Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (2 minutes)

Welcome back for the last lesson of our Superbook adventure, “The Prodigal Son”! For those of you who have already seen our Bible story video, tell me some things that you remember about the prodigal son and his father.

God is a loving and forgiving father! He wants to forgive and restore us so we can live with Him forever! Let’s stand up and praise God as we sing the Salvation Poem.

Play Video 7: (Song) The Salvation Poem (3 minutes)

Be sure to preview the song so you can sing along with the children.

The Salvation Poem

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Our SuperTruth for today is: “God celebrates when we ask Jesus to forgive our sins.” Let’s have grades 1–3 shout the first part of the SuperTruth, “God celebrates when …” and then grades 4–6 shout the last part, “we ask Jesus to forgive our sins.”

Are you ready? Let’s go!  “God celebrates when …”; “we ask Jesus to forgive our sins.”

Good job for the first time; however, I believe you can do it again even louder! Let’s go! “God celebrates when …”; “we ask Jesus to forgive our sins.”

Isn’t that exciting to know—God celebrates when we ask for forgiveness! God does not want anyone to stray away and be lost forever. He wants everyone to come to Him and be forgiven!

Introduce Condensed Bible Story Video (1 minute) 

If you were here for the previous lessons, why did Chris’ friend Aaron wanted to live in Chris’ tree house? He had done something he felt his father could never forgive. 

Today, we are going to watch a short version of the video. If you’ve already seen it, look and listen for the three things that the father ordered the servants to put on the Prodigal Son. You’ll have a chance to use your answer to win points in our Small Group Game!    

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (9 minutes)

Be sure to preview this video, as some scenes may be too intense for young children.

Condensed Bible Story

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to ancient Galilee. Jesus tells the story of the Prodigal Son—a young man who leaves home for what he thinks is the adventure of a lifetime, only to discover that what he wants most in the world is his father’s love. The children learn about God’s unfailing love and the power of forgiveness.

Play Video 10C: SuperVerse Graphic 3

Graphic loops 2.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat verse.

SuperVerse Graphic 3

SuperVerse Discussion (2 minutes)

Let’s all say the SuperVerse together. Luke 15:7:

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!”

Jesus spoke these words to religious leaders who were offended that Jesus spent time with people they considered to be terrible sinners. From this verse, do you think God is angry or happy when sinners repent and return to Him?

There is great joy in heaven when someone who has strayed from God returns home! God is pleased when we share the Gospel with others—so they can come home to their heavenly Father! We will discuss this verse more in Small Group. 

Now, let’s say the SuperVerse together again. Luke 15:7:

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!”

Note: Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. They may simply repeat it several times, while older children may memorize part or all of it. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Introduce Signposts Video (1 minute)

Let’s watch our Signposts video to learn more about the parable of the Prodigal Son.

Play Video 6: Signposts (4 minutes)

Be sure to preview this video, as some scenes may be too intense for young children.

Signposts Video

Prayer and Send-Off (2 minutes)

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, You love us so much that there is a celebration in heaven when we ask Jesus to forgive us for our sins! Help us to share the Gospel message with others so they can find forgiveness, joy and salvation, too. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Today in Small Group, we will play a fun game to review Jesus’ parable about the Prodigal Son.  

Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.

Game

Divide the children into two teams. If there are more than 32 children in the class, make three teams. Have the teams line up at the starting line. Hold up an answer box and show the letters on its sides as you explain the game.

Let’s play a game to review the Prodigal Son Parable that Jesus told. One player from each team will play at the same time. I will ask a question and give you two or three answers to choose from. The answers may be T for True and F for False; or they may be A, B or C, for multiple choice. Some answers are silly; some may be close to the correct answer, but not quite right. One person from each team will go at the same time. When it’s your turn, listen carefully for the question and the possible answers. 

The Prodigal son took a journey to a far land so you will go quickly from the starting line to the other end of the room on your journey—the catch is that you must travel in the way that I call out, such as skipping or hopping. Once you reach the other end, you will pick up your team’s answer box, find the correct answer on it, and hold it toward me so I can see it. Each player who holds up the correct answer will receive two points. In addition, the first player to hold up the correct answer receives a bonus point. Don’t be tempted to look at the other player’s answer—it may not be correct! If you forget the question, I will repeat it for you. The team with the most points wins.

Question and Answer Sheet - Answers in bold  

Wait for me to give the question and all the possible answers, then follow my instructions about how to go to your team’s answer box, find the side with the correct answer as fast as possible, and hold it up for me to see.

1. This is from the bonus question from Large Group. What were the three things that the father told his servants to put on the Prodigal Son when he returned home?    

A. Boots, jacket, and a hat. 

B. Shirt, shoes, pants. 

C. Robe, ring, sandals.

Go to your team’s answer box by hopping on one foot.

2. The SuperTruth says that God celebrates when we:

A. Are old enough to leave home.

B. Tell on someone who made a bad choice.    

C. Ask Jesus to forgive us.     

Go to your team’s answer box by walking backward. You can turn your head to make sure you don’t run into anything!

3. The SuperVerse says there is _____ in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God:

A. Anger.

B. Money

C. Joy.

Go to your team’s answer box by taking giant steps and swinging your arms up and down.

4. Who often came to listen to Jesus teach?       

A. Tax collectors and sinners.

B. Adam and Eve.

C. Abraham and Isaac.  

Go to your team’s answer box by hopping on both feet.

5. Who complained that Jesus spent time with sinful people?      

A. Moses and the Israelite army.

B. Mary, Jesus’ mother.

C. Scribes and Pharisees

Go to your team’s answer box by skipping.

6. When Jesus heard the complaints, He agreed to stop teaching sinners and only spend time with church members. Is the answer T for True or F for False? False.

Go to your team’s answer box by walking sideways.

7. Jesus said that if a shepherd had one hundred sheep and lost one, the shepherd would:     

A. Pray and ask that his sheep would miraculously return.  

B. Look for the lost sheep until he found it.   

C. Be happy he still had ninety nine sheep left.  

Go to your team’s answer box by sliding your feet without lifting them from the floor.

8. When the shepherd found the sheep, he would:      

A. Shave the wool and make a coat.

B. Put it on his shoulders and joyfully carry it home.  

C. Ride the sheep all the way home.  

Go to your team’s answer box by tiptoeing.

9. Jesus’ story of the lost sheep compares the sheep to people who have sinned and are lost. Is the answer T for True or F for False? True.

Go to your team’s answer box by skipping.

10. In the parable of the Prodigal Son:     

A. The older son asked for his share of his father’s estate.  

B. The younger son asked for his share of his father’s estate.    

C. The younger son asked the father to travel with him to a distant land.   

Go to your team’s answer box by walking backward. You can turn your head to make sure you don’t run into anything!

11. What did the younger son do with his money?     

A. Gave it to the poor.

B. Invested it wisely.

C. Wasted it on wild living.

Go to your team’s answer box in a zigzag pattern—demonstrate if necessary.

12. After the Prodigal Son lost all of his money, he got a job:

A. Feeding cows.

B. Feeding pigs  

C. Racing horses.   

Go to your team’s answer box by twirling as you hop on both feet.

13. When the Prodigal Son returned home, he planned to:   

A. Tell his father that he needed more money.  

B. Ask his father to hire him as a worker.

C. Demand that his father let him live at home with full privileges.

Go to your team’s box by skipping backward. You can turn your head to make sure you don’t run into anyone.

14. When the father saw his son coming home at a distance:    

A. He ran inside and locked the door.  

B. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.

C. He waited for him and told him he must ask forgiveness.  

Go to your team’s answer box by hopping on your right foot while clapping your hands.

15. The father ordered the servants to prepare a feast and celebrate the younger son’s return home. Is the answer T for True or F for False? True.

Go to your team’s answer box by sliding your feet without lifting them from the floor.

You all did very well remembering so many things from the Bible story! Let’s continue now and talk about the Signposts video we saw in Large Group.

Teaching

Have a different child select each Signpost Card in order, 1–3, and read it aloud. Discuss the information below. Additional material is included for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss.

Let’s discuss the Signpost video about the parable of the Prodigal Son.

Signpost 1 Pig—Lost

Why would a picture of a pig represent being lost? When the prodigal son ran away and lost everything, he was so desperate that he took a job feeding pigs, and he was so hungry that he wanted to eat their food!

The Pharisees and other religious leaders did not understand Jesus’ mission on Earth. They questioned why He would spend time with people they called sinners. The Pharisees were proud of their good works and trusted their self-righteousness to put them in right standing with God. They thought they were better than most other people. Yet they didn’t understand that they were sinners, too!

The older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son believed that all his good works and obedience to the father put him in right standing with his father—certainly much better than his younger brother! Both the Pharisees and the older brother were lost and didn’t even know it! They lacked the love that the father showed.

Jesus told His disciples to love one another. He said that the world would know they belonged to Jesus by their love! We need to show others God’s love too—especially the lost! Did you know that everyone is lost without Jesus?

Yes, the Bible calls us lost sheep that have strayed away! It doesn’t matter how many good deeds we do, or how good we think we are—we all have wandered away from God and need a Savior—Jesus!

Optional verses for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss: 

John 13:34–35:

³⁴ “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

Romans 3:10:

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one.”

Isaiah 53:6:

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.

Signpost 2 Telescope—Found

A telescope is used to find and see something that is far away. In the Prodigal Son, the father didn’t have a telescope, but he was eagerly watching for his lost son to return home. Then, when he saw him approach from a distance, he ran to his son to hug and kiss him.

The father represents God, our Heavenly Father. He watches and waits patiently for us to repent of our sin and return home to be with Him! No matter what sins we have committed, no matter how far we have wandered away, He offers His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, and His love to us!     

Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and He looks for lost sheep! Jesus said in His parable that if a shepherd has 100 sheep and one gets lost, the shepherd will leave the others and look for that one lost sheep until it is found! Every single one of us is important to Jesus! We are so important that He died for us! 

Optional verses for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss:  

John 10:11:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep.

Romans 5:8:

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Signpost 3 Sheep—Celebration

The sheep represents the celebration that was given by the father for his younger son. The father was filled with joy and thanksgiving that his lost son had finally come home to live with him again! Did you know that heaven celebrates when one of God’s children comes home?

Yes! The Bible tells us that heaven is filled with joy when one lost sinner who wandered away repents and returns to God! We are all invited to God’s party. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He died for us that we might return home and spend eternity with Him in heaven!         

Optional verses for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss:  

Titus 3:4–5:

⁴ But—When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, ⁵ He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 4:17:

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Luke 15:7:

In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Hand out the Lost and Found Patterns to any children who were not present for the previous lessons and explain how to make them at home.

Ask the children to discuss the answers to the second “Lost and Found Challenge” from Lesson 2. Challenge children to look up the third “Lost and Found Challenge” scripture at home, and then fill in the answers to the four questions and discuss them at home. If any child does not have a Bible at home to look up the scriptures, give them the scriptures on a separate page.

SuperVerse

Let’s take a vote. Do you think there are parties in heaven? Who votes no?

Who votes yes?

Let’s read what Jesus said in Luke 15:4–6:  

⁴ “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?  ⁵ And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.  ⁶ When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’”   

The SuperVerse comes right after these verses. Let’s say it together. Luke 15:7:

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”

Jesus compared the shepherd finding a lost sheep with God rejoicing over a sinner who returns to Him. Everyone is valuable to God! He loves His followers, yet He is always looking for those who are lost. God watches and waits like the father in the Bible story to spot someone who is coming back to Him. When one returns home, there is great joy in heaven!

Have the children sit on the floor facing the board. Have them lower and cover their eyes as you change one word of the verse, using the list below. Children should then look at the board and raise their hands to tell you which word is wrong and how it should be fixed. Write in the correct word, then repeat the process. For older children, you may wish to change two words at a time.

Suggestions:

• Change “same” to “opposite.”
• Change “joy” to “sadness.”
• Change “heaven” to “the ocean.”
• Change “lost” to “last.”
• Change “sinner” to “swimmer.”
• Change “repents” to “resists.”
• Change “ninety-nine” to “fifty-nine.”
• Change “others” to “otters.”
• Change “righteous” to “wicked.”
• Change “strayed” to “stayed.”

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"

Note: Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. They may simply repeat it several times, while older children may memorize part or all of it. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer

Let’s take another vote. When we sin, should we run to God or away from God? Raise your hand if we should run away from God. Now raise your hand if you think we should run to God.

When we sin, we should run to God and ask for forgiveness! When we do this, God celebrates! That’s why today’s SuperTruth says, “God celebrates when we ask Jesus to forgive our sins.” Let’s all say that together.

How does it make you feel to know that when you sin, God wants you to come to Him?

Let’s take a few moments to pray silently and bring all of our sins to Jesus. We shouldn’t be afraid to admit what we have done wrong, because He died to forgive us!    

Have the children bow their heads. Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal anything that they need to confess to Jesus to be forgiven. Then have them pray silently and ask Jesus to forgive them.

Conclusion: Dear God, we believe You are celebrating right now with great joy because we have come to You and asked You to forgive our sins. Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross to pay the price for our sins so that we can be completely forgiven. In Your name, Amen.  

Sandal Game

The Prodigal Son was ashamed of the decision he had made to leave home. He had wasted all of his money and felt like he wasn’t worthy to be his father’s son. Do you remember what he was going to ask his father when he returned home? If he could be one of his servants or workers.

Listen to what his father told his servants to do. Read Luke 15:22: 

“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.’”

Much to the son’s surprise, his father dressed him in the best robe—not working clothes! He also gave him a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet! He did not stop there—he ordered a calf to be prepared for a celebration feast! What an amazing display of love and forgiveness! The father wasn’t treating him like a servant. He was still his father’s son! Today, we are going to play a fun game to try and place the sandals on the son’s feet! It isn’t as easy as it sounds—watch carefully. 

Demonstrate how to play the game. Stand directly over a pair of the cut-out feet. You must stand up straight and not bend over. Hold a cut-out sandal about chest-high, and then drop it. It will float to the ground. The object is to aim each sandal so it touches any part of the foot when it lands. Repeat this with the second sandal. Children cannot bend down toward the floor.

You will score a point each time a sandal is dropped on or touches any part of a foot. Now, listen to this; if you can drop a sandal on each foot you will score five points! 

Divide the class into two equal teams, then form a single-file line a few feet behind one pair of cut-out feet on the floor. If you have a smaller class, they may just gather around to watch the action. Emphasize that this is not a race. Start the game. Each team sends one player with a pair of sandals to their team’s pair of feet. After the player drops both sandals, points are tallied on the board. The player then returns to the team and gives the sandals to the next player on their team. Repeat until all children have had at least one turn. The team with the highest score wins. Play more than one round or give children additional turns as time permits. Emphasize that this is not a race.

Conclusion: Good job placing those sandals on the feet! The parable that Jesus told about the Prodigal Son should be very exciting for all of us. The father represents God, and how He welcomes us home and celebrates in heaven when we return to Him! Whenever we stray from God, He waits for us to return, and He greets us with open arms!     

Object Lesson

Place the covered box behind you. 

We have been discussing two parables about the lost son and the lost sheep. Jesus told three parables about something that was lost. Would you like to guess what the other story is about? 

Read Luke 15:8–10:

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?⁹ And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’¹⁰ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

Even though the woman still had nine coins remaining, the one lost coin was valuable to her. She could not wait until the morning light to look for it! She lit a candle and searched the entire house at night until the coin was found. She then celebrated with her friends and neighbors! Like the other parables, Jesus told this story to illustrate how important every person is to God!   

Have you ever lost something that was valuable to you?

Ask children to name things that they’d lost and to share if or how they found it.

Sometimes we cannot relax or sleep because we just cannot forget about what we lost!

During your search for the lost item, did you return to a place, like church or school, where you used the item, and ask if anyone had found it?

Display the lost and found box. Did they have something like this?

How did you feel when you started to look through the lost items—were you excited and hopeful?

Yes—and if you found the item—you most likely couldn’t wait to tell your family and friends who had been searching for your lost item, too! Finding something valuable to you is exciting! Now, imagine the joy in heaven as God and the angels celebrate when someone who is lost is now found!

Optional game: Let’s play a game where I’ll name an item, and you can each take a turn feeling inside the box to try to find the lost item. Cover the box with the cloth and hold it up high so children cannot see inside. Allow each child to take a turn finding a lost item.

Activity

Give a coloring page to each child and distribute the crayons, markers, or colored pencils. As children color their pages, use the questions below to lead a discussion:

• If you saw the video in our first lesson, how did Gizmo get tangled up with Rebel, the lost sheep? He was trying to help Micah, the shepherd, catch Rebel; and the Doggie saucer fired a net that caught the sheep and Gizmo.
• Why did the boy leave his other sheep to look for Rebel? As in Jesus’ parable, a shepherd cares about each of his sheep and will leave the flock until he finds it. 
• Who does Jesus’ parable compare a lost sheep to? Lost sinner.
• Who was the lost sinner in our Bible story? The younger son, Prodigal Son. 
• If you were the older brother who had stayed home and worked for his father the entire time, would you be jealous to see your dad give your younger brother presents and a party after he had run away and spent his inheritance?
• What did the father want the older brother to know in the story? Everything he had belonged to him.

What does our SuperTruth say happens in heaven when a lost sinner turns to God and repents of his sin? A celebration—rejoicing.

Bible Study

Have children look up the passages and discuss using the questions and comments below.

1. Read Luke 15:25–29; 31–32:

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, ²⁶ and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ ²⁸ The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, ²⁹ but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to do . And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. ³¹ His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. ³² We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

• Why was the older brother so angry with his father? Why would he not take part in the celebration? For welcoming the son back—for throwing a party for him.
• What does it feel like to see someone get the same reward as you, even if they did a lot less than you, or if they disobeyed the rules?
• Do you think the father should have punished the younger son or made him work as a servant to pay him back some of the money he wasted?
• The older son complained that his father never had a celebration feast for him even though he had obeyed and worked for his dad for years. How did the father respond? The father replied that all he had was his, too.
• God is our heavenly Father and we are His children. Do you think there are some blessings we haven’t asked God for, that He would love to give us? What are some of those blessings?

2. Read Romans 12:15:

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

• How can we apply this verse to our story?
• Is it hard to sympathize with someone going through a difficult time? Why?
• Is it hard to be happy with someone when they get something that we don’t have? Why?
• Why was it hard for the older brother to be happy when his brother came back home?

3. Read Ephesians 2:8–9:

⁸ God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

• Look at verse 9. How can we apply this verse to the older brother? The older brother based the father’s approval, acceptance, love, and blessing on his work and obedience. He was boasting about his work. He believed the younger son did not earn or deserve a reward.
• How can we apply this to the younger son and father? The father’s forgiveness and restoration, welcoming home, was a gift of grace and love—not due to anything the younger son did to deserve it.
• Have you ever felt like you needed to earn God’s love and acceptance?
• Does this parable change your view of salvation? How?

4. Read Luke 15:1–2:

¹ Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. ² This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that He was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

• What character in Jesus’ parable do you think is represented by the religious leaders? The older brother.
• Do you sometimes have a hard time believing that God loves some people—or that He would spend time with them?
• Do you think the religious leaders were any better than the people they called sinners? No - all have sinned, including them.
• Do you think that Jesus considered the actual religious leaders as lost, and needing to turn to God and repent? Yes, they needed to trust in Jesus for their salvation and not their own works and self-righteousness.

Conclusion: The older brother was so jealous and angry that he missed the wonderful blessing that his brother who was lost, was now found—he was alive! We need to have the love of God in our hearts and rejoice when others turn to Him—no matter what they have done!