Family Worship Guide for August 16, 2026
Prepare for Songs and Psalms
A Song to Learn This Week
Practice this hymn with your children, and talk about what it means.
153 | “Victory in Jesus (Christ Won the Victory),” E. M. Bartlett, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell
From The Sing! Hymnal: “Eugene Bartlett wrote many gospel and country songs. This one was written during a very dark time for him. In 1939, when he was 53, he suffered a paralyzing stroke and could not walk or talk. As he thought of Christ’s love for him over his whole life, he wrote this song of redemption and victory in Christ, the healer of body and soul. He filled the lyrics with hope and joy. The family that owns the publishing rights of this song visited our home in Nashville and asked whether we would like to refresh and refocus the lyrics for families and churches today. We were very honored to do so, and Matt Boswell helped. We launched this new version at the 2024 Sing! Conference in Nashville.”
Responsive Reading: Psalm 1
Read the Psalm together. Practice saying it responsively. Try memorizing one or more verses.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Talk About the Songs and Psalms
Choose a verse from a song or psalm. Read it together and discuss these questions using the “Swedish method:”
- What do you notice about these words? What do you like? What is surprising?
- Is there anything you don’t understand? Is there anything you wonder about?
- What do these words tell you about God? What do they tell you about yourself?
- Talk to God together about what you’ve discussed. Praise Him, thank Him, and ask for His help.
Prepare for Children’s Worship
Use this guide to prepare your children for their time learning in the classroom on Sunday morning (and for the Old and New Testament readings).
Unit 14 Memory Verse | Deuteronomy 13:4 — “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.”
Unit 14 Big Picture Q&A | Why do Christians continue to sin? | Preschool: Because we still have hearts that want to sin. | Elementary: Christians continue to sin because we still have a sin nature, but when Jesus returns, He will make us sinless like Him.
Bible Story | “Jonah, Prophet to Nineveh,” Jonah. Read this story to your children from the Bible or from a storybook Bible. Prompt your children to describe the characters and events of the passage.
Christ Connection | Jonah spent three days in a fish so that the people of Nineveh could hear God’s message, turn from sin, and be saved. Jesus was in the tomb for three days so that we could hear and trust the gospel, turn from sin, and be saved.
Introduction to the Story
Jonah was a prophet sent by God to confront the people of Nineveh regarding their sinful ways. Jonah, however, did not immediately obey God’s command. In fact, Jonah traveled in the opposite direction and boarded a boat to Tarshish. Have you ever been given clear directions from God, but ignored them out of fear or selfishness?
Because of Jonah’s disobedience, the Lord sent a powerful storm on the sea, and the men on the boat feared for their lives. Knowing the storm was due to his disobedience, Jonah asked his shipmates to throw him overboard. As they threw him into the sea, the storm ceased.
In His mercy, the Lord sent a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and for three days and nights, Jonah lay entombed in the belly of the fish. Then, upon the Lord’s command, the fish spit Jonah onto dry land. God again said to Jonah, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach the message that I tell you.” This time, Jonah obeyed.
Jonah walked about the great city proclaiming, “In forty days Nineveh will be demolished!” The people of Nineveh believed God’s message. In sackcloth and with fasting, the people repented and earnestly called out to God. Because of their repentance, God did not destroy Nineveh.
As we read further, we learn how Jonah grew angry over God’s mercy displayed toward Nineveh. The same storm-tossed man who had received mercy from the Lord would rather experience death than see his enemies live. Ironically, disobedient Jonah prayed for God’s grace in his own life, but desired for others to perish in their sin.
While Jonah did not care for the people of Nineveh, God did. The people believed Jonah’s message from God and were saved. Like the Ninevites, we cannot save ourselves. But God can. When we are confronted with our sin, we have a choice to ignore it or do as the Ninevites did and repent. God sent Jesus so we could repent of sin, trust in Him, and be saved.
This week, point boys and girls to the gift of Jesus. Thank God for Jesus’ death and resurrection and share how we too can believe, turn from our sin, and be saved. While we all are born far from God, Jesus bridges the gap. Just like God the Father, Jesus is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Jonah 4:2).
Watch the Biggest Story video about Jonah
Prepare for Pulpit Ministry
This Week’s Text | John 7:40–52
Some Context for Adults | From John Calvin: “The second have a more correct opinion than the first; for they plainly acknowledge that he is the Christ; but the third rise up against them, and hence proceeds the debate. By this example we are warned that we ought not to think it strange in the present day, if men are divided among themselves by various controversies. We learn that Christ’s sermon produced a schism, and that not among Gentiles who were strangers to the faith, but in the midst of the Church of Christ, and even in the chief seat of the Church. Shall the doctrine of Christ be blamed on that account, as if it were the cause of disturbances? Nay rather, though the whole world were in commotion, the word of God is so precious, that we ought to wish that it were received, at least by a few.”
COMA Questions
Context, Observation, Meaning, Application
- What do you remember from the previous story in the Gospel of John?
- What do you notice about this passage? Are there any words you don’t know?
- What do you think is the message or story of this passage?
- What do you think God wants you to think or do after reading this passage?
Pray | After you have read and discussed the passage, thank God for His Word and ask Him to apply it to your life. Ask for the specific applications you identified in your discussion.
