Copyright ©2010 The Church at Brook Hills www.brookhills.org 1

FamilyWorshipGuide–Week31 READ

o InthebookofZephaniah,theprophetbythesamenamedeliveredGod’swarningtoHispeopleandallnations.o ReadZephaniah1:1‐6–Here,earlyintheprophecyfromZephaniah,thecomingjudgmentofGodisdeclaredagainst

Judah,thelastintactnationofIsrael.Thisisahardwordtoreceive,butnotascriticalasthatwhichfollows.Beyondthemoreimmediatejudgmentthatisproclaimed,thisproclamationalsoaddressestheDayoftheLord.Thisisacommonphraseusedtorefertothefinaljudgmentatwhicheternityisdeterminedforeachman.Thisisnottemporal,butfinaljudgment.

o ChapteroneaddressesGod’speopleasrepresentedinJerusalem(v.12)andcallsthemcomplacenttowardGod.

o Thischapteralsoaddressesallofmankind(v.17)andtheirsinagainstGod.o BotharecondemnedtodestructionfortheiractsagainsttheLord.

o ReadZephaniah2:3–Thisverseoffersanexhortationandaglimmerofhopeforthosethatwillhumblethemselvesandseekrighteousness.Therestofthechapter,however,outlinesthedestructionduetothenationsaroundJudahandclimaxesinchapter3withJudahitself.

o ReadZephaniah3:9,15‐17–Theseversesgivemorethanjustaglimmerofhope.ThesearepromisesofGodreflectingHisgoodnessandjustice.GodpromisesthatHewillsavethosewhofollowHim.NotonlywillHesavethem,butHewillalsorejoiceandsingofthedelightHehasinthem.Bottomline:TheDayoftheLordbringseternalcondemnationfortheproudwhorelyonthemselves,buteternalblessingforthehumblefollowersoftheLord.Questions:Whatareothernamesyouhaveheardgiveninreferenceto“TheDayoftheLord?”Whoisresponsibleforactinginchapter2:3?Inchapter3:9?WouldyoucategorizeyourselfassomeonewhoreliesonyourselforfollowstheLord?Doyourthoughts,words,andactionssupportyouranswertothepreviousquestion?Doyouhaveahealthygraspofthecondemnationthatisduetosinandsinners?HowdoesthisprophecyaffectyourunderstandingoftheextentofthemercypromisedtoChristfollowers?

PRAYo ReadWindowontheWorld,pg.110‐111Maldiveso UsePrayerCard

SINGo Uselyricsheetandmp3downloadof“MightytoSave”o Likeaparentdiscipliningachild,inthebookofJeremiahweseeGodlayouttheconsequencesforHispeoples’

actions.IftheycontinuetodisobeyHim,thenHewillbejustinsendingHispunishment.IftheyrepentandreturntoHim,thenHewilllovinglyextendmercytothem.Itisdauntingtorealizethattheseconsequencesareeternal.However,theLord’sexhortationsweren’tjustmeantforthepeopleofJudah.Theyarealsomeanttoreminduswefacethesamesetofconsequencestoday.Whilewejustlydeservepunishmentforoursin,Godgraciouslyoffersusmercyinstead.Withthesong“MightytoSave”,wefocusonthetrulymagnificentpowerandgraceofourFatherasHeoffersussalvationthroughHisSon.Heisstrongenoughtomovemountains,thereforeHeismightyenoughtocancelourdebttoHim.Asyousing,letthesewordsbeyourprayertoGod,rejoicinginthegreatgiftofHismercyandlove.

MEMORIZEo Zephaniah3:17TheLordyourGodisinyourmidst,amightyonewhowillsave;hewillrejoiceoveryouwith

gladness;hewillquietyoubyhislove;hewillexultoveryouwithloudsinging.

Copyright ©2010 The Church at Brook Hills www.brookhills.org 2

SUGGESTIONS

These suggestionswere created by the age‐groupministry leaders as away to help parents better communicate thebiblical truths discussed in the Family Worship Guide. These activities and questions can replace or serve as asupplementtothequestionsunderthe“Read”sectiononPage1.RememberthatthesesuggestionsareintendedtohelpparentsfacilitateGod‐centereddiscussionswiththeirchildren.Parentsshouldprayerfullyusethesesuggestions,andanyothermeansnecessary,tohelptheirchildrendiscoverthetruthsofGod’swordandworshipHimtogether.

Preschool(Birth‐Kindergarten)o Beforeyoubegin,thinkofageneralruleinyourhousethatyouexpectyourchildrentoobey.Anexamplemightbe

“Alwaysbetruthful,nevertellalie”.o Next,talktoyourchildaboutthatruleandgiveexamplesofwhenaliemightbetoldorhowthatrulemightbe

broken.ExplaintoyourchildthatyouexpectthemtoobeytherulesbecauseyoulovethemandGodhasgivenyouthisjobastheirparent.Ifaruleisbrokenthereareconsequencesfordisobeyingthatrule.Wewouldhavetochooseapunishmentforyourbadchoice.

o ThenexplainthatGodalsowantsHispeopletofollowHisrulesandtoobeyHimbecauseHelovesustoo.Hisrulesarealwaysforourgood.However,justlikethepunishmentwegiveforyourbadchoice,GodwillpunishpeoplewhochoosetodisobeyHim,too.

o WeneedGod’shelptoobeyHisrules.Wecan’tdoanythingwithoutGod!WhenwechoosetoobeyGodwechoosetofollowHim.ThisisGod’splanforHispeopleandHewillblessthosethatchoosetofollowHim.

Children(Grades1‐5)

o Talkaboutchoices.Askifyoucouldchoosechocolateorvanillaicecreamwhatwouldyouchose?Askafewmore:pizzaorchickenfingers,footballorbaseball,danceorgymnastics,mathorscience.Theseareeasychoicesthatwemakeallthetime.Wearegoingtotalkaboutamuchmoreimportantchoiceweallhavetomake.Themostimportantchoicewewillevermake.

o Zephaniahwasaprophet.Whatisaprophet?ItwasapersonchosenbyGodtotellHismessagestothepeople.Themessageswereoftenwarnings.DuringthetimeZephaniahwasaprophet,Josiah,wasking.Josiahbecomeskingwhenhewas8yearsold.Whenhehadbeenkingforeighteenyears,theBookoftheLaw(WordoftheLord)wasfoundinthetemplewhenitwasbeingrestored.Thebookhadbeenlostandforgottenbymost.ThenationhadturnedfarfromGodformanyyears.KingJosiahreaditandrealizedhowsinfulhispeopleandcountrywere.HebegantochangethingsandleadhispeopleinawaythathonoredGod.AtthesametimeZephaniahwasgivingthepeoplewarningfromGodtochangeandtellingthemofthepunishmentthatwouldcomeforthosewhodidnot.(Zephaniah1:4‐9)

o ThismessagefromGodwasforthepeopleofthistime(640‐621BC)andforusnow.WewillallbejudgedbyGodforouractionsandattitudestoGod.ReadZeph.1:2‐3,3:8and3:15,17,20toseethetwoverydifferentoutcomesofjudgment.HewillshowmercytoallwhohavebeenfaithfultoHimandpunishthosewhodonot.Thewayweliveourlivesandwhowefollowwilldeterminetheoutcomeofourjudgment.

o Thereareonlytwochoices.First,youcangiveyourlifetoGodthroughJesusandfollowhim.Second,youcanturnawayfromHimandfollowtheworldandyourownsinfuldesires.Thisisnotjustachangeinouroutwardactions,butaninwardcommitmentgivingourheartsandlivestoHim.WhenHechangesourheartsouractions/desireswillchange.

o TodayweneedtohearthewordsofZephaniahandaskourselveswhatwewillchoose.IfwehavenotchosentofollowGod,thenwearechoosingtofollowsinanditspunishmentwillfollow.PrayandaskGodtoopenyoureyesandhearttoHim.YoucanbejustlikeKingJosiah,whoread,believed,andwaschanged!

Students(Grades6‐12)

o Whatispride?Howisitoftendisplayedinvariouspeople’slives?o Howdoesprideaffectourrelationshipswithothers?HowdoesitaffectourrelationshipwithGod?o CanwerelyonourselvesandstillfollowafterGod?Whyorwhynot?o Whatistheresultofself‐relianceifwedon’tknowChrist?Whatistheresultofself‐relianceifweareChrist‐

followers?

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2010

The

Chu

rch

at B

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s