Family Worship Guide for September 6, 2026

Prepare for Songs and Psalms

A Song to Learn This Week

Practice this hymn with your children, and talk about what it means.

686  |  “Give Me Jesus,” Jubilee Songs of Fisk University, 1872

From The Sing! Hymnal: “A cherished song of response, this poignant African American spiritual originally made famous by the Fisk Jubilee Singers is based loosely on Matthew 16:26, among other passages. Mark 8:36 asks, ‘What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?’”

Responsive Reading: Psalm 23

Read the Psalm together. Practice saying it responsively. Try memorizing one or more verses.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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).

September 6, we will be taking a break from the Gospel Project to do stories from the life of Jesus.

Bible Story |  “The Scary Boat Ride,” Mark 4:35–41. 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.

Some Context |  On August 16, our kids learned about the story of Jonah. Ask them to remember that story and think about what happens to Jonah that is similar to what happens to Jesus. How is Jesus different from Jonah?

The Big Picture |  When the disciples see what Jesus did with the wind and the waves, they asked, “Who is this?” Ask your kids how they think they should answer that question. What about what Jesus did tells them the answer?

Watch the Biggest Story video

Prepare for Pulpit Ministry

This Week’s Text |  Acts 9:36–43

Some Context for Adults |  From the Gospel Coalition Commentary: “Peter, like Jesus in Mark 5:40, sends everyone out of the room and, with words resembling Jesus, says, ‘Tabitha arise’ (9:40, sounding similar to ‘Talitha cumi,’ although that was Aramaic for ‘Little girl . . . arise’; cf. Mark 5:41). Unlike Jesus, however, he does this after kneeling and praying, expressing his dependence on the Lord. All of this highlights the apostle Peter as an authorized representative of Jesus (i.e., as an apostle; cf. Acts 2:43; 5:12). Indeed, the believers in Joppa sent word to Peter in Lydda to come to them urgently when Tabitha died. Since an apostle was nearby, perhaps there was something he could do!”

COMA Questions

Context, Observation, Meaning, Application

• Have you ever known anyone who was really sick? How can we show love to sick people?
• 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.