The religious leaders in Jesus' day were deeply offended that He spent so much time eating with 'sinners.' To explain why He did this, Jesus told a simple but profound story about a shepherd who had 100 sheep. When just one of them wandered away, the shepherd left the 99 to go find the one. This lesson teaches children that God's love is incredibly personal. We are not just a number in a massive crowd. When we wander away, Jesus the Good Shepherd comes searching for us, and all of heaven throws a party when we are found.
What You'll Teach
- ✓ The Pharisees grumbled because Jesus welcomed sinners.
- ✓ A good shepherd values every single sheep, not just the flock as a whole.
- ✓ The shepherd left the 99 safe sheep to actively search for the 1 lost sheep.
- ✓ Instead of being angry, the shepherd rejoiced and carried the sheep home.
- ✓ There is massive joy in heaven when one sinner repents.