August 14 in KidQuest and FirstLook

The Bible is rich in examples of how God has been saving His people throughout all history. Take a look at Jonah, a prophet of God, who was given a message to take to the Gentile people of Nineveh. God said, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me” (Jonah 1:2).

But Jonah ran from the Lord because he was aware of the purposes behind God’s message. It seems strange that a prophet of God would flee from His clear commands—especially when the goal of the message was to bring repentance and grace to its recipients. Israel was gaining strength and enjoying their favored relationship with God. However, in this time of reprieve, the people were becoming complacent.

This complacency seems to have allowed the people to forget the call upon their nation by the Lord God. It is possible Jonah’s response was reflective of the heart of the Israelite people. Perhaps he was jealous for the relationship his people had with God  and did not relish the thought of the Lord extending grace and compassion toward the enemies of Israel.

Scripture tells us a storm came when Jonah was on the boat. To solve the problems it was causing the crew, Jonah was tossed overboard. God sent a great fish to save Jonah by swallowing him alive—allowing him to contemplate his actions and turn his attention once again to the Lord. Jonah went to Nineveh and gave the message God commanded. After hearing and believing his message, the people repented and were shown grace and mercy by the Lord.

This week, JUST FOR FUN, read the biblical account of God sending Jonah to Nineveh in Jonah 1:1–6, 11–12, and 15–17 during your child’s bath time. Allow her to splash and create a “storm” in the bathtub. When you read about Jonah being swallowed by a fish, ask your child to imagine what it must have been like to be inside a giant fish.

When you’ve finished reading, think of questions that reflect on the passage, such as, “What did Jonah do when God told him to go to Nineveh?” or “What happened once Jonah was thrown overboard?”

Share with your children that what they just heard is true and a part of The Big God Story in the Bible, and they’ll hear more at church this week about how God shows His mercy and grace. Close your time by praying and thanking God for being a strong and powerful God who wants to save us.

God called the Apostle Paul to a life of adventure, but also a life of sacrifice. Before Paul had even fully committed to Christ, Jesus told Ananias that He would “show [Paul] how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:16). In order to take up his new identity in Christ, Paul gave up his former identity as a Pharisee, a man from Tarsus, and a Roman citizen—three titles that carried a lot of status in his day.

Paul was a Pharisee, and Pharisees were some of the most revered men in Jewish society. In fact, the word Pharisee means, “set apart.” Paul received his Pharisaic training from a famous “Rabban,” a title which only seven Jewish teachers received. Paul’s father was also a Pharisee. So Paul’s training and his Pharisaic lineage gave him an important identity in an already important Jewish community.

Paul was also born a Roman citizen. Citizenship to Rome was coveted during Paul’s time because Rome was a powerful empire. Many people paid large sums of money to procure the status of a Roman citizen, and all the rights therein.

Paul proclaimed in his letter to the Ephesians that he “became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace” (Ephesians 3:7). He gloried in his new identity as a child of God.

Throughout his ministry, Paul suffered. He endured public humiliation, years of time in jail, a shipwreck, death threats, and more, but endured it all with joy because he knew the adventure of life with Christ was worth it. He knew the identities he had received from the world could never compare to his identity in Christ.

Just for fun, gather your kids together this week, and tell them you are going to share about an adventure at sea Paul had while he was following Jesus. As you read this part of The Big God Story, found in Acts 27:27–43, encourage your children to close their eyes and imagine what the shipwreck must have been like. Ask them to tell you how they think Paul felt being on that boat during such a violent storm. Remind them that the storm lasted for 14 days; and during that time, Paul could not see the sun or the stars. Ask them what they might have done if they had been there. Think of some other questions that reflect on what you just read such as, “Why did Paul tell everyone to eat?” or “What happened when the ship struck land?”

Remind your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story, and they will hear more in church this week about how God calls us to a life of adventure. Close your time by praying and asking God to reveal to each of you the adventures and journeys He has in store as you follow Him.