FORGIVENESS

FORGIVENESS - Prodigal Son

Preparation –

Cup of fake gold coins

wet wipes, washable marker

I used this at Children's Church - it may be too long for a Council Time, so adjust accordingly.

I want you to think about your mom for a moment.  Every mom is different.  Some are tall, some are short.  Some have black hair, some have red hair.  Some are funny and others areserious.  Some like to ride bikes, others like to read.  So I want you to think about one thing about your mom.  When you’ve thought of it, raise your hand.

How do we get to know what someone is like?

(spend time with them, learn what they like and don’t like,watch them)

How do we learn what God is like?

Christians believe the Bible is a book different from anyother book because it tells us who God is. It tells us what God likes and doesn’t like.  I’ve been reading one part of the Bible thattells us 6 things God doesn’t like –

Prov. 6:16-19.

We also know other things from the Bible about who God is.

We know he is eternal

We know he doesn’t get tired or need to sleep

We know he stays the same – he never changes.

Today we’re going to learn about another part of who God is– that God is forgiving.

Forgiving is a very, very important part of God.  The bible tells us that every human being –grownups and kids – sins.  Sins are things we do that God doesn’t want us to do. Things like lying, or hitting, or cheating or hurting people. 

I want us to be very clear that the Bible doesn’t tell us that mistakes are the same thing as sins. If I get an answer wrong on a test at school, is that a sin?

If I am learning the piano and hit a wrong note, is that as in?

So boys and girls, please understand that mistakes, real mistakes, are NOT sins.

Sins are things we do that tell God, “NO, I won’t do what you want me to do.”

Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden when they ate the fruit that God said not to eat.

Sin is very, very serious because it pushes God away from us.  God is too good to be near sin.  But we are going to learn today that God has found a way to be close to sinners like you and me.  He has found a way to forgive.  And that is very, very good news!

Jesus loved to tell stories, because some of us learn bestwhen we hear a story. Are you like that? Jesus’ stories were called parables, and he used stories to tell usthings about God and about people.

I wonder if children especially liked Jesus’ stories.

Anyway, one day Jesus told a story that we can read in Luke 15.  It tells us about a man who lived many years ago who had lots of money.  He was wealthy. 

Now to understand our story, you need to know 2 things.  First, there was a custom in Jesus’ time thatif someone had money and they died, the money was given to his or her children. But remember, NONE of the money was given away until the father died.   That money was called his inheritance.  In Jewish families, the firstborn son got twice as much of the inheritance as other children did.  In part, this was because he would have to take care of his mother if his father died. So this cup of coins reminds us of the inheritance.

The second thing you need to know is how Jewish families felt about pigs.  God told Jewish people in their laws not to eat pork – so no spare ribs, no bacon, no pork bar-b-que, no pork chops.  God said they shouldn’t have ANY pork in their houses.

. I have some lard here which is the fat from pork.

So in Jesus’ story, a man lived with his 2 sons.  One day the younger son came to his father and said – Father, I want my inheritance now.  

So let me pass around the cup and you take out one coin for each of you.

So you now have riches just as the younger son did.  Listen as I continue the story.  Each time I tell you something the son did that you think made the father sad, I want you to tell me, and I will put one of these coins from this cup into the lard.

The son gathered all his things together and set off to go far away.

He spent all his money on things that were wasted – lots of parties - not nice parties like birthday parties, but a very different kind of party.

He spent all the money his father gave him.

Then  the land where he was had a drought and food was very hard to find.  He was troubled because he didn’t have any food or money.  What had happened to all his money?

He did the only thing he could think of - He went to work for someone there, and that person sent him out into the fields to feed the pigs.  Do you remember how God’s people felt about pigs? (have children answer)

The son was so hungry he wanted to eat the food the pigs ate, but no one would give him even that.

Finally, the son sat down and thought hard about what he had done with his life.

I want you to look at someone next to you and tell them what you think the son was thinking.

The bible tells us that when the son came to his senses, he said “the men who work for my father have better food and lots of it.  And here I am with the pigs, starving.  I am going home!  I will tell my father that I know I have sinned against God and against him.  I am not worthy to be called his son anymore. But maybe he will let me work for him. And so he left the pigs.

How do you think the son felt as he headed home?

(afraid father would yell at him, shut him out, etc.)

All of those things COULD have happened.  But this is what DID happen.  The father saw his son coming home while he was still far away, and he knew that his son understood he had been wrong.  His son showed this by coming home.  The father felt sorry for his son and ran out to meet him.

He threw his arms around his son and kissed him.

The son would not look his father in the eye, he was so ashamed.  He said, father, I am so sorry.  I let God down and I let you down.  Let me just come back and be a servant here.  I don’t expect to be your son anymore.  The son was very sorry for how he had hurt is father.  He had sinned and asked to be forgiven.

Boys and girls, I want you to think about a time when you said you were sorry for something you did wrong – not a mistake, but a real sin.

I know I have –

Lied (put a mark from the marker on your hand)

I have taken things that weren’t mine

I have been selfish and thought only about me

I have used angry words

When I remember my sins, and tell them to God, that is confession.  Maybe you have a hard time thinking about your sins.  But confession– telling God what you did and saying you’re sorry and meaning it – is a very important part of prayer.

The Bible says If you, o Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand, but with you is forgiveness.

When we tell God what we have done wrong, and really mean weare sorry, God doesn't have to forgive us, but He does!  He will forgive us and wipe the sins away.  

We don’t have to feel bad or guilty any more.  God welcomes us back, just like the father welcomed the son.

I want us to get very quiet right now and each of us thinking about things we have done that we need to tell God about and ask him to forgive us. 

Sin is serious – so we need to not be silly when we tell God what we have done wrong.  But God isforgiving.

(quiet prayer)

Let’s get back to the son who came home, and was so very sorry for what he had done.  Do you ever worry that when you tell the truth about something you’ve done wrong that you’ll get in big trouble, and so maybe you don’t want to tell the truth?  Listen to what happened when the son came home…

But the father began yelling to his servants – quick bring out the best robe and put it on my son! Put a ring on his finger, and get the boy some shoes!  Run into the field and get the best food, and we’re going to have a bar-b-que (not pork!) to end all bar-b-ques.

My son was lost, and how he has come home.

Why do you think the father acted that way?

How do you think the son felt?

What do you think would have happened if the son didn’t comehome?

What do you think would have happened if the son didn’t sayhe was sorry?

Boys and girls, when we prayed a few minutes ago and toldGod we were sorry, we don’t have to wonder – will God forgive me?  Let me read you in God’s true Word,

I John 1:8-9

As you read this, either you or a helper can go to each child and wipe away the marks and thank God quietly with each child