Children’s Ministry – The Miracles of Jesus continued
The Parable of the Prodigal Son – Luke 15:11-32
Today is Father’s Day! So don’t forget to say Happy Father’s Day to the dads out there! They also love it when you make them a card, write them a letter, or even draw them a picture.
You know we all have a father in heaven who is just the best dad you could possibly imagine. So as today is Father’s Day we’re going to celebrate your and my Heavenly Father as well! And his love for us is so miraculous! It’s unlike any love we could ever experience on earth.
This week we are looking at the passage in the Bible where Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son to a crowd of people. Luke 15: 11-32.
Jesus told this story as a way of explaining God’s love for us and I’m not just talking about the imagery of our Heavenly Father running toward us with outstretched arms; before we’ve even said sorry. Yes, the father in this parable was waiting and hoping for his son’s return.
We were told he spotted his son way off in the distance. Yes, the father called out immediately for the best robe to be put on his son and for the fattened calf to be used for a great party celebrating his son’s return. The son was also given a ring which is like giving his son a credit card today. The ring was used as a seal and was binding in financial transactions. But this is not all that I mean when I say Jesus used this parable to explain our Heavenly Father’s love for us. Please read on…
In this crowd listening to Jesus were Pharisees, tax collectors and others of questionable moral character. Remember the Pharisees were the people who taught the Jewish law from the Old Testament. They also judged other Jews for how well they kept the Jewish religious law. Remember there were over 500 laws the Jews had to keep. The Pharisees walked around in priestly robes and believed they were better than the regular Jewish people.
The tax collectors were outcasts and were hated by their own Jewish people. They were seen as traitors. They worked for the Romans collecting tax money from the Jews to give to the Romans. 
This made the Romans wealthier while the Jewish people often suffered in poverty. Tax collectors also had a reputation for not being honest and charging their own Jewish people more than was required in taxes and then
keeping the extra money for themselves. So, tax collectors were wealthy and known for being dishonest traitors of the Jewish people. Roman guards would guard their tax booths to protect the money and the tax collectors. The Jews really hated tax collectors.
So, the crowd whom Jesus was preaching to have both Pharisees who followed the rule of law and those who didn’t. So how does Jesus talk to such a diverse crowd?
He uses a parable. A parable is a story, or analogy which explains what Jesus wants us to know about the Kingdom of Heaven and God. This parable is teaching us about our Heavenly Father’s love for us. This parable is often referred to as ‘The Prodigal Son’ but I think it could be called ‘The Prodigal Sons’ (plural), because there are two sons in this story we can learn from. One son represents the people who keep the rules, like the Pharisees and the other son represents the rule breakers, like the tax collectors and those of questionable character.
It’s good to try and put ourselves in the story while we watch. Some of you will see yourself like the lawbreaking son and others of you will see yourself like the son who keeps the rules. Jesus has a lesson for us about both sons and therefore you. No matter whose story you relate to better.
Let’s take a look.
It’s not good to behave in a bad, unrighteous way, like the younger brother. However, it’s also not good to behave in a self-righteous way, believing you deserve the best of everything from God, like the older brother. Self-righteous people can fall into the trap of believing God somehow owes them blessings for their good behaviour and that others should be punished. (Like the older brother) They find it difficult to celebrate the blessings of others.
God’s miraculous love is for all of us, no matter what we have and have not done! God’s goodness draws us to repentance, which means turning from our bad behaviour and following him. Our Father in Heaven loves you more than can be described. Our Heavenly Father’s love for you in miraculous! …and he wants you to turn away from things you know are bad for you. God wants you to follow him and live forever with him, your Heavenly Father, in Heaven.
Prodigal Son Activity Sheets to print
Don’t forget, you can still be a “Memory Verse Champion of the Term!” You just need to learn the verse each week and be able to recite them all at the end of term.
Week 6 Memory Verse (4 Sept) John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
I’ve also set up just for you a KIDS CENTRAL VIDEO CHANNEL on Right Now Media. There are loads of fun videos for you to watch. Parents just need to login. If you don’t have a login you can create one here. RightNow media link
Here’s a link to lots of different online storybooks on Jesus’s Miracles and much more. https://bibleforchildren.org/languages/english/stories.php