Family Connection – Parable: The Lost Son

In the car...

This week’s lesson: The parable of the lost son

When I drive around town, I end up passing a farm. The smell from the farm usually makes me wince or lose my breath. I sometimes think of the son in this parable and what it must have smelled like to be feeding those pigs. Stinky! That must’ve been the point that he realized, “I could work for my father” — the stinkiest point in his life.

While you’re out and about, talk about things that remind you of God. What places have you seen the Lord work? Guide your children to think of those places in their life.

At home...

Read Luke 15:11-32

Think about chores. Chores are something we all have to do. But there are times that we don’t want to do it! In this parable Jesus talks about a son who had finally had it! He didn’t want to do his chores and wanted everything he was owed, right then! No more waiting, no more working, only the fun! But as we see, that didn’t last. He ended up doing chores that were more gross than what he was doing before.

Discuss those moments when you wanted to just throw your hands in the air. What brought you back from giving up?

Around the table...

This parable talks about a party at the end. The father realizes his son has come home. The father runs out to hug and kiss his son! He then tells his servants to roast up the fattened calf for a feast for his son that has returned home. The other son didn’t realize what the party was for. He was jealous until he realized that his brother was being accepted again.

Jesus is referring to the party in heaven for those who were lost and have returned! Sometimes we end up focusing on distractions in our lives and we end up a little lost from our faith walk. As a family, discuss those distractions and how you find your way back.