LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells a parable about a father who had two sons. The younger son made a bold and selfish request, asking his father to hand over his share of the family inheritance before the father had even died. The father granted the request, dividing the estate between his sons. The younger son quickly gathered everything he had been given and traveled far from home, where he wasted every bit of it on a reckless and self-indulgent lifestyle. When the money was gone, so were his friends. A severe famine swept through the land, leaving the young man desperate and destitute. He ended up taking the only work available to him, feeding pigs on a farm, which for a Jewish man represented the lowest possible place a person could fall. Hungry enough to consider eating what the pigs were eating, he finally stopped and took an honest look at his life.
It was in that desperate moment that the son came to his senses. He recognized the depth of his mistake and decided to return home, not expecting to be welcomed back as a son, but hoping his father might take him on as a hired worker. What he found instead was a father who had never stopped watching and waiting for him. The father saw his son coming from a distance and ran to meet him, throwing his arms around him before the son could even finish his rehearsed apology. The father celebrated his return with a robe, a ring, sandals, and a feast. The older son, who had remained faithful at home throughout, struggled with jealousy and resentment over the celebration. The father lovingly reminded him that his place and inheritance were secure, and that the return of someone who was lost is always worth celebrating. This parable gives us a picture of God as our heavenly Father, who is eager to forgive, quick to restore, and overjoyed when any of His children turn back to Him.
PLAY ROOM 8:45-9:00
Children will be dropped off in the playroom between 8:45-9:00 a.m. Allow them to play freely as they arrive. Transition them to the classroom at 9:00 a.m.
OPENING ACTIVITY 9:00-9:15 | Stinky Pig Card Game
Items Needed
Deal out the entire deck as evenly as possible among the kids. Kids take turns drawing cards from another kid in a clockwise motion, working to match pairs of cards, but beware – the Stinky Pig is lurking about, and if you end up with him, you lose! Goal: see who can avoid the Stinky Pig the longest.
Note: If your kids are mainly younger, instead of dealing the cards, set it up as a memory stryle board and let them flip over cards on their turn, trying to avoid the “Stinky Pig”. Let them know in our story today a man lived with pigs.
BIBLE STORY 9:15-9:25
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? Luke
Question 2: Is Luke in the Old Testament or the New Testament? New Testament
Object Lesson Setup: Before class, place a small handful of dry grain cereal or steel cut oats in a bowl and set it nearby but out of sight. You will reveal it during the story.
Today we are going to hear a story that Jesus told. It is called a parable. A parable is a story that teaches us something really important about God.
There was a dad who had two sons. Can you hold up two fingers? [Hold up two fingers and wait for kids to do the same]
The dad loved both of his sons. One day, the younger son came to his dad and said something that was not very kind. He said, “Dad, I want all of my money RIGHT NOW. I do not want to wait.”
The dad was sad, but he gave his son the money anyway.
The son took all of his money and went far, far, far away from home.
Let us march around the room like we are walking far away
When the son got far away, do you know what he did? He spent ALL of his money. Every single bit of it. Gone!
When all his money was gone, his friends went away, too. He had no food. He had no home. He had nothing.
The only job he could find was feeding pigs, and pigs are stinky!
What do you think it sounded like working with pigs? [Let kids make oink sounds]
He was SO hungry. He looked at the pig food and thought about eating it.
[Now pull out the bowl of dry grain cereal]
This is what grain looks like. This is the kind of stuff the pigs were eating, except it was also mixed with old leftover food. Do you think YOU would want to eat pig food? [Wait for response]
No way! That is yucky! But the son was SO hungry he thought about it.
Then, something happened inside the son’s heart. He stopped, and he thought.
[Put finger to temple like you are thinking hard] Let us think with him. Put your thinking finger on your head. [Wait for kids to do it]
He thought, “My dad has workers at home, and they have plenty of food. I have been so foolish. I need to go home.”
Then he got a little worried. Can you make a worried face? [Wait for response]
He thought, “Will my dad even want me back? I did something really wrong. Maybe dad will be too mad at me.”
Have you ever done something wrong and wondered if someone would forgive you? [Wait for response]
The son decided to go home anyway. He was going to tell his dad he was sorry.
[March feet again] Let us march home with him! March, march, march! [March together]
Now here is the BEST part. Are you ready?
While the son was still far away, the dad SAW him coming, and do you know what the dad did?
The dad RAN to his son!
[Pretend to run in place] Let us run like the dad! Run, run, run! [Run in place together]
The dad threw his arms wide open and gave his son the biggest hug!
[Stretch arms out wide and then hug yourself] Stretch your arms out wide! Now give yourself a big hug! [Do it together]
The son started to say, “Dad, I am so sorry. I do not deserve to be your son.”
But the dad said, “You are my son and I LOVE you! Welcome home!”
The dad threw a big party! There was yummy food and music and dancing!
[Wiggle and dance for a few seconds] Let us celebrate with them! Do a little dance! [Dance together]
But there was one person who was NOT happy. The older brother. He had stayed home and worked hard the whole time. When he saw the party, he crossed his arms and frowned.
[Cross arms and make a grumpy face] Can you make a grumpy face like the older brother? [Wait for response]
The dad went to the older brother and said, “I love you too. But your brother was lost, and now he is found. He was gone, and now he is home. That is worth celebrating!”
The dad loved BOTH of his sons. Just like God loves ALL of His children. That means God loves YOU.
[Point to each child one at a time]
When we do something wrong and we tell God we are sorry, He does not stay mad at us. He runs to us with His arms wide open, just like that dad did.
Can you say “God loves me”? [Wait for response]
Say it louder! [Wait for response]
Theological Questions:
- Who does the daddy in the story remind us of? Who is like that daddy in real life?
- Why did the daddy forgive his son even when the son had done something really wrong?
Life Application Questions:
- Have you ever done something wrong and felt sorry about it? What did you do?
- How does it feel to know that God loves you and will always forgive you when you tell Him you are sorry?
Prayer:
Dear God, thank You for loving us like the dad in the story loved his son. When we do wrong things and tell You we are sorry, You forgive us and welcome us home. Amen!
[Have all kids say “Amen!” together]
WORSHIP IN SONG 9:25-9:35
PRAYER 9:35-9:45
Transition kids to the floor for prayer time. Have children take turns praying out lound as they feel led.
BIBLE STORY GAME 9:45-9:55 | Pig, Pig, Son
Children sit in a circle. One child walks around the outside tapping heads and saying “pig” each time. When they tap someone and say “son,” that child jumps up and chases the tapper around the circle trying to tag them before they sit down.
BIBLE CRAFT 9:55-10:10 | Prodigal Son Story Sticker Scene
Items Needed
Retell the story of the Prodigal Son allowing kids to place the stickers on their story board.
SNACK TIME & BIBLE STORY VIDEO 10:10-10:25
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat while watching the Bible story video.
BONUS ACTIVITY | Fizzing Forgiveness Experiment
Items Needed:
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Small cups or a shallow tray
- Food coloring
- Droppers or spoons
Give each child a small pile of baking soda on a tray. Add a few drops of food coloring to cups of vinegar. Teachers and children take turns dropping vinegar onto the baking soda and watching it fizz and bubble. The teacher says, “When we tell God we are sorry, something amazing happens inside our hearts. The wrong things we did are washed away, just like this fizz! God forgives us completely.” Leaders participate alongside children, taking turns with the droppers and celebrating each reaction together.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Luke 15:11-32, ESV
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”‘ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: God Always Forgives
What I Learned Today: Today we heard the story Jesus told about a son who left home, made bad choices, and then came back to his daddy. We learned that the daddy ran to his son and hugged him before the son even finished saying sorry. We learned that God is like that daddy, and when we tell Him we are sorry, He forgives us completely and welcomes us home.
Questions to Ask Me:
Theological Questions:
- Who does the dad in the story represent? (God, our heavenly Father)
- What did the son do wrong? (He took his inheritance early, left home, and wasted all of his money on foolish things)
- What did the dad do when he saw his son coming home? (He ran to him, hugged him, and threw a big celebration)
- What does it mean to repent? (To realize you did something wrong, feel sorry for it, and turn back to God)
- Does God stop loving us when we do something wrong? (No, God always loves us and is ready to forgive us when we say sorry)
Life Application Questions:
- How can you show someone else the same kind of love and forgiveness that the daddy showed his son? (Answers will vary, such as saying sorry first, giving someone a hug, not staying mad)
- Have you ever done something wrong and said sorry? How did it feel after you said sorry? (Answers will vary)
- How does it make you feel to know that God loves you no matter what? (Answers will vary)
- Is there someone in your life you need to forgive, just like the daddy forgave his son? (Answers will vary)
- What can you do when you feel far away from God? (Pray, tell Him you are sorry, read the Bible, talk to someone who loves God)