Story 34
The Lost Sheep
Luke 15:1–7
Many people whom others looked down on came to listen to Jesus. Some leaders grumbled because Jesus welcomed them and even ate with them. So Jesus told them a story about a shepherd.
The shepherd had a hundred sheep. One day, one of them went missing. The shepherd did not say, "It is only one." He left the ninety-nine and went looking for the lost sheep until he found it. Full of joy, he carried it home on his shoulders. He called his friends and neighbours together and said, "Celebrate with me, I have found my lost sheep!" Jesus said that in the same way there is great joy in heaven when one person comes back to God. Every single one matters.
Children learn: Children learn that each one of them is precious to God, who looks for us and cares for us.