THE WATCHTOWER

Question: In your opinion, what is the greatest gift that God has ever given us?

Scripture: Joh 3:16

Offer: This issue of The Watchtower highlights why God sent Jesus to earth to die for us and how we can show appreciation for that gift.

WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

Question: [Show the front of the tract.] How would you answer this question? Is the Kingdom of God something within your heart? a figure of speech? or a government in heaven?

Scripture: Da 2:44; Isa 9:6, ftn.

Offer: This tract explains what God’s Kingdom can mean for you.

MEMORIAL INVITATION

Offer: We’re inviting people to a very important event. [Offer the invitation.] On April 11, millions around the world will gather to remember the death of Jesus and to hear a free Bible talk about how his death can benefit us. This invitation shows the time and location of the meeting being held in our area. We hope you can join us.

BUILD YOUR OWN PRESENTATION

Use the format in the preceding examples to create your own field service presentation.

• Song 7 and Prayer

• Opening Comments (3 min. or less)

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD

• “I Am With You to Save You”: (10 min.)

  • [Play the video Introduction to Jeremiah.]

  • Jer 1:6​—Jeremiah was reluctant to accept a new assignment (w11 3/15 29 ¶4)

  • Jer 1:7-10, 17-19​—Jehovah promised to strengthen and help Jeremiah (w05 12/15 23 ¶18; jr 88 ¶14-15)

• Digging for Spiritual Gems: (8 min.)

  • Jer 2:13, 18​—What two bad things did the unfaithful Israelites do? (w07 3/15 9 ¶8)

  • Jer 4:10​—In what sense had Jehovah “deceived” his people? (w07 3/15 9 ¶4)

  • What does this week’s Bible reading teach me about Jehovah?

  • What points from this week’s Bible reading can I use in the field ministry?

• Bible Reading: (4 min. or less) Jer 4:1-10

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY

• Prepare This Month’s Presentations: (15 min.) Discussion based on “Sample Presentations.” Play each presentation video, and then discuss the highlights.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS

• Song 18

• Organizational Accomplishments: (7 min.) Play the Organizational Accomplishments video for March.

• Memorial Campaign to Begin March 18: (8 min.) Talk by the service overseer based on the February 2016 Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook, page 8. Distribute a copy of the Memorial invitation to all in the audience, and review its contents. Outline local arrangements for covering the territory.

• Congregation Bible Study: (30 min.) kr chap. 9 ¶10-15, the chart “Growing Number of Bible Studies,” and the boxes “Jehovah Made It Possible” and “How ‘the Small One’ Has Become ‘a Mighty Nation’”

• Review Followed by Preview of Next Week (3 min.)

• Song 110 and Prayer

Jeremiah may have been close to 25 years old when Jehovah appointed him as a prophet. Jeremiah felt unqualified for the responsibility, but Jehovah reassured him of His continued support.

1. 647

   Jeremiah appointed as a prophet

2. 607

   Jerusalem destroyed

3. 580

   Writing completed

All dates B.C.E.

• Song 37 and Prayer

• Opening Comments (3 min. or less)

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD

• “They Stopped Doing God’s Will”: (10 min.)

  • Jer 6:13-15​—Jeremiah exposed the nation’s sins (w88 4/1 11-12 ¶7-8)

  • Jer 7:1-7​—Jehovah tried to move them to repentance (w88 4/1 12 ¶9-10)

  • Jer 7:8-15​—Israel believed that Jehovah would not take action (jr 21 ¶12)

• Digging for Spiritual Gems: (8 min.)

  • Jer 6:16​—What was Jehovah urging his people to do? (w05 11/1 23 ¶11)

  • Jer 6:22, 23​—Why could it be said that a people would be “coming from the land of the north”? (w88 4/1 13 ¶15)

  • What does this week’s Bible reading teach me about Jehovah?

  • What points from this week’s Bible reading can I use in the field ministry?

• Bible Reading: (4 min. or less) Jer 5:26–6:5

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY

• Initial Call: (2 min. or less) T-36​—Lay the groundwork for a return visit.

• Return Visit: (4 min. or less) T-36​—Discuss “To Think About.” Invite the person to the Memorial.

• Bible Study: (6 min. or less) jl lesson 1​—Invite the person to the Memorial.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS

• Song 123

• “Who Are Doing Jehovah’s Will Today?​—How to Use It”: (15 min.) Begin with a five-minute discussion of the article. Afterward, play and discuss the video that shows how lesson 8 of the brochure might be considered with a Bible student. Encourage everyone who conducts a Bible study to use the brochure each week.

• Congregation Bible Study: (30 min.) kr chap. 9 ¶16-21 and the boxes “How Two Tracts Touched Two Hearts in the Amazon” and “How Real Is the Kingdom to You?”

• Review Followed by Preview of Next Week (3 min.)

• Song 75 and Prayer

7:1-4, 8-10, 15

• Jeremiah boldly exposed the Israelites’ sins and hypocrisy

• The Israelites considered the temple to be a talisman that would protect them

• Jehovah let it be known that ritualistic sacrifices did not make up for wrong conduct

Consider: How can I make sure that my worship is in harmony with Jehovah’s will and does not become formalistic?

The brochure Who Are Doing Jehovah’s Will Today? was designed to be considered with Bible students at the beginning or at the end of each study session.a Lessons 1 to 4 familiarize students with us as a people, lessons 5 to 14 help them learn about our activities, and lessons 15 to 28 show them our organization in action. It is generally best to consider the lessons in order unless a particular one deals with something of immediate interest. Each lesson is only a page long and can be discussed with most students in from five to ten minutes.

• 

  Call attention to the question that is the title of the lesson

• Read the lesson together, either straight through or in sections

• Discuss what you just read. Make use of the questions at the bottom of the page and the pictures. Read and discuss the cited scriptures as appropriate. Highlight that the bold subheadings answer the title question

• If there is a “Find Out More” box, read it together and encourage your student to follow through on the suggestion

• Song 86 and Prayer

• Opening Comments (3 min. or less)

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD

• “Humans Can Have Success Only With Jehovah’s Guidance”: (10 min.)

  • Jer 10:2-5, 14, 15​—The gods of the nations are false gods (it-1 555)

  • Jer 10:6, 7, 10-13​—Unlike the gods of the nations, Jehovah is the only true God (w04 10/1 11 ¶10)

  • Jer 10:21-23​—Humans cannot have success without Jehovah’s guidance (w15 9/1 15 ¶1)

• Digging for Spiritual Gems: (8 min.)

  • Jer 9:24​—What type of boasting and pride are good? (w13 1/15 20 ¶16)

  • Jer 11:10​—Why did Jeremiah include the northern ten-tribe kingdom in his pronouncements, even though Samaria had fallen in 740 B.C.E.? (w07 3/15 9 ¶2)

  • What does this week’s Bible reading teach me about Jehovah?

  • What points from this week’s Bible reading can I use in the field ministry?

• Bible Reading: (4 min. or less) Jer 11:6-16

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY

• Initial Call: (2 min. or less) Memorial invitation and wp17.2 cover​—Lay the groundwork for a return visit.

• Return Visit: (4 min. or less) Memorial invitation and wp17.2 cover​—Lay the groundwork for the next visit.

• Bible Study: (6 min. or less) ld pp. 4-5 (Student may select which pictures to consider.)​—Invite the person to the Memorial.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS

• Song 72

• “Listen to God​—How to Use It”: (15 min.) Begin with a five-minute discussion of the article. Afterward, play and discuss the video that shows a portion of a Bible study being conducted using pages 8 and 9 of the brochure. The student is using Listen to God while the teacher is using Listen to God and Live Forever. Encourage the audience to follow along in their copy of Listen to God and Live Forever.

• Congregation Bible Study: (30 min.) kr “Section 3—Kingdom Standards—Seeking God’s Righteousness” and chap. 10 ¶1-7

• Review Followed by Preview of Next Week (3 min.)

• Song 115 and Prayer

Humans have neither the ability nor the right to govern themselves

10:21-23

• Because Israel’s spiritual shepherds did not inquire of Jehovah, the people were scattered

  

• Those who followed Jehovah’s direction had peace, happiness, and prosperity

  

The brochure Listen to God was designed to teach basic Bible truths visually to those who find it challenging to learn from text. Each two-page lesson features carefully prepared illustrations with arrows to guide the discussion from one illustration to the next.

The brochure Listen to God and Live Forever has the same illustrations as does Listen to God, but the former has more text and can be used by students who have some reading ability. Publishers often prefer to use it as a teacher’s copy when their student is using Listen to God. Many of the pages contain a box with additional information that could be discussed, depending on the ability of the student.

You may offer either brochure at any time, even if it is not the offer for the month. When conducting a Bible study, use the illustrations to explain the Bible record. Ask questions to involve the student and to make sure he understands. Read and discuss the scriptures at the bottom of each page. After completing the brochure, study What Does the Bible Really Teach? or What Can the Bible Teach Us? to help your student progress to baptism.

• Song 128 and Prayer

• Opening Comments (3 min. or less)

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD

• “Israel Forgot Jehovah”: (10 min.)

  • Jer 13:1-5​—Jeremiah obeyed God’s instructions to hide a linen belt, although it took great effort (jr 51 ¶17)

  • Jer 13:6, 7​—When Jeremiah made the long trek to retrieve the belt, he found that it was ruined (jr 52 ¶18)

  • Jer 13:8-11​—Jehovah was illustrating that the close relationship that he had with the Israelites would be ruined because of their stubbornness (jr 52 ¶19-20; it-1 1121 ¶2)

• Digging for Spiritual Gems: (8 min.)

  • Jer 12:1, 2, 14​—What was Jeremiah’s question, and what was Jehovah’s answer? (jr 118 ¶11)

  • Jer 15:17​—What was Jeremiah’s view of associations, and how can we imitate him? (w04 5/1 12 ¶16)

  • What does this week’s Bible reading teach me about Jehovah?

  • What points from this week’s Bible reading can I use in the field ministry?

• Bible Reading: (4 min. or less) Jer 13:15-27

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY

• Initial Call: (2 min. or less) Memorial invitation and video​—Lay the groundwork for a return visit.

• Return Visit: (4 min. or less) Memorial invitation and video​—Lay the groundwork for the next visit.

• Talk: (6 min.) w16.03 29-31​—Theme: When Were God’s People Held Captive by Babylon the Great?

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS

• Song 79

• “Help Your Family to Remember Jehovah”: (15 min.) Discussion. Start by playing the video “These Words . . . Must Be on Your Heart”​—Family Interviews.

• Congregation Bible Study: (30 min.) kr chap. 10 ¶8-11 and the boxes “‘Christmas, Its Origin and Purpose’” and “Exposing Other Holidays and Celebrations”

• Review Followed by Preview of Next Week (3 min.)

• Song 48 and Prayer

Jeremiah was given a challenging assignment that would illustrate Jehovah’s determination to bring to ruin the stubborn pride of Judah and Jerusalem.

Jeremiah bought a linen belt

13:1, 2

• The belt clinging to the waist symbolized the close relationship that was possible between Jehovah and the nation

Jeremiah took the belt to the Euphrates River

13:3-5

• He hid it in the cleft of a crag, and he then returned to Jerusalem

Jeremiah returned to the Euphrates River to retrieve the belt

13:6, 7

• The belt was ruined

Jehovah explained the matter after Jeremiah carried out the assignment

13:8-11

• Jeremiah’s heartfelt obedience in what may have seemed trivial played a role in Jehovah’s efforts to reach the hearts of the people

Jeremiah was commissioned to warn the Jews of an impending destruction because they had forgotten their God, Jehovah. (Jer 13:25) How did the nation get to this sad spiritual state? Israelite families had lost their spirituality. Evidently family heads were not following Jehovah’s direction recorded at Deuteronomy 6:5-7.

Spiritually strong families contribute to the stability of our congregations today. Family heads can help their family to remember Jehovah by means of a regular and meaningful Family Worship program. (Ps 22:27) After watching the video “These Words . . . Must Be on Your Heart”​—Family Interviews, answer these questions:

• How have some families successfully confronted the common challenges to family worship?

• What are some of the rewards of having a regular and meaningful Family Worship program?

• When it comes to family worship, what challenges do I have, and how do I plan to address them?