Sunday school sermons for kids work best with 12-14 year olds when they are followed by an activity and good discussions to complement the sermon. The story of Jonah is an excellent way to discuss actions, consequences of actions and taking responsibility for one’s actions.
Bible Reading:
Today’s bible reading is the story Jonah.
Jonah 1: 1-17
Jonah 2: 10
Discussion 1:
Why was God angry with Jonah? Why did he keep him in the fish’s stomach for 3 days? Why did he then let him out again?
Activity 1: Role Play
Split the class into pairs. In each pair get them to decide who will be Jonah and who will be the interviewer. Give the class 5 minutes to practice their interview, then have each pair “perform” in front of the rest of the class. The interviewer should ask questions about “Jonah’s” experience based on the story that they’ve been told, as should the responses given by “Jonah” – although they should be free to interpret some things such as how he felt, if he felt he would ever get out, and so forth.
Discussion 2:
Discuss about people who break the laws of our country, who enforces the law, who holds them accountable and decides how they ought to be punished. What about when we break God’s laws, his Commandments? When we break a Commandment then we are like Jonah, refusing to do what God has asked. Who holds us accountable? How do we make peace with our conscience for doing something that we know God would not like?
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