You Gave Me Food (Sheep and Goats 3)

The third lesson on the parable of the sheep and the goats issues the call to action and teaches students about work the church is already doing. I used collecting food and money for a food bank but you should change it to whatever ongoing project with which your community is involved. Keep in mind that the project should tie in with the needs discussed in the story.

Things to know about this lesson:

• As with the previous lesson on this story, be aware of the possibility that some of your students may be clients as well as or instead of donors. Adjust as necessary to ensure a safe space for everyone.
• You need to have prearranged a place to prominently display your sign. It would also be wonderful to have it presented to the congregation during a service.

You Gave Me Food

Materials

• mural paper
• crayons/markers/pencil crayons

Open with prayer. (see tip sheet)

Introduce the Story

Who can tell me what a food bank is?

Did you know that our church collects food and money to give to the food bank in our town?

Do you know where we collect the food? (e.g. in the box at the back of the church) Have you ever brought food to give?

Why do you think the church helps the food bank?

We are going to read a story that Jesus told his followers about how they should live and why they should do things like help food banks.

Read the Story

When the Son of Man comes in glory with all the angels, he will sit on the throne and be the king of the whole world. All the people in the world will be gathered in front of him, and he will sort the people into two groups just like a shepherd sorts the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the king will say to the people at his right hand,

“You are blessed by my Father. Come into the wonderful kingdom that God has prepared for you because when I was hungry, you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.”

Then these good and happy people will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?”

The king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, whenever you did it to anyone, even unimportant people, you did it to me because they are all members of my family.”

(Matthew 25:31-40)

Discussion

Who do you think the king was in the story? (Jesus)

And who was the king’s Father? (God)

What were the things that the good people did?

Help the students name all six good works. If necessary, you can identify the needs and get the students to name the remedies. If enough of the students were present for With Actions, invite them to do the actions.

In Jesus’ story, the king said that the people had helped him. What did he say when they asked when they had seen him in need? (helping others is helping him)

Why do you think Jesus told his followers this story? (to get them to do these good things)

What do you think Jesus wants us to do? (the good things)

One way we can do those things is by working together with other organizations. Do you know any organizations that help people? (food bank, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, hospital volunteers, etc.)

One thing our church does to help is collecting food and money for the food bank.

Introduce the Activity

We are going to make a big sign to remind everyone in our church that we should do as much as we can to help feed hungry people, including bringing food and money for the food bank. We’ll put it where everyone can see it.

What should be on our sign?

Food Bank Sign

Spread out the labelled mural paper and distribute colouring supplies.

Coordinate the project only as much as necessary.

Regrouping

Congratulate the group on a job well done and assure them that their sign will be prominently displayed. Encourage them to bring food or money to give to the food bank whenever they can.

Closing Prayer

Dear God, make us generous and compassionate so that we will always help people in need the way Jesus told us to. Help us remember that when we see people in need, we are also seeing Jesus. Amen.