Lesson 8

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

Objective:  To understand how the Lord is our Shepherd.

Visual aid:  A cane to look like a shepherd’s staff or a toy sheep.

Lesson ideas:

* Some shepherds lead their sheep in front of the herd and some go behind and push them along.  Our shepherd, Jesus, always led through his example.

* Jesus knows his sheep and looks after them. He knows that a good shepherd with hundred sheep if he loses one would go after it. (Luke 15: 4)

* A good shepherd will nourish his sheep.  That’s why he said to Peter, “If thou lovest me feed my sheep.” (John 21: 15)

* Tender shepherd: Jesus was kind and loving giving his time and care to us.

* Jesus talks about other sheep I have which are not of this fold (John 10: 16)

* Protects the sheep:  A real shepherd watches the sheep guarding against wolves or other harmful things to the sheep. The hireling often will run from danger. Our good shepherd wants to protect us so he has given us commandments to be a help and a protection for us.

* Story from November 1989 Ensign by Jane B Malan.  Sister Malan and her brother were trying to feed about 350 small lambs whose mothers had died.  The sheep were dying in spite of their valiant effort to save them.   She asked her father “Isn’t there someone who can help us feed our lambs?  Her father said a long time ago someone else said almost those same words.  Feed my lambs…Feed my sheep

* Something important about, feed my sheep, there are times that is just as important to literally feed his sheep with food as it is with spirituality.  For when people are hungry it is hard to accept spiritual food.

Scriptures:

Bible                                                                                        

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd                                      

John 10:4 sheep follow him                                                    

John 10:16 other sheep I have which are not             

Luke 15:4 having a hundred sheep if lose one

                        

LDS Scriptures 

Alma 5: 38 good shepherd doth call

Alma 5:57 follow voice of shepherd

D&C 112:14 feed my sheep

3 Nephi 15:17 other sheep I have which are not

Activities:

* Give every child a small stuffed toy sheep and asked them to take care of it for a week or month or year whatever is best for your family and at the end of that time ask them to bring it back so they can say they were a good shepherd.

* Follow the leader: Have someone lead the group, going around tables and chairs, or jog in place, etc.  Take turns leading.

* Follow foot prints that lead to a picture of the Savior.

* Have pictures of sheep taped under tables, chairs, and doors throughout the house for the family to find and as they bring them back talk about ways we can feed his sheep.

* Other sheep games:

     1.  A variation could be to have the sheep with a number on it. When the sheep is found, bring it back to a premade board with the numbers on the board and have the family place their sheep on the correct number.

     2.  Another variation would be to have the children hide the sheep.

     3.  Hot and cold.  This time hide the sheep and play hot and cold.  As they get closer to the sheep say hotter as they go away from the sheep say colder.

* Pin the tail on the donkey but this time use a sheep.

* Poem: “Bab Baa Black Sheep have you any wool?”  Showing how the sheep is willing to share his wool.  Show ways we can be a tender shepherd this week by giving our time and talents to others, like inviting a friend to come with you to church or offering to make a dessert.

* Bring out several articles of clothing that protect like boots, gloves, goggles, etc.  Then ask how they protect us.  Just like these articles of clothing protect us so do following the commandments.

* Remember that doing our visiting teaching and home teaching is also a form of feeding the sheep.

* Lamb Stickers:  At Easter time it is easy to find lamb sticker or stamps that can be placed on the boiled egg.  Lambs also represent new life.

* With a lamb cookie cutter, you can cut out a lamb on play dough, clay, or cookies.

* Jesus name game. (Found in lesson one)

Songs: 

Hymns                                                                         

# 108 The Lord is My Shepherd                                  

# 221 Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd                  

# 223 Have I Done Any Good?                                    

Children’s Songbook

# 58a Little Lambs So White and Fair

# 276 Do As I’m Doing.

# 58b Jesus Is Our Loving Friend

Treat:

Candy Cane looks like shepherds staff