Primary New Testament: May 2015

Have you ever lost anything that you really cared about so you searched and searched for it?

Jesus told parables about lost things, and that is what we will discuss today.

One of my daughters lost her beloved stuffed ducky when we were out shopping.

Let's read from Luke 15, verses 4 and 8.

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

8 ¶Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin

Why was the shepherd so concerned with one sheep out of a hundred or the woman with one coin out of ten?

The people generally were poor and one coin or sheep was very valuable to them.

All of Heavenly Father’s children are valuable to him.

How can you know that each one of us is valuable to Heavenly Father?

[He knows my name.]

Video: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-063-jesus-declares-the-parable-of-the-lost-sheep?lang=eng

Why do you think the sheep got lost?

How do you think the coin got lost?

How can we or someone we know be lost?

Being lost also refers to people who are not obeying the commandments and are doing things that make them unworthy to return to Heavenly Father.

What did the shepherd do with the lost sheep when he found it? (Luke 15:5.)

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

How did his actions show he loved the sheep?

Whom does the shepherd represent?

Whom do the sheep represent?

What did the woman do to find the lost coin? (Luke 15:8.)

8 ¶Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

What has Jesus Christ done to help those who become lost and do not keep the commandments? (D&C 18:10–11.)

10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

How can we help those who may be lost?

What did both the shepherd and the woman do when they found the sheep and the coin? (Luke 15:6, 9.)

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

Parable of The Lost Sheep

What was the Savior responding to when he gave the parable of the lost sheep?
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

How would you feel if you had helped someone repent and come back to Jesus Christ?

Why do you think that heaven and the angels feel joy when someone repents? (Luke 15:7, 10.)

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner thatrepenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Purpose
To help each child have the desire to help those who are less active return to full activity in the Church of Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to be "less active"?

What does "full activity" mean?

2. The Prodigal Son

What does prodigal mean?

(To be wayward and wasteful.)

What did the prodigal son ask his father to do?
11 . . . A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of ^agoods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

What did the prodigal son do with his inheritance?
(Luke 15:12–13.)

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there^awasted his ^bsubstance with ^criotous living.

What do you think “riotous living” means?

Why do you think some people decide to live this way?

How do you think the father felt while his son was gone?

How would you feel if someone in your family acted like the prodigal son?

What did the prodigal son do to get food when his money ran out? (Luke 15:14–16.)

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

What does “when he came to himself” mean? (Luke 15:17.)

17 And when he ^acame to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will ^aarise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have ^bsinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

How do you think the son’s suffering and sadness helped him want to repent?

Why do you think the son decided to return to his father? (Luke 15:17–19.)

What kind of master was his father? (Luke 15:17.)•

How did the father feel when his son came home? (Luke 15:20.)

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had^acompassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

What did he do for his son? (Luke 15:22–24.)

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

How did the older son feel when he learned that his younger brother was home? (Luke 15:28–30.)

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

Why is it important to continue to love family members who disobey the commandments?

What did the father promise the older brother? (Luke 15:31.)
31 And he said unto him, ^aSon, thou art ever with me, and^ball that I have is thine.

What example did the father set of how to treat those who have sinned but have repented? (Luke 15:32.)
32 It was ^ameet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

How do you feel when you see someone repent and turn from wrong to right?

How should we treat people who have not kept the commandments but who are sincerely sorry?

Let's memorize Doctrine and Covenants 18:10.

10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

worth

of souls

in the sight

of God

10 Remember the ______ of souls is ______in the sight of ______;

10 Remember the ______ of _____ is ______in the ______ of ______;

10 _______________ the ______ of _____ is ______in the ______ of ______;

Tell the following story:

Ten-year-old Joshua Dennis went with his father and others to explore an abandoned mine. He was careful in the mine but became separated from the other boys and was lost in the dark without food or water. When the others realized he was missing, they started searching for him immediately. After a while hundreds of people came to look for Joshua. Thousands of others fasted and prayed that he would be found safe. The searchers looked for five days, but they couldn’t find him. An expert who knew the mine heard of the search and volunteered to help. He knew the mine so well that he found Joshua in a place the others didn’t know existed. When he found Joshua, he couldn’t begin to describe the joy he felt. All of the people at the mine and thousands of others cried with relief and joy when they found out that Joshua was alive and safe (see “Making Friends: Joshua Dennis—A Treasure of Faith,” Friend, Nov. 1990, pp. 20–22).

Discuss the difference between being physically lost and spiritually lost. Explain that we must work just as hard to rescue those who are spiritually lost as those who are physically lost.

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