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Jan. 20, 2019 God Is Gracious

As for me, I call to God, and the

Lord saves me.

Psalm 55:16

DATE PONDER POINT

THE BIG GOD STORY REMEMBER VERSE

Welcome & Rules (4 minutes): Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and to worship in song.

Worship & Connect (12 minutes): Establishes community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God’s word.

The Big God Story Pt 1 (6 minutes): Creates space for children to hear God’s word.

Mail Time & Worship (7 minutes): Breaks up the Big God Story to keep kids engaged and teaches the importance of memorizing scripture.

The Big God Story Pt 2 (6 minutes): Children continue to hear God’s word.

Small Groups (20 minutes): Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story.

Remember Verse & Bless (3 minutes): Allows children to practice their memory verse and be sent out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

(See page 8 for 10:15 schedule and rotations.)

Jonah 1—4

Jonah Flees

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GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting

them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear. Establishes

community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God’s word.

WELCOME & RULES - 4 minutes (Host) IMAGE: Welcome

We are so glad you are here at Critter Land today. Personalize your welcome. Relate to what’s happening such as holidays, school year, church camp, etc. Pique the curiosity about today’s Ponder Point/Story, tell a joke, do something to draw in the attending of the kids and mention any

announcements!

RULES VIDEO: Sheriff Hawk

WORSHIP - 3 minutes (Worship Leader/Host) If you brought offering, go put it in the squirrel feeder while we worship!

WORSHIP VIDEO: Jesus by My Side

(Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down)

SMALL GROUP CONNECT QUESTIONS - 4 minutes (Host) VIDEO: 4 minute countdown

• If you could make any wild animal a pet which would you choose and why?

• Would you rather fish in a boat or ride fast behind the boat?

• Have you ever been asked to do something you really did Not want to do?

WARDROBE OF WONDER - 5 minutes (Host) What’sIt: 9:00 - Giant Fish

VIDEO: Wardrobe of Wonder Intro

Choose 1 volunteer. Volunteer picks two hats from wardrobe one for himself, one for host. Tell other kids to put on their “imaginary thinking caps”. Volunteer peeks in the What’s It box. Host gives 3 clues, kids get to vote on what they think it is.

Then as host you say….

If you think our clue is a , raise your hand.

If you think our clue is a , raise your hand.

If you think our clue is a , raise your hand.

Let the child volunteer tell which answer is correct!

ASK: 9:00

Friends, what did we find in the Wardrobe of Wonder? Children will answer. A fish, that’s right. Where can we find fish? Children will answer. Good thinking. Have you ever gone to a lake or the beach and seen a fish? What else have you seen in an aquarium or the ocean? Children will answer; interact with their responses. I wonder how this fish fits into The Big God Story. Let’s find out because it’s time for …

Video: The Big Story Intro

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Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to

the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Invite kids to open their

Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the Holy Spirit is teaching them

as they reflect on the day’s portion of The Big God Story.

STORYTELLING - PART 1 - 6 minutes (Storyteller)

Before we start today’s part of The Big God Story, remember the last question you were asked in your small group time? Have you ever been asked to do something you really did not want to do? Well I know there have been many times that has happened to me…...share your own example. You may choose to allow a moment for a few kids to share with the whole group before moving on.

Sometimes we’re asked to do things we don’t want to do. Even if we know it’s the right thing to do—like being nice to our little sister or brother or sharing our toys with our friends—sometimes we still don’t want to do it. Today we’ll hear how God asked a man named Jonah to do something Jonah really, really did not want to do. But before we begin, let’s invite God to teach us. Lead the children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds.

Open Bible. Tech: Cue image 1. One day, God told a prophet named Jonah to go and preach to the people who lived in the city of Nineveh. Tech: Cue image 2. The Ninevites were very mean and cruel to God’s people, the Israelites. God was angry with the way the Ninevites were behaving. So, He told Jonah to go and warn the Ninevites they were doing things that didn’t please God. But God was going to give them a second chance—He was being gracious to them. That’s a big word. To be gracious means “to show kindness to someone who doesn’t deserve it, even when they’re making bad choices.”

Now, going to Nineveh and telling the people to stop doing evil things was something Jonah did not want to do. They’d been very mean and unkind to God’s people, so Jonah didn’t like this idea—not one little bit.

The Big God Story:

The Prayer of Release allows children and

leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to

quiet their hearts and minds. Before you

pray, you might ask the kids to hold out

their hands, palms up, in a spirit of releas-

ing their worries and distractions in order

to better receive what the Holy Spirit might

have for them today. Then encourage the

kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and

pray with you.

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Instead of obeying God and going to Nineveh, Jonah ran in the opposite direction. Tech: Cue image 3. He did not want to go to Nineveh, the place was a horrible place, the people were mean, and they did not deserve to have God’s mercy, or a second chance, Jonah was not going to go there and he was not going to give them the message God had for them.

Jonah ran as quickly as he could and got onto a boat heading for Tarshish, hoping to get far away from Nineveh. Tech: Cue image 4. But Jonah couldn’t run away from God. Can we ever hide or run where God cannot see us? No!!!

Jonah ran as quickly as he could and got onto a boat heading for Tarshish, hoping to get far away from Nineveh. Tech: Cue image 4. But Jonah couldn’t run away from God. God sent a storm that rocked and tossed the boat. Tech: Cue image 5 and Rain and Thunder sound ef-fect. The sailors on the boat with Jonah were terrified! Tech: Cue image 6. One of them asked, “Where is Jonah?” Jonah was fast asleep at the bottom of the boat, even during the storm! The sailors woke Jonah and asked him, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”

“I am Jonah, a prophet of the one true God, the Lord,” Jonah told them. “God sent this storm because I’m running away from Him.” Then, the waves got rougher and rougher. “What should we do to you to make the sea calm?” the sailors asked. Oh no, what do you think is going to happen. Well you are going to have to wait, and find out after we do mail time and sing another song.

MAIL TIME & WORSHIP - 7 minutes (Host/Worship Leader) VIDEO: Mail Time Intro

IMAGE: Remember Verse

As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Psalm 55:16

Remember Verse Motions: As for me: Point both thumbs to self. I call to God: Cup open hands around mouth as if calling out. and the Lord saves me: Make an “L” with right hand, move “L” from left shoulder to

right hip, then wrap both arms around self in a hug.

Host: Way to say your verse! Now let’s all keep standing and sing a song!

WORSHIP VIDEO: God of Love

Host: Let’s sit down crisscross applesauce and listen to the rest of our big God Story.

STORYTELLING - PART 2 - 6 minutes (Storyteller)

Tech: Cue image 5 and Rain and Thunder sound effect. The sailors on the boat with Jonah were terrified! Tech: Cue image 6. One of them asked, “Where is Jonah?” Jonah was fast asleep at the bottom of the boat, even during the storm! The sailors woke Jonah and asked him, “Who are you? Where do you come from?” “I am Jonah, a prophet of the one true God, the Lord,” Jonah told them. “God sent this storm because I’m running away from Him.” Then, the waves got rougher and rougher. “What should we do to you to make the sea calm?” the sailors asked. “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said. “This is my fault, because I didn’t obey the Lord.” At first, the sailors didn’t want to throw Jonah overboard. They tried to row back to shore, but the storm just got worse. Finally, the sailors had to throw Jonah

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overboard. Tech: Cue image 7. What do you think happened? Children answer; interact with responses. Immediately, the storm stopped and the sea was calm! When the sailors saw this, they were amazed by the one true God. They stopped and worshipped the Lord, thanking Him for His graciousness.

Meanwhile, what happened to Jonah? God was gracious to Jonah too. God showed great kindness to Jonah, even when Jonah had disobeyed Him. God sent a giant fish to swallow up Jonah, saving his life! Tech: Cue image 8. Wow! That’s amazing. Imagine sitting inside a big fish. I bet it was dark, smelly, and a little scary! Do you think Jonah was able to get out of the fish on his own? No. There wasn’t anything Jonah could do in his own strength that could get him out of the fish. I wonder what Jonah did? I bet he did a lot of thinking about disobey God. I bet he wished he would have obeyed God instead of doing his own thing.

Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days. Tech: Cue image 9. During those three days, Jonah prayed to God and cried for help. Jonah decided he would do what God had asked. On the third day, God commanded the fish to spit out Jonah onto a beach. Then God told Jonah a second time, “Go preach in Nineveh.” And guess what? Tech: Cue image 10. This time Jonah listened to God and went to Nineveh.

Jonah marched through the city for three days, warning the Ninevites, “In 40 days, God will overthrow your city” (Jonah 3:4). When the king and the people heard this, they wanted to show God they were sorry for the things they’d done. The king said, “Who knows. Maybe if God sees how sorry we are, He will show us grace and compassion” (v. 9). What do you think God did? Children respond. When God saw the Ninevites turn from their evil ways, He decided to show them grace, or kindness they didn’t deserve.

Friends, God is gracious. He saved Jonah and the sailors, and then He saved the entire city of Nineveh. God showed grace to the people in this part of The Big God Story. He has shown us grace by sending His Son, Jesus, to earth. Because of Jesus, we’re forgiven of our sins and can be with God forever in heaven. Just as God shows us grace, He wants us to show grace to others. Sometimes it’s hard to be gracious, or kind, to those who have hurt us. But God will help us. We can trust God to give us everything we need to be gracious to others, just as He is gracious to us.

DISMISS TO SMALL GROUPS (Host)

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Today in The Big God Story, we heard how God asked Jonah to trust in Him and follow His directions, even when Jonah really didn’t want to. Jonah ran away from God and even tried hiding from Him. But God loved Jonah and was always with him.

I wonder … Why did Jonah run away from God? I wonder … When have I tried to run away from something? I wonder … How has God shown me that He loves me?

GOAL: Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story.

PAPER PLATE FISH SUPPLIES • Paper plate fish (one per child) • Decorating supplies • Googly eyeball (one per child)

ENGAGE Friends, God is gracious and loves each and every one of us so much. In today’s part of The Big God Story, we heard how God was gracious to Jonah, even though Jonah chose not to listen to Him. God is also gracious to each of us. No matter what we do or where we go, God loves us and will show us kindness. We can always trust in His love and kindness.

Today, you can decorate your very own fish. There are all kinds of things on the table you can use to decorate it however you choose. When you’re finished, write your name on the front of your fish. Some children may need help writing their names. Take your fish home and whenever you see your fish, be reminded that just like God was gracious to Jonah, He’s also gracious to us. He’s always kind. He’ll give us everything we need to trust and follow Him.

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Review the Remember Verse:

As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Psalm 55:16

Remember Verse Motions: As for me: Point both thumbs to self. I call to God: Cup open hands around mouth as if calling out. and the Lord saves me: Make an “L” with right hand, move “L” from left shoulder

to right hip, then wrap both arms around self in a hug.

BLESSING

Here are some of the words from Jonah 2:2, 6, and 9 that Jonah prayed to God: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me … I called for help, and you listened to my cry … You, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit … ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

Say to the first child: God is gracious and He loves you. Then have her pass along the blessing to the child next to her and so forth until the last child receives the blessing. End with: Children, God is gracious and He loves you. May you trust in God and follow Him all the days of your life.

Song VIDEO: In This Life

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Host will welcome kids to Critter Land. Worship Leader will lead kids in a time of worship and allow kids to give offering. Song1: Hosanna Rock Song 2: We Believe

Play Station (Play)—Kids

will have time to play and en-

joy each others company.

Different play options will be

provided.

Big God Story (BGS)—The

storyteller will present the Bi-

ble lesson and point to pon-

der.

Memory Work (MW)—

1. Practice Memory Verse

2. Use Color Activity Sheet

( In 10:15 Bin)

3. Bathroom Break

As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.

Psalm 55:16

Remember Verse Motions: As for me: Point both thumbs to self. I call to God: Cup open hands around

mouth as if calling out. and the Lord saves me: Make an “L” with right hand,

move “L” from left shoulder to right hip, then wrap both arms around self in a hug.

11:15 Host will pray a blessing over the kids before parents pick up. If time allows worship leader will lead the closing song. Transition DVD/Video:

10:30 - 10:43 10:45 - 10:58 11:00 - 11:15

Owls Play (113) BGS (114) MW (115)

Bunnies MW (116)

Turtles MW (115) Play (113) BGS (114)

Frogs MW (116)

Snails BGS (114) MW (115) Play (113)

Squirrels MW (117)

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Almost nine years ago, I made a decision to walk away from something familiar. I was ready to begin a new chapter in my life. It was a risky move as I was left with no job, no money, and very little experience outside of music. What would God have for me next? Where would I even start? One thing I knew was that I longed for a community. I walked into my church and immediately inquired about volunteering on a worship team. Oddly though, those doors seemed closed—locked, actually—and I didn’t know why.

Then one Sunday, I heard an announcement that VBS leaders were needed. I decided I would spend a week of summer as a small group leader. A few months later, there was an announcement for regular Saturday night volunteers in children’s ministry. One of the boys from my VBS group dragged me to the sign-up sheet and basically signed me up himself. Soon after that, I was asked to come on staff part-time to assist the children’s ministry department. I didn’t know what was happening. Suddenly God was asking me to step into a church ministry position—in the children’s department.

At the time, I had no idea what God was doing. I had been seeking direction but couldn’t see that God, in His graciousness, was not only guiding and providing, but also creating space in my life for something new. He ignited a passion within me to see kids and families transformed. It’s truly amazing to see God’s plans for us unfold. Each step we take into the unknown can strengthen our faith and allow us to see that God is ahead of us, guiding us and knowing all along where He is taking us.

Tommy Larson ROCKHARBOR Church

Jonah is one of the most famous books in the Bible—primarily because the story of a prophet being swallowed by a giant fish is so astounding. In Jonah, the message that God is gracious comes through loud and clear.

Although Jonah is a prophet of God, he is reluctant to obey God’s command. In fact, reluctant is too mild a word. He would rather die than see Nineveh spared (Jonah 1:12; 4:3). In his attempts to flee from the Lord’s command, Jonah boards a ship to Tarshish (Spain), which was thought of as the end of the world. God was asking Jonah to step outside his comfort zone. But why was Jonah so reluctant to see God show mercy upon Nineveh?

Nineveh was the capital of the ancient Assyrian empire. This vast empire ruled most of the known world for about 600 years, rising to the height of its power from around the ninth through the seventh centuries b.c. It was the center of the worship of Astarte (Ishtar), the fertility goddess, and the rites performed in this kind of worship would have involved debauchery of the worst kind. But the real offense of Nineveh was its renowned cruelty. By Jonah’s time, the hideous tyranny and violence was legendary. Jonah surely knew this reputation and wanted nothing to do with Nineveh being spared. (Nahum describes their offenses in great detail in chapter 3.)

But the grace of God overruled Jonah’s sensibilities, and God asked Jonah (4:11) if His compassion should not extend to 120,000 people who didn’t know their right hand from their left (probably in reference to children). God was gracious to Nineveh and spared them. And God was gracious to Jonah. He gave this prophet many opportunities to release his apprehension and trust in God’s sovereignty.

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There are times when we can identify with Jonah. God speaks, and we run in the opposite direction. We do this for many reasons. We might not agree with what He is asking. Perhaps we don’t see the end result and respond by doing nothing. We simply may think He is asking too much. Or maybe we don’t believe He will really show up in the midst of our life circumstances. Begin by reading Jonah 1:1–3. Read it slowly two or three times and ask God the following questions in prayer:

Lord, how have You been trying to speak to me? How might You be trying to get my attention? Spend 10 minutes in a listening posture.

Lord, in what ways have I been avoiding You in my daily life? What has been in the way? Spend 10 minutes listening and reflecting.

Lord, is there something in my life right now You are calling me to? Spend 10 minutes in conversation with the Lord about what this might be. Hearing nothing at this time is a potential outcome. If you hear nothing, simply remain attentive to what He might show you in the days to come.

Close by thanking God for who He is. Acknowledge His grace and His faithfulness in your life. Ask Him to give you the strength and courage through the power of His Spirit to step out of your comfort zone and into the life He is calling you to.