Video, A-V Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for the Prodigal Son
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Including: Prodigal son, Lost son, Older brother, Father, Lost and Found, Luke 15:11-32, etc.
Bible lessons and ideas about the Prodigal Son -with video, audio-visual, movie, video-tape, animated Bible, etc.
The Prodigal Son
Video Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities: Uses the video: The Prodigal Son (from Nest)
Scripture Reference: Luke 15: 11-32
Key Verse for this lesson: "Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we must love each other” -- I John 4:11
Concepts:
- God loves us even when we do wrong things.
- When we are truly sorry God forgives us.
- Making bad choices can hurt yourself and others.
Lesson Objectives:
- Children will view the video “Prodigal Son” and learn the story.
- The children will learn that God wants to forgive us when we do wrong and are sorry.
- The children will ask God to forgive them for something they have done wrong.
Leader Preparation:
- Gather the materials.
- Read the scripture ahead of time.
- Preview the video.
Supplies List:
- The Prodigal Son (from Nest)
- Popcorn
Lesson Plan
Opening - Welcome and Introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Distribute the popcorn.
Tell the children that today they will be watching a video about the story of the Prodigal Son. The word “prodigal” means wasteful, reckless. Today we might use this word to describe someone who lived a bad life, doing bad things being reckless and wasteful but then decided to change these bad ways and live better – as God would want that person to do better. The father in the story is like God. God doesn’t stop us from making bad decisions, but God is joyful when we return to better ways.
The story is told by Jesus. Jesus uses the story to tell us something about God. As you watch the story, look for ways that the father is like God.
Dig - Main Content and Reflection:
Bible Story: Show the video.
Application:
Discussion: recap the main events of the story with the children.
Younger children: Help them to get the sequence of the story. Ask what happened first, then what happened, then what? Ask if they ever do things that they know is wrong? How does it feel when we do bad things? How did the son feel when he wasted all his money? Is God happy with us when we do bad things? Who else gets hurt when we do bad things? Relate God to the father in the video. What does God want us to do? (ask for forgiveness and to do better) Talk about praying to God for forgiveness and saying “I’m sorry” to those you hurt. Does it make you feel better to say I’m sorry? How does it make the other person feel when you say you are sorry? How did the father feel when the son came home and gave up his wasteful living? How do you think God feels when we admit our mistakes and plan to do better?
Older Children: Ask the children if they have every done something bad and then realized it was wrong. Talk about what pressures the children have to do bad things. What tempts them? What do they do that they know is wrong? Who else gets hurt by the bad things they do? How did the father feel when his son decided to go away? How do you think God feels when we do bad things we shouldn’t?
Talk about asking for forgiveness. How do we ask for forgiveness? (we pray to God for forgiveness and help in doing better. We say “I’m sorry” to others who are hurt. We explain why it won’t happen again. We try to correct our mistakes.) How is God like the father in the video? Will God forgive us? Why will God forgive us? Refer to the key verse for this lesson. Have the children recite it.
Reflection Time:
Younger children: draw a picture of someone praying to God for forgiveness. They could trace their own hands in prayer.
Older children: What can you do better? Write down something you would like God’s help in doing better or something you did that you want to ask God to forgive. Suggestions might be to stop fighting with a sibling, to not lie, to help with chores. Finish the sentence “I am sorry for ____________”. Remind the children that God loves us and wants to forgive us if we ask. Tell the children you are going to pray in the closing prayer about what they have asked God for help in doing.
Closing:
Thank you Jesus for giving us the story about the prodigal son who did bad things but was forgiven by his father and by God. Please God, forgive us for the things (we wrote in our journals) that we have done wrong. (You might pause for a silent moment and let the children silently give up their request.) Help us to do better. Thank you God for loving us so much you will always forgive us if we are truly sorry, just as the prodigal son was forgiven.
Optional: distribute activity sheets to the children to take home or take to worship. Use the Activity and Resource Book that accompanies the video. Offer a couple of choices.
References
- Nest Entertainment – Prodigal Son, distributed by Nest Family Entertainment Series
- Nest Entertainment – Prodigal Son, Activity and Resource Book, distributed by Nest Family Entertainment Series
A lesson from the Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church,
Cary, NC
