The Prodigal Son

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4th/5th Grade – Jan 28

The Life of Jesus  Lesson 4

The Prodigal Son Bible Verse We should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found. (Luke 15:32)

Teacher Enrichment This lesson is the fourth in the Life of Jesus series which examines how Jesus is our best example for inclusion. Jesus included everyone in his ministry from simple fishermen, to government leaders and kings; from devout followers to those considered sinners; and from old to young. Each week will explore the various ways and people Jesus chose to serve and teach. Jesus often used parables, or stories, to help people understand His teaching. These parables used relatable examples of people and activities to convey a powerful message about God. In the parable of The Prodigal Son, a father gives his two sons their inheritance. The older son stays with his father, is responsible and hardworking and saves his inheritance. The younger son leaves home and squanders everything. When the younger son returns home penniless and pleading, the father welcomes him with open arms and celebrates his return. Of course, the responsible older brother is none too happy. The teachings in this parable are many, but this lesson will focus on God seeking us when we are lost. No matter how far we stray from God’s path, there is nothing we can do that will keep God from watching for us and receiving us when we return to Him. Just like the father in the parable, God is waiting with outstretched arms. This lesson will teach children that God seeks to find everyone who is “lost.” Children will learn that no matter how big our mistakes, we can always ask for forgiveness and return to God’s love.

Before Class Begins  Hang Find It or Forget It signs on opposite sides of the room.  Place the Sign In sheet and a pen where parents can see it upon arrival.  Place the Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards and pens where students can see them upon arrival.  Check that you have supplies for this lesson: - Arrival Activity, The Prodigal Son Activity Sheet – 1 per child - Find It or Forget It Signs - Large Craft Sticks – 5 per child - Small Craft Sticks – 1 per child - Wooden Hearts – 1 per child - Welcome Home Cutout sheet – 1 per child - Foam Stickers - Tacky Glue  Place an arrival activity at each place on the table.

Welcome SUPPLIES: Sign In sheet, Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards, Attendance chart, stickers, The Prodigal Son Activity Sheet, pencils/pens  Greet each child individually as they arrive. Introduce yourself by name.  Help children find or add their name on the attendance chart. Provide each child  

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with a sticker to place in today’s column on the attendance chart. Encourage children to complete a Joy or Concern card if they have a particular joy or concern they would like to express. Collect completed Joy & Concern cards. Encourage children to complete a Time or Talent offering card if they gave their time to God or used their talents to serve God or others during the previous week. Children should keep their own completed Time and Talent cards. If children bring monetary offering, they should keep it with them. Direct children to complete The Prodigal Son Activity Sheet. Encourage conversation among the children and with you! Get to know the children in your classroom by asking about their week including school, activities and families. Introduce new children to each other and encourage friendships. The Life of Jesus  Lesson 4

Children’s Worship SUPPLIES: Sign In sheet, Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards  Arrive at Ruth Hall at 9:20 or 11:05.  Bring the Sign In sheet and completed Joy & Concern cards to Ruth Hall. Hand the     

Joy & Concern cards to the Children’s Worship leader as you arrive. Have children bring their completed Time & Talent cards and any monetary offering. If additional children arrive while in Ruth Hall, have parents complete the Sign In sheet and remind parents that pickup is in Room 110. Encourage children to participate in Children’s Worship and provide re-direction if necessary. Assist the Children’s Worship leader as needed. At the conclusion of Children’s Worship, have children line up and return to Room 110.

The Lesson SUPPLIES: Find It or Forget It signs, Craft sticks, foam stickers, wooden hearts, Welcome Home cutouts, tacky glue

SAY: Today we learned about being lost or losing things. All of us have lost something at some point in our lives; probably many times! How we feel about losing something depends on what it is. How much we want to find something depends on what it is. We are going to play a game to see how you feel about losing different things.  Have all the children stand on one side of the room near the Forget It sign.  Explain that you will read a list of items and they will decide if that item was lost

would they want to “Find It or Forget It.” SAY: If you don’t care about finding the item and it wouldn’t matter if the thing stayed lost, stay where you are (Forget It). If you absolutely, HAVE to find the item and you would be devastated if you couldn’t find it, go to the far side of the room (Find It). If you feel somewhere in between, then stand somewhere in between.  Read each item from the list and allow youth to determine their “score” for each. - $100 The Life of Jesus  Lesson 4

- $10 - $1 - Study guide for a test - Cell phone - A pen - Video game you borrowed from a friend - Your lunch - Library book - Favorite shirt - Pet  Have the group come back together for discussion.

ASK: As you thought about each of these things, what made you move further to the Find It side of the room? (If the item was more important to me; if the item could be replaced or not; if there was a bigger consequence for losing the item; sentimental value) SAY: The importance of an item or the consequence for losing an item affects our response. We assign value to the items and small things are easily ignored, important items not so much. The next series of questions is to get children thinking about their human response to “losing” a person versus God’s response. ASK: What if the item you “lost” was a person? How would you feel if a friend moved away? What if it was your best friend? Does your answer change if they are moving to a school in Fairfax versus across the country? ASK: What if you “lost” the friend because of a fight or disagreement? Would you still want to “find” them? (Depends on what the fight was about or who started it or whose fault it was) What if your friend’s actions were hurtful? Would you still want to “find” them? (Maybe; Maybe not if the hurt was too big) SAY: In today’s parable of The Prodigal Son the younger son made some big mistakes, but the good news from this scripture lesson is that God ALWAYS wants to find us. We ALWAYS score a Find It in God’s eyes (refer back to the game). God doesn’t decide that The Life of Jesus  Lesson 4

some of us are small and unimportant. God doesn’t think any of us can be replaced. God doesn’t decide it was our own fault that we were lost (refer back to discussion about friends). God doesn’t decide that our mistakes are too big to welcome us back. God is always seeking us. God always runs to us and receives us back with open arms just as the father did with the prodigal son. God always welcomes us home. SAY: Today we are going to make a craft to remind us that God always welcomes us back when we are sorry for our sins.  Show children the sample craft.  Give each child 6 large craft sticks, 2 small craft sticks, 1 button and a Welcome 

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Home cutout sheet. Direct children to lay the 6 large craft sticks side by side and then, using the adhesive glue, attach the small craft sticks across to create a door. **Supervise the use of the tacky glue, a little goes a LONG way** Have children use tacky glue to attach the wooden heart as a door handle. Children may color the heart before attaching. Have children cut out the scripture verse and Welcome Home sign and attach them to their door using the adhesive glue (Welcome Home on front, scripture on back). Allow children to use the foam stickers to decorate their door.

Closing  Lead the children in a closing prayer. You may say your own prayer, ask one of the

children to say a prayer or use the one below. God, Thank you for always welcoming us back with open arms when we are sorry for our sins. Amen  If time remains before parents arrive, encourage children to return to their Prodigal Son activity sheet if they did not complete it. Also encourage conversation between children and with you. This is another opportunity to build relationships with the children in your classroom! The Life of Jesus  Lesson 4

Welcome Home Door Craft

The Life of Jesus  Lesson 4