How could the Father tell the world of love and How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?tenderness?

He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.holiness.

How could the Father show the world the How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?pathway we should go?

He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.we may know.

How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?of death?

He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.breath.

What does the Father ask of us? What do the What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?scriptures say?

Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way.others on their way.

What does he ask? Live like his Son.What does he ask? Live like his Son.

Words:Words: Mabel Jones Gabbott, b. 1910 Mabel Jones Gabbott, b. 1910 Music:Music: Michael Finlinson Moody, b. 1941 © 1982 by Mabel Michael Finlinson Moody, b. 1941 © 1982 by Mabel Jones Gabbott and Michael Finlinson Moody. Arr. © 1989 IRIJones Gabbott and Michael Finlinson Moody. Arr. © 1989 IRIThis song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.

Enr. Act. 7

• I am going to I am going to tell you about tell you about responsibilities responsibilities a certain person a certain person has. has.

• I will give the clues one at a I will give the clues one at a time to what this person time to what this person does. does.

• When you think When you think you know what you know what this person this person does, does, you you should should come to come to the front of the the front of the roomroom and and whisper the whisper the answer to me. answer to me.

• If you are If you are correct,correct, you you should should remain remain standing. standing.

• If you are If you are wrong, wrong, you should you should sit sit down and listen down and listen for more clues. for more clues.

• I work outdoors.I work outdoors.

• I am very concerned I am very concerned about those in my care.about those in my care.

• I sometimes have to I sometimes have to fight off wild animals fight off wild animals or thieves.or thieves.

• I must be very watchful.I must be very watchful.

• I must protect the young.I must protect the young.

????

• I must search for I must search for those that are lost.those that are lost.

• Those I watch know Those I watch know my voice and follow my voice and follow me.me.

• I search for good pastures I search for good pastures and clean water for those in and clean water for those in my care.my care.

????

• Angels announced the Angels announced the birth of Jesus Christ to birth of Jesus Christ to some people who have some people who have these responsibilities.these responsibilities.

• I watch over sheep.I watch over sheep.????

• During the lesson we During the lesson we are going to learn are going to learn about the Good about the Good Shepherd, who is Shepherd, who is Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.??

““Lesson 23: The Good Lesson 23: The Good Shepherd,” Shepherd,” Primary 7: New Primary 7: New

Testament, Testament, 7575

• The shepherd The shepherd symbolizes symbolizes Jesus’ Jesus’ relationship with relationship with His followers His followers because good because good shepherds were shepherds were devoted to their devoted to their sheep. sheep.

• In biblical In biblical times, flocks times, flocks were driven were driven into a into a sheepfold at sheepfold at night. night.

• A sheepfold has high walls A sheepfold has high walls topped with thorns or sharpened topped with thorns or sharpened branches to prevent wolves from branches to prevent wolves from leaping in.leaping in.

• Each Each shepherd shepherd took a turn took a turn guarding the guarding the sheep by sheep by lying across lying across the open the open entrance. entrance.

• They literally became the They literally became the gate or door gate or door ((John 10:7, 9). ).

• If a wild animal If a wild animal managed to managed to leap over the leap over the walls, the walls, the shepherd would shepherd would give his life if give his life if necessary to necessary to protect the protect the sheep. sheep.

• When the When the shepherds called shepherds called their flocks in the their flocks in the morning, each morning, each sheep recognized sheep recognized its master’s call. its master’s call.

• For a sheep to be kept safe, it For a sheep to be kept safe, it had to follow its master closely had to follow its master closely as he led it to good pasture.as he led it to good pasture.

• A shepherd A shepherd takes care of takes care of sheep. sheep. • He helps them He helps them

find food and find food and water. water.

• He does not let them get hurt He does not let them get hurt or lost. or lost.

• He knows He knows them and them and loves them loves them and would and would give his life to give his life to save them.save them.

• Jesus Christ called Himself Jesus Christ called Himself the Good Shepherd. the Good Shepherd.

• He is our shepherd. We are He is our shepherd. We are His sheep. He loves us. His sheep. He loves us.

• He helps us learn the truth. He helps us learn the truth. • He teaches us how He teaches us how

to live so we can to live so we can return to Heavenly return to Heavenly Father. Father. • He gave His life for He gave His life for

us.us.

• The Savior The Savior told the told the people in people in Jerusalem that Jerusalem that He had other He had other sheep. sheep.

• He said He would visit these He said He would visit these other sheep. The people did other sheep. The people did not understand.not understand.

• After Jesus was After Jesus was resurrected, He resurrected, He visited His sheep visited His sheep in the Americas.in the Americas.• The Book of The Book of

Mormon tells about Mormon tells about His visit there. His visit there. • Jesus stayed many days, Jesus stayed many days,

healing the sick and blessing healing the sick and blessing the people. the people.

• He gave them He gave them the priesthood the priesthood and organized and organized His Church. His Church. • Jesus taught the same Jesus taught the same things to these people things to these people that He had taught to that He had taught to the people in the people in Jerusalem.Jerusalem.

• Why do the sheep follow Why do the sheep follow their shepherd? their shepherd?

• Let’s read Let’s read John 10:4• What do you think it What do you think it

means to “know His means to “know His voice”? voice”?

• Whose voice do we need Whose voice do we need to know? to know?

• How can we come to How can we come to know the Savior’s voice?know the Savior’s voice?

• Who are spiritual Who are spiritual thieves and robbers thieves and robbers today? today?

• Let’s read Let’s read John 10:1; Joseph Smith ; Joseph Smith Translation, John Translation, John 10:810:8• Think of people or things Think of people or things that might influence you to that might influence you to turn away from your turn away from your shepherd, who is Jesus.shepherd, who is Jesus.

• Why weren’t the sheep Why weren’t the sheep led astray by “thieves led astray by “thieves and robbers”? and robbers”?

• Let’s read Let’s read John 10:8• How can we protect How can we protect

ourselves from evil ourselves from evil influences? influences? • Who else can help Who else can help

protect us from these protect us from these influences? influences?

• How is Jesus the How is Jesus the Good Shepherd? Good Shepherd?

• Let’s read Let’s read John 10:9–11

• How does knowing that How does knowing that Jesus is the Good Jesus is the Good Shepherd help us follow Shepherd help us follow Him?Him?

• If Jesus is the If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, Good Shepherd, what are we? what are we?

• How does the Good How does the Good Shepherd show His love Shepherd show His love for His sheep?for His sheep?

• Let’s read Let’s read John 10:11• From whom did Jesus From whom did Jesus

receive the power to lay receive the power to lay down His life and take it down His life and take it up again? up again? • Let’s read Let’s read John 10:17–18

• He could take He could take up His life up His life again because again because His father, His father, Heavenly Heavenly Father, was Father, was immortal.immortal.

• Jesus was able to Jesus was able to die because His die because His mother was mother was mortal. mortal.

• What does it mean to us that What does it mean to us that “the good shepherd giveth His “the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep”? life for the sheep”?

• Let’s read Let’s read John 10:11• How does Jesus’ How does Jesus’

sacrifice make it sacrifice make it possible for us to live possible for us to live with Him and Heavenly with Him and Heavenly Father again?Father again?

• One way Jesus Christ is One way Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd is the Good Shepherd is because He voluntarily because He voluntarily suffered for our sins and suffered for our sins and gave His life for us. gave His life for us. • Therefore, we all will be Therefore, we all will be

resurrected and we all resurrected and we all can repent, be baptized, can repent, be baptized, and be forgiven for our and be forgiven for our sins.sins.

We are going to learn We are going to learn another story that another story that

shows a way the Good shows a way the Good Shepherd cares for His Shepherd cares for His

sheep. sheep.

• Jesus was Jesus was going to going to Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Along the way Along the way some people some people wanted Jesus wanted Jesus to bless their to bless their children. children. • The disciples told the The disciples told the

people not to bother people not to bother Jesus.Jesus.

• But Jesus Christ loves But Jesus Christ loves children. children. • He told the disciples to He told the disciples to

let the children come to let the children come to Him. Him.

• Jesus also told the Jesus also told the disciples that they disciples that they should be like little should be like little children. children. • Then Then

they they could could live live with with God in God in heaven.heaven.

• Why did Why did Jesus’ Jesus’ disciples try disciples try to send the to send the children children away? away? (Joseph (Joseph Smith Smith Translation, Translation, Matthew Matthew 19:13.) 19:13.)

• What did What did Jesus say Jesus say when His when His disciples disciples tried to tried to send the send the children children away? away? • Let’s read Let’s read

Mark 10:14

• What What did He did He do for do for the the childrenchildren? ? • Let’s Let’s read read

Mark 10:16

• How do you think you How do you think you would have felt if you would have felt if you had been one of those had been one of those children? children?

• How How does does knowinknowing that g that Jesus Jesus loves us loves us make it make it easier easier to to follow follow Him?Him?

• Jesus said Jesus said that we that we need to need to “become as “become as a little a little child” if we child” if we want to want to enter the enter the kingdom of kingdom of God. God.

• Let’s read Let’s read Mark 10:15; ; Mosiah 3:19; ; 3 Nephi 11:37–38• What do What do

you think it you think it means to means to “become as “become as a little a little child”? child”?

• What do What do you think you think you need you need to be like to be like to enter to enter the the kingdom kingdom of heaven? of heaven?

• Why does Jesus want us Why does Jesus want us to enter the kingdom of to enter the kingdom of heaven?heaven?

• I have a piece of I have a piece of string for each of string for each of you. you.

Enr. Act. 1

• One end should be at One end should be at your feet and the other your feet and the other end should point away end should point away from you. from you.

• Lay your Lay your pieces of pieces of string on the string on the floor in front of floor in front of you. you.

• Try to push the Try to push the string away from string away from you. you.

Enr. Act. 1

• This experiment shows This experiment shows how shepherds lead how shepherds lead their sheep. their sheep.

• Now, try to Now, try to pull the string pull the string toward you. toward you.

• Let’s Let’s read read John 10:4

Enr. Act. 1

• In Israel, the In Israel, the shepherds shepherds lead their lead their sheep by sheep by walking in walking in front of front of them. them. • In some In some

other other countries, countries, shepherds shepherds drive the drive the sheep. sheep.

Enr. Act. 1

• Jesus, as Jesus, as our Good our Good Shepherd, Shepherd, leads the leads the way and way and asks us to asks us to follow follow Him.Him.

• Let’s read and discuss Let’s read and discuss Psalm 23..

Enr. Act. 2

• Divide into small groups. Divide into small groups. • Think of ways Jesus has Think of ways Jesus has

shown and continues to shown and continues to show His love for us.show His love for us.• How do these things How do these things

help us know that Jesus help us know that Jesus loves us?loves us?

Enr. Act. 3

• Let’s read Let’s read and and discuss discuss the the account account of Jesus of Jesus blessing blessing the the Nephite Nephite children (children (3 Nephi 17:12–13, 21–24).).

Enr. Act. 4

• Let’s review the Let’s review the first three articles first three articles of faith:of faith:

1. We believe in 1. We believe in God, the Eternal God, the Eternal Father, and in His Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy and in the Holy Ghost.Ghost.

Enr. Act. 5

• Let’s review the Let’s review the first three articles first three articles of faith:of faith:

2. We believe that 2. We believe that men will be men will be punished for their punished for their own sins, and not own sins, and not for Adam’s for Adam’s transgression.transgression.

Enr. Act. 5

• Let’s review the Let’s review the first three articles first three articles of faith:of faith:

3. We believe that 3. We believe that through the through the Atonement of Christ, Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be all mankind may be saved, by obedience saved, by obedience to the laws and to the laws and ordinances of the ordinances of the Gospel.Gospel.

Enr. Act. 5

Enr. Act. 6

• Let’s Let’s memorize memorize John 10:11::• I am the I am the good good shepherd: shepherd: the good the good shepherd shepherd giveth His giveth His life for the life for the sheep.sheep.

• I bear testimony that I bear testimony that Jesus loves each one Jesus loves each one of us and wants us to of us and wants us to follow Him.follow Him.

• I know this from experience in my I know this from experience in my own life and have felt Jesus’ love. own life and have felt Jesus’ love. • I know I have been blessed for I know I have been blessed for

following Him.following Him.