Teenage Sunday School on Jesus as the Good Shepherd

It has been awhile since I posted any individual Sunday school lessons. This one in particular worked well with a class that is currently a mix of young teens and late pre-teens.This lesson is designed for Good Shepherd Sunday, but could be used at any time.

Opener: Game

Explain that the class will start with a game. Everyone will close their eyes. The teacher will move around the room quietly, and touch someone on the shoulder. That person will say "Good morning" (or choose any phrase that seems good), and the other students will raise their hands if they know whose voice it was. The teacher will call on someone who raised a hand to see if they can correctly identify whose voice they heard. The first time the teacher taps your shoulder you must use your own natural voice. After that, you may try to fool your classmates with other voices. (Do one example with everyone's eyes open to start the game.)

First Bible reading

Read John 10:1-5.

Ask the class to explain how that is like our game of recognizing voices. 

Recognizing Jesus' Voice

Explain that you are going to read a series of sayings, and most of them are things that Jesus said, but one is not. After each saying, the class should raise their hands if they think the words are from Jesus, and not raise their hands if they think someone else said the words.

Sample sayings:

"Love one another as I have loved you." (Jesus, though you don't tell the class that until they have raised their hands or not)

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (Jesus)

"If the scholar is not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid." (Confucius)

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Jesus)

Second Bible reading: Good Shepherd

Jesus calls himself the shepherd, and calls us his sheep. Have the class read Psalm 23 and tell them in advance they should look at what Jesus was saying when he called himself our shepherd. Work with the class on their understanding of Jesus as the one who restores our souls, provides for us even when we have enemies around us, guides us in the right way, and takes us safely through death.