Preface for Pastors and Parents
This children’s sermon on John 10:22-30 is for the fourth Sunday of Easter in Year C. Every year the lectionary gives us a little part of John 10 on Easter 4. I think I finally figured out why. (You can see my Monday Meditation on this passage here.)
Easter 3 is always John 21:1-19, where Jesus tells Peter three times to feed his sheep. It is Peter’s call to be a pastor — a shepherd of Jesus’ flock.
Well what’s the next logical thing to talk about? (Or at least what tangentially connects on the topic of sheep and shepherds?)
John 10! It’s all about Jesus being “The Good Shepherd” and us being his sheep.
It takes three years to deal with the whole passage. This may not lead to a clear awareness of the text as a whole. Chances are nobody goes to church thinking “Hey, about a year ago the pastor preached on John 10.:1-18. I wonder what comes after that?”
Anyway, this scene continues the theme of the chapter, but it starts on a new occasion, making it easier to deal with it on its own.
In today’s passage, Jesus alludes to things from other parts of John’s Gospel. So to make it clear to kids I’ll need to make some of that explicit– hopefully without cluttering it up and making my children’s sermon on John 10:22-30 confusing. It sort of fits with this particular story, since I just retell it my own way, rather than focusing in on one key thing. You can let me know if you think it works.
A Children’s Sermon on John 10:22-30
Good morning kids! I’m so glad to see you this morning. Thanks for coming up to hear the children’s sermon.
Before I begin, let me say “Happy Easter!” Today is the fourth Sunday of Easter. We spend whole seven weeks in Easter, celebrating that after Jesus died on the cross he came back to us, alive again.
Our story from the Gospel this morning comes long before Easter. Jesus was in Jerusalem for a big celebration.
In Jerusalem
As Jesus walked around in the Temple some people who were not his disciples came up to talk with him.
“Hey Jesus,” the leader of the group said. “When is the big reveal?”
“What do you mean?” asked Jesus. “What ‘big reveal’ are you talking about?”
“Well,” someone said, “Some people think you’re the Messiah. Some people think you’re not. When are you going to tell us?”
“Yeah,” said another. “Can’t you just be clear about it?”
“Actually you guys,” Jesus said “I really have told you. I told you in my words. And I told you in my actions. You just didn’t believe me.”
Jesus’ Words
“Oh, come on,” the leader said, “When did you ever tell us whether you were the Messiah or not?”
And Jesus said, “When I was talking to a Samaritan woman by a well, she asked about the Messiah. I said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he!’ That seems pretty clear.”
“Just that one time?” someone asked. “And way up in Samaria?”
“Everyone was talking about it,” Jesus said. “Plus when I healed a blind man, I told him that I’m the one the Bible calls the ‘Son of Man.’ Then there were all the times I said God is my Father and I’m God’s Son. I’ve told you that Moses wrote about me in the Bible. And I told you I’m the Bread of Life, and I’m the Light of the world, and before Abraham was I am, and I’m the door of the sheep, and I’m the good shepherd. How many ways do I have to say it?”
Jesus’ Actions
“Okay, fine,” said the leader. “So you said all these things. I guess we forget. But what do you mean that you told us in your actions?”
“Well,” said Jesus, “first I turned big jugs of foot-washing water into wine at a wedding. Then I healed the dying son of an official in that same town without even going to his house. Then I healed a paralyzed man by the pool of Siloam. Then another time I fed a crowd of 5000 people with just fire loaves of bread.”
At this point Andrew tapped him on the shoulder and whispered something in Jesus’ ear.
“Right,” said Jesus. “And two little fish, all brought by a little boy. Then I walked on water. Then I healed a man who was born blind. Should I go on?”
“So how does that stuff prove you are the Messiah?” said the leader.
“I didn’t say anything about it proving I’m the Messiah,” Jesus said. “But those are the kind of things the Prophets said the Messiah would do. Those things testify about whether I’m the Messiah or not.”
Sheep and their Shepherd.
“Look,” said Jesus, “I can see you don’t believe I’m the Messiah. That’s okay. It just means you aren’t my sheep.”
“We aren’t sheep at all,” said the leader. “We’re people.”
“It’s a word picture,” said Jesus. “I told you I’m the Good Shepherd. God has given me lots of people — like a whole big flock of sheep. There are more all the time.”
“So you don’t think we are your sheep?” said the leader.
“Nope,” said Jesus. “At least not yet. Since I’m the Shepherd, my sheep recognize my voice when I call. They come and follow me. I keep them safe, they belong to God and God is super strong. Nobody could ever snatch them away from my Father.”
“There you go talking about God as your father again,” they complained.
“Of course I talk about my father!” said Jesus. “My father and I love each other! We totally agree. You could just say that the Father and I are really one.”
Wondering
I wonder if any of those people who questioned Jesus ever heard the Good Shepherd’s voice and followed him?
I wonder which you like better: the things Jesus said or the things Jesus did?
I wonder if you’ve ever heard the Good Shepherd calling?
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You are, of course, free to use this children’s sermon, or adapt it as you find most useful. But, if you use it, please do one (or more!) of the following.
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