Good Shepherd Sunday: Theme Discussion
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. There are many references to shepherds in the Bible; have you ever wondered why?
In Biblical times, being a shepherd was not a glamorous job; it didn’t make you rich and it was hard, dirty work, but it was really important work. In those days people relied on sheep for many things – clothing, food, and even religious ceremonies. Sheep needed a lot of care. They needed fresh places to graze and clean water to drink. Shepherds had to take the sheep out of the villages, towns, and cities to pasture in the country. They had to move daily to find new places for the sheep to graze and drink. Sheep were very vulnerable. They didn’t have claws or sharp teeth to fight off wild animals like wolves, they couldn’t run fast, and if they were knocked down and landed on their backs, they needed help to get up. The shepherds had to lead them, protect them, and take care of them. They were often away from home for a long, long time.
So, what do you think would be the best kind of person to be a good shepherd? I think they would have to be strong to walk so far and to be able to lift a sheep. I think they would need to be brave to fight off wild predators. I think they would have to know the countryside really well so they could lead the sheep to good pastures and good water. I think they would have to know a lot about what to do if a sheep got sick or hurt. I also think they would have to really love sheep to be willing to take on such a difficult job and do it well. The owners who hired shepherds would have to have a lot of trust in them to send them off with such important and valuable animals.
So, shepherds, at least good ones, were strong, brave, knowledgeable, wise, and they really loved the flock they were entrusted with. This is a list that would also make a good leader or a good ruler, don’t you think? Today we talk about Jesus being the good shepherd. He was all of these things for the people who followed him.
1. Think about the leaders in our world. Parents, teachers, government leaders, ministers, heads of corporations and managers. Would the qualities of a good shepherd help them do their work in the same way?
2. Tell about some people you have met or that you’ve heard about that you think are “good shepherds” and what they do that makes them so.
3. Are there times when you needed to be a “good shepherd”? What skills and qualities did you need to do that?
4. A good shepherd was an image that the people in Biblical times understood. If you were going to use a different image for today, what would it be? Why?
Response Activity Ideas
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Shepherd Qualities
Print out the outline of a shepherd, or draw your own. Inside, using different coloured pencils or different writing styles, write down different qualities a good shepherd (and good leaders in any context) should have. This could be adjectives, examples of leaders who have these skills, actions they take, or whatever else helps explain your thinking. You could also cut out descriptive words from old magazines or newspapers to glue into the template.
Shepherd’s Calling
In today’s Storytime part of the service, Erin talked about how the sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd.
Here is a video of a shepherd calling for his sheep – they hear, and come from a long way off!
Here different people are trying to call the sheep. Watch the different reaction when their shepherd calls:
Think about the voices you hear around you – family, political leaders, media, faith leaders, Youtubers, etc. Who do you listen to? Who do you trust enough to follow? How do you know you’re making the right choice?
Maze
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Psalm 23 Crayon Resist Art
Read the familiar Psalm 23 which describes God being like a shepherd. How does it make you feel? What comes to mind as you hear the words?
Using white crayons or oil pastels, draw the outlines of hills and ponds, or whatever else the text makes you think of, then fill in the areas with water colour paints.
Psalm 23 – New Revised Standard Version
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.