Lost Things: Coin, Sheep & Son 3 days!
Parable of the Lost Sheep
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 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.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 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. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 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. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Rhyme:
From Let’s Praise & Pray SU 1994, p77
One little sheep, he went out to play (hold index finger up)
One little sheep, he went away (put hand behind back)
The good, kind shepherd, he searched all day (shade eyes with hand, look around)
When he found the sheep, he shouted ‘Hurray’ (Raise hands, cheer, jump up)
Song/Rhyme p.58, Let’s sing & shout SU 1998
(to the tune, Here we go round the Mulberry Bush) Finger actions may be added.
This is the father who loves his son, loves his son, loves his son. (Index finger on right hand)
This is the father who loves his son, in the story Jesus told. (Mime Bible/book with hands)
This is the son who pleases himself, pleases himself, pleases himself. (Shake head, look sad)
This is the son who pleases himself in the story Jesus told. (Mime Bible/book with hands)
This is the son who’s sorry now, sorry now, sorry now. (mime praying hands)
This is the son who’s sorry now in the story that Jesus told. (Mime Bible/book with hands)
This is the father who welcomes his son, welcomes his son (mime hugging yourself)
This is the father who welcomes his son in the story Jesus told. (Mime Bible/book with hands)
Game:
Play hide & seek, hunt the thimble/favourite toy. Cheer when the ‘lost’ thing is found.
Lost things Multisensory Prayer idea:
using cotton wool (sheep), coin, favourite toy, small lego man/character toy.
Hold item in hand,
Think about what would happen if it were lost, how do you feel. Then think how happy you would be when it was found.
Thank God for his care, love & protection, that he cares for lost things & how he is especially happy when people choose to follow him, put him 1st in their lives & be their special friend.
Craft:
Happy/sad faces on paper plates/circles. Face paints on a palm/back of hand also would work…. Can be used to retell story eg Father/Sons were happy at start, Father was sad when son ran away, son was sad, father was happy when his son said sorry/came home…..link to how God feels about about us/our sin/forgiveness.
Have a party/celebratory picnic at the end of the stories!
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.
9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”