This lesson teaches children that God is always searching for us and welcomes us home when we turn back to him. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, Bible reading, and activity.
Big Idea
God loves every one of us so much that he looks for us when we are lost, and he is always glad when we come home to him.
Memory Verse
Luke 15:7
I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
(WEB)
Have children cup their hands together like a little bowl, then slowly lift them up and down as if they are carrying a lost sheep home. Ask them to do it each time they say the verse, so the motion helps them remember the words.
The Story: Luke 15 for Kids
One day many tax collectors and sinners came close to listen to Jesus. Some of the religious leaders grumbled and said, “This man welcomes people who have done wrong, and he even eats with them!” So Jesus told them three stories to show how God feels about people who are lost.
In the first story, a shepherd had one hundred sheep, and one of them wandered away. He left the other ninety-nine and went searching in the wilderness until he found the lost sheep. When he found it, he lifted it onto his shoulders and was so happy that he called his friends and neighbors to celebrate with him.
In the second story, a woman had ten silver coins, and she lost one. She lit a lamp, swept the whole house, and looked carefully until she found it. Then she invited her friends and neighbors over, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost!”
In the third story, a man had two sons. The younger son asked his father for his share of the money, went to a faraway country, and spent everything on wild living. When a great hunger came, he had nothing left and had to feed pigs just to survive. He thought, “My father’s hired workers have plenty of bread, and I am starving!” So he decided to go home and say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.”
While the son was still far away, his father saw him, ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. The father told his servants, “Bring out the best robe! Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. We are going to celebrate, because my son was lost, and now he is found!”
The older son was out in the field, and when he heard the music and dancing, he became angry and refused to go inside. His father came out to talk with him, and the father said, “Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because your brother was dead and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.”
Read It Together
Luke 15:4-5
4 “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? 5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
(WEB)
Point out that the shepherd did not give up on the one lost sheep. Ask children what they think the sheep felt when it was found and carried home, and remind them that Jesus uses this picture to show how much God cares about each person.
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 fell on his neck, and kissed him.
(WEB)
Ask children to notice that the father saw his son from far away and ran to meet him. Explain that this shows God is always watching for us and is eager to welcome us back when we turn toward him.
Luke 15:31-32
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”
(WEB)
Help children see the father’s words to the older son, who felt left out. Point out that God’s love is wide enough for everyone, and that the father wanted both sons to share in the joy of coming home.
Talk About It
- Why do you think the shepherd went looking for just one sheep when he still had ninety-nine?
- How do you think the woman felt when she finally found her lost coin?
- What do you think the younger son was thinking when he decided to go home?
- How did the father show that he was happy to see his son again?
- Why do you think the older son felt upset, and what could he have done instead?
Activity Ideas
Paper Sheep Craft
You will need white paper, cotton balls, glue, a marker, and scissors. Have each child trace a hand on paper, cut it out, and glue cotton balls on the palm to make a fluffy sheep. Let them draw a face and legs, then talk about how the shepherd searched for the one lost sheep and how God searches for each of us.
Hide and Seek Celebration
Hide a small toy or a folded paper “coin” somewhere in the room while children close their eyes. Let them search carefully, the way the woman swept her house. When someone finds it, everyone cheers and claps together, just like the friends and neighbors who rejoiced with the shepherd and the woman.
Coming Home Card
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons, and a pencil. Ask them to draw a picture of someone they love running to welcome them home, then write or copy the words “God is glad when I come home.” Children can take the card home to share with their family as a reminder of how much God loves them.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows three pictures of God’s heart: a shepherd searching for one sheep, a woman searching for one coin, and a father waiting for a wayward son. Jesus uses these images to answer criticism of his friendship with sinners and to reveal that repentance brings real joy in heaven. Adults should also notice the older son, who reminds us that God’s grace is not a reward for good behavior and that we are all invited into the celebration.
Be careful not to suggest that God only loves children who behave well, or that lost people must earn their way back. The story shows God running to meet us with grace, so keep the focus on his love and welcome rather than on what children need to do to be accepted.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Father, thank you for always looking for us when we are lost and for being so glad when we come home to you. Help us remember that you love each one of us very much. Help us to be happy for others too, just like the shepherd and the woman and the father in the story. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
