Young people's session

Read Bible notes on Luke 15.1-3,11b-32

Even though this parable is well known, the power of the forgiveness shown by the father to his sons can still surprise us. Can you think of a time when you experienced such grace? How did you feel? It is easy to think of the younger son as the villain in this story. Yet, even though the older brother didn’t waste his father’s inheritance, he was still lost in a different way. Encourage young people to explore the kindness shown by the father to both his sons.

Where am I?     5 mins E

You will need: paper and pens.

• Ask the young people to draw famous landmarks, hold up their drawing and ask the rest of the group to guess the city/country the landmarks are from.
• Ask: Has ever seen these landmarks in real life? Discuss how easy it is to get lost in a new place: This is about being physically lost; what does it feel like to get lost in a different way – emotionally, or in our relationship with God?

First impressions

You could also use the image and following questions to help introduce the theme.

Click on the image to view a larger version or use the Jump menu to go to This week's images. For artist's details, see this issue's illustrators.

Questions

• How do you imagine the loving and open arms of God?
• What does ‘outrageous love’ mean to you?
• What could you do as an expression of outrageous love?

People’s perspectives  10 mins W E S

•  Play the track ‘The Prodigal Song’, Cory Asbury on To Love A Fool.
• Split the group into three, representing the father, younger son and older son. Ask them to read the passage, reflecting on the events from their character’s perspective.
• Afterwards, encourage everyone to talk to each other in character, to find out why they feel and act as they do.

The younger brother 10 mins E S

A game that explores being lost

You will need: paper cups.

• Divide the group into teams. Ask each to build the biggest tower using cups.
• Discuss how the younger son got lost in trying to build a life for himself by living recklessly and selfishly, taking his money and using it all up quickly on things which don’t last.
• Ask each group to pull out a cup so their tower collapses. Discuss how, when we build things up for ourselves on things that don’t last, it can quickly go wrong.

The older brother 10 mins W E S

A discussion about other ways to be lost

You will need: pens and paper.

• Ask the group to write about a diary entry from the older brother’s perspective: ask half the group to write about when the younger brother had gone away, while the other half write about when he came home again.
• Ask everyone to share and discuss how the older brother was treated: Did he have a right to be angry? Did he do wrong? In what way was he lost?

The father  5 mins E S

Walk in prayer and ask for forgiveness

You will need: a sign which reads ‘Loving father’.

•  Play the track ‘What Love Looks Like (Single Version)’, Elle Limebear.
• Ask everyone to stand beside the sign before walking to the other side of the room, thinking about the ways they distance themselves from God.
• Encourage them to pause and to ask God for forgiveness.
• Invite the group to walk back towards the ‘Loving father’ sign, and give thanks for God’s welcome.

Check-in: Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues 

• Ask the young people to write the different ways the younger and older brother in the story were lost.
• Once everyone has written these down, ask them to think if they connect more with the younger or older son in the story, and to circle any words that relate to their own feelings.
• Ask the young people to reflect on the forgiveness that the father showed to both sons and imagine that being offered to them.

Go with God 24/7

Show a welcoming spirit to people every day this week, perhaps by 
being generous with your time and smiling. 
E A

Before you finish, give out the ROOTS at home resource to encourage faith at home.