RISEN

The focus of this family time is to use five easy steps to teach your family that God Has Good News for His People.

MEMORY VERSE: 

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

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

STEP 1. GATHER!

Pose the following

What would you do if you were asked to go on a mission that would save the world but might cause you to lose all your belongings? Then ask: Who decided they would risk losing all their things and take the mission? What were you willing to give up and why? Call on someone to say what they would give up and why.

It can be hard to sacrifice or let go of things when it means being uncomfortable and doing something we may not want to do. Today we’ll hear about two men who God sent on a mission with a message to the people God loved. But, first, it’s time to be curious. 

STEP 2. READ THE BIBLE AND WORSHIP

STEP 3. DISCUSSION !

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

REVIEW THE BIBLE STORY  

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

• What did God ask Jonah to do? How did Jonah respond?
• What did God tell the people of Nineveh to do? How did they respond? 
• Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. According to Matthew 12, how many days would Jesus spend in the grave? 
• Jesus gave His life for us so we can be saved from our sins and live with God forever! What does this show us about Jesus? How do you think He feels about you? How do you think He feels about other people in your life? 
• How can you share the love of Jesus and the good news of what He did on the cross with your friends at school? Your family at home? 

Even though Jonah didn’t obey God the first time, God gave Jonah another chance to obey. As a result, many people heard God’s message. God has good news for the whole world, and He wants everyone to know that Jesus came to save them! Let’s spend some time praying, asking God to help us share His good news with others! 

Mission Moment

Adoniram Judson

(1788-1850)

Who first told you about Jesus? Your parents? Your friend someone at church or school?

Adoniram Judson didn't become Jesus' friend until he was a grown-up. but he had always known about Jesus - from his parents, from church and from school. But Adoniram knew that some people in the world would never hear about Jesus from their parents, from church or from school. He knew that there were places in the world where almost nobody had heard about Jesus at all - places like Burma. No one from America had ever gone overseas to tell people about Jesus before - but Adoniram decided to go.

Burma was very different from America. The people spoke a different language - so Adoniram learnt it. The people wore different clothes - SO Adoniram wore them. No one knew about Jesus - so Adoniram told them. He told lots and lots of Burmese people - but nobody wanted to be Jesus' friend. He told more and more Burmese people. Finally, after six whole years of telling Burmese people about Jesus, one Burmese man became Jesus' friend.

Adoniram kept going. He put the Bible into the Burmese language so more people could find out about Jesus. He was ill, he was put in prison, his wife died, his children died - but Adoniram kept going. By the time Adoniram died thousands of Burmese people had become Jesus' friends.

STEP 5. Pray!