VERSES: Luke 15:8-10
MEMORY VERSE: Luke 15:10 "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review the first ten books of the Old Testament. This is a good foundation to build upon, learning the rest of the books.
PRAYER: Thank God for the mercy and grace that He extends to his children.
SPECIAL SONG: The Books Of The Old Testament (see March 2014 - The Books Of The Old Testament - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3. Click on orange circle to hear tune.)
VISUAL AID: Large Activity (see below)
LESSON POINTS:
- Jesus taught the people by telling them parables. Jesus asked the people what would a woman do if she had ten coins of silver and lost one coin. Because they did not have electricity or flashlights back in Bible times, she would light a candle and sweep her house and look for the lost coin diligently! She would sweep the floors in all the rooms, looking here and looking there until she found it. Then when she found it, she would call all her friends and neighbors together and tell them to rejoice with her because she had found the coin which she had lost.
- Jesus said that is exactly how it is in heaven when there is one sinner who was lost, then comes back to God and obeys His commandments again. Even the angels in heaven are happy over one sinner who repents.
- What this parable means: How tragic it is to lose something very valuable, especially if you are poor! The woman Jesus was talking about in the parable felt that same loss, but she did not sit in a corner and complain about it. She got up and got busy! She got her broom and started sweeping, trying her best to find her treasure. She was diligent in her search. She looked everywhere until she found it! That is how God is when one of His children is lost or has gone back into the world to live a wicked life. Every one of His children is precious. Finally, when they come back to the church, repenting of their sins and again promising to live their life in a godly way, even the angels are happy. There is much joy in heaven!
- The Parable Of The Lost Sheep was talking about a man searching for something precious that was lost--His sheep. Today we find the same idea applied to a woman searching for something she thought was precious--a silver coin.
- Definition of 'diligently': doing something well and thoroughly, opposite of lazy.
- Like the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the woman left her nine coins in a safe place and started searching for the one that was lost until it was found. Then both the man and the woman were so happy, they did the same thing! They called their friends and neighbors, so they could share in their happiness.
Materials needed: 9" x 12" light green construction paper, 4" x 12" light brown construction, 3" x 7" yellow construction paper, 4" x 7" dark brown construction paper, scraps of dark green, tan, dark brown, orange paper, 3" x 4" aluminum foil or silver paper, glue, scissors, marker, crayons.
- Hand out light green paper. This is the background.
- Hand out 4" x 12" light brown paper.
- Glue light brown paper at the bottom of light green paper. This is the floor.
- Draw black lines across the floor (see picture), adding a little black circle here and there to resemble wood.
- Hand out yellow paper.
- Round the corners off the yellow paper.
- Draw three long ovals on yellow paper and decorate. This is the rug.
- Glue all but one side of rug. This will be where the coin is hidden. (Note: Do we know that the coin was hidden under a rug? No, but we will use this solution for our project. Mention that the Bible does not say where the coin was hidden.)
- Hand out 4" x 7" dark brown paper.
- Cut a table out of paper. Note: easy way to make a table? Cut a rectangle out of the middle bottom of paper (see picture).
- Glue table on top of rug.
- Cut a triangle and two long strips out of dark green scrap paper. This is the woman's dress and arms.
- Glue arms on woman's dress.
- Cut a circle out of tan scrap paper. This is the woman's head.
- Glue woman's head at the top of the dress.
- Cut hair out of dark brown scrap of paper and glue on head.
- Cut and glue hands and feet.
- Draw face on woman, not looking too happy.
- Draw and cut a broom out of scraps.
- Glue broom in woman's hands.
- Cut bowl out of orange scrap paper.
- Glue bowl on top of table.
- Hand out foil.
- Cut ten small circles out of foil. These are the ten coins.
- Glue nine coins in bowl and on table.
- Gently raise up rug and glue the lost coin.
- Write "The Parable Of The Lost Coin" and "Luke 15:8-10" at the top of the light green paper.
- When everyone is finished with their picture, quickly tell the story again, using the pictures as the visual aid.
