Cooking Workshop

Prodigal Son Pig Slop and Party Cookies Lesson

Summary:
Making and tasting pig slop and decorating "Prodigal Party Cookies" with the image of the smiling father to illustrate the lesson.

Lesson Objective:
The students will gain a deeper understanding of the hard decision that the Prodigal Son had to make to confess his sins, and his father's reaction, and see it as an invitation and continuing promise that they are always a welcome member of their Father's family.

Scripture Reference:
Luke 15: 11 – 32

Materials:

• Bible or Storybook with the Prodigal Son in them
• Sugar Cookies in a heart shape
• White icing to spread on cookies
• Food coloring and extra white icing (or icing in a tube) to draw with
• Plastic sandwich bags to "pipe" icing onto cookies
• Party Decorations
• Napkins
• Pig Slop Ingredients
    --Dry chocolate pudding mix
    --1/2 cup or more of water
    --Canned corn and/or beans
    --Dark food coloring
    --Hot sauce
    --Clear bowl to mix in
    --Mixing spoon

Lesson Plan

Opening:       

Welcome the students and ask them what they know about the Prodigal Son. List it on the board and fill in as needed.

Explain that today we are going to focus on the decision the son made to return to his father, and the father's reaction.

Begin to assemble your "PIG SLOP" in a clear bag or bowl (so they can see it) as you share the following insights:

Tip: Don't tell the kids that the dry powder is chocolate pudding. Let that be a surprise.

According to Moses’ law, pigs were unclean animals.  (Leviticus 11:2-8 and/or Deuteronomy 14:8.)  This meant that pigs could not be eaten or used as sacrificial animals in the Temple. That meant NO BACON!  AND NO PORK CHOPS!

You could not even TOUCH a pig -- and if you did, you became ritually "unclean" -- meaning you couldn't go to the Temple or to worship in a synagogue.  If you did touch one or eat its meat, even accidently, you had wash your clothes and your whole body and STAY AWAY from others and worship until the evening. So for a Jew to stoop to feeding pigs was a great humiliation, and for this young man to eat food that the pigs had touched was to be degraded and made lowly beyond belief.

Who wants to taste this pig slop?! Invite as many who want to do so and make sure you take a taste yourself. It's supposed to be gross -- which makes the point memorable. The hot sauce is "for show" as a little bit of it will be hard to taste with the chocolate pudding.  Hold off on explaining the meaning of pig slop (a sign of just how bad his sins had made his life) until after the story is read.

Read the Luke 15:11-32 story together or share it from your favorite Bible storybook.

1. Who does the FATHER in the story represent?  (God)
2. What does the "PIG SLOP" or "PODS" as the Bible calls them, represent in this story? What does it symbolize? (our sins). They are sign of just how bad his sins had made his life.
3. What was his FIRST "bad decision"?    (leaving, rejecting God)
4. What was his SECOND "bad decision"?  (living wildly, sinfully, and wasting what God had given him)
5. Do you think there is ANY sin God won't forgive? (God's love is complete, unconditional)
6. What makes a person realize they NEED God and return to God to confess their sins?
7. When was the last time YOU confessed your sins? (We confess our sins when we pray and when we worship.)
8. What is GOD'S RESPONSE to our being lost -- living a sinful life?  God keeps watch and welcomes us home.
9. Does God PUNISH us or throw a party when we confess our sins?

God welcomes sinners!  Let's Decorate and Celebrate!

Quickly decorate for the next activity by putting some streamers above the table.

Now Decorate "The Father's Face ~ Reaction" Cookies!

1. Wash hands
2. Demonstrate spreading icing on the cookie (not too much)
3. Demonstrate drawing "the Father's reaction/joy/forgiveness" as a "face" on the cookies using extra colored icing squeezed out of a bag or piped.

As you decorate the cookies with God/the Father's/Jesus' smiling/welcoming face, continue to ask questions and reinforcement insights.

Ask: So what do you think is "wrong" with the Older Brother in the parable?  Do you think he came to his senses too and went into the party?  Do you know anyone like the Older Brother? -- someone who thinks forgiveness should be hard to get? 

Say: One of the things we need to be careful of as Christians is to not act like the Older Brother when new people come to our community, or when people around us do wrong and need forgiveness. We need to act like the Father who is ready to welcome everyone back into his house.

Closing:

How good does Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son taste to you?  Some people think following God "tastes" terrible. They think its hard and full of punishment if they don't please God. Our cookies remind us that our Father in Heaven is always ready to hear our confession and forgive, and does so with joy, not anger. Let's close with prayer.

Lesson plan by member Cathy L with an update by a member of the Rotation.org Content Team