📖

The Father Runs to Welcome Him

Jesus' Parables of Love

Day 179of 180
Week 36of 36
25Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand God's unconditional love through the parable of the Prodigal Son

2

Recognize that God welcomes us back when we are sorry for our sins

3

Learn about repentance and forgiveness

📖 Scripture Connection

Luke 15:20

“He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him.”

— Luke 15:20 (WEB)

Demonstrates God's unconditional love and eagerness to restore relationship with His children

📦 Materials Needed

  • Bible (World English Bible)
  • Paper
  • Crayons
  • BibleMouse Printables Library worksheet
  • Father and son figurines (optional)
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (3 min)

In today's BibleMouse lesson, we'll learn about how much God loves us, even when we make mistakes!

💭 Review Question: What happened to the son in yesterday's story?
2Teaching (8 min)

Let's read from the World English Bible about how the son came home and his father welcomed him.

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • The son realized he was sorry for leaving home
  • He decided to go back and ask for forgiveness
  • His father was waiting and ran to hug him
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • How do you think the son felt when he came home?
  • How did the father show love?
3Activity: Welcome Home Craft (10 min)
storytelling

Create a welcome home card showing God's love

📝 Instructions:
  1. Fold a piece of paper in half
  2. Draw the son walking home on one side
  3. Draw the father hugging him on the other side
  4. Write 'God Loves Me' on the card
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Parent helps with drawing

Challenge: Add Bible verse to the card

4Closing (3 min)

Review the story's main points

📝 Review Questions:
  • What did the son do wrong?
  • How did the father react?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, thank you that you always love us and welcome us back when we're sorry.

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll learn how Jesus uses stories to teach us about God's love

💎 Memory Verse

Luke 15:7

“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

— Luke 15:7 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Heaven's Happy Dance: Children act out rejoicing when someone returns to God, jumping and celebrating each time they say a word of the memory verse

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

This parable illustrates God's unconditional love and forgiveness

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Use gentle tone when discussing sin and forgiveness
  • Emphasize God's love over punishment
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children may find it hard to understand complete forgiveness

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Child's understanding of being loved despite mistakes

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Act out the story using BibleMouse figurines
  • Sing a song about God's love from BibleMouse Song Collection

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 180 →Back to Bible