The Beginning
Flood & Rainbow
This week, on our journey exploring God’s Big Story in the Old Testament, we are focusing on the story of the Flood & Rainbow. Think Noah’s ark, the Dove, and God’s Covenant with humans!
It is encouraged that families watch the videos, read the texts, reflect on the summaries, respond to the questions and pray together. However, Club 56 participants can also do this on their own- you might need a journal for journaling some thoughts!
Introduction Video
Watch a quick review of past weeks and an introduction to this week from Leah.
Connect Video
Get a taste of this week’s theme by watching this video!
Connect is a curriculum from SPARK that is specifically designed for 5th and 6th graders.
Read, Reflect & Respond
Take some time to dig in deep to the Bible! Watch the video if you would like a deeper explanation of the following texts.
Need a Bible? Contact Leah M!
Read the Text #1: Genesis 9:9-17
As you read, highlight the word “covenant” every time you see it AND then draw a rainbow by this text to help us remember the promise God made.
Reflect on the Summary:
“The Flood is about God’s unwillingness to let the world remain broken. The Flood is about God’s promise to recreate and restore- both us and all creation. In the Flood, we encounter God’s pain that creation is not the way God intended. God wants to wipe creation clean and start again. This moment reveals a critical side of the nature of God: the Almighty’s love and compassion hold back wrath and anger. God cannot destroy everything and spares Noah and his family. After the waters subside and God sees the destruction that remains, God decided never to do this again. God will find another way to care for and restore creation. God placed a rainbow in the sky as a reminder of God’s covenant that the world would never be destroyed again.”
Respond to the Questions:
- What’s the last promise you made and kept?
- What’s the last promise you made and then broke? What happened?
- When God makes a covenant, how do you know God will keep it?
Read the Text #2: Jonah 3:1-10
After you read, draw a rainbow by verse 10 to remind us that God continues to live out God’s promise.
Reflect on the Summary:
“Jonah knew God was merciful. Even though God had previously decided that Nineveh would perish, Jonah suspected God would forgive Nineveh. God did not offer Nineveh the chance to repent; God’s words for Nineveh were a judgement alone. Still, God decided to show mercy and spared them.”
Respond to the Questions:
- What might have you done if you were Jonah? Or God?
- How does this text teach us about the nature or character of God?
Read the Text #3: Matthew 15:21-28
After you read, draw a rainbow at the beginning of this text to remind us that God’s mercy is for all!
Reflect on the Summary:
“In Jesus’ time, it would have been controversial for Jesus to heal an outsider like the woman and daughter in this story. But Jesus did it anyway. Jesus showed us that God’s mercy is for all!”
Respond to the Questions:
- Why do you think Jesus decided to heal the woman’s daughter?
- Who in your life challenges you to see things differently?
- How have you experienced God’s mercy in your life?
Mercy: Love and forgiveness that responds to a human need that is not expected or unmerited
Remember (Club 56 Binder)
Our Club 56 Binders are for taking notes and helping us remember details in God’s Big Story!
Need a binder? Contact Leah M.
Get out your Club 56 Binder and find the green page with the rainbow (labeled Flood and Rainbow). Read about why we are using the rainbow as a symbol to remember this story in the bottom right of the paper.
On the rainbow, write important key words, people, events or notes that you want to remember about the Flood story.
Need help? Revisit the texts we explored today or read the paragraph at the bottom of the paper.
Prayer
“Ever Present God,
Thank you for reminding us that your love is bigger than we could ever imagine. Thank you for forgiving us and teaching us to forgive others. We love you and hope to be more like you!
In your name,
Amen”