were perfect.
John 2:1–12
At the wedding in Cana Jesus solved a crisis by turning water into wine. For the children it’s really wonderful that Jesus demonstrates his willingness to respond to our everyday needs. We know that we can trust him with all of our problems!
Isaiah says that the coming Messiah would be the Prince of Peace! God gave his son as a peace offering. God gave us his son as a gift that we should receive by faith. Wherever Jesus rules, he brings perfect peace! Continue reading Prince of Peace
