Parables Illustrating God’s Love JSS2 Christian Religious Studies (CRS) Lesson Note

PARABLES ILLUSTRATING GOD’S LOVE

Jesus told many parables to help people understand how much God loves them. Three special parables in Luke chapter 15 show us God’s amazing love for every person. These parables teach us that God cares deeply about those who are lost and that He rejoices greatly when they are found. Jesus told these parables to religious leaders who were complaining because He spent time with sinners and tax collectors. Through these stories, Jesus showed that God’s love reaches out to everyone, especially those who have gone astray.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7, Matthew 18:12-14)

The Story

Jesus told this parable to show how much God values each individual person. He said:

“Suppose a shepherd has one hundred sheep. He takes good care of all his sheep. He knows each one of them. Every evening, he counts his sheep to make sure they are all safe. One evening, as he counts his sheep, he discovers that one sheep is missing. He counts again to be sure. Yes, only ninety-nine sheep are there. One sheep is lost somewhere.

What does the shepherd do? Does he say, ‘Well, I still have ninety-nine sheep. That is plenty. I do not need to worry about one sheep’? No! The shepherd does not think like that. Even though he has ninety-nine sheep safe with him, he cares deeply about the one lost sheep.

The shepherd immediately takes action. He makes sure the ninety-nine sheep are safe in the sheepfold where nothing can harm them. Then he goes out into the dark night to search for his one lost sheep. The shepherd does not wait until morning. He goes right away.

The shepherd searches everywhere. He walks through the dark valleys calling for his sheep. He climbs up rocky hills looking carefully. He pushes through thick bushes. He looks behind big rocks. He keeps calling out for his lost sheep. The night is cold and dangerous. There might be wild animals around. But the shepherd does not give up. He keeps searching.

Finally, after searching for a long time, the shepherd hears a faint cry. It is his lost sheep! The sheep is stuck in thorny bushes and cannot get out. The sheep is frightened and tired. The shepherd carefully pulls the sheep out of the thorns. He is so happy that he found his lost sheep!

The shepherd does not scold the sheep for getting lost. Instead, he gently lifts the tired sheep and places it on his shoulders. He carries it all the way home because the sheep is too weak to walk. As he walks home with the sheep on his shoulders, the shepherd is filled with joy.

When the shepherd reaches home, he is so excited that he cannot keep the good news to himself. He calls together his friends and neighbors. He tells them, ‘Rejoice with me! Celebrate with me! I found my sheep that was lost!’ Everyone celebrates together because the lost sheep has been found.

Then Jesus explained the meaning: ‘I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.'”

The Meaning of the Parable

In this parable:

The Shepherd represents God or Jesus. God is like a caring shepherd who watches over His people.

The Hundred Sheep represent all people. God cares for everyone.

The One Lost Sheep represents a sinner, someone who has wandered away from God.

The Shepherd’s Search represents God’s seeking love. God actively searches for those who are lost.

Finding the Sheep represents a sinner repenting and coming back to God.

The Joy and Celebration represent the joy in heaven when someone turns away from sin and comes to God.

1. The Parable of the Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)

The Story

Jesus told a second parable to illustrate the same truth about God’s love in a different way. He said:

“Suppose a woman has ten silver coins. These coins are very valuable to her. Perhaps they are her savings, or maybe they are part of her wedding dowry – a special gift she received when she got married. Each coin is precious to her.

One day, the woman decides to count her coins. She takes them out and counts them carefully. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine… and then she stops. Something is wrong. She counts again. Only nine coins! One coin is missing! One of her precious silver coins is lost.

The woman becomes very concerned. She must find that lost coin. Even though she still has nine coins, she cannot rest until she finds the one that is lost. That one coin is important to her.

The woman immediately begins to search her house. Houses in those days were small and often dark. They had tiny windows, so not much light came inside. The floors were made of dirt or rough stone. It would be very easy for a small coin to roll into a crack or get covered with dust.

The woman lights an oil lamp to help her see better in the dark corners of her house. She takes a broom and begins to sweep the entire floor carefully. She moves furniture to look underneath. She sweeps every corner. She looks in every crack. She searches under mats and behind jars. She does not give up.

She sweeps carefully, listening for the sound of the coin. Sweep, sweep, sweep – she keeps working. She looks at everything the broom pushes up. Then suddenly, she hears a little clink! There it is! She sees the shine of silver. She has found her lost coin!

The woman is filled with joy! She is so happy that she cannot keep quiet about it. Just like the shepherd, she calls her friends and neighbors who live nearby. She tells them, ‘Rejoice with me! Celebrate with me! I have found my coin that was lost!’ Her friends come over and celebrate with her. They understand how happy she is to have found something so precious.

Then Jesus said: ‘In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.'”

The Meaning of the Parable

In this parable:

The Woman represents God. God carefully looks after what belongs to Him.

The Ten Coins represent all people. Each person is valuable to God.

The One Lost Coin represents a lost sinner, someone who is separated from God.

The Lamp represents the light of God’s word that helps people see their need for God.

The Sweeping represents God’s thorough search and the preaching of the gospel.

Finding the Coin represents a sinner repenting and being restored to God.

The Joy represents the celebration in heaven among the angels when someone comes to God.

III. The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

The Story

Jesus told a third parable, which is longer and shows God’s love in an even more powerful way. He said:

“There was a man who had two sons. The younger son was restless and foolish. He did not want to wait until his father died to receive his inheritance. One day, he came to his father and said, ‘Father, give me my share of the property now. Give me the inheritance that will belong to me.’

This request was very disrespectful and hurtful. It was like saying, ‘Father, I wish you were dead already so I could have my money.’ But the father did not get angry. He loved his son. So the father divided his property between his two sons and gave the younger son his share.

A few days later, the younger son gathered all his belongings and money. He left home and traveled to a distant country far away from his father. There, he began to waste his money foolishly. He spent it on wild living, partying, drinking, and sinful pleasures. He made bad friends who only liked him because he had money. He lived recklessly without thinking about the future.

Before long, all his money was gone. He had spent everything. He had nothing left. And at that same time, a severe famine came to that country. Food became very scarce and expensive. The young man began to be in great need. He was hungry, homeless, and desperate.

He needed to find work to survive. He went to a citizen of that country and asked for a job. The man sent him to his fields to feed pigs. This was the worst job possible for a Jewish person because Jews considered pigs to be unclean animals. The young man was so hungry that he wanted to eat the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

Finally, the young man came to his senses. He began to think clearly. He said to himself, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough food to eat, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go back to my father. I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’

So the young man started the long journey back home. He was dirty, wearing rags, thin from hunger, and ashamed of what he had done. As he walked toward his father’s house, his heart was heavy with guilt.

Meanwhile, the father had been heartbroken since his son left. Every day, he hoped his son would come home. He often looked down the road, watching and waiting. One day, while the son was still a long way off, the father saw him coming. The father recognized his son even from far away.

The father’s heart was filled with compassion and love. He did not wait for his son to reach the house. He did not stand there with his arms crossed, waiting for an apology. No! The father ran toward his son. In that culture, older men did not run – it was considered undignified. But this father did not care about dignity. He loved his son so much that he ran!

When the father reached his son, he threw his arms around him and kissed him again and again. He hugged him tightly. The son began to say his prepared speech: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son…’

But the father did not let him finish. He did not want to hear his son say he would be a servant. The father turned to his servants and gave quick orders: ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’

The servants obeyed immediately. They dressed the young man in fine clothes. The ring showed he was still a son, not a servant. The sandals showed he was a free man, not a slave. The father threw a big party with music, dancing, and a wonderful feast. Everyone celebrated because the lost son had come home.

Now the older son had been working out in the fields all day. As he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked, ‘What is all this celebration about?’

The servant told him, ‘Your brother has come home! Your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

The older brother became very angry. He refused to go into the house to join the celebration. His father came out and pleaded with him to come in, but the older son complained: ‘Look! All these years I have served you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has wasted your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

The father answered gently, ‘My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'”

The Meaning of the Parable

In this parable:

The Father represents God. He shows God’s patient, forgiving, and generous love.

The Younger Son represents sinners who rebel against God and go their own way.

The Distant Country represents a life far from God, living in sin.

The Famine represents the emptiness and consequences of living without God.

The Son’s Return represents repentance, turning away from sin and coming back to God.

The Father’s Running represents God’s eager love. God does not wait for us to earn His love. He runs to meet us when we turn to Him.

The Robe, Ring, and Sandals represent restoration to full relationship with God as His children.

The Celebration represents the joy in heaven when a sinner repents.

The Older Brother represents self-righteous people who think they deserve God’s favor because of their good works. He also represents those who do not understand grace and become jealous when God shows mercy to sinners.

1. Moral Lessons from These Parables

Lessons About God’s Love

1. God Loves Every Individual Person

Each parable emphasizes the value of one person. The shepherd cared about one sheep out of a hundred. The woman searched for one coin out of ten. The father loved each of his sons individually. This teaches us that we are not just a number to God. God knows you personally and loves you deeply. You are precious to Him.

2. God Actively Seeks the Lost

God does not sit back and wait for people to find Him. The shepherd went out searching. The woman swept her entire house. The father watched and waited, then ran to his son. God reaches out to people through His word, through other Christians, through circumstances, and through the Holy Spirit. He is always working to bring people to Himself.

3. God’s Love Does Not Depend on Our Worthiness

The lost sheep did not deserve to be found – it foolishly wandered away. The coin could not find itself. The prodigal son wasted everything and lived sinfully. Yet in each case, there was great love and effort to restore what was lost. God does not love us because we are good. He loves us even when we are sinful and far from Him. His love is a gift, not something we earn.

4. God Rejoices When the Lost Are Found

All three parables emphasize celebration and joy. The shepherd called his friends to rejoice. The woman called her neighbors to celebrate. The father threw a big party. This teaches us that heaven celebrates when even one person repents and comes to God. Your salvation brings joy to God and all of heaven!

5. God’s Love is Patient and Forgiving

The father in the parable did not reject his son or say, “You made your choice, now live with it.” He welcomed him back with open arms. God is patient with us, giving us time to come to our senses. When we turn to Him, He does not hold our past sins against us. He forgives completely.

6. God Restores Us Fully

The father did not make his son a servant. He gave him a robe, a ring, sandals, and threw a party. God does not give us second-class treatment when we come to Him. He restores us to full relationship as His beloved children. He gives us dignity, honor, and a place in His family.

Lessons About Sin and Repentance

7. Sin Separates Us from God

The sheep wandered away from the shepherd. The coin was lost from the woman’s possession. The son left his father’s house. Sin causes us to be separated from God. When we sin, we move away from the safety, love, and provision of our heavenly Father.

8. Living Without God Leads to Emptiness and Trouble

The prodigal son ended up hungry and desperate, feeding pigs and wanting to eat their food. This shows that life without God seems fun at first, but it leads to emptiness, regret, and misery. Sin promises pleasure but delivers pain.

9. Repentance Means Turning Back to God

The prodigal son “came to his senses” and decided to return home. Repentance means recognizing we are wrong, feeling sorry for our sins, and making the decision to turn away from sin and return to God. It is not just feeling bad – it is taking action to change direction.

10. We Must Take the First Step

The son had to get up and start walking home. God does not force us to come to Him. We must make the choice to turn to Him. But when we take that first step, God meets us with open arms.

11. We Cannot Save Ourselves

The lost sheep could not find its way home – the shepherd had to find it. The coin could not find itself – the woman had to search for it. This teaches us that we cannot save ourselves from sin. We need God to save us. We are helpless without His grace.