Luke 15:1-7; God's joy over one sinner who repents (3.8.1).
📖 5 min read · 3 worked examples · 7 practice questions
It's called The Parable of the Lost Sheep. Before we start, let me ask you something. Have you ever lost something precious? Maybe your favorite toy, a book from school, or even your lunch money? How did you feel when you realized it was gone? Did you feel worried? Sad? Did you search everywhere for it? Think about that feeling for a moment. That feeling of wanting to find what you lost — that's exactly how God feels about each one of us. Just like you might search for something precious you lost, the shepherd searched for that one lost sheep. When he found it, he was so happy! Our learning goal is to understand how happy God is when even one person who has gone away from Him comes back. Just like that shepherd celebrated finding his sheep, God celebrates when we turn back to Him. Let's get ready to dive into this beautiful story. The Parable of the Lost Sheep teaches us about God's amazing love and joy for every single one of us.
Today we begin a wonderful story from the Bible. It's a parable — a simple story that teaches an important lesson. This story is found in the book of Luke, chapter 15. It's about a shepherd and his lost sheep. Let's read together: A shepherd had 100 sheep. One got lost. He left the 99 safe sheep to search for the one lost sheep. When he found it, he was so happy! Imagine this shepherd in our Kenyan countryside. He counts his sheep — 1, 2, 3... 99, 100... Oh no! Only 99! One little sheep is missing. The shepherd leaves the 99 sheep in a safe place and goes out to look for the one that is lost. He searches high and low, through fields and valleys, until he finds it. When he finds the lost sheep, he is overjoyed! He calls his friends and neighbors — 'Come celebrate with me! I found my lost sheep!' This story shows us that every person is important, and God cares for each one of us, just like the shepherd cared for that one sheep.
The meaning of this story. Jesus taught us about God's joy over one sinner who repents. Jesus said there is joy in heaven when one sinner repents. Repent means to say sorry to God and change our ways. When we do something wrong, we can say sorry, and God is happy to take us back. In Swahili we say, 'Mungu anafurahi!' — God is happy! He is not angry or sad. He celebrates when we come back to Him. That's how much He loves us. This comes from Luke 15:10 in the Bible. Jesus himself said this, so we know it is true. God's joy is real. Let's remember: every time we say sorry and do better, heaven celebrates.
Today I want to tell you a story from Nairobi. It is called 'Lost and Found'. There is a mother and her child at a very busy market. The market is full of people and noise. Suddenly, the mother turns around and the child is gone! She starts looking everywhere. She is very worried. Have you ever lost something important? After a long search, the mother finds her child! She runs to him, hugs him very tight, and thanks God. She is so happy. Imagine the joy of finding someone you love. The Bible tells us that is how God feels when we come back to Him. He is like that mother. When we say sorry and return to God, He is full of joy. His joy is like a parent's joy when they find their lost child. Always remember, God welcomes us with open arms. He is happy when we come to Him.
It's from Luke chapter 15, verse 7. Let me read it to you. This verse says: 'Joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.' That means when someone says sorry for their mistakes and turns back to God, heaven is very happy! Isn't that amazing? At the words and repeat after me: 'Joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.' Great job! Let's say it once more. This time try to remember it without looking. 'Joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.' Wonderful! This week, try to keep this verse in your heart. It reminds us how much God loves us and celebrates when we do the right thing.
Building on our story, let's look at the lost sheep. Who is the lost sheep? The lost sheep is like a person who does wrong – someone who sins. In Kenya we sometimes say 'amepotea' when someone has gone astray. It's the same idea – when we sin, we wander away from God. Here is the good news: even when we sin, God still cares for us. He does not leave us lost. The lost sheep is like each one of us when we make mistakes. God always looks for us and loves us.
Another example: The Shepherd's Search. This story helps us understand God's love. A shepherd searches for a lost sheep until he finds it. That's what God is like – He never stops loving us. Think about a herder in our village who loses a goat. He will search everywhere, even in the bush, until he finds it. That's how much God cares for each of us. I want you to think of a time when someone searched for you – maybe your parent or friend. That's just a small picture of how God loves us.
Our third worked example. This one is called 'The Joy of Finding'. It's a story about a shepherd and a lost sheep. The shepherd lost one sheep, but he did not give up. He looked until he found it. When he found it, he was so happy that he threw a party! That's what the first point tells us. God is like that shepherd. When we do wrong things and then say sorry and come back to Him, He is very happy. He celebrates because we have returned. That's what the second point says. Think about your own community. In Kenya, when someone comes back home after being away for a long time, we often have a big celebration. A homecoming party with lots of food and joy. That's how God feels when a sinner repents. He throws a party in heaven!
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