Opening Prayer
Gracious heavenly Father, I have sinned against you time and time again. But your love and forgiveness have sought me out and are greater than all my sins. You alone make me worthy to serve, and my heart rejoices in your forgiveness. Amen.
This Sunday’s Lesson: A Parable of a Father’s Great Love
In our Bible lesson, we’ll learn what God the Father does when sinners come to him. Listen to today’s parable to answer this question: How did the father show love for his younger son?
Read: Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32
Aim: How did the father show love for his younger son?
TRUTH: The father forgave his younger son and joyfully celebrated his return.
– Application: God rejoices when we come to him in repentance and gladly forgives us for Jesus’ sake.
– Response: We repent of our sins and confidently ask God to forgive us for Jesus’ sake.
Lesson Summary: Jesus taught a parable about a young son who took his inheritance, left his father’s home, and wasted his money in sinful living. When he realized his sinfulness, he returned home, and his father forgave him and welcomed him back. The older son, feeling self-righteous and jealous, was upset, but his father said it was time to celebrate because the younger son had been lost and now was found.
Memory Treasures: Galatians 3:26
Discussion:
- Say: Jesus told a story about a son who sinned against both God and his father.
- Ask: What did the father do when his son came home and was sorry he had sinned? [Forgave him; welcomed him home.]
- Say: You and I are like that son. We are sorry for our many, many sins.
- Ask: Who forgives us and welcomes us into his family? [God.]
- Say: Let’s thank God for his great love and forgiveness.
- Do: Have the children practice their response together before you close with prayer (suggested you practice this at least two times):
- Parent: For loving us,
- Children: Thank you, God.
- Parent: For sending Jesus to save us from our sins,
- Children:Thank you, God.
- Parent: For forgiving us,
- Children: Thank you, God.
- Parent: For welcoming sinners like us into your family,
- Children: Thank you, God.
- Parent with Children: Amen.
Sing Praise: Practice Singing Jesus Is Amazing and then One, two, three – Jesus is ALIVE!
Activity Ideas:
- Watch The Prodigal Son
- Sing: The Prodigal Son
- Show a coin and ask what the children would do if they lost a coin. [Try to find it.] Then tell Jesus’ parable about the lost coin. (See Luke 15:8-10.) Emphasize the last part of Jesus’ parable. There is joy in heaven when a sinner repents (Luke 15:10b). Compare this to the father’s response to his repentant son: he forgave him and welcomed him home. Explain that Jesus used these parables to teach about God’s great love and forgiveness. He forgives us and welcomes us undeserving sinners into his family.
- Take turns giving examples and reasons for the importance of forgiveness. End by watching & singing the Forgiveness Song.
VeggieTales Sing-Along: The Forgiveness SongSing-along from VeggieTales Dance of the Cucumber DVD (2006). VeggieTales belongs to Big Idea 🙂 (Originally fro…
Closing Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father,we are sorry for our sins. Thank you for forgiving them through Jesus, who took them all away. Thank you also for welcoming us into your family. We love you! Amen.