The Shepherd's Goodbye That Never Ended

Jesus didn't really leave , he spread his blessing over the whole world so he could be with every one of us, always, even tonight.

Tonight's story is inspired by Matthew 28:16-20, the Gospel reading for May 17, 2026.

About Baa Baa Bible: Bible-inspired bedtime stories for children ages 3-10. In every story, Jesus is the gentle Good Shepherd, teaching us the lessons of today's Bible reading. All the other characters are lambs and sheep, a warm reminder that we are all part of his flock. 

Transcript

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Good evening, little lambs. Tonight's story is called The Shepherd's Goodbye That Never Ended, inspired by the Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty eight, verses sixteen through twenty. Tonight, the Bible tells us about a goodbye that wasn't really a goodbye at all. When Jesus went up the mountain, he didn't leave us behind. He spread his blessing out over the whole wide world, so he could stay close to every one of us, always, even tonight. So let's climb up to Shepherd's Hill, where Clover is looking up at a tall mountain, wondering if love can really stay when someone has to go. The sun was just beginning to paint the sky gold when Clover looked up at the mountain ahead of them. It was tall, very tall. Are you sure this is the right one? she asked, her little blue scarf fluttering in the morning breeze. The clover sprig tucked behind her left ear trembled just slightly. Biscuit bounded ahead, her golden brown tuft of wool sticking straight up on top of her head like always. Of course it is. He told us to meet him here. The shepherd never gets his mountains wrong. Old Wooly walked steadily beside them, his silver fleece glowing soft in the early light. He kept every promise before, he said quietly, in that warm voice that felt like sitting close to a fire. He will keep this one too. And so they climbed, clover and biscuit and old woolly, and quiet Matt with his dark wool, and little Pip, the newest and smallest lamb in the flock. Pip had to take two steps for every one of theirs. She had heard about the shepherd, of course, but she had never quite been sure what to believe. She hoped with all her tiny heart that he would be real. Up and up they went, until the meadows spread wide below them, and the sky felt close enough to touch. And then he was there. Jesus, he stood in the morning light just as he always had, warm and steady, and smiling at them as if they were the most wonderful sight in the whole world. The lambs bowed their heads low into the grass. Even bold, bouncy biscuit went very still. But Clover noticed something. Beside her little Pip had stopped. The tiny lamb's feet were rooted to the ground. Her ears were flat against her wool, and there were tears in her eyes. What if I'm not sure? Pip whispered. What if I believe but also I'm scared, and I'm not sure all the way? Clover knew that feeling. She had felt it herself more times than she could count. She pressed close to Pip's side and didn't say a word. Together they stood somewhere between sure and not sure, and Jesus walked right toward them. He did not walk past them to reach the confident ones. He did not go only to Old Wooly or Brave Biscuit. He came to the whole flock, to every single lamb, and he looked each of them in the eyes, one by one. I have something to tell you, he said, and his voice was quiet and wonderful, and it filled the whole mountain top all at once. I am the king of everything. He spread his arms wide, of the sky and the stars, of the deep oceans and the far mountains, of every land you can see from up here and every land you cannot. All of it is mine, and so all of it is safe. Pip's ears lifted just a little. I have a job for you, Jesus continued, and his eyes were bright and kind. Not for one of you, for all of you. Go, go to every meadow and every hillside and every faraway field, and tell the other lambs about me. Tell them that they are loved. Be kind in my name. Welcome them into the great family of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Biscuit's golden tuft quivered with excitement. Even quiet Matt stood a little straighter. But said Clover, and then stopped herself. Yes, said Jesus, and he was already looking right at her. If you give us this job, she swallowed, does that mean you're going away? Jesus smiled the most gentle smile she had ever seen. He reached out and placed a hand softly on top of her head, right beside the little clover sprig she always wore. She felt the sprig straighten up, bright and green. I am going somewhere you cannot see yet, he said. I am going to my throne, the place where I have always belonged, where I can be with every lamb everywhere, all at once, not just here on this mountain. His eyes swept across the whole flock. Everywhere, every meadow, every dark night, every moment when you feel small and afraid. Then he did something the lambs would never ever forget. He stretched his arms wide, wider than the mountain it seemed, wide open, like the biggest and warmest embrace in the world. And he rose, slowly, gently, the way the sun moves across the morning sky. His arms stayed open, his face stayed turned toward them. He rose and rose, surrounded by the most beautiful golden light, and he went, not away from them, but somehow impossibly closer to them, as if he was spreading himself over the whole wide world so that every corner of it could be held inside his blessing. Little Pip stood with her mouth open. His arms, she breathed. They're still open. Yes, said Old Wooly softly, and his old voice was full of wonder. He left while blessing us, and he has never stopped. For a long moment the whole flock stood still on the mountain top. The wind moved gently through the grass, the sky was enormous and blazing with light. Then Biscuit turned around. Her golden tuft caught the sun. Her eyes were shining like two little stars. Well, she said cheerfully, we have work to do. And that was true, the most wonderful work in the world. Clover looked at Pip. Pip looked at Clover, and for the first time since they had started up the mountain, the smallest lamb smiled, a small, wobbly, real smile. Come on, little one, said Clover, tucking the clover sprig more firmly behind her ear. The shepherd is with us always, even when we can't see him, even when we're not sure all the way, even all the way to bedtime, even all the way to tomorrow. And hand in tiny hoof, they walked back down the mountain together, ready to tell everyone they met that they were loved. Dear Jesus, you are the king of everything, the sky, the stars, and me. Thank you for promising to always be near. Even tonight, when I close my eyes, you are here. Help me be kind and brave tomorrow, and help me tell someone that they are loved. Amen. Good night, little lamb. God loves you so much. Sweet dreams.