The Lost Sheep
Luke 15:3-7
Our true story comes from a part of the Bible called the Gospel of Luke. Luke loved Jesus and wanted others to know and love Jesus, too. And the word gospel means “good news!”
Jesus sometimes taught people using special teaching stories called parables.
Here is one of the stories Jesus told to teach us something very important. And this story starts with a shepherd. Do you know what a shepherd does? Do you think a shepherd is responsible for taking care of dogs?
No? Okay, what about birds? Does a shepherd take care of birds?
Nope. A shepherd takes care of...sheep!
So, Jesus said to pretend you're a shepherd and you have 100 sheep, but instead of 100 sheep, you only counted 99? Like this: Ninety-five, ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine . . . oh, no! There are only 99 sheep!
Where’s number 100? Where’s the last sheep? Oh no, it’s lost! What should the shepherd do? Should he stay with the 99 sheep he has or find the missing one?
Well, Jesus said the shepherd loved all his sheep, Each ONE mattered to him. So the shepherd went out to find the one missing sheep. He looked and he looked and he finally found that lost sheep!
The shepherd was so happy to find his sheep that he picked it right up, put it on his shoulders, and carried it all the way home. Yay, the lost sheep is found!
Jesus told this story to teach us something very important. YOU matter to God. Yes, YOU are important to God. If you were a lost sheep, God would go out and look for you. And when He found you, He would be SO happy that He would celebrate. You are important to God.
Bible Paraphrase: The crowds were amazed at his teaching. —Matthew 7:28, NIV
Text Truth: Jesus teaches us that we are important to God.
Family Devotional
Then Jesus told them this parable: “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? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 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 15:3-7
Our Bible story was about another story Jesus told. In this story, there was a shepherd who had lost one sheep. Did the shepherd say, "I have enough sheep. Who cares about one lost sheep?", OR did the shepherd leave all of his sheep to look for his one lost sheep? The shepherd cared about ALL of his sheep, so he looked for his lost sheep. What did the shepherd do when he found his lost sheep? The shepherd was SO happy that he told all of his friends! Jesus told this story so we can know that we are important to God.
The crowds were amazed at his teaching. —Matthew 7:28, NIV
Even one sheep was important to the shepherd. So, with your family, make a list of things that are important to you. Maybe it’s your favorite blanket or toy, a special book or someone you live with. It can be anything or anyone that is important to you.
Pray with your family. Allow any family members to pray if they wish. In your own words, say, “Dear God, we have things and people that are important to us, like (read the list the your family made). All of these things and people are very important. That’s why it’s so special that we’re important to You! (Name each family member) . . . and I are all important to You. Thank You for loving us and thinking we are important. Help us treat everyone like they are important, too. We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
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