Snow Day Lesson: The Book of Jonah (Jonah 1-4)

Key Passage: Psalm 139:13-14

“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Big Picture Question:

What makes people special?

People are special because we are made in God’s image, as male and female, to know Him.

Christ Connection:

God called Jonah to go to his enemies and call them to turn away from their sin, but Jonah refused. Instead, he ran away. Later, God sent Jesus to His enemies to call us to repentence. Jesus willingly obeyed. Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin.

Step 1: Read parts or all of the Book of Jonah in the Bible.

• Open Bible study time with a word of prayer together, such as: “Dear Lord, thank you for this beautiful snow day. Guide our hearts and minds as we open Your Word and learn about You. Amen.”
• Tip – take turns reading or acting out the Scripture as you read to make it come to life.
• Pretend you are sailors on a fishing boat, swaying back and forth!
• Create a “belly of a great fish” using blankets and sit together inside it while reading Jonah 2 together, then act out being “vomited up” by the fish!

Step 2: Review the Bible Story

• How did God save Jonah after he disobeyed? (God sent a big fish to swallow Jonah)
• What did the Ninevites do after they heard God’s message? (They turned away from their sin and turned to God.) God cared for the Ninevites even though they were Israel’s enemy. The Ninevites were made to worship the one true God, just like Israel.

Step 3: Watch the Bible Story Video Together

Step 4: Worship Together!

Here are two worship songs we sing on Sunday mornings, but feel free to listen to and worship with your favorite music to glorify God as a family.

Step 5: Learn “Jesus Loves You” in American Sign Language (ASL)

Follow these directions to teach the
ASL signs: Jesus—use the middle finger
to touch the opposite palm of each hand;
loves—cross both arms with hands fisted
across the middle of your chest; you—point
in front of you as if pointing to the person
you are talking to.

Practice the signs a few times. Then ask
the kids to find a partner and tell them
“Jesus loves you” in sign language. Tell kids
to switch and let the other partner sign the
phrase.

ASL is a wonderful way to
communicate with people in the Deaf
community. We can share the good news of
Jesus in many different ways.