The Other Side of the Coin

Father’s Day Sunday School Lesson For Kids

BOTTOM LINE: God wants us to love our Dads.

OBJECTIVE: Kids will choose something they will do to show love to their Dad today.

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 15:11-24, The Parable of The Lost Son

MEMORY VERSE:
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1 (NIV) SUMMARY:

Dads are many things. They are providers, teachers, mentors, spiritual leaders, coaches, and even playmates. But a Dad’s most important job is modeling the love of God to his kids. We should love our Dads, knowing that they can show us how much God loves us.

ICEBREAKER:

What is one crazy thing you have seen your father do?

OBJECT LESSON:

Dollar Bill

I was going through my wallet this morning looking for money and I came across this old dollar bill. It’s pretty old and worn out. It’s really faded too. Looks like its crinkled and worn around the edges. It’s certainly seen better days. I was thinking about just throwing it out, but before I do, I wonder… would any of you like this dollar?

Of course you would! We’d all love to have a dollar because dollars have value! A worn out, torn up, crumpled dollar like this is just as valuable as a crisp, fresh from the mint, brand new dollar bill. They never lose their value, and they are always a welcome sight.

That’s the way it is with God. God never sees us as old or worn out or too far gone. God made us and he loves every one of us.

A good godly father sees his children the same way. You will always be able to come home because a godly father loves his children unconditionally.

Be sure to let your father know how much you love him. And tell your Heavenly Father as well, thanking him for the example we have in fathers who love Jesus.

FATHER’S DAY LESSON

INTRO:

A month ago, we took a Sunday to celebrate Moms. Today, we do the same thing for our Dads. Moms and Dads are different in many ways. Aside from the obvious differences – male and female – there are things that one parent typically does and things that the other parent typically does. For example: Moms and Dads will both tell you not to do a dangerous stunt again, like jumping off the house and using your bed sheets as a parachute. But only Dad will tell you that the stunt you did was awesome when Mom isn’t around.

Dads are more kid-like in many ways than Moms. Dads love to wrestle around with their kids from the time they’re big enough to crawl. Dads are more likely to spend more money than they should on things like fireworks. Dads are more likely to be into things like wrestling, monster trucks, and comic books. And Dads are much, much more likely to get in trouble with Mom for acting crazy than Moms are with Dads.

All craziness and kidding aside, being a Dad is just as important and demanding as being a Mom. Dads share the responsibility of providing a nice home for the kids. They make meals. They clean house. They maintain the yard. They help with homework. They read bedtime stories – or they make up new ones. They put everyone in their place when they get in trouble. And most important of all, they teach their children about Jesus.

I know not everyone has a Mom and Dad in the home, and more often than not, when a split happens, it’s the Dad who is missing more than the Mom. That doesn’t take away any of the responsibility Dad has for raising kids to love Jesus. In fact, Dad bears an extra burden because he’s the one the Bible uses to teach us how God loves us. The Bible calls God our Heavenly Father, and in today’s scripture, we read just what kind of a Father our God really is.

READ LUKE 15:11-24

MAIN POINT:

God is a loving father. He is compassionate and forgiving. God could never forget his children or deny them anything. Even if a child of God rebelled against him, God would not quit on them. He won’t chase them down, but the minute he sees them coming back home, he will run to them and welcome them back.

That’s the kind of love God wants fathers to have. A godly father is more than just your big playmate. He’s a picture of our Heavenly Father. Dads are to be loving and compassionate. They are always welcoming and always willing to forgive. That’s a huge burden to bear, and it’s all the more reason for us to show our fathers we love them on Father’s Day.

DRIVE IT HOME:

Have seen your Dad read the Bible? Have seen or heard him pray? A godly father is responsible for setting a good example in faith. Studies have shown that a dad who reads will have kids who read. A dad who reads the Bible will have kids who read the Bible, and a dad who prays will have kids who pray. If you have a Dad like that, thank God for that man, and tell your Dad you love him.

A godly father is also a forgiving father. That doesn’t mean you can get away with anything, but it means that when we say we are sorry, Dad will forgive us. Dad might lecture you about smashing his car headlight with a baseball bat. He might make you help him replace the light or pay part of it out of your allowance. But he will still love you, and he will still forgive you. If you have a father like that, thank God for that man, and tell him you love him.

You, or someone you know, may not have a dad at home. Maybe you only see him now and then. Maybe your Dad is never there. If you have a father like that, I have good news for you: you also have a great Father. Your Father in Heaven loves you, just like the father in this parable. He will always be there for you, and he will always forgive you when you mess up. He sent his Son to be your Savior, and if you believe in Him, you can truly call God your Father.

Whatever kind of Dad you have, I hope that you will tell him you love him today. Tell your godly father that you are thankful for him and all the things he has done.

If you have a Dad that isn’t always there, tell him you love him too. Tell him you love him because you have a Father in Heaven who loves you and him. Believe it or not, God can use you to teach him that he, too, is loved by his Heavenly Father.

I hope you have a good time with Dad today. I hope you get to have fun, and I hope it gets a little crazy. But at the end of the day, be sure to say thank you for the father you have. Thank God for sending him, and thank your Dad for being there. Tell your Dad you love him today.

CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,
Thank you for our Dads. In Jesus’ name,

Amen

CRAFT IDEA:

Have the kids make a card for Dad out of construction paper.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Luke 15:11-24
What did the son ask his father to give him?
What happened to all the boy’s money?
When did the boy decide to go home to see his Dad?
What did the father do when he saw his son coming home?
What is something you can do today to thank your Dad for his love?

GAME/ACTIVITY:

Play a game of charades, and have each kid act out one of their Dad’s favorite things or activities. (A movie, a favorite sport, etc.)

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,
Help us to show our Dads how much we love them. In Jesus’ name,
Amen