Hello, my wonderful young friends! Today I want to share with you the heartwarming story of "Jesus and the lost sheep." This beautiful parable teaches us about God's amazing love for each one of us and how He seeks us out when we wander away. Jesus told this story to help people understand how precious they are to God and that He never gives up on anyone.

The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross Board Book: The True Story of Why Jesus Died and Rose Again (Illustrated Bible toddler book gift teaching kids ages 2-4 all about the gospel and what Jesus did at Easter)

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You're My Little Honey Bunny

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Just like a shepherd who cares deeply for every single sheep in his flock, God cares deeply for you and me. When Jesus told this story, He was surrounded by people who society had rejected – tax collectors and sinners – and religious leaders who were criticizing Him for welcoming these outcasts. Through this simple yet profound tale about a shepherd searching for one lost sheep, Jesus revealed the heart of God for those who feel lost, forgotten, or far from His love.

Jesus and the Lost Sheep

Chapter 1: A Gathering of Outcasts

The hillside was crowded with people who had come to hear Jesus teach. Among them were tax collectors and others whom the religious leaders called "sinners." These were people that most religious teachers avoided, but Jesus welcomed them warmly.

The Bible tells us in Luke 15:1-2, "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'"

The Pharisees and teachers of the law stood at the edges of the crowd, frowning and whispering among themselves. They considered themselves righteous and pure. They followed all the religious rules carefully and believed that God only loved people who did the same. They were shocked and angry that Jesus, who claimed to be a teacher from God, would associate with people they considered unworthy.

But Jesus saw each person differently. While the religious leaders saw only broken rules and bad reputations, Jesus saw precious individuals whom God loved deeply. He knew that many in this crowd felt lost and rejected by religious society – but He wanted them to know they were never lost to God's heart.

Chapter 2: Jesus Tells a Story

Noticing the disapproving glances of the Pharisees, Jesus decided to tell a story that would help everyone understand God's heart. He began with a question that would especially connect with people in that farming community.

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" (Luke 15:4).

The crowd nodded. Everyone knew that shepherds were responsible for every sheep in their care. A good shepherd counted his sheep regularly and would immediately notice if one was missing. Sheep were valuable animals, and losing even one would be a serious matter.

Jesus' listeners could picture exactly what He described – a shepherd suddenly realizing one sheep has wandered away from the flock. Perhaps it had been distracted by a patch of green grass and strayed too far. Maybe it had fallen into a ravine or gotten tangled in thorny bushes. Whatever the reason, the sheep was now separated from the protection of the shepherd and the safety of the flock.

As Jesus spoke, even the tax collectors and sinners in the crowd leaned forward. Many of them felt like that lost sheep – separated from God and from the community of faith. They wondered: Would the shepherd in Jesus' story abandon the sheep to its fate? Would he count it as an acceptable loss and move on with the ninety-nine?

Chapter 3: The Relentless Search

Jesus continued His story, describing the shepherd's response to the missing sheep. Without hesitation, the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep "in the open country" – a place where they would be relatively safe – and sets off to find the one that is lost.

The search might not be easy or quick. Lost sheep could wander far, fall into dangerous places, or become injured. Finding one sheep in the hills of Judea could mean hours or even days of searching over rough terrain. The shepherd might face bad weather, dangerous wild animals, or difficult paths.

Yet Jesus emphasized that the shepherd keeps searching "until he finds it" (Luke 15:4). The shepherd doesn't give up, doesn't decide it's too much trouble, doesn't write off the loss as inevitable. His commitment to find that one sheep is relentless.

As the crowd listened, they began to understand the deeper meaning. God's love for each person is persistent and determined. When someone wanders from God, whether through bad choices, confusion, or simply being led astray, God doesn't shrug and move on. He actively searches for that person, wanting to bring them back to safety and relationship with Him.

For the tax collectors and sinners – people who had been told repeatedly that God had rejected them because of their sins – this message was revolutionary. Could it be true that God hadn't abandoned them? That instead, like the shepherd in the story, God was actually searching for them, wanting to bring them back?

Chapter 4: Found with Joy

The most beautiful part of Jesus' story came next, as He described the moment when the shepherd finally finds his lost sheep.

"And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home" (Luke 15:5-6).

Picture this touching scene: The shepherd has been searching for hours, calling for his sheep, scanning the horizon, checking dangerous places where a sheep might be trapped. Finally, he hears a faint bleating! Following the sound, he discovers the lost sheep – perhaps tangled in thorns, or stuck in a crevice, unable to free itself.

The shepherd doesn't scold the sheep or drag it home in anger. Instead, he is filled with joy at finding what was lost. With gentle hands, he lifts the sheep onto his shoulders – the easiest way to carry a tired or injured sheep. The sheep can rest securely on the shepherd's strong shoulders for the journey home.

This part of the story reveals God's heart when someone who has been spiritually lost returns to Him. God doesn't grudgingly accept them back or remind them constantly of their mistakes. Instead, He rejoices! He carries them tenderly, understanding their weakness and weariness.

The tax collectors and sinners in Jesus' audience must have been amazed by this picture of God's love – not a distant, critical deity who rejected them for their failures, but a seeking, finding, rejoicing God who celebrated their return.

Chapter 5: A Community Celebration

Jesus' story doesn't end with the private joy of the shepherd. Upon returning home with the rescued sheep, the shepherd calls for a community celebration!

"Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep'" (Luke 15:6).

Finding the lost sheep isn't a quiet, private matter. The shepherd wants everyone to share in his happiness. He invites friends and neighbors to celebrate this recovery, turning what could have been a tragedy into a party.

As Jesus told this part of the story, His meaning was clear: When someone who has been spiritually lost returns to God, it's not just God who rejoices – the whole community of faith should celebrate too!

This was a direct challenge to the Pharisees and teachers of the law who were grumbling about Jesus welcoming sinners. Instead of standing apart in judgment, they should have been rejoicing that people who had been far from God were drawing near to hear Jesus' teaching.

For the "sinners" in the crowd, this part of the story offered hope not just of God's acceptance, but of being welcomed back into community. Perhaps they had felt rejected and excluded by religious people for so long that they couldn't imagine being celebrated. Jesus was painting a picture of the kind of community His followers should create – one that rejoices when the lost are found.

Chapter 6: Heaven's Celebration

Jesus concluded His parable by drawing a powerful parallel between the shepherd's joy and God's response to repentant sinners.

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" (Luke 15:7).

With these words, Jesus revealed the cosmic significance of each person's spiritual journey. When someone who has been separated from God turns back to Him – acknowledging their mistakes and accepting God's forgiveness – all of heaven celebrates!

This heavenly rejoicing is even greater than the joy over those who haven't strayed. This doesn't mean God loves the wanderers more than the faithful; rather, it's like the special celebration when something precious that was thought to be lost is recovered.

For the tax collectors and sinners, this was an incredible message of hope. Despite their past, despite how society viewed them, despite how religious leaders judged them – they could cause joy in heaven simply by turning to God! Their repentance mattered enormously to God.

For the Pharisees and teachers of the law, this was a gentle rebuke. Their focus on rule-following had caused them to miss God's heart for the lost. They should have been leading the celebration when sinners came to hear Jesus, not criticizing Him for welcoming them.

Chapter 7: The Shepherd's Heart

What made Jesus' parable so powerful was that He wasn't just telling a nice story – He was revealing His own heart and mission. Later in His ministry, Jesus would describe Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11).

Jesus didn't just talk about seeking the lost; He actively did it. He traveled from village to village, seeking out those who needed God's love. He went to the homes of tax collectors like Zacchaeus. He spoke with women others avoided. He touched lepers who were considered untouchable. He was constantly seeking out the lost sheep of Israel.

And ultimately, Jesus would demonstrate the full extent of the shepherd's love. He would lay down His life on the cross, making it possible for every lost sheep to be found and brought home to God. As Isaiah had prophesied hundreds of years earlier, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

The religious leaders criticized Jesus for welcoming sinners, not realizing that this was precisely why He had come – to seek and save the lost. This parable wasn't just a defense of His ministry; it was an invitation to the Pharisees to adopt the shepherd's heart themselves, to share God's joy when the lost are found.

Chapter 8: The Heart of the Father

After telling the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus went on to share two more stories with similar themes – the parables of the lost coin and the lost son (or prodigal son). Together, these three parables in Luke 15 form a beautiful picture of God's heart for those who are lost.

In all three stories, something precious is lost – a sheep, a coin, a son. In each case, there is an active seeking – the shepherd searches the wilderness, the woman sweeps her house, the father watches the road. And in each story, finding what was lost leads to great rejoicing and celebration.

Through these parables, Jesus revealed that God is not distant or passive. He doesn't wait coldly for sinners to find their way back to Him through their own efforts. Instead, God is actively seeking, persistently searching, eagerly watching for His children to return.

For us today, the parable of the lost sheep still speaks powerfully. It reminds us that no one is so lost that God cannot find them. No one has wandered so far that God is not seeking them. And no return is too small to cause rejoicing in heaven.

Whether we identify more with the lost sheep who needs to be found, or with the ninety-nine who should be celebrating returns, Jesus invites us all to understand and share the shepherd's heart – a heart that never gives up on the lost.

What Can We Learn from This Story?

1. Each person is precious to God - Just as the shepherd valued every single sheep, God values each person individually. No one is insignificant or overlooked in God's eyes.
2. God actively seeks those who are lost - God doesn't wait passively for people to find their way to Him; He actively searches for those who have wandered away, like the shepherd searching for the lost sheep.
3. Returning to God brings joy to heaven - When someone who has been spiritually lost turns back to God, all of heaven celebrates. Our spiritual journey matters tremendously to God.
4. We should welcome those returning to faith - Jesus challenged the religious leaders' critical attitude and taught that the community of faith should rejoice when someone returns to God, not judge or exclude them.
5. God's love is persistent and doesn't give up - The shepherd in the story searched until he found the sheep. Similarly, God's love is relentless and continues seeking even when we wander far from Him.

Fun Activities for Kids

1. Lost Sheep Hunt
   Hide a small toy sheep (or several paper sheep cutouts) around your home or classroom. Give children clues to help them search for the "lost sheep." When all are found, celebrate with a small treat! Talk about how God searches for each person who has wandered away, and how happy He is when they are found. As sermons4kids.com puts it, "God doesn't give up on his lost sheep!"
2. Sheep Puppets
   Create simple sheep puppets using white paper bags or socks. Add googly eyes, cotton balls for wool, and black paper for the face and legs. Use the puppets to retell the parable, with one puppet playing the lost sheep, another as the shepherd, and the rest as the ninety-nine sheep. This hands-on activity helps children internalize the story's message about God's seeking love.
3. Celebration Noisemakers
   Make simple noisemakers by putting dried beans or rice into paper cups and sealing them with paper and tape. Decorate them with phrases like "Rejoice!" or "Heaven celebrates when I follow Jesus!" When everyone has made their noisemaker, have a "celebration parade" where children march around making joyful noise, just like the celebration when the lost sheep was found.
4. Shepherd's Care Package
   Create care packages for people who might feel "lost" or forgotten - perhaps elderly neighbors, children in foster care, or homeless individuals. Include encouraging notes, small treats, and necessities. Discuss how we can show others God's seeking, caring love by reaching out to those who might feel lost or forgotten.
5. Good Shepherd Thank You Cards
   Have children create thank you cards for the "shepherds" in their lives - people who have helped guide them, protected them, or brought them back when they were lost or confused (parents, teachers, pastors, etc.). Talk about how these people reflect God's shepherd heart by caring for others.

If you enjoyed learning about "Jesus and the Lost Sheep," I think you'll also love exploring "The Good Samaritan"! This powerful story teaches us about showing kindness and compassion to everyone, even those who seem different from us. Jesus told this parable to answer the question "Who is my neighbor?" and His answer might surprise you! Through the unexpected hero of a Samaritan man who helps an injured stranger, we learn that true love crosses boundaries and involves practical actions, not just nice feelings. Check it out next time for another wonderful lesson from Jesus' parables!