Sunday Service Children’s Story

Materials:  

• Pictures of the story.

 Preparations:

• Prepare any necessary materials.
• Invite children up to steps of altar.
• Reader of story sits in a chair with children sitting on floor in front of her.
• Include children’s story, even if there are no children in your congregation, to welcome families who may come to the service.
•  You can add your own creativity to the stories.  You may feel comfortable using puppets, props or presenting them just as they are written.
• Feel free to adjust the content to fit your time frame.  However, for the spiritual development of the child, we encourage keeping as much of the Ascended Master’s Teachings as possible.

 Time:  Approximately 8 – 10 minutes depending on the storyteller’s delivery and children’s responses.

 Click here for a printable version of the story.

Good morning.  Happy Father’s Day.  Did you all wish your fathers a Happy Father’s Day?  Did you know that when you honor your father on earth, you are also honoring your Father in heaven, your own individualized I AM Presence?  (Allow children to answer.)  Today our story is about a father who loved his sons very much, even when one of them went astray.

The story is called the Prodigal Son.  Do you know what prodigal means?  It means spending money in a wasteful way.  When you listen to our story today, think about the boy’s actions that affected his earthly father as also being actions that affected his tie with his spiritual father.

The Prodigal Son

            Of all the stories Jesus told, one of the most touching and beautiful is the parable about the boy who left home but who eventually came back to his family.  It is best known as the story of the Prodigal Son.

A certain man had two sons.  Both lived on their father’s ranch; both had everything they needed and both were equally loved very much by their father.

But the younger son became restless.  He was tired of being told what to do and what not to do.  He wanted to be free to do as he pleased.  Most of all, he wanted to enjoy the pleasures of city life he had heard about.

So one day he went to his father and said, “Father, I would like the share of property that would come to me as my inheritance.”  Of course the son had no right to ask his father for this now because his father was still alive.  But the boy’s father, loving his younger son so dearly, gave him half of his estate – money, horses and property.

Feeling very rich and happy, the boy rode away to visit the far-away lands he had longed to see.  For a while the boy had a wonderful time.  He made many friends, because of his great wealth.  He and his friends spent the money as fast as they could – on having a good time.

What happens when you continuously spend money?  (Allow children to answer.)  Yes, eventually it’s all gone.  And that’s exactly what happened to this boy – he spent all money.  What do you think his friends did?  (Allow children to answer.)  Yes, they left him.  They weren’t really his friends, were they?

The boy, now a young man, was very poor.  And that was not the end of his troubles.  A great famine had struck.  Food ran short and the people were hungry.  The young man tried to find work, but the only job he could find was that of a swineherd.  Do you know what a swine is?  (Allow children to answer.)  A pig.  The son became so hungry that he was tempted to eat the pigs’ food.  Then one day as he sat alone with the animals, he realized that he had made a terrible mistake.  “I should not have left my father.  He has all the servants he needs and all the food they need to eat.  They have enough bread to share, and I perish with hunger,” he said to himself.

Suddenly, the young man had a change of heart.  “I will go to my father and ask for forgiveness. I will say unto him, Father, I am no more worthy to be called thy son:  make me as one of thy hired servants.”  You see that the son was truly sorry for his behavior and wanted to repent.

Leaving the pigs, he set off for home.  It was a long, long journey.  He was fatigued and worn out with hunger.

Every weary mile he wondered what his father would say to him.  Perhaps his father would refuse to see him.  What do you think the father will say?  (Allow children to answer.)  Let’s see how his father reacted.

When the son was still a great distance away, the father saw him and recognized him, despite his torn clothes, slumping shoulders and untidy beard.  Gone were all the horses and riches the boy had left with.  But his boy was back home at last!

With a cry of joy, the father ran toward his son. (Show picture.) He did not stop until his arms were lovingly wrapped around him.  (Show picture.)  The son immediately felt remorse and looked up into his father’s tear-stained face.

“Father,” he cried.  “Please forgive me for being disobedient.  I am not worthy to be called your son —“

However, his father interrupted him.  By this time several servants had come running up.  “Bring the best robe, and put it on him,” ordered the father, now radiantly happy.  “And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.  Bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be joyous, for this my son was dead and now is alive; he was lost and now is found.”  (Show picture.)

What does the father mean by “my son was dead”?  Was the son really dead?  (Allow children to answer.)  It means the son was dead to following God’s will and Jesus; he was spiritually dead.  But now he was alive spiritually.

God rejoices in the homecoming of the prodigal son.  Our I AM Presence does forgive us when we are truly sorry.  We know that we can transmute our negative actions and thoughts with the violet flame.

But this is not the end of the story.  For the other son was not so pleased to see his brother.  When he heard about the wonderful welcome his younger brother had received, even though he had behaved so badly and wasted so much money, the older brother was angry.

He said, “Father, I’ve served you many years and never once have I broken one of your commandments.  Yet, you never gave me a feast with my friends.  Now, this disobedient son of yours comes home and after all he has done to hurt you, you kill the fatted calf for him and give him a feast.”

This is a very important part of the story.  Have you ever felt that something seemed “unfair” because a brother or a sister or a friend did something wrong but seemed to get away with it?  (Allow children to answer.)  Many of us have probably felt this at some time.  So, what do you think the father said to this son?  (Allow children to answer.)

He said, “Son,” you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.  It is fitting that we should be glad, for this brother of yours was lost but now is found.”

And so we see that we should rejoice for all those who leave God but find their way back to Him.  When a person is truly sorry for their wrongs, we should forgive him.  For that is what our Father in Heaven does for us and all His Sons and Daughters.  God forgives us because he loves us so much and we are Sons and Daughters of God.

CONCLUSION:  That is the end of our story.   Remember to wish your fathers a Happy Father’s Day.  For when you honor him, you honor your spiritual father, God the Father, as well.  Thank you for being here.