This is a great story for all ages to help them understand the importance of trying to find that one person who needs to come to Jesus.
The parable begins when the church leaders start to talk bad about Jesus. Why were they talking bad about him?
Jesus was eating and talking with sinners (which we all are) and tax collectors. Tax collectors were hated during this time because many of them took more money from the people than they were suppose to.
The point of this Sunday school lesson and this parable is to help the kids understand the importance of bringing people to Christ. If we don't tell people about Jesus, who will?
Just as Jesus' disciples spread the word of God, we too should tell as many people about him as we can.
This Sunday school lesson can be found in Luke 15: 1-7 KJV.
You can start your lesson by having the kids turn to the verses in the bible. If they are old enough, let them read along with you. It is good practice to show the kids that the bible stories you teach are found in the bible and where.
Parable of Jesus - One Lost Sheep
Jesus told this parable to the church leaders who were saying bad things about him spending time with the sinners and tax collectors.
The parable of Jesus began with a question to the leaders. It went like this...
If you had 100 sheep and one got lost, which one of you wouldn't leave the 99 sheep and go out to look and find the one lost sheep?
When you find the lost sheep, wouldn't you put it on your shoulders and rejoice (be happy) because you found it?
Then, when you got back home, wouldn't you call all your neighbors and friends and say, "Rejoice, with me. I have found my one lost sheep?"
Just as you would be happy about your one lost sheep, all of heaven will rejoice when one sinner turns to God (repents)? They will be more happy that the one comes to God than 99 people who do not need to repent.
You see, Jesus wants us to go looking for that one lost sheep.
Of course, this doesn't mean that we are to go buy a bunch of sheep and wait until one gets lost so we can find it.
In the bible, the Lord is called the Shepherd and we (people) are the sheep.
Psalm 23
The Lord is our shepherd; I shall not want.
For very small children, have them learn the first part of this verse. For older kids, have them learn the whole verse and discuss what it means to 'not want' (more on that below).
If you are teaching teens, have them learn the whole 23 Psalm. Maybe even offer them a prize for whoever can recite it the following week. It doesn't have to be a big prize - a bag of chips, a pack of gum, a sucker or even a book mark.
Not only does this verse give us the assurance that the Lord being our shepherd will find us if we are lost, it shows us that he will provide. We do not need to want things. He will give us what we need.
As part of his flock, we are to search for those people (or sheep) who do not know him as their savior. We are to tell them how much Jesus loves them and wants to be a part of their lives.
What We've Learned
From this parable of Jesus, we learn that we are to go looking for that lost sheep, or friend that doesn't now about him.
We can pray for them. We can invite them to church or Sunday school. If your parents can, how about picking them up and bringing them with you. Maybe their parents will start coming if their children do.
If you have youth meeting or VBS, invite them to that as well.
This week, tell the kids it is their job to be a shepherd and look for one lost sheep to tell about Jesus or invite to church. As a Sunday school teacher, do the same. It's not good enough to tell the kids what they should do. We have to set the example and invite someone too.
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