Family Worship

RISEN

The focus of this family time is to use five easy steps to teach your family that Jonah spends three days and nights in the belly of a great fish. God has compassion on Jonah, who shares God’s message, and the people of Nineveh, who repent of their evil ways.



MEMORY VERSE: 


Jesus forgives our sins, saves us, and gives us new life. —from 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!

HIDE AND

  • Play this game like the normal Hide and Go Seek game. After the game is over, explain to the children that they cannot hide from God. He always knows where we are and what we are doing.

         

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  

  • What is a prophet? (a messenger from God) 
  • Why do you think Jonah ran away from Nineveh at first? (He didn’t want to obey God or help the people of Nineveh.) 
  • What happened to Jonah when he was on the boat? (A big storm came, and the sailors threw him into the sea.) 
  • How many days was Jonah in the fish? (three days) 
  • How many days was Jesus in the grave? (three days)
  • Have you ever run from something you didn’t want to do? 
  • How are the stories of Jesus and Jonah alike? (Jonah was in the fish for three days like Jesus was in the grave for three days. Jonah had good news for the Ninevites, and Jesus has good news for the whole world.) 
  • What is God’s good news for the whole world? (Jesus was sent to earth to die for our sins and give us new life.)   

Jonah and Jesus had similar stories. Jesus gives us a new life, and we can tell others about Him! God’s good news about Jesus is for the whole world! 

Let’s talk to God now in prayer and thank Him for the good news of Jesus. 


Mission Moment

John Knox

(1514-1572)

Do You like adventure stories? Stories that are exciting and a bit scary?

John Knox's life was like an adventure story in a book. John Knox's liFe was exciting and sometimes very scary indeed! John was Jesus' friend and trusted God's word the Bible - and in Scotland, when John was alive, that was a very dangerous thing to do because the leaders didn't want people to trust the Bible but to do what they said instead.

John could be quite fierce and John could be quite stubborn - and John never gave up. John never gave up trusting his friend Jesus and teaching God's word the Bible. John was taken prisoner and was a slave on a French ship; he trusted Jesus and taught the Bible. John was asked to preach to the king of England: he trusted Jesus and taught the Bible. He had to escape to another country; he trusted Jesus and taught the Bible. Back in Scotland he knew he could be put in prison at any time; he trusted Jesus and taught the Bible. More and more people in Scotland became Jesus: friends and wanted to hear John's talks; he still trusted Jesus and taught the Bible.

Finally, because John and his friends would not give up, Scotland became a country where it was safe to be Jesus" friend and trust the Bible.



STEP 5. Pray!

God, thank You for the great plans You had for Jonah and the plans You have for us! Thank You for sending Jesus to be our Savior. We praise You for the good news of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 
Encourage the kids to hold their hands out in front of them, with palms up, as if their hands were open to receive something. Tell them to listen and receive the blessing as you speak it over them.
 
Blessing: May God’s good news of Jesus coming to save you bring you great joy today and every day. May you have courage to share the good news about Jesus with others!