Family Worship

Running Away

The focus of this family time is to use five easy steps to teach our family that, like the prodigal son, we often think we will be happier without God. Even though we run away from God, he forgives us and brings us home.


Learn the Memory Verse together and say it throughout the week to help your family remember and apply what they have learned.


MEMORY VERSE:  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9


STEP 1. GATHER!

Use this exercise to begin Family Worship Night and have fun!


Play a game of charades using these.

  • Sleeping
  • Waking up
  • Brushing teeth
  • Taking a bath/shower
  • Combing/brushing hair
  • Tying shoes
  • A Pig
  • Running
  • Reading a book
  • Dancing
  • Eating
  • Drinking


STEP 2. WORSHIP!

Preschool:


Elementary:

  • Sing and have fun while worshiping then pray. Take a moment here to thank God for your family and your time together!! 


STEP 3. BIBLE!

Read Pages 272-279 in the Jesus Storybook Bible

Watch:


STEP 4. DISCUSSION! 

Use these questions and points to have a conversation with your children about the Bible story. 

  • Jesus told this story to show us what God is like and to show us what we are like.
  • The son from this story is like us. Like the son, we sometimes think God does not want us to be happy, and we run away from God. 
  • And then, like the son, we sometimes repent for our sin, but we worry that God does not love us anymore. 
  • The father from this story is like God. God runs to us and loves us even though we have sinned; God forgives us and brings us home. God forgives us and loves us even though we have sinned, and he brings us back home. 
  • How does God do that? How does God forgive us and bring us home? By sending Jesus.”

STEP 5. Pray!

  • Pray aloud, thanking God for his love and grace. Thank him that even though we are like the son in the story, because of Jesus, God forgives us and brings us home. 
  • Ask the children to thank and praise God that he is like the father in the story.