This lesson teaches children that Jesus is our Good Shepherd, who knows each of us by name, leads us, and keeps us safe. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He knows us, takes care of us, and keeps us safe, so we can trust His voice.
Memory Verse
John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
(WEB)
Hold both arms out wide like a shepherd carrying a lamb, then gently hug yourself as you say the words. Let the children copy the motion. Repeating it together helps them remember that Jesus cares for His sheep all the way.
The Story: John 10 for Kids
Jesus told a story about sheep and a shepherd. In those days, many families kept sheep in a fold, which was a safe pen with a gate. A shepherd would come in the morning, and the gatekeeper would open the gate for him. The sheep knew his voice and came running to him.
Jesus said there were thieves who climbed over the wall instead of using the gate. They did not care about the sheep. They only wanted to steal and hurt them. But the true shepherd came through the gate, and he called each sheep by name.
Jesus said, “I am the door for the sheep.” He meant that anyone who comes to God through Him will be safe and will find good food and a place to rest. He said, “I am the good shepherd.” A good shepherd is not like a hired hand who runs away when a wolf comes. A good shepherd stays with his sheep and even gives up his life to protect them.
Some people did not understand Jesus and argued with Him. Later, He told them, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus also said that nobody can snatch His sheep out of His hand. The sheep were loved, and they were kept safe.
Read It Together
John 10:3-4
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. 4 Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
(WEB)
Point out that the shepherd calls each sheep by name and leads them out. Ask the children to notice that the sheep follow him because they know his voice. This shows that Jesus knows each of us personally.
John 10:14-15
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; 15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
(WEB)
Show how Jesus says He knows His own sheep, and they know Him, just as the Father knows Him. Explain that this kind of knowing is close and loving, not just knowing a name on a list.
John 10:27-28
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
(WEB)
Help the children see that Jesus gives eternal life to His sheep and that no one can take them from His hand. Point out that this is a promise of safety that children can hold onto.
Talk About It
- What do you think it feels like to hear your name called by someone who loves you?
- How does a good shepherd take care of his sheep, and how does Jesus take care of us?
- Why do you think the sheep knew the shepherd’s voice and not the voice of a stranger?
- What is one way you can listen for Jesus’s voice this week?
- Why is it good to know that nobody can snatch us out of Jesus’s hand?
Activity Ideas
Paper Plate Sheep Craft
You will need a paper plate, cotton balls, glue, black construction paper, and markers. Have each child glue cotton balls onto the plate for wool, then cut out a small black face and two ears to glue on. While the glue dries, talk about how the shepherd knows each sheep by name. Let the children write or draw their own name on the back of their sheep.
Follow the Shepherd Game
Choose one child to be the shepherd and have the others be sheep with eyes closed. The shepherd calls a sheep’s name, and that sheep must find the shepherd by following the voice. Play a few rounds and then talk about how Jesus calls us and we follow Him. Remind the children that they can always listen for His voice.
Take-Home Shepherd Card
You will need an index card, a pen, and a small piece of tape or a sticker. Write “Jesus is my Good Shepherd” on one side and “He knows my name” on the other. Ask each child to take the card home and place it somewhere they will see it, like a bedroom mirror or lunch box. Encourage them to read it aloud with their family during the week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage reveals that Jesus is both the door and the shepherd. He is the one who gives access to God and who cares for His people with personal knowledge and sacrificial love. The contrast with thieves and hired hands shows the difference between those who exploit and those who truly care. Adults can also see in this chapter that Jesus claims a unity with the Father, which is the reason for the controversy in the text.
With children, avoid overstating the idea that God will protect them from every hard thing in life. The passage speaks of Jesus holding His sheep securely and giving eternal life, but children may need gentle reassurance that trusting Jesus does not mean nothing bad will ever happen to them. Focus on His faithful love and presence rather than on a promise of an easy life.
A Prayer to Close
Jesus, thank You for being our Good Shepherd. Thank You for knowing each of us by name and for leading us and keeping us safe. Help us listen for Your voice and follow You every day. Amen.
