ECCO HOME LESSON 9.12-9

E C C O H O M E L E S S O NSeptember 12-13

Last Week’s Lesson: Kingdom Parables One day, Jesus went out and sat by the sea. Many people came to hear Him teach, so Jesus got into a

boat and sat down. The people stood on the shore, and Jesus told them parables, or stories, to teach them about God’s kingdom. Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Why do you tell stories to teach?” Jesus said, “Not everyone will understand what is true about God’s kingdom.” In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah said, “Some people look, but they do not see. They hear, but they do not listen or understand.” Through Jesus, Isaiah’s words came true. Jesus told the disciples, “You are blessed because you understand.” Then Jesus told a parable: “God’s kingdom is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. It is the smallest seed, but it grows taller than the garden plants. The seed becomes a tree, and the birds build nests in its branches.” Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like leaven, or yeast, that a woman mixed into flour. The leaven makes the dough rise.”

Jesus told another parable: “God’s kingdom is like a treasure buried in a field. A man found the treasure and buried it again. Then he joyfully sold everything he had and bought that field.” Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like a man looking for beautiful pearls. When he found one very valuable pearl, he sold everything he had and bought it.” When Jesus finished teaching the crowds, He left that place and went to His hometown.

This Week’s Lesson: Three Parables Many people came to listen to Jesus teach. The religious leaders were angry that sinners came to

listen to Jesus. They did not think Jesus should be friends with people who do wrong things. So Jesus told them three parables, or stories, to teach them about God. Jesus said, “If a man has 100 sheep and one goes missing, he leaves the 99 sheep and looks everywhere for his lost sheep. And when he finds it, he tells his friends and neighbors, ‘Let’s celebrate because I have found my lost sheep!’” Jesus told them, “In heaven, there will be more joy over one person who is sorry for his sin and turns back to God than over 99 good

KEY CONCEPT How does God care for His creation? God loves and rules over all He made.

KEY VERSE “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He

loves.” Colossians 1:13

people who don’t need to be sorry.” Then Jesus told a second story: “If a woman has 10 silver coins and loses one of them, she lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches until she finds it. Then she tells her friends and neighbors, ‘Let’s celebrate because I have found my lost coin!’” Jesus said, “In heaven, God’s angels will celebrate when one person is sorry for his sin and turns back to God.” Then Jesus told one more story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘Give me the money that will be mine someday.’ So the father gave his son what was his. “The younger son traveled to a faraway country. He spent all his money and made wrong choices.

The son had nothing left, and the country he was in ran out of food. He got a job feeding pigs, but he was still hungry. “The son was sorry for his wrong choices. He said, ‘My father’s workers have plenty of food. I do not deserve to be his son. I will ask to be his worker.’ So he went home. His father ran to him and gave him a big hug and a kiss. The son started to say he was sorry, but the father told his servants, ‘Bring the best clothes for my son to wear! Let’s celebrate with a big meal! My son was lost, and now he is found!’ “The older son came home and asked, ‘What’s going on?’ A servant said, ‘Your brother is home. Your father is celebrating.’ “The father asked the older son to come inside and celebrate. But the older son was angry. He said, ‘I always obeyed you, but you never threw a party for me.’ “‘Son,’ the father said, ‘everything I have is yours. This is a day to celebrate!

Pre-School Age Review Questions (Ages 2-5)

1. Who told stories to teach people about God? (Jesus)2. What did the man who lost one of his sheep do? (He left his other sheep to find the one that was lost.)3. What did the woman who lost a coin do? (She searched until she found it.)4. Did the younger son make good choices? (no)5. What did the father do when his younger son came home? (welcomed him and celebrated)6. How does God care for His creation? (God loves and rules over all He made.)

Elementary Age Review Questions (K-5th grade) 1. What did the Pharisees and scribes complain about? (Jesus’ welcoming sinners, Luke 15:2)2. How did the three characters from the parables react when what they lost was found? (by rejoicing andcelebrating; Luke 15:6,9,32)3. Why was the older brother angry at the end of that parable? (He felt his father was treating him unfairly, Luke15:29-30)4. Do you ever feel like running away from God to live your own way? Guide kids to think about the choices theymake. Help them think through times when it may feel like obeying God is a burden, such as when a seeingpopular movie or playing a popular video game dishonors Him. Encourage kids to speak openly about when it ishard to obey God.5. Do you ever feel like it’s unfair for God to love people who disobey Him? Help kids see that all people aresinners. We often try to rank our sin or compare it to other people’s sin to justify why we chose to sin. Help kidsunderstand that all sin deserves death

Emerge Review Questions (Kids with Special Needs) 1. Who told stories to teach people about God? (Jesus)2. What did the man who lost one of his sheep do? (He left his other sheep to find the one that was lost.)3. What did the woman who lost a coin do? (She searched until she found it.)4. Did the younger son make good choices? (no)5. What did the father do when his younger son came home? (welcomed him and celebrated)6. How does God care for His creation? (God loves and rules over all He made.)

A C T I V I T Y OP T I ONS

Activity #1: Emotion Charades

Describe a situation, then say, “I would feel …,” and play out that emotion without saying anything. Invite children to guess your emotion. Allow volunteers to play out emotions one at a time. Use the suggested scenarios or make up your own. Ask, “How would you feel?” A child should silently play out her answer while the other children guess.

SAY •Most of us feel sad when we lose something special, and we feel happy when it is found. Some of us might feel excited if our brother got a cool new toy while some of us might feel jealous or angry. How we act when we feel those emotions is very important. In our Bible story today, we will hear about people who felt many different emotions.

Activity #2: Sing “Amazing Grace”

Teach the first verse of “Amazing Grace” to preschoolers. Remind children that being lost means not knowing

Jesus as Lord and Savior. Point out to older preschoolers that the hymn-writer compares being lost to being blind.

Remind preschoolers of last week’s Bible story where Jesus talked about people looking but not seeing. (Matthew

13:10-16) Repeat the song until preschoolers know it: “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound! That saved a wretch

like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.”

SAY • Christians have sung this song for many years to remember what Jesus did for us. Jesus looks for people

who are lost, people who do not know Him. Jesus came to save people who do not know Him. Only Jesus can

“find” us and help us “see” how amazing His grace is. That sweet gift makes me want to sing praises to God!

Prayer

• Use this time to teach your kids about prayer. Teach them that prayer is talking with Jesus, both listening to him and hearing from Him. Prayer can be thanking Jesus for something, asking Him for something, telling Him we are sorry for something we’ve done wrong, or even just telling God how we feel about something. He always wants to listen to us!

• Everyone of every age can talk with Jesus. In fact, the Bible says Jesus wants us to talk with Him all the time about everything!

• We can pray no matter how we feel, whether we are happy, sad, mad, lonely, or maybe even scared. Ask them why it may be helpful to pray when we feel _____.

• Prompt your kids with this idea: God sent Jesus to earth to be our King. Simeon and Anna praised God for sending Jesus. How can we praise God for sending our Savior?

• Teach your kids that we should pray for others as often as we pray for ourselves. Ask them for their ideas about who they could pray for today.

We hope you and your family can use this tool to grow closer to Jesus together! THE EXPER I ENCE ECCO TEAM

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Title the Title Scripture Reference

Key Passage: Colossians 1:13

Babies & Toddlers Christ Connection: Jesus gave His life to save people from sin.

Preschool Christ Connection: Jesus told stories about people who were looking for things that were lost. Jesus told these stories to teach about Himself. Jesus looks for people who are lost, people who do not know Him. Jesus gave His life to save people from sin.

Big Picture Question & Answer: How does God care for His creation? God loves and rules over all He made.

Story Point for Babies & Toddlers: Jesus is our King.

Story Point for Preschoolers: Jesus came to save people who do not know Him.

Gospel Gems: • Jesus told a story about God’s love.• The father was happy when his son came home.• God is happy when sinners trust Jesus.

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