Parable - The Prodigal Son

Transcription

1 Parable - The Prodigal Son With this lesson the children will have a good idea of what matters in life. The choice between material possessions or relationship will determine how they would want to live their lives, and hopefully, it will make them realize that a life full of materialism cannot fulfill an empty heart. TOPICS Parables, Contentment, Foolishness, Heaven, Joy, Love, Mercy, Repentance AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes) Things That Make Me Happy (Activity) [PDF] page 6 Hand out a copy of the worksheet to each child. Once completed, ask what item on their list would give them permanent joy. At the end of this lesson about the prodigal son's decision to rely on his acquired wealth, ask the kids if they would still choose the same item for permanent joy. MEMORY WORK (12 minutes) "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6 NIV Have the kids find the verse in their own Bibles and read it several times. Then use hand symbols to act out the verse. For example: We all (point to the children), like sheep (wiggle fingers over other hand like moving legs), have gone astray (hand over brow looking around), each of us has turned to his own way (turn around), and the Lord (form your hand the shape of an "L"), has laid on Him (hands on top of shoulders), the iniquity (wag finger and shake head no), of us all (point again to the kids and yourself). After several tries, have the kids say the verse themselves without looking as you go through the symbols. SCRIPTURE READING AND DISCUSSION (15 minutes) Introduction: Before reading the parable about the Prodigal Son, ask the class what does "inheritance" mean? You may also want to look up the definition in a dictionary. A few moments ago you made a list of things that make you happy. Today, we are going to read about a young man who may have made a very similar list, right before he got a very large inheritance. He could buy anything on his list that he wanted. But before long he found out that his list was all wrong. Let's read and see what happened. Read Luke 15:11-32 (The Prodigal Son) Read this passage to the kids with feeling, using slightly different voices for the father, younger son, servant and older son, or assign these parts to the children as you narrate the parable. Discussion Questions: 1. Why did the younger son want his portion of his inheritance although his father was still alive? (He didn't want his father to have control of all the wealth in the family.) 2. Although the younger son was already living a rich life at home, why did he leave? (He wanted to enjoy freedom and enjoy his riches his own way.) 3. Why was it mentioned that the son was young? (To show he was immature, unable to make informed decisions.) 4. Why was the father so worried about the younger son? (He loved him so much and knew he was not capable of taking care of himself.) 5. After the son spent all his money and came to his senses, where did he go? (Back to his father's house.) 6. How does this parable compare to our relationship with God the Father? (As Christians, we are considered God's children, whom He loves dearly.) 7. As God's children, how do we behave like the prodigal son? (We can sometimes be rebellious, ignore what the Bible teaches us, be disobedient, and get caught up in materials things.) 8. The father in this parable loved his son so much, when he returned he killed the fatted calf. How does God the Father show how much he loves all of us? (His own Son was killed on the cross.) CLASS EXERCISE (30 minutes) Want to Get Home (Game) page 3-4

2 Parable - The Prodigal Son ALTERNATE CLASS EXERCISE (10 minutes) Missing Piece (Activity) page 5 APPLICATION (2 minutes) People can have so much wealth and knowledge, that they live their lives in their own control and sometimes think of themselves as superior because of their possessions. They fill their empty hearts with things but eventually realize that they are still unfulfilled. The only way to have true rich life is to live under the guidance and love of our Lord Jesus.

3 WANT TO GET HOME Parable - The Prodigal Son A fun board game for two teams. Players help a small child left behind at camp get home while discovering what it costs to get to our heavenly home. TOPICS: Heaven, Salvation MATERIALS: Game board (3 pages) [PDF] page 7-9 Set of cards (1 page) [PDF] page 10 Game tokens 1 die or number cube DURATION: Approximately 30 minutes PREPARATION: Print out all three game board pages and tape together. Also print and cut out one copy of cards. (Best when using white medium card stock.) WHAT YOU WILL DO: Instructions: Have the children form two teams and decide which team will go first. Divide all the cards evenly between the two teams. There are two paths, and each team must take a different path. As each team follows their own path towards home, they can land on a free space, or one of the following spaces: Go back - team moves backwards indicated number of spaces. Lose Turn - other team gets to roll twice before continuing. Stop Bandit - team must stop on a bandit space and roll the dice. If an odd number comes up must give bandit one item (snack, money, or jacket). If even number must give two items. Stop Other - team must stop on the obstacle space. If the team has the proper card to get by Obstacles - the obstacle, it is laid next to the space. The team then continues play on their next turn. If a card needed to pass any obstacle is not available, the team can trade a card with the other team. If the other team does not want to trade, the team landing on the obstacle must wait one turn. The next time the team must make the trade, and the card placed next to the space. The team then continues play on their next turn. WHAT YOU WILL SAY: In this game, you pretend a small boy is accidentally left behind at camp. He is all alone in the farthest area of the camp and does not know the bus already left. Now everyone else, parents, teachers and other volunteers are safe at home. He remembers the way to get home by himself, but it is a difficult journey with all sorts of obstacles. He has a backpack full of items like food, money, rope, water, etc., so he begins the journey. Along the way, he will need to use what he has to get past certain obstacles. You must have the right card to proceed. If not, you can trade with the other team. If the other team does not want to trade, you must wait one turn. Then the other team must make the trade. Can your team be first to help the boy get home?

4 Parable - The Prodigal Son We can be distracted by so many things and sometimes forget where we are. When we focus, we realize that the most important thing is to be with family. God s family is like that, as Christians, we can get so busy with everything going on in our life that we can forget the most important thing: our relationship with God's family. We may acquire many material things, but eventually we must turn loose our material possessions in order to enter into heaven.

5 Parable - The Prodigal Son MISSING PIECE People try to fill the empty spot in their hearts with many things. TOPICS: Choices, Jesus, Love MATERIALS: Heart puzzle [PDF] page 11 Scissors Paper bag DURATION: Approximately 10 minutes PREPARATION: Before class print the Heart puzzle and cut out along the dark black lines. When finished you should have 11 pieces. Put the circle, square, and oval shapes in the paper bag. WHAT YOU WILL DO: Give the children the 8 heart puzzle pieces. You will keep the three pieces in the paper bag. Instruct them to put the puzzle together. Let the children complete the puzzle first with the eight pieces available. WHAT YOUR WILL SAY: (After the kids complete the puzzle) Oh no! we're missing the piece that goes right in the center of the heart. The puzzle won't be complete without it. Did you know that people who don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior also have a peace missing in their hearts? Some people may try to fill that empty spot with toys. (Hand them the square and have them see if it will fit.) Some people try filling that spot with candy. (Hand them the oval and have the kids see if it will fit.) People try many different things to fill that hole. (At this point you can make up as many different wrong puzzle pieces as you want to illustrate). But in the end,only Jesus can fill that empty spot in our hearts and give us real peace. (Give the children the circle of Jesus to complete the puzzle.)

6 TEN THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY Make a list of ten things that you believe would make you happy, and why. Item Why this item makes me happy

7 Game board 1

8 Game board 2

9 Game board 3

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