Famine and Feast (AMOS 8–9)

God’s people should worship the God who speaks and saves by loving him and loving others.

Questions:

How did God’s people get out of slavery in Egypt?

How did Amos describe the sky when he talked about God’s judgment?

What was the sky like when Jesus died on the cross?

How can we escape God’s judgment for our sin and receive his promised blessings?

Memory Verse: DEUTERONOMY 8:3 “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Big Fish, Bigger Mercy (Jonah 1–4)

God’s people should reflect the mercy of their God.

Questions:

When God first asked Jonah to go to Nineveh, why didn’t Jonah want to go? What did he do?

What did the Pharisees ask Jesus to give them?

How does Jesus’s death and resurrection remind you of Jonah and the big fish?

Memory Verse: Jonah 2:9 “Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

A Change of Clothes (Zechariah 3)

We are terribly dirty, but God makes us perfectly clean!

Questions:

When God told his people to be holy like him, how were they supposed to treat other people?

And who were they supposed to worship?

Why can’t God be around unholy people?

Memory Verse: ZECHARIAH 3:4 “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

The Great and Awesome Day of the Lord (MALACHI 3–4)

Because of our Savior, all who turn to God have a great future!

Questions:

After God’s people returned from exile, did they fully obey God?

Since God’s people continued to disobey God, what did Malachi say would happen?

What would happen if they turned back to God?

Memory Verse: MALACHI 4:2 “For you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. “

A New Baby and a New Beginning (MATTHEW 1)

Jesus was born to save his people from their sin.

Questions:
Who were some of the people named in Jesus’s family tree (or “genealogy”)?

Did those people always follow God perfectly?

If they were sinners, and Jesus came from their family, how could he be born without sin?

Memory Verse: MATTHEW 1:21 “She [Mary] will bear a son, and you [Joseph] shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Wise Men, Smart Move (MATTHEW 2)

Jesus is the King of all nations.

Questions:

How long did God say his promised King would rule?

What people do we see come worship the King of the Jews in today’s story?

What did Herod want to do to Jesus?

Why can’t anyone stop Jesus from saving and ruling over his people?

Is Jesus still King today? Will his kingdom ever end?

Memory Verse: PSALM 150:6 “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!“

The Pointer and the Point (MATTHEW 3)

John the Baptist pointed to the point of the Biggest Story—Jesus.

Questions:

What was the message that John preached?

What did John tell people to do to show that they had repented?

How did baptizing people prepare the way for Jesus?

Memory Verse: MARK 1:15 “Repent and believe in the gospel.“