During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide, Student Page, Family Connection Card, and other resources can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6
The Lord is your Shepherd. As you follow Him, you learn to hear His voice. In times of trouble, God can speak to your heart and bring comfort. God can speak to your heart through the Bible, through other people, through prayer, or through a song. There are many ways His voice can speak to you.
Take a moment to think about the promise offered to you at the end of Psalm 23. You will live in the house of the Lord forever! The next time you are afraid, the next time you have a difficult decision to make, rest in the comfort of knowing that you will live in the house of the Lord. Pray and ask God to help you make the right choice because you are His child. His goodness and love are with you!
Encourage families to talk about how God helps them to make good choices and do things that are pleasing to Him. Encourage families to continue reading Psalm 23 each night before the children go to sleep.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Welcome the children. As they enter, have the first half of the children hold hands in a circle at the front of the space. Ask them to create a small opening in the circle that is about 1 meter wide. Ask the other children to sit down facing the front of the space.
Let’s play a game. The children standing up here with me have made a sheep pen. A pen is the place where sheep stay. This open space is the gate. This is the space where the sheep must enter the sheep pen. Inside the pen, there is protection. Wandering around outside of the pen can be dangerous for the sheep.
Stand in the open space in the circle. Then ask the children sitting down to stand.
I am inside the sheep pen. I will pretend to be the shepherd. You all are the sheep. As your shepherd, I want to protect you. I will use my voice to lead you to the gate where I am standing and into the sheep pen. To make it more challenging, those of you outside the pen will close your eyes! I will call to you like this: “Sheep.” You will need to listen and move toward me. Use the sound of my voice to figure out where I am.
Ask the children to close their eyes, then begin calling out to them. Keep repeating “Sheep” until all of the children have found you. When a child comes to the gate, invite him to open his eyes and enter the pen.
Now everyone is safe!
In the game you just played, the shepherd was giving directions to the sheep. The sheep listened to the shepherd to find the gate. Inside the gate, they were safe. The sheep want to follow the shepherd wherever he goes because they know he will take care of them. They know his voice and only trust him. Listen to the last verse of Psalm 23.
Read this verse directly from your Bible.
I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6
The last time we met, you learned that you can trust God to lead you through difficult situations and help you with your fears. This verse tells us that God’s goodness and love will be with us always. It also says that we can live in God’s house forever.
Where do you think “the house of the Lord” is?
Allow 2–3 children to respond.
“The house of the Lord” is where God lives. This is what we call heaven. When our earthly bodies die, we can live with God in heaven. The Bible tells us how Jesus created a way for us to come back to God and live with Him in heaven.
In the Bible, Jesus explains how He has created a way for people to return to their Father in heaven. Listen to His words:
I’m like a gate. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out. And they will find plenty of food.
John 10:9
When Jesus died on the cross, He opened the gate to heaven. Like a shepherd, He leads His flock of sheep to the gate. Think about the game we played when you first came to class.
Allow 1–2 children to answer each of the following questions.
What did the pen offer the sheep?
How did the sheep find their way into the pen?
The pen offered protection for the sheep! The shepherd used his voice to help the sheep find that protection.
When we live in ways that are true, when we do things that honour God, we walk on the path Jesus created for His sheep. How can we know if we are following the way of Jesus? Listen to what He tells us about how we can follow His ways and not the ways of others
The gatekeeper opens the gate for [the shepherd]. The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes on ahead of them. His sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice.
John 10:3–5
Knowing what God wants and learning to recognize His voice are very important. When you know what God wants and listen only to Him, you will be less likely to do things God would not want you to do.
How do you know when you do something God would want you to do?
It follows what the Bible says. It is something that helps people. It is kind. It shows love to others.
How do you know when you do something God would not want you to do?
It does not follow what the Bible says. It hurts others. It is mean and hateful.
Psalm 23 tells us that the Lord is your Shepherd. He will help you to act in goodness and love. Listen to this verse:
I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6
You begin to understand God’s goodness and love as you follow the voice of your Shepherd, Jesus. Knowing your Shepherd is good. It can bring comfort to you, even if there are bad things happening. Knowing the love of your Shepherd, Jesus, in happy times and in sad times is a comfort to you. When you believe in Him and when you believe Jesus died for you, Jesus opens the gate to heaven for you.
Let’s say all of Psalm 23 together. After each thought, I will pause to give you time to repeat it.
The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need. He lets me lie down in fields of green grass. He leads me beside quiet waters. He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths for the honor of his name. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. You are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff comfort me. You prepare a feast for me right in front of my enemies. You pour oil on my head. My cup runs over. I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
Help the children line up along 1 side of the teaching space. Ask them to turn so that they are standing side by side.
Jesus explained why sheep follow their shepherd and not people they do not know.
When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes on ahead of them. His sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice.
John 10:4–5
Stand on the opposite side of the teaching space as the children. If you have a large space, stand so that you are about 7 good-sized steps away from the children.
Let’s play a game to help us listen to God’s voice. I will read some situations. If you hear something that leads you on a right path, take 2 steps forward. If you hear something that leads you on a wrong path, take 1 step back. When you reach me, you can sit down and rest.
Say the following statements. Stop reading when all of the children have reached you. If you notice children moving forward for statements that do not lead on a right path, stop and ask, “Are you sure that is the right thing to do?”
The Bible shows us how God is a Shepherd. When we listen to what God wants us to do, He helps us to make good choices.
What are some ways you can follow God?
Allow 2–3 children to respond.
Ask the children to respond together to the following questions.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, allow the children to cut or tear out the sheep at the bottom of the page. Then give them 2 minutes to pray and put their sheep in the pen.
Remember, the Lord is like a shepherd to those who believe in Him.
If you are using the Memory Verse Poster, show it to the students.
The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need.
Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd—Hold your hands in front of you, and then clap as you raise them up over your head.
End class by saying this blessing, based on Psalm 23:6, over the children.
Blessing: May you come to know Jesus as the Good Shepherd. May you know His goodness and love every day as you follow Him.
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song, if possible.
Life on Life ©2020 David C Cook. Reproducible for home or classroom use only. All other uses require written permission from David C Cook [email protected]. All rights reserved.
