Leader Guide
Video Leader Guide
Select a video to have playing as children enter the Large Group room. Videos are under Resources on the top menu bar.
Have Small Group leaders greet the children as they enter the Large Group room and engage them in a game or conversation until time for Large Group to begin.
Welcome (1 minute)
Hello everyone! Today is the second lesson of our Superbook story, “Jonah.” God showed His mercy to a great city in Bible times called Nineveh. God also showed mercy to his prophet, a man named Jonah, when he disobeyed the Lord. God shows us mercy, and He wants us to show mercy to others, too. Let’s spend some time in praise and thankfulness to God as we sing and do the motions for “What God Wants.”
Play Video 11: (Song) What God Wants (3 minutes)
Be sure to preview the song so you can sing along and do the motions with the children.
What God Wants
SuperTruth and Discussion (1 minute)
Our SuperTruth for today says, “God wants us to show mercy.” Who can tell me what mercy means? Showing love, kindness and compassion to someone who doesn’t deserve it.
Yes, we receive mercy every day from God, and He wants us to show mercy to others!
Introduce Condensed Bible Story (1 minute)
If all children watched the Bible story video in the previous lesson, you may skip it here and go straight to the Bible Background Video.
In our previous lesson, why was Joy having trouble showing mercy to a girl named Sharon at school? The girl had bullied Joy and other students, and Joy saw her steal a bicycle.
For the children who haven’t seen our Bible story yet, we are going to watch a short version of Jonah to see how God showed mercy to people who deserved to be punished for their sinful disobedience. For those of you who have seen the full video, try to think of ways we can show mercy to people who don’t deserve it!
Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (9.5 minutes)
Superbook takes Joy, Chris and Gizmo to meet Jonah, who is swallowed by a great fish as he resists God’s plans to show mercy to wicked people. The children learn to show God’s forgiveness even to those who don’t deserve it.
Condensed Bible Story
Discussion (1 minute)
Do you believe there are times when we should not receive mercy from God?
Do you think Jonah ever realized how wrong his attitude was about God’s mercy?
Introduce Bible Background Video (1 minute)
Now let’s watch our Bible Background Video and learn more about the Bible times and location in which the story of Jonah took place. When Gizmo asks a question in the video, wait for him to suggest some answers, then call out the one you think is right!
Play Video 5: Bible Background (7.5 minutes)
Bible Background
Play Video 10B: SuperVerse Graphic 2
Graphic loops 2.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat verse.
SuperVerse Graphic 2
SuperVerse (2 minutes)
Our SuperVerse, Jonah 4:11, says:
“In that city of Nineveh there are more than a hundred twenty thousand people who cannot tell right from wrong. … Don’t you think I should be concerned about that big city?”
Who was saying these words? God.
Let’s say our SuperVerse together.
Jonah was not concerned about Nineveh. Yet God cared about the whole city—all of the people, and even the animals! God sent Jonah to declare His judgment so they would know what they were doing was wrong. Jonah was willing to receive God’s mercy for his disobedience, but he did not want the people of Ninevah to receive God’s mercy for their disobedience.
Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group.
Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)
Dear God, thank You for your mercy that You show us every day, even when we don’t deserve it! Help us to show that same mercy to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Next, you’ll play a game about showing mercy. Let’s go to our Small Groups and get started!
Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.