Scripture: Luke 15:1-32
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn God wants everyone to become a Christian.
- Students will learn God will go to great efforts to try and convince a sinner to become a Christian.
- Students will learn we should also go to great lengths to convince people to become Christians.
- Students will put together goodie bags to give to those in the community inviting them to church.
Guiding Question: What does it mean to find people who are “lost” and what should we do when we find them?
Materials: snack bags, various snacks, paper, and markers
Procedure: Before students enter the room, hide something small in a place relatively difficult to find. As students enter the room, pretend to frantically search the room for the hidden object. Have students join you in the search and say things like “We may just have to take everything out of the room and sweep it to find it.” Once the object is found, tell students the parables of loss. Explain that although people do look for important lost things, Jesus also meant something else by this parable.
Jesus thinks of people who don’t know about Him and how to become a Christian as lost. They haven’t found their way to God yet. In fact, early Christians were often called “The Way”. Part of what Jesus wants Christians to do is to tell everyone they know about Him. He wants us to encourage people to read their Bibles and come to church. He wants us to tell them how what God does for us. He wants us to help them learn how to become a Christian. Tell them that today, they will do something to try and help these lost children in their community find Jesus. You will make special snack packets with drawings and invitations to attend church with you.
Help students assemble goodie bags. Encourage them to draw pictures that might encourage students to come to church. Make sure they include all of the information a student would need such as dates, times and places on the drawing. Send students home with the bags and encourage parents to help students deliver the bags throughout the community.
Additional Questions: How can students minister to those who are “lost” around them?
Supplemental Activity: Have a member of your congregation who does missions in your city or one nearby talk to the students about how he/she supports those who are “lost” and how he/she helps them to find out more about Jesus. Have them explain how the students can serve as missionaries to those who are “lost” in their community.