Curriculum

God Loves Me!

God Loves Me! Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

Just like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, God loves each of us unconditionally. Regardless of our choices, God’s love doesn’t run out.

Scripture Summary

The religious leaders—Pharisees and Sadducees—despised Jesus for many reasons including how he spent quality time with sinners and tax collectors. The religious leaders of the day were known for adhering to all the rules and setting themselves apart from any sinner.

So Jesus told another parable, which is a story, to help His followers understand. A father had two sons, and each would receive an inheritance when the father died. The older son would receive two-thirds of his father’s estate, and the younger son would receive one-third. While some fathers divided up the estate before their death in order to retire, the younger son showed great disrespect by asking for his share.

It’s no surprise that the younger son’s attempt to make it on his own didn’t end well. A series of poor choices led him to a job feeding pigs (unclean animals in Jewish law) and even sharing the pigs’ food. Meanwhile, the older son kept making all the right decisions at home, but his heart was becoming darker.

Each day, the father awaited the younger son’s return. The father, just like our loving God, welcomed back his younger son—the prodigal son—with open arms and celebrated his return. But the older brother was terribly bitter.

Why Is This Important

We shouldn’t abuse God’s love, nor should we rely on our own “report card” of good choices. God’s love is perfect, and it’s for everyone.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

“But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.’” (Luke 15:29)

There are clear differences between the prodigal son and his older brother. One stayed home while the other traveled far away. One had a repentant heart while the other held fast to his rights. But both sons rejected the love of their father.

The older brother lost sight of his identity. He was a beloved son of his father. His father didn’t love him because he stayed home and made all the right choices. No, his father loved him because he was his son. Period.

While we might embrace the concept of grace for the prodigal son or the wayward, God’s grace extends to everyone. The prodigal son and the older brother were both loved by their father. And they both lost sight of the unconditional love that was freely offered to them.

The prodigal son squandered his inheritance while attempting to find love and acceptance. And the older brother focused on his good deeds to earn love and acceptance. Both got it wrong. And I’ve gotten it wrong, too.

God’s love for each of us runs deeply, never ends, and is not conditional on anything we do or don’t do. He loves us because we’re His children. Period.

Ponder your answers to these questions:

  • Which son do you most identify with? In what way?
  • What can you learn from the other son—the one you didn’t identify with as much?
  • How can you embrace your identity—as God’s beloved child— today?

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for loving me unconditionally. Your love for me never ends. Please help me remember and embrace Your love for me and share it with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: Bible

“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)

Lead kids in these steps to learn today’s Bible memory verse:

  • Open your Bible to Luke 15:20.
  • Read aloud the Bible memory verse several times and invite kids to repeat after you.
  • Invite kids to do the following hand motions with you as you continue to learn the verse together:
    • “So he got up and went to his father. (Walk fingers on palm of hand.)
    • But while he was still a long way off, (Point to a faraway place.)
    • His father saw him (Make binoculars with your hands and look through them.)
    • And was filled with compassion for him; (Hold your heart.)
    • He ran to his son, (Move your arms as if you’re running.)
    • Threw his arms around him (Give yourself a hug.)
    • And kissed him.” (Blow a kiss.)
  • Repeat several times.

SAY: Great job learning today’s Bible memory verse! The father in this story helps us learn about God’s unconditional love for us. Today we’re going to learn more about how God rejoices when those who were lost are found.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Bible, Pretend money, Robe, Costume jewelry ring

  • Open your Bible to Luke 15:1-3, 11-32.
  • Read aloud the Bible passage one time.

ASK:

  • How do you think the father felt when his son left home?
  • How would you feel if you were the older son in this passage?

 

  • Explain that you’re going to read the passage a second time. Kids will have to listen closely and act out their part when you come to it.
  • Select children to play the father, the younger son, the older son, and two servants. The rest of the children will be “pigs.”
  • Give the father the play money, one servant the ring, and one servant the robe.
  • Read the passage again, pausing for kids to act out their parts. (Kids can fist-bump, high-five, or hug when the father embraces the son.)

SAY: God doesn’t love us because of any good thing we do, and He doesn’t love us less if we make a bad choice. Just like the father in today’s story, God loves us and He’s always ready to forgive us.

Snack

Pigs ’n Dirt

You’ll Need: Napkins, Spoons, Chocolate pudding cups, Marshmallow creme

Get Ready: Have kids clean their hands.

Follow these steps for the “Pigs ’n Dirt” snacks:

  • Give each child a napkin, a spoon, and a pudding cup.
  • Invite kids to open their pudding cups, then place a dollop of marsh- mallow creme in the center of each child’s pudding cup.
  • Have kids dip into the pudding with the ends of their spoons and then drop two dots of pudding on the marshmallow creme to make a pig’s snout.
  • Enjoy!

ASK:

  • Why did the father celebrate his son even though he behaved badly?
  • What does the father in this story teach us about God?

SAY: Great job making your “Pigs ’n Dirt” snacks! Sometimes we turn away and do things our own way, even when they are not good for us. Thankfully, we have a heavenly Father who is always willing to take us back if we confess our sins and return to Him.

Game

Pig Snorting Circle

To play the “Pig Snorting Circle” game, have kids follow these steps:

  • Have kids gather in a circle.
  • Choose one child to be the Pig first.
  • Starting with the first Pig, children will take turns snorting at the child to their right ( just one snort).
  • No one is allowed to laugh while snorting or being snorted at, but all the other children can laugh.
  • If a child laughs while snorting or being snorted at, he or she must sit in the “pigpen” in the center of the circle.
  • Play several rounds as time allows.

ASK:

  • What surprised you about the way the father welcomed his son home?
  • Are you ready to forgive others like God forgives us? Why or why not?

SAY: You made some great snorting pigs! Isn’t it wonderful that we serve a God who allows us to come home even after we’ve messed up and found ourselves among the pigs? God’s love is unconditional, and His forgiveness is unending.

Craft

Welcome Home

You’ll Need: Construction paper, Construction paper in various skin tones, “Welcome Home” handouts, Scissors, Markers, Glue sticks

Get Ready: Before class, cut long, 2½-inch-wide strips of construction paper, one for each child. (This can be done by folding the construction paper into thirds lengthwise.) Each child will also need a separate piece of construction paper that resembles their skin tone.

Have kids follow these steps to make the “Welcome Home” craft:

  • Give each child a section of the “Welcome Home” handout, a piece of construction paper that matches their skin tone, a cut strip of con- struction paper, and a pair of scissors.
  • Invite kids to along the black line of the handout.
  • On the full sheet of skin-tone construction paper, help kids each trace their hands. Have kids cut them out.
  • Help kids lay their strip of construction paper flat, then have them fold the ends inward so they meet at the center of the strip. Press down the folds, then unfold the constuction paper and lay it flat.
  • Using a glue stick, help kids attach a hand cutout to each end of the construction-paper strip. Then have them glue the “father” from the handout inside the center of the strip.
  • Invite kids to color the father and decorate their craft using markers.
  • Have kids open and close the “arms” to reveal the father welcoming his son home.

SAY: Great job making the craft of the father welcoming home his son. Just like the father in this story, God our Father will always welcome us home to Him with open arms, even when we stray away. He’s always right there, excitedly waiting for us.

Prayer

Ring and Robe Prayers

You’ll Need: Fruit ring candies

Follow these steps to lead kids in prayer.

  • Give each child a piece of fruit ring candy, and have kids spread out around the room.

SAY: In today’s lesson, the father welcomed his son home with a ring and a robe. The son didn’t deserve a celebration, but the father loved him unconditionally and forgave him immediately. In the same way, God welcomes us to Him and calls us to forgive others.

  • Invite children to pray silently. They can thank God for His unending forgiveness and ask Him to forgive them of anything they’ve turned to that isn’t of Him. (This is a great time to invite kids to ask Jesus into their hearts as their Lord and Savior. Have kids talk to a leader individ- ually if they are ready to make that decision.)
  • Close in prayer.

PRAY: Father, we thank You for Your unconditional love and Your unending forgiveness. We are like the youngest son, undeserving of such a gift. Thank You for welcoming us back to You time and time again. In Jesus’ name, amen.