Aim to learn that a father’s love for his children is the same as God’s love for us

Aim
* to learn that a father’s love for his children is the same as God’s love for us
* To understand that when we are bad God still loves us and is ready to forgive us if we are sorry

Materials
* a photo of each child’s family that has a picture of their father.
* Children’s Bible story – The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
* large pictures of the story (from The Lion First Bible)
* a picture to colour
* The Prodigal Son maze

Lesson Outline
1. Introduction
2. Story
3. Questions
4. Discussion
5. Activities – retell the story, worksheets, act out the story, happy & sad faces
6. Review the aims
7. Prayer

1) Introduction
* Ask the children about their fathers. Look at each other’s photos. What is his name? What does he look like? How old is he? Which country does he come from? What job does he do? Is he strong? Does he lift you up? How does he help you? What games does he play with you?

* Do you always do what your father says? Have you ever been a bad boy or girl? Did your father get angry with you? Jesus told a story about a bad boy and what his father did. It is called The Prodigal Son.(The Forgiving Father)

2) Story
* Tell the story by using the large pictures
Once upon a time, there was a father who had two sons. The older boy helped on the farm. But the younger one did not want to work anymore said: “Give me my share of the money – now. I want to have some fun.”

That made his father sad. But he gave him the money. The boy left home and went far away. He couldn’t wait to see the world!

At first he had fun spending his money. He bought expensive clothes and he ate fancy food. But soon all the money was gone.

He had to go and work. He could only get a job feeding pigs. He was so hungry that he could have eaten the pig food. He was very unhappy. The son wanted to go home. He said, “I will tell my father I am sorry for what I have done. I don’t deserve to be called his son. Maybe he will let me work for him.” So he set off for home.

All this time his father had waited and watched for his boy to come home. When he saw his son coming down the road his eyes filled with tears, and he ran to meet him. The son said, “I’m so sorry father. I don’t deserve to be one of the family. Please forgive me.” 

But his father just hugged him and kissed him.
“Fetch the boy some new clothes!” he shouted. “Dress him up! We’re going to have a party! My boy has come home and I’m so happy! I thought I had lost him, but now he is found!”
“Whatever is going on?” the older brother asked, when he came home from work.
“Your brother has come home, and your father is giving him a party,” they told him.
“A party! After all the trouble he’s caused! Father’s never given me a party. It’s not fair!” He was very grumpy.

But his father said to him: “You know I love you, and I always will love you. One day everything I have will be yours. Please don’t be upset. Today is a day to be glad. Your brother has come home, and I’m so happy. I thought I had lost him, but now he is found.”

3) Questions
1. Why did the younger son want his money? To have some fun
2. How did the father feel when his son left? He felt sad
3. What happened to the son? He spent all his money and ended up feeding pigs
4. How did he feel about it? He felt unhappy
5. What did he decide to do? Go home and say sorry to his father
6. How did the father feel when he returned? Overjoyed
7. What did he do when his son returned? He ran to him, hugged and kissed him, and had a big party
8. How did the older brother feel? He was upset, because he had been a good son, but never had a party given for him
9. What did his father say to him? You know I love you, and I always will love you. One day everything I have will be yours. Please don’t be upset. Today is a day to be glad. Your brother has come home, and I’m so happy. I thought I had lost him, but now he is found.

4) Discussion
Connect the story to the children’s own life. Discuss with the children the times they are bad. Does your father get angry or sad? Do you say sorry? As in the story, if you are sorry for what you have done, your father will always forgive you. This is because he loves you. It is the same with God, our Heavenly Father. We are His children and He loves each one of us. He is waiting for us to say sorry so he can forgive us.

5) Activities
* Retell the story – Ask the children to retell the story in their own words using the pictures
* Act out the story
* Worksheets – stick the pictures from the story in the correct order
– colour the large picture
– complete the maze
* Happy & Sad Faces – As the children hear the story again they show a happy or sad face using paper plates

6) Review the aims
* to learn that a father’s love for his children is the same as God’s love for us
* To understand that when we are bad God still loves us and is ready to forgive us if we are sorry

7) Prayer
* Say a prayer to thank God for our fathers and that they are always ready to forgive us when we are sorry for doing wrong.