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In Today's Newsletter
Why Jonah?
Who's Team Are You On Anyway?
The Black Dot-What Do You See?
WHY JONAH?
I was inspired to study and write about Jonah
after one of my students said, “I want to learn more about Jonah; not so much that he was in a fish, but what was it that he said
that made the people of Nineveh want to repent?” (This was from a fourth grader!)
What I discovered is that many theologians haven’t arrived at a consensus on this! However, I
think I have answered my student’s question for myself, and I hope this series will
answer it for you and the children you teach as well!
In a word association game, the likely response for Jonah would be "whale or "fish." It is
miraculous that Jonah was swallowed by a great fish and lived to tell about it. However,
the story of Jonah is really not a fish tale, but is about a reluctant prophet and our
merciful God who doesn't give up on his children or his plan for their lives. Jonah
acknowledged God as the God of heaven and earth, but was unwilling to submit to his
authority. Is this not the same sin as Adam and Eve? Is it not the same sin that we are
guilty of committing? The book of Jonah is only four chapters long, yet in it, there is
much to learn about our lives and relationship to God.
Learn more and sample the lessons.
Who's Team Are You On Anyway?
Focus: Anyone Who’s Not Against Us Is For Us – Mark 9:38-41
You will need: 3 Baseball caps (2 from one team, and
1 from another), Bible, small water bottles (one per child).
In today’s Bible story Jesus’ disciples told him they saw someone doing a miracle in his
name. This upset them because the Disciples didn’t think he was one of Jesus’
followers. In other words, they didn’t think he was on the same team as they were.
(Remove caps from bag, place on volunteers)
When players wear these caps, it shows they represent those teams. To understand
why the disciples were upset, it would be like this player from (point at and name the
team) helping these other two players from (point at another team hat and name that
team) to win a game. The coach of that one team wouldn’t like it, but the other team
certainly would! Let’s read now what Jesus said to his disciples.
(Remove Bible from bag, read Mark 9:38-40 from a child-friendly Bible.)
To do something in Jesus’ name means you represent him or stand in his place. Jesus
wanted his disciples to accept all people who loved Jesus, even though they may be
different from them; he wants them to see them as part of the same team.
(Read Mark 9:41 and then remove water bottles from bag and give to children)
This verse teaches us that kindness towards others is important to our heavenly Father;
he will reward us for it. I’d like you now to give your bottle of water to someone in the
congregation and do it in Jesus’ name, because as Christians, we represent Jesus.
(Close in prayer)
Today's Bible Talk
is included in 52
Bible Talks for Children's Ministry: It's In The Bag
The Black Dot
What Do You See?
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
There are two ways to prepare for the presentation of this devotion/object lesson:
1) Use 1 large poster that is easily seen from the back of the room. With a permanent marker, draw a black dot at any random spot on the poster.
2) Use plain 3x5 or 4x6 index cards and place a black dot on each one. It doesn't matter if the dots are drawn in the same spot on each card. The cards with a black dot will be given to each person in the audience. Note: If all you have available are cards with lines printed on them, use the plain back side of the card. The audience member may want to make notes about the lesson on the lined side. Doing this on the small cards is a good way for the audience to share this object lesson later with others. (Taking notes might encourage them to do so.)
Presentation
If using the large poster, hold it up or put it on an easel for everyone to see.
The Lesson
Ask, "What do you see?" (On the poster or cards. Most, if not all, will finally come to the conclusion that they see a black dot.)
Challenge them to take their time and look again carefully. Keep reading.
Your webservant,
Sarah Keith
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