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FamilyWorshipGuide–Week32 READ

o ThenameJoelmaybetranslated,“YahwehisGod.”GodsentJoeltoproclaim“thedayoftheLORD”orjudgmentonIsraelandallnations.HeoffersamessageofhopeandreconciliationforthosewhotrulyrepentandturntoGod.

o ReadJoel2:1‐11.JoeldescribesthejudgmentofGod.TheimagerymayrefertoanarmyoflocustsortotheBabylonianarmy.Regardlessofwhomitrefersto,thepointisthatthejudgmentwillbegreatandunbearable.

o ReadJoel2:12‐17.WhatdoesGodcallthepeopletodotoavoidjudgmentanddestruction?o ReadJoel2:18‐27.Aftercallingforrepentance,JoeldescribeshowGodwillhavepitywhentheyrepent.o ReadJoel2:28‐32.ReadJeremiah31:31‐33.GodwillsecurerestorationwithHischildrenbysendingHisSpirittochange

theheartsofallHischildren.Judgmentwillcomeuponalltheearth,butsomewillbesaved.Whoshallbesaved?o ReadActs2:14‐24,37‐38.OnthedayofPentecost,GodfillstheapostleswiththeHolySpirit.Peterthenproclaimsthe

gospeltoallwhoaregatheredinJerusalem,andhequotesJoel2:28‐32.Inverse37,weseethatthecrowdwas“cuttotheheart.”Jeremiah31andJoel2arebeginningtobefulfilledasGod’sSpiritchangestheheartsandmindsofHischildren.LaterinActs,weseethatGodalsopoursoutHisSpiritonGentiles.ThepropheciesinJoelandJeremiahhavealreadybeguntobefulfilled!TheBottomLine:Repentanceprecedesmercyandforgiveness.Questions:HowdoesapersonreturntoGodwithallhisorherheart?HowdoesachurchreturntoGodwithalltheirheart?WhydoesGodrequirefasting,weepingandmourning?WhydoesGodwantthemto“rend”(tear)theirheartsandnottheirgarments?Whatdoesthatmean?Godis“graciousandmerciful,slowtoanger,andaboundinginsteadfastlove;andherelentsoverdisaster.”Isthisstatementtrue?GiveexamplesofhowwehavealreadyseenGoddisplaythesecharacteristicsthisyearinourdailyBiblereading.IsGodseekingtherepentanceofindividualsonly?WhatdoesJoelcallthewholecongregationtodotogether?HowwillGodrestoreHispeople?WhywillGodrestoreHispeople?Seeverse27.

PRAYo ReadWindowOnTheWorld,pg.120‐121Mongoliao UsePrayerCard

SINGo Uselyricsheetandmp3downloadof“NotWhatMyHands”o NotWhatMyHandsisactuallyanolderhymntextthathasbeensettoamodernmelodywithanadditionalchorusadded.

Theoriginaltextspeakstoourinabilitytoredeemourselvesthroughourownworks.Italsoaffirmsthatpeaceandtruecontentmentcannotbefoundwithinourselves.ItisonlythroughChrist’sworkonthecrossandHisgreatgracethatwearerighteousbeforeGodandtrulysatisfied.ThenewchoruswrittenbyAaronKeyesisaresponsetothisrevelationoftruth.Yousee,itisonlywhenwerealizeourdeepneedforChristandourowninadequacies,thatwewillraiseourhandsandofferourlivestoHiminsurrender.ItisourhopethatthissongwillshinealightonourinsufficiencybeforeaholyGodandtheneedweallhavetorepentandsurrendercompletelytoHim.

MEMORIZEo Joel2:32a:AnditshallcometopassthateveryonewhocallsonthenameoftheLORDshallbesaved.

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SUGGESTIONSThesesuggestionswerecreatedtohelpparentsbettercommunicatetheBiblicaltruthsdiscussedintheFamilyWorshipGuide.These activities and questions can replace or serve as a supplement to the questions under the ‘Read’ section on Page 1.Remember, these suggestions are intended to help parents facilitate God‐centered discussionswith their children. Parentsshouldprayerfullyuse thesesuggestions,andanyothermeansnecessary, tohelp theirchildrendiscover the truthsofGod’sWordandworshipHimtogether.

Preschool(Birth‐Kindergarten)o Beforeyoubegin,youwillneedtolocateacandleandalighter.Lightthecandleandexplaintoyourchildthattheflameis

fire.Askthemiftheycanthinkofsomewaysthatfireishelpfultous?(Ex:fireprovidesheattokeepuswarm,andlightsthedarknesstohelpussee)Askifwetouchtheflame.No!Fireisveryhot.IfIputapieceofpaperinthisflameitwouldburn,right?But,weneedfiretohelpkeepuswarmandgiveuslight.

o ExplainthatGodislikethisfire.HeisHolyanddifferentfromeverythingelse.Godalsohatessinandpunishessin.HepunishesthoseHelovestocauseustobesorryandcomebacktoHim.WeneedGod,andHewantstobethatsourceoflightforallofus.Heisgoodforus,justliketheflameofthiscandlecanbeasourceoflightandgoodforus.

o Rememberthatsinproblemthatwehavetalkedabout?Manissinfulandcannotsavehimself.Whenwemakebadchoices/sin,itcanseparateusfromGod.(Blowoutthecandle)Nomorelightright?Whenwesin,Godwantsustotellthetruthandbesorryforthebadchoicethatwemade,toturnawayfromoursin,andaskHimtoforgiveus.WeneedGodtosaveusandbethatlightorfireforus.Whenwedothis,Godwillforgiveus,andbethatlightagainforus.(lightcandleagain)DoyouseehowGodandsindonotgotogether?WeneedGodtosaveus!

Children(Grades1‐5)

o Askthechildrenthefollowingquestions.Ifthestatementistruetheyshouldstand,ifitisfalsetheyshouldremainseated.• Godspoketohispeoplethroughtheprophets.(True)• JoeldescribedGod’sjudgmentasbeingnobigdeal.(False)• Godwouldneverforgivehispeoplefordisobeying.(False)• God’sloveisbiggerandstrongerthanoursin.(True)

o Askthechildrenwhattheywoulddoiftheyweretoldthataterriblestormwasheadedtowardtheirhome.(Theywouldprepare.Gettoasafeplace.)ThatissimilartowhatJoelwasdoingwhenhetoldthepeoplethatonedayGodwilljudgeallthepeopleonearth.Joeltellsusthatthejudgmentwillbeawful.Sowhatshouldwedo?Godwantsustoprepareandgettoasafeplace.ThatmeanswerepentandcallonthenameoftheLORD(havefaithinChristalone),andwewillbesaved!

o “Yetevennow,”declarestheLORD,“returntomewithallyourheart,withfasting,withweeping,andwithmourning.”Joel2:12

o InthisverseGodistellingussomethingveryimportant.Heisaskingustostopsinning,turntoGod,andchangethewaywelive.Askthechildrenaboutthedifferencebetween“beingsorry”and“repenting”.Repentingincludesstoppingwhatyouaredoingwrong,turningawayfromthosewrongbehaviors,andturningtoGod.TheBibletellsusthatjudgmentiscoming,butwedon’tknowwhen.GodwantsustogiveourwholehearttoHimnow.PrayandthankGodforthemercyandforgivenessavailabletousthroughJesus.

o AnditshallcometopassthateveryonewhocallsonthenameoftheLORDshallbesaved.Joel2:32ao ObjectLesson

Supplies:Bowlofwater(representstheheart),Pepper(representssin),DishSoap(representsJesus)Placeabowlofwaterwhereeveryonecanseeit.Sprinklepepperontothewaterandexplainthatthepepperrepresentsthesinthatfillsourhearts.WhenwerepentofoursinandturnandplaceallourfaithinJesus,Godisfaithfultoforgiveusandcleanseourheartsofsin.Putadropofdishsoapinthecenterofthebowl.Thepepperwillimmediatelymovetothesidesofthebowl.Justlikethedishsoapmovedthepeppertothesidesofthebowl,whenwerepentJesusmovesoursinasidesoourheartscanbefilledwithHim.

Students(Grades6‐12)

o Howwouldyoudefinetheword“repent?”o AccordingtotheMerriam‐Websterdictionary,repentmeans“toturnfromsinanddedicateoneselftotheamendmentof

one’slife,”“tofeelregretorcontrition”or“tochangeone’smind.”Howdoesrepentancedifferfromsimplyapologizingforawrongaction?(BiblicalrepentanceisdemonstratedinactionasweturnfromsinandtrustinChristtochangeourheartsandminds.)

o HowmighttruerepentanceaffectthelifestyleofaChristfollower?o BasedonthepassagesyouhavereadfromJoel,whatistheresultoftruerepentance?

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2010

The

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