A KINGDOM. Created. SUMMER 2013 KIDS WORSHIP GUIDE Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor. Kids

Transcription

1 A KINGDOM Created SUMMER 2013 KIDS WORSHIP GUIDE Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor Kids

2 CONTENTS Unit 10: Hints of Christ Session 1: Ruth and Boaz...6 Session 2: Eli and Boy Samuel...20 Session 3: The Ark Was Captured...34 Unit 11: Saul and David Session 1: Israel Demanded a King...50 Session 2: God Rejected Saul as King...64 Session 3: David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath...78 Session 4: David and Jonathan Became Friends...92 Session 5: God Made a Covenant with David Session 6: David Sinned and Was Restored Unit 12: A Kingdom in Trouble Session 1: Solomon Asked for Wisdom Session 2: Solomon Built the Temple Session 3: Solomon s Sin Divided the Kingdom Session 4: Poetry and Wisdom Special Features Kids Worship at a Glance...2 Teaching Kids with ADHD...192

3 7 room decorations Tip: Don t be afraid to place Christmas trees in the middle of the desert or Christmas lights around your lush river valley archaeology site. countdown video large group leader attire Character Insight: The character is an untalented actor or actress but always keeps trying and keeps Christmas in the right perspective. Timeline Map Kids Worship at a Glance Teacher Bible Study Themes A short devotion designed to help you as you prepare to teach the session. Suggested Times The times provided are suggested to allow you to complete the session plan in an hour. To lengthen the session, interact more with the kids or review previous sessions in more detail. To shorten the session, eliminate elements to fit your allotted time frame. Bible Story Script A Bible story script is provided with each session to guide you as you prepare to tell the Bible story. Use the bolded text for younger kids. Always open your Bible to the scripture passage. The BIBLE STORY Angels Spoke to Mary and Joseph Luke 1:26-56; Matthew 1:18-24 One day God sent an angel named Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth. The angel went to visit a young virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to Joseph, a descendant of King David. The angel said to Mary, Rejoice! You have found favor with God. He is with you. Mary was very afraid and puzzled. Why would God find favor with her? She had done nothing special. The angel told Mary to not be afraid. He told Mary that she was going to have a very special and unique baby, and they would call the baby Jesus, which means the Lord saves. The angel explained that the baby would be great He would be God s Son! He would even be a king the King God had promised would come. Mary asked the angel, How can that happen? I am not married yet. The angel replied, God will be the father of the baby. The baby will be God s Son. The angel Gabriel told Mary, Nothing will be impossible with God! He told Mary that her relative Elizabeth was pregnant, even though she was old and did not have any children. Mary replied, I belong to God. May everything happen just as you said. Then the angel left her. Mary hurried to her relative Elizabeth s house. When she arrived, the baby inside Elizabeth leaped for joy! The Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth and she said, What an honor, Mary! Your baby will be blessed too! Mary was so happy. She praised God with a song about how great God is. Mary knew every family in the future would say she was blessed because God was going to do great things for her through Jesus. God was keeping His promise to bless the whole world through Jesus. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months. Then she went home. Now Joseph found out Mary was going to have a baby, but Joseph knew it was not his baby Mary and Joseph were not married yet! Joseph decided to quietly divorce Mary so she would not be publicly disgraced. Soon after Joseph thought these things, an angel appeared to him in a dream. Joseph! the angel said. Don t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the baby she is carrying was put there by the Holy Spirit. Mary is going to have a son; name Him Jesus because He is going to save His people from their sins! This happened just like the prophet said it would: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated God with us. When Joseph woke up, he did exactly as the angel commanded. He married Mary, and when she had a son, Joseph named Him Jesus. Christ Connection: Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The baby Jesus fulfilled Isaiah s prophecy, as well as other prophecies of the coming Savior throughout the Old Testament. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled God s plan of redemption that God planned from the beginning of the world. 6 Unit 4 Session 1 Christmas Every unit has its own unique theme (except Christmas and Easter). Themes have a larger presence in the worship hour than the Bible study hour. Decoration ideas are suggested at the beginning of each unit. The themes in worship can easily be amped up or downplayed to fit your teaching style and environment. You may choose to allow kids to assist in decorating by allowing early arrivers to draw or decorate additional decorations prior to class time. One year I got to be the star of the program. Literally, Kids Worship LEADER I was the star of the program. That was until opening Session Title: Angels Spoke to Mary and Joseph night when they actually lifted me up in the air on that Bible Passage: Luke 1:26-56; Matthew 1:18-24 rope. They didn t tell me it was so high. I found out later Big Picture Question: What part did Mary and Joseph have in God s that evidently no one wants a screaming star in their plan? God chose Mary and Joseph to be the earthly parents of Jesus. program. Who knew? Key Passage: Luke 2:10-11 Anyway, I understand we will be waiting for a while. Unit Christ Connection: The Savior God had promised was born! Tryouts can take awhile. I hope you don t mind helping me out. I want to get your thoughts on my acting skills. Suggested Theme Decorating Ideas: Use any traditional Timeline map (1 minute) Christmas decorations that are appropriate for your church Leader I have this program guide, which tells me the environment. If you are pausing in the middle of another name of the Christmas program each week I travel. I theme to celebrate Christmas, decorate the theme you have have three weeks this year. Are you going to be here each with Christmas decorations. week? I don t mind a little competition. I m sure all of you would love to get some insight from someone as Countdown accomplished as me. This week I am trying out for the Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to part of an angel in Angels Spoke to Mary and Joseph. end as worship time begins. Big picture question (1 minute) Introduce the session (2 minutes) Leader Every time I try out for a part, I think of a [Large group leader enters wearing a white robe and looks question that helps me prepare for my part. For instance, around as if startled by the kids.] when I played the donkey sound effects maker, I asked, Leader Hello, I didn t see you all there. Are you here What sound would a donkey make if someone laid a for the tryouts, too? I love this time of year. You see, baby in its feeding trough? I figure it was kind of an every December, I travel from big towns to small towns upset donkey. A donkey that asked, Where s my food, to try out for Christmas programs at Way Off Broadway and who put that baby there? Christmas Productions. It doesn t matter if it s a musical Anyway, I ve been thinking that the question for this or just a great Christmas play. part probably would be much more important. I call it the Oh, where are my manners? Let me introduce myself. big picture question. The question is, What part did Mary My name is Chris Massy. You may have heard of me from and Joseph have in God s plan? some past Way Off Broadway Christmas programs. I have played the parts of Bethlehem Street Person #2 and Donkey Sound Effects Maker. 8 Unit 4 Session 1 Christmas 9 Characters The Large Group Leader is a character the kids meet at the theme location. Each character can easily be adapted for a male or female teacher. One 2

4 Tip: Don t worry about reusing the same paper to play again. It will just make it more challenging. Christmas in Kazakhstan missions video Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) cell phones, 3 or more 15 character is suggested each unit. The characters will guide kids on their journey through the chronology of God s story. Often the characters learn important truths about God. Leader Lines The Leader lines are suggestions. You can adapt, alter, or delete any of the Leader lines you want. Group Game Most group games are designed to involve a few volunteers on stage. However, many of the games can be adapted to allow all kids to play if you provide additional supplies, space, and helpers. Group Demonstration The group demonstration is designed to visually engage kids in the session. It is usually a small game, object lesson, or experiment. missionaries your local church supports. Additional Idea The additional idea can be added to the session if you need more than one hour of content. It can also be substituted for the group game or group demonstration suggestion. Choose four volunteers to come to the front of the room. Group the four into pairs; each pair is a team. Provide each team with a roll of wrapping paper. One kid must be the wrapper; the other must be wrapped. When you give the signal to go, the wrapper must wrap her team member, starting at the floor and going all the way up to cover the top of his head. The first team to complete the task wins. If time remains, choose four more volunteers and play again. Leader That makes me feel much more relaxed. You know, now that I think about it, something about that game reminds me of the big picture question. Each player had a role in this game, just like Mary and Joseph had a role in God s plan. What part did Mary and Joseph have in God s plan? God chose Mary and Joseph to be the earthly parents of Jesus. Missions (6 minutes) Leader Oh, look! It s almost time for my tryout. You know, we are so lucky that we get to celebrate Christmas every year. Have you ever thought about what it would be like if there was no Christmas to celebrate? There would be no Way Off Broadway Productions. There would also be no hope without the birth of Jesus. I saw a video just the other day about a country that doesn t celebrate Christmas at all. Do you want to see the video, too? I figure it s the least I can do since you have been such great pre-tryout friends. Watch the Christmas in Kazakhstan video about life at Christmas time in the country. Leader I may not get the part I m trying out for today, but I have a part in God s plan. 14 Unit 4 Session 1 Christmas Like Mary and Joseph, we all have parts in God s plan. What part did Mary and Joseph have in God s plan? God chose Mary and Joseph to be the earthly parents of Jesus. Our part is to know and love Jesus, follow Him, and tell others about Him. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader It looks like it s my turn to try out. Wish me luck. I m sure I ll get the part. I ll make a deal with you. You come back next week, and I ll tell you all about what happened. You can help me practice and everything. Make any announcements from your children s ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader Before I go, let s take one more look at that big picture question and pray that we all will do our part in God s plan. Do you remember the big picture question and the answer? What part did Mary and Joseph have in God s plan? God chose Mary and Joseph to be the earthly parents of Jesus. See you next week! Close in prayer. Dismiss Additional idea Take the call You need at least three cell phones for this activity. Write down the number for each phone. The more you have, the more kids can play. Take the cell phones, except yours, and place them facedown in a pile. Make sure they are set to ring instead of vibrate. Choose the same number of volunteers as phones in the pile. Invite the volunteers to form a circle around the phones. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me To allow you to choose when to share the gospel plan, a version of the gospel plan is included in each session plan. Missions Each week a missions video or story is included to help kids connect the gospel to the world. You may choose to substitute a video or story from A Kingdom Created 3

5 Unit 10: Hints of Christ Big Picture Questions Session 1: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Session 2: How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. Session 3: Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. 4

6 Unit 10: Hints of Christ Unit Description: The Old Testament contains many stories with elements that parallel the life and work of Christ. These three stories foreshadow Christ as the perfect Redeemer, perfect King, and God with us. Unit Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Session 1: Ruth and Boaz Ruth 1 4 Session 2: Eli and the Boy Samuel 1 Samuel 1 3 Session 3: The Ark Was Captured 1 Samuel 4 5 A Kingdom Created 5

7 Leader BIBLE STUDY Only two books in the Old Testament bear the name of a woman: Ruth and Esther. Ruth s story occurs at the time when judges ruled over Israel. God s people were characterized by rebellion and immorality. At a time when the Israelites desperately needed a king to lead them back to God, Ruth s story of faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, a coming Redeemer who will make all wrong things right again. Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, a woman from Bethlehem who settled in Moab with her husband and two sons to escape a famine. Naomi s husband died, and her two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years; then Naomi s sons died. Naomi heard that the Lord had provided His people food during the famine, so she decided to go back to Judah. Naomi encouraged Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Ruth said, Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God (Ruth 1:16). So Naomi and Ruth traveled back to Bethlehem together. Naomi permitted Ruth to gather fallen grain in a field. The owner of the field was Boaz, a relative of Naomi s late husband and a family redeemer. Boaz noticed Ruth and told her she could safely gather grain in his field. At Naomi s urging, Ruth sought to be redeemed by Boaz. Boaz bought back the land Naomi and Ruth had lost when their husbands died, and he married Ruth. They had a son named Obed, whose grandson would be King David. God gave Ruth a foreigner a special place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. As you teach kids today, introduce them to Jesus, our Redeemer. He bought for us salvation, paying the price with His very own blood. 6 Unit 10 Session 1

8 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: Ruth and Boaz Bible Passage: Ruth 1 4 Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 10 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 10 Timeline map (1 minute)...page 11 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 12 Group game (10 minutes)...page 12 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 13 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 14 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 14 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 15 Review (4 minutes)...page 15 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 16 Missions (6 minutes)...page 16 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 17 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 17 Additional idea...page 18 Hints of Christ 7

9 The BIBLE STORY Ruth and Boaz Ruth 1 4 Naomi lived in Bethlehem in Judah with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons. At that time, the people of Israel were ruled by judges like Gideon, Samson, and Deborah. There was a famine in the land, so it was difficult to find enough food to survive. Elimelech and Naomi decided to go to Moab and live there for awhile. While they were in Moab, Elimelech died. Naomi s sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years, then Naomi s sons died. Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth were all alone. The famine had ended in Judah, so Naomi decided to return. Orpah and Ruth went with Naomi, but Naomi encouraged them to return to their families. The women were very sad to leave each other. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God, Ruth said. So Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law at the beginning of the barley harvest. Naomi gave Ruth permission to go into the fields and gather fallen grain. She happened to go to the field of Boaz, a good man from the family of Naomi s late husband, Elimelech. Boaz saw Ruth in his field. He had heard how kind Ruth was to Naomi, staying with her after her husband died and leaving Moab to travel back to Bethlehem with her. Boaz told Ruth to stay in his field where she would be safe. Boaz made sure Ruth had enough food. Ruth gathered plenty of grain in the field. She returned to Naomi and told her about Boaz. Boaz is one of our family redeemers, Naomi replied. A family redeemer was someone who would help his close relatives if they were in trouble. Naomi knew Boaz would take care of Ruth, so she encouraged Ruth to stay in his fields. Naomi wanted to make sure Ruth had a husband to care for her, so 8 Unit 10 Session 1

10 she gave Ruth special instructions. Ruth put on her best clothes and laid down near Boaz s feet. In this way, Ruth showed Boaz that she hoped he would marry her. Boaz was surprised to find Ruth at his feet. You are a family redeemer, she said. Boaz promised to redeem Ruth, which meant he would buy back the land that Naomi sold after her husband died, and he would marry Ruth. He gave Ruth grain and sent her back to Naomi. Boaz bought back the land that had belonged to Naomi s husband and sons, and he married Ruth. Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed. Naomi took care of Obed. When Obed grew up, he was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David. Christ Connection: Boaz was a family redeemer. That means he would help his close relatives who were in trouble. Boaz cared for Ruth and Naomi because their husbands had died. In a similar way, Jesus is our Redeemer. We need help because we sin. Jesus bought our salvation for us by taking our punishment when He died on the cross. Hints of Christ 9

11 Kids Worship LEADER Session Title: Ruth and Boaz Bible Passage: Ruth 1 4 Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. room decorations Tip: Don t get overwhelmed by trying to use all of the theme decorating ideas. Pick one or two ideas that work for your room and budget. countdown video Suggested Theme Decorating Ideas: Place a small desk and chair at one end of the stage. If you do not have access to an office desk, consider using a small table, such as a folding card table. Scatter old newspapers, notebooks, and other papers on the desk. You may want to place a coffee maker and mugs on another small table near the desk. You may also include a coat rack. If possible, hang a chalkboard, dry erase board, bulletin board, or large paper poster behind the desk. Write, draw, and place sticky notes all over the board or poster. You may also choose to hang a map behind the desk and tack yarn onto it to create a disorganized web pattern. Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. leader attire magnifying glass 10 Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Worship Leader wears a trench coat and an inspectorinspired hat such as a top hat or a fedora. He also carries a magnifying glass. Enter, staring intently through the magnifying glass, pointed at the floor. Move magnifying glass toward kids and show surprise to see them.] Unit 10 Session 1

12 Character Insight: Inspector is a not-so-serious detective who takes his job very seriously. He thinks the cases he solves are important, but he discovers there are more important questions he should be asking. Timeline Map Leader Oh! Well, hello! I didn t see you sitting there! I thought I was all alone well, except for my magnifying glass, of course. I never go anywhere without it. I can t tell you how many extra-important cases I have solved by Wait a second! I m not supposed to talk too much about my extra-important cases with anyone outside the office! My boss says that all of our cases are top secret. The boss did say I could share a few details with you though. We do some very official stuff around here. Of course, you wouldn t be interested in any of the cases we ve solved, like the time we traced the bubble gum spitter all the way from the train station to her apartment. She left a trail of chewed bubble gum wads stuck to the pavement for over three miles! I used this magnifying glass to personally identify each and every piece. Can you imagine? It s not very kind to leave bubble gum on the street. Not only is it bad for the earth, but my boss stepped in some during the investigation and ruined his favorite pair of shoes! That was a hard case to solve. We spent hours mapping the gum spitter s journey through the city. Speaking of maps, I should take a look at our map to see if there are any new cases to solve today. Would you like to help me? You can be my rookie detectives! Timeline map (1 minute) Leader Hmmm looks like the boss left us an extraimportant case! Have you ever heard the Bible story of Ruth and Boaz? I think I remember the boss telling me that this story will give us a very important hint. I can t wait to put all the clues together and solve the case. While we are searching for clues, I think we have a very important question to ask ourselves! Hints of Christ 11

13 Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Who is our redeemer? This is our big picture question. Maybe this question will help us solve the case. Does anybody know what a redeemer is? According to the briefing my boss gave me this morning, a redeemer is a person who pays a price in order to get something back from someone else. A redeemer pays this price so that he or she can help someone who is in trouble. There must be a redeemer in our story today, but before we gather more clues, I m going to need a few volunteers. 2 different largepiece puzzles (less than 24 pieces each), mixed and divided evenly into 2 piles 2 corresponding puzzle boxes, 1 behind each pile Tip: The fewer the pieces in each puzzle, the faster the kids will be able to complete the game. Group game (10 minutes) Puzzle piece exchange Form two teams out of 10 volunteers, one team for each pile of puzzle pieces. Tell the kids that the puzzles are all mixed up they are not how they were intended to be. The object of the game is for each team to complete the puzzle on their box by exchanging the puzzle pieces they don t need for pieces they do need. Each volunteer can only exchange or buy one piece at a time. The first team to complete the puzzle wins. Encourage the other kids to cheer for the two teams. Leader Good job, rookie detectives! The boss will be so impressed and you didn t even need my magnifying glass! Those puzzles were so confusing, and these rookie detectives had to use their mismatched puzzle pieces to buy pieces that matched the picture on their box. They paid a price to put their puzzle together and make a beautiful picture. Let s dive into our case file and see if we can find out who the redeemer is in this case and what price he paid. 12 Unit 10 Session 1

14 Bibles, 1 per kid Ruth and Boaz video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Tip: A Bible story script is provided at the beginning of every session. You may use it to guide you as you prepare to teach the Bible story in your own words. The bolded text is a shorter version of the Bible story that can be used with younger kids or as a review. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video Ruth and Boaz. Leader Wow! That story was way more interesting than the case of the bubble gum spitter. Boaz was a really great guy. He redeemed Ruth and made the things that were difficult in her life right again when he promised to marry her and take care of her. He also bought back Elimelech s land for Naomi. Boaz paid a price to help Ruth and Naomi because they were both in trouble. You know, that sounds kind of familiar. Jesus paid the price of His life for our lives. Even though we make mistakes and things get difficult in our lives, we do not have to die for the wrong things we have done because Jesus died for us. Just like Boaz redeemed Ruth, Jesus is our Redeemer. Wait a second! What was our big picture question! Who is our redeemer? That s it! That s the answer! Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Let s say it together, rookie detectives! Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Boaz s redemption of Ruth and Naomi was like a clue that Jesus was coming to redeem us. Actually, Boaz was one of the ancestors of King David, and King David was one of the ancestors of Jesus. Do you know what an ancestor is? The boss told me that an ancestor is someone in your family who was born before you, like a great-great-great grandfather. Your ancestors children had children, and then they had children and then they had children, and so on and so on until you were born. So Boaz was the ancestor of King David, and King Hints of Christ 13

15 David was the ancestor of Jesus, and Hold on, rookie detectives! I think we have found another clue! Boaz and Jesus were in the same family! This makes it even more amazing that Boaz was a clue that Jesus would be born and would redeem the world. Bible Center of It song and other songs of your choice The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about becoming a Christian. Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Let s say our big picture question and answer together: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. We can sing and praise God for sending Jesus to earth to pay the price for our sins. Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Center of It (unit theme song) Incredible God Nothing Compares to the Glory I Want the World to Know O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing 14 Unit 10 Session 1

16 Raise Up song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Key passage (5 minutes) Leader OK, rookie detectives! It looks like the boss has another assignment for us today. Our key passage comes from 1 Samuel, and you will have three weeks to memorize it. This passage gives us another clue about today s case. We ll talk more about that later. For now, let s read the passage out loud together! Guide kids to read the key passage together. Sing together Raise Up. Review (4 minutes) Leader Let s see how well you rookie detectives paid attention to the clues we gathered from our Bible story. Invite kids to answer the following questions: 1. Why did Elimelech and Naomi move to Moab with their sons? (There was a famine in the land, Ruth 1:1) 2. Who were Orpah and Ruth? (the wives of Naomi s sons, Ruth 1:3-4) 3. What did Ruth say to Naomi when Orpah went back home? ( Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God ; Ruth 1:16) 4. In whose fields did Ruth gather grain? (Boaz, Ruth 2:3) 5. What did Boaz promise Ruth that he would do? (redeem Ruth and take her as his wife, Ruth 3:13) 6. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Hints of Christ 15

17 7. Which famous king from the Bible was a descendant of Ruth and Boaz? (King David, one of the ancestors of Jesus; Ruth 4:17; Luke 1:32) grain snack such as granola bars or pretzel sticks Tip: Post an allergy alert. Group demonstration (5 minutes) Provide a snack that symbolizes the grain mentioned throughout the story, such as granola bars to symbolize the barley that Ruth gathered, or pretzel sticks that look like sheaves of wheat. Evenly distribute the snacks among the adult detectives, and tell the kids that they must go to an adult to gather their grain snack. Leader Does anybody remember where grain came into our story today? Ruth gathered grain in Boaz s field so that she and Naomi would have food to eat. Boaz was very kind to Ruth and even let her have extra grain. Boaz worked to make what was wrong in Ruth and Naomi s lives right again. He knew that Ruth s husband had died and she did not have any money. He also knew, without a redeemer, Naomi would never have the land her family had owned at one time, and she would also never be a grandmother. Boaz redeemed Ruth from being alone and poor, but he also redeemed Naomi by buying back the land her family owned before leaving Bethlehem. Boaz and Ruth even gave Naomi a grandchild. Boaz was Ruth and Naomi s redeemer. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Extreme Church Makeover missions video Missions (6 minutes) Leader You know, God did not stop redeeming our broken world when He sent Jesus to earth. In fact, my boss told me this morning that God uses people all over the world to tell others that He is the Redeemer. God can even redeem churches that are in trouble. Let s watch 16 Unit 10 Session 1

18 this case video the boss sent us to find out how God can redeem a deserted church. Show the video Extreme Church Makeover. This mission video details the story of missionary Lyandon Warren, who reopened a deserted church in West Pawlet, Vermont. Leader That was amazing! Lyandon and his wife were willing to make sacrifices to move to Vermont and plant a new church in the old building. God used them to redeem an entire town that needed to know about Him. We can thank God for sending redeemers to people in trouble, just like He sent Boaz to Ruth. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader I think we ve solved it. We ve solved our case. At first, everything pointed to Boaz and his love for Ruth and Naomi. That was just another clue. The clues all point to Jesus. He is the better Redeemer. Way to go, detectives! Before you leave to solve your next case, let s go over some quick announcements. Make any announcements from your children s ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader Well, I think that s all for the day! Remember, let s keep this whole case-solving thing a secret, OK? The boss told me I could share a few details with you, so you could help me solve the case. I hope I haven t shared too much, but I got excited about all the things I was learning about Ruth, Boaz, and Jesus! That reminds me who can say our big picture question and answer for today? Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Close in prayer. Hints of Christ 17

19 Tip: If the weather is nice and you have a suitable outdoor space, try playing this game outside. Additional idea Redeemer Freeze Tag Choose one volunteer to be It. Ask the volunteer to close her eyes and let the other kids run away from her for three seconds. The volunteer then runs through the room trying to tag the other players. If one of the other players is tagged, he or she must freeze in place. Players who are not frozen can tag frozen players to unfreeze them. It must freeze all of the other players. The goal of the other players is to stay unfrozen by running and tagging each other. Leader When someone acts as your redeemer, they pay a price in order to help you. Whenever you were tagged, you were completely helpless. You needed a redeemer to unfreeze you. That redeemer often ran the risk of being tagged himself, but he came to your rescue anyway. Jesus did the same thing for us. He redeemed us by paying the price for our sins on the cross His life instead of our lives. Just like Boaz redeemed Ruth, Jesus redeems each one of us. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. 18 Unit 10 Session 1

20 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Hints of Christ 19

21 Leader BIBLE STUDY Hannah an ordinary Israelite during the time of the judges wanted nothing more than to be a mother, but the Lord had closed her womb. (1 Samuel 1:5) Each year when her husband went to Shiloh to worship and to sacrifice to God, Hannah went up to the house of the Lord. One evening, Hannah returned to present herself to the Lord. She wept and prayed, asking God to give her a son and vowing to dedicate him to God. Hannah s cries to the Lord were so fervent that Eli the priest rebuked her for being drunk. I haven t had any wine or beer; I ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord, Hannah explained. Eli blessed Hannah and said, May God answer your prayers. God answered Hannah s prayers. Hannah had a son. She named him Samuel, which means, requested from God. When Samuel was old enough to be weaned, Hannah took him to Shiloh and presented him to Eli. First Samuel 2 records Hannah s triumphant prayer. Hannah glorified God for His sovereignty, then she went home with her husband, leaving Samuel to serve God under the leadership of Eli the priest. Samuel faithfully served God. Hannah visited Samuel each year and brought him a robe. Now Eli had two sons of his own who were also priests. Eli had trouble controlling his sons. They were wicked men with no regard for God. Eli rebuked his children, but they did not listen. So God rejected Eli s family. Review 1 Samuel 3. Note how Samuel responded to God s call: Speak, for Your servant is listening. Samuel was the prophet Israel needed to give them God s guidance. He became a prophet of God and was the last judge of Israel. Help kids identify Samuel s role as God s messenger. Help them connect Samuel to Jesus, who came to earth not only to tell what God is like, but to show what He is like. 20 Unit 10 Session 2

22 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: Eli and the Boy Samuel Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 1 3 Big Picture Question: How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 24 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 24 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 25 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 25 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 26 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 27 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 28 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 28 Timeline map (1 minute)...page 29 Review (4 minutes)...page 29 Group game (10 minutes)...page 30 Missions (6 minutes)...page 31 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 31 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 32 Additional idea...page 32 Hints of Christ 21

23 The BIBLE STORY Eli and Boy Samuel 1 Samuel 1 3 In a hilly country called Ephraim, a man named Elkanah lived with his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Hannah was very sad because she did not have any children. Peninnah had children. Peninnah was mean to Hannah and made Hannah feel bad that God had not given her any children. In those days, having children was very important. Hannah wanted to have a family. Every year, Elkanah went to the tent of meeting in Shiloh to make sacrifices to God and to worship Him. Hannah went with her husband. She wept and would not eat. Elkanah saw that Hannah was upset. What s wrong, Hannah? he asked. Don t I make you happy? Hannah prayed to God and wept. Hannah told God, Lord, if You give me a son, I will dedicate him to You. He will serve You all of his life. A priest named Eli was sitting near the doorpost of the tabernacle. Eli watched Hannah pray silently. He couldn t hear her, but he saw her lips moving. Eli thought there was something wrong with Hannah. I am a woman with a broken heart, Hannah explained. I ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord. Eli replied, Go in peace. May God answer your prayers. Hannah and Elkanah returned home, and God did answer her prayers. After some time, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel because, she said, I asked the Lord for him. When Samuel was no longer a baby, Hannah took him to Eli at the tabernacle. She reminded Eli who she was and told him that God had answered her prayers. Hannah pledged Samuel to serve God and she worshiped God with a prayer. There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You! And there is no rock like our God, Hannah prayed. She returned home and 22 Unit 10 Session 2

24 left Samuel with Eli to serve God. Every year, Hannah returned with a new robe for Samuel, and God gave Hannah many more children. Eli was getting old, and his sons served as priests in the tabernacle. Eli heard that his sons were sinning against God. Eli asked his sons why they were sinning, but they did not listen to him. Samuel, on the other hand, grew older and found favor with God and with men. One day a man of God came to Eli and told him that God was not going to honor people who sinned against Him. God said He was going to choose a new priest who would serve God faithfully. One night, Eli was lying in his bed and Samuel was lying in the tabernacle when Samuel heard someone speak to him. Here I am, Samuel replied. He ran to Eli. Here I am; you called me. God called Samuel three times, and each time Samuel ran to Eli. Here I am, he said. Eli finally understood that God was calling to Samuel. He told Samuel how to respond. Samuel went back to his place, and God called, Samuel, Samuel! Speak, for Your servant is listening, Samuel replied. God told Samuel that He was going to judge Eli s family for their sin. The next day, Samuel was afraid to tell Eli what God had said. Eli asked Samuel to tell him what God said. He is the Lord. He will do what He thinks is good, Eli assured Samuel. As Samuel grew, God was with him. Everyone in Israel knew that Samuel was God s messenger. God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. Christ Connection: Samuel used God s words to tell the people what God is like. John 1:1 says that Jesus is the Word. Jesus showed the world what God is like, and He told people to turn away from their sin. Jesus ultimately freed people from the power of sin by dying on the cross and rising again. Hints of Christ 23

25 Kids Worship leader Session Title: Eli and the Boy Samuel Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 1 3 Big Picture Question: How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. leader attire magnifying glass Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters wearing inspector hat and trench coat, carefully holding a magnifying glass pointed at the ceiling. The inspector peers through the glass intently as he or she walks across stage. The inspector pauses long enough to see the kids and sighs with relief.] Leader Rookie detectives! You are just in time! I needed some backup today, if you know what I mean. I am totally overwhelmed by these two cases I have been trying to solve, probably because I didn t make my coffee strong enough. I could sure use your clue-gathering skills! The first case is extra-important and must be solved immediately. If I tell you what it is, do you promise that you will keep this information top secret? OK, here goes. It seems we have a ceiling climber in our midst! Yes, rookie detectives, a ceiling climber. I know. I didn t think it was possible to climb on a ceiling either and I definitely would not recommend trying it at home but 24 Unit 10 Session 2

26 my boss informed me that we must catch the ceiling climber as soon as possible. The boss is afraid that the ceiling climber might fall and get hurt. Do you see any footprints on the ceiling? Me neither. I can t even spot them with my magnifying glass! I m beginning to wonder if the ceiling climber really exists. Not only that, but I m supposed to solve yet another case before the morning is over! Since we aren t having much luck finding footprints, let s see if we can solve the second case together. Center of It song and other songs of your choice Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Last week, we learned that Boaz redeemed Ruth by paying a price to help her when she was in trouble. We found clues in the story of Ruth and Boaz that pointed us to Jesus, who paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross. Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. While I pull up the case file, let s spend some time praising God for sending Jesus to be our Redeemer! Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Center of It (unit theme song) Incredible God Nothing Compares to the Glory I Want the World to Know O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Isn t it wonderful to praise God for the marvelous things He has done? While you were singing and praising Him, I pulled up the case file from my boss. It has our Hints of Christ 25

27 big picture question of the week in it! I ll read it aloud so that you can get an idea of the nature of this extraimportant case. Our big picture question is, How did God use Samuel? Now who do you think Samuel might be? Hey, isn t there two books in the Bible called Samuel? That s right, 1 and 2 Samuel. Let s dive further into these case files and our Bible to see if we can discover any new clues! Bibles, 1 per kid Eli and Boy Samuel video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Tip: A Bible story script is provided at the beginning of every session. You may use it to guide you as you prepare to teach the Bible story in your own words. The bolded text is a shorter version of the Bible story that can be used with younger kids or as a review. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 1 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video Eli and Boy Samuel. Leader I had no idea that Samuel played such an important part in the story of God that we find in the Bible. I m glad we decided to solve this case first instead of the case of the ceiling climber. What clues do we have so far? Let s see. Hannah was sad that she did not have any children, but she trusted God. God gave her a child, just like Hannah prayed for. Hannah s baby boy, Samuel, grew up to be a great leader in Israel. God gave Samuel special messages so that Samuel would be able to teach the people about God. Samuel was a prophet, a person who delivers God s messages to the people so that they will know His plan for their lives. Hey! This sounds like the answer to our big picture question! How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. I think we found the answer! Let s say it together, rookie detectives. How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. 26 Unit 10 Session 2

28 3 cups flour 1 cup salt 1 cup water 2 mixing bowls 2 paper plates recipe card towel (optional) Tip: You may cover the ingredients with a towel until the contest begins. You may also set up the tables so teams do not face each other during the race. Group demonstration (5 minutes) Divide each ingredient into two parts. Place the ingredients on two separate tables onstage. Place the recipe card on one table. Before class, print on the recipe card: Combine flour, salt, and water to make play dough. Use the play dough to sculpt a building. Leader I need four volunteers, two for each team. We are going to have a race. The first team who uses their flour, water, and salt to create a sturdy building on the paper plate wins. Ready? The team with the recipe card should build a tower more quickly than the team without a plan. However, if the team without the recipe card manages to beat the team with the recipe card, emphasize the importance of quickly following an important plan. Leader Let s give a hand for these brave rookie detectives! Both teams did a great job. It s really hard to build a tower out of water, salt, and flour unless you have a plan. The team with the recipe card knew right away to make play dough, while the team without the recipe card had to brainstorm about ways to build a tower. That took extra time. You know, the boss was explaining to me during my debriefing this morning just how important it is to know what God s plan is. When we know God s plan, we are able to make better choices. We also have peace because we know that God is protecting us and leading us. That must be why God sent Samuel to the Israelite people. Let s say our big picture question and answer together one more time! How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. Hints of Christ 27

29 Raise Up song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Key passage (5 minutes) Leader Well, rookies, I ve been very impressed with you today. Pretty soon, you won t be rookies anymore! Let s test your memory skills and see if you can remember the key passage from last week. Encourage the kids to recite the key passage as a group. Guide kids to read the key passage together twice, and remind them that they have one more week to memorize the verse. Sing together Raise Up. Leader You know, this passage seems like it might be another clue that points to someone important. Hmm. Who do you think God s Anointed One might be? Based on all the clues we have gathered, it seems that God s Anointed One is Jesus. God was going to choose a line of good priests who would show the people what Jesus, His Anointed One, would be like. Remember, Eli s sons had disobeyed God and could no longer serve as His priests. God wanted His priests to obey Him and teach the people His plans. Until I started solving cases with you rookie detectives, I never knew that God filled the Old Testament with so many clues about Christ! The Old Testament teaches us so much about who Christ is and why God sent Him to earth. Because of Christ, we can know God s plan for our lives. We can be forgiven of our sins and live with God forever. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about becoming a Christian. 28 Unit 10 Session 2

30 Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. Timeline Map Timeline map (1 minute) Leader Let s take a look at our timeline so that we can see how all these clues about Christ fit together. Here is the picture of Ruth and Boaz from last week. We learned that Boaz was a redeemer, just like Christ. This week we learned that Samuel shared God s plan with the people of Israel and helped them understand who God is. Jesus did the same thing when He came to earth. He helped us understand who God is, as well as His plan for our lives. Review (4 minutes) Leader Speaking of plans, I have some really great news for you, rookie detectives! I want to give you a promotion! That s right! You have done such a great job helping me solve these cases that I would like to promote you to co-inspectors! I m sure the boss won t mind. He will be so happy you helped solve the case. Before I can promote you, I need to test your memory. Let s see how well you remember all the clues we gathered! 1. Why was Hannah sad? (She did not have any children; 1 Sam. 1:5-7) 2. What did Hannah promise God? (She promised that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to God; 1 Sam. 1:11) 3. Why did God tell Eli that He was going to choose a new priest? (Eli s sons disobeyed God; 1 Sam. 2:12-17,30) Hints of Christ 29

31 4. How many times did God call to Samuel in the night before Eli figured out it was God calling? (Three times Samuel knew it was the Lord when God called the fourth time; 1 Sam. 3:3-10) 5. How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. 6. When Samuel grew up, he became God s. (messenger or prophet, 1 Sam. 3:19-20) 7. Who is the most important messenger God sent to earth to teach us His plans? (Jesus showed the world what God is like and told people to turn away from their sin.) Leader Great job! You are officially promoted to coinspectors! I have an assignment for you that will require good listening and cooperation, so please pay close attention! Group game (10 minutes) Relay the message Guide kids to sit in a circle. If you have a large group, separate kids into two or more circles, each with an adult detective. The adult detective will whisper the big picture question and answer into the ear of the kid on his right. That kid will repeat the phrase to the kid sitting next to him. Continue until every kid in the circle has heard and repeated the phrase in a whisper. The last kid in the circle will say the phrase out loud, and the adult will point out any variations between the original phrase and the final version. Repeat with various phrases related to the story as time allows. Leader Did anyone notice a difference between the version of the phrase at the beginning of the circle and the 30 Unit 10 Session 2

32 version at the end of the circle? It s very important to hear the correct version of an important message, especially a message as important as a message from God. That s much more important than a message from my boss! God wanted His people to hear the correct versions of His important messages. God knew that Samuel would tell the people exactly what He asked him to. Missionary Kid Is My Day Job missions video Missions (6 minutes) Leader Samuel was not the only person that God has called to tell people about His plans. In fact, my boss reminded me this morning that missionaries all over the world tell other people about God s plan for us. Abbey is a missionary kid who lives in Santiago, Chile. Chile is in South America. Let s gather some clues about how Abbey shares God s plan with those around her. Show Missionary Kid Is My Day Job. The video explores the life of an missionary kid (MK) who uses her love of music to spread the gospel both in Chile and on short-term mission trips. Leader Even though she is young, Abbey shares God s plan with others. Samuel was also very young when God called to him in the night. These clues seem to suggest that no matter how old or young you are, God can still use you to share His plan. God wants us to be messengers who tell the good news that Jesus died for our sins. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader Co-inspectors, we are about out of time for the day! I have to turn in our detective work to the boss before my deadline. He will be so glad that the case is solved. But first, let s go over some announcements. Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Hints of Christ 31

33 Prayer (2 minutes) Leader Can anyone tell me our big picture question and answer? Let s say it together! How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. Close in prayer. Dismiss Additional idea Here I Am Invite a leader to name a characteristic like hair color or length, clothing color or type, shoe size or type, and so forth. Encourage the kids who match that characteristic to stand and say, Here I am. The winner is the first one to do so. Leader Samuel didn t understand God was speaking to him at first. He kept going to Eli and saying, Here I am. God wasn t just speaking to him. God was preparing to use him to speak to His people, too. How did God use Samuel? God used Samuel to share His plan with the nation of Israel. 32 Unit 10 Session 2

34 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Hints of Christ 33

35 Leader BIBLE STUDY The ark of God (also called the ark of the covenant ) was an incredibly important symbol in the lives of God s people. Not only was the ark the original container for the Ten Commandments, it symbolized God s presence with His people. God gave Moses instructions in Exodus 25 for creating the ark. It was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. God forbade anyone from touching the ark, so it was carried by two poles. God would speak to Moses from between two golden cherubim on top of the ark, which was called the mercy seat. (See Num. 7:89.) The Philistines were a near-constant threat to Israel during the time of the judges. Under the leadership of Samuel, the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. But the Israelites were defeated because of their sin. The elders of Israel realized that it was God who allowed them to be defeated. God hadn t fought for them against the Philistines. So they did what seemed logical; they took the ark the symbol of God s presence and carried it to the battlefield. But the ark was not a good luck charm. Not only was Israel defeated, the Philistines captured the ark and killed Eli s sons. When Eli heard the news, he fell over and died. With the victory, the Philistines concluded that their god, Dagon, was better than the God of Israel. They moved the ark to Dagon s temple, where God showed His power over Dagon. (See 1 Sam. 5:1-5.) As the ark moved between Philistine cities, God afflicted the people and made them sick. Though the Philistines won the battle by capturing the ark, God afflicted them to show His power over their god. God received glory through the Israelites defeat. This points to the victory of God s Son on the cross. The people thought they had stopped Jesus by killing Him on the cross, but by His death, Jesus saved the world and brought glory to God. 34 Unit 10 Session 3

36 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: The Ark Was Captured Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 4 5 Big Picture Question: Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 38 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 38 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 39 Timeline map (1 minute)...page 40 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 40 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 40 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 41 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 42 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 42 Group game (10 minutes)...page 43 Review (4 minutes)...page 43 Missions (6 minutes)...page 44 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 45 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 45 Additional idea...page 46 Hints of Christ 35

37 The BIBLE STORY The Ark Was Captured 1 Samuel 4 5 The people of Israel did not get along with the Philistines. The people of Israel fought a battle against the Philistines, but the Philistines killed about four thousand Israelites, and the Philistines won. The leaders in Israel said, Why did God let us lose the battle against the Philistines? In the past, God had helped the Israelites defeat their enemies. Instead of asking God what they had done wrong, the Israelites decided to take the ark of the covenant a wooden box covered in gold that reminded them God was with them and carry it to the battlefield. Some of the men went to talk to Eli s sons. Eli s sons were priests; they were in charge of the ark of God. The men told Eli s sons their plan to win the battle. Eli s sons were wicked. They should have just asked God to help them fight. Instead, they took the ark of the covenant to the Israelites camp. When the army of Israelites saw the ark, they shouted because they were happy. Surely they would win the battle now! The Philistines heard the shout, but they did not know what was happening. Why were the Israelites happy? They had just lost a battle. Then the Philistines heard that the ark of God was with the Israelites, and they panicked! They could fight against men, but who could fight against God? Could the Israelites force God to help them win? No! The two groups went to battle, but the Philistines won again! They killed thousands of Israelites, including Eli the priest s sons, and they stole the ark of God! One of the men in the battle ran to tell Eli the priest what had happened. When Eli heard the news, he fell backward in his chair, broke his neck, and died. The Philistines took the ark of God to a temple where they worshiped Dagon (DAY gahn), a false god. They put the ark next to a statue of Dagon. 36 Unit 10 Session 3

38 The next morning, the Philistines entered the temple and saw that Dagon s statue was facedown in front of the ark of God. They set the statue back up where it belonged. The next day, it was facedown again. This time, the head and hands were broken off. Wherever the ark of God was, God punished the people living in that city. God caused a lot of trouble for the Philistines. The Philistines got really sick, and they wanted to get rid of the ark because they knew God was responsible for their suffering. When they moved the ark to another city, everyone in that city got sick. So they moved the ark to a third city. Then everyone in that city got sick too. The Philistines were afraid. They didn t want God to punish them anymore, so they decided to send the ark of God back to the Israelites, where it belonged. Christ Connection: The ark of God was important to the Israelites because it reminded God s people that God was with them. Years later, God gave His people something greater than a sign that He was with them; God gave them His Son Jesus God in the flesh. One of Jesus names is Immanuel, which means God with us. Hints of Christ 37

39 Kids Worship leader Session Title: The Ark Was Captured Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 4 5 Big Picture Question: Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. countdown video leader attire magnifying glass clipboard Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters wearing hat and trench coat. The inspector is carrying the magnifying glass and a clipboard. The inspector seems distressed.] Leader Hello, co-inspectors! It s been a while since I ve seen you. I sure have missed you this week. It s been a tough week at the office. For starters, when I told my boss that I promoted you last week to co-inspectors, he was a little upset. He said I should have asked him first, but then he was glad to know that we solved last week s case about Samuel. I told him that I couldn t have solved it without your help! Then, I found out that the case of the ceiling climber wasn t as extra-important as I thought. I m afraid that our suspicions were correct the ceiling climber does not exist! Yes, co-inspectors, it seems that it really is impossible to walk upside down on a ceiling, unless you are a spider. 38 Unit 10 Session 3

40 I thought that my job as an inspector was extraimportant, but some of these cases don t seem as important as I thought they were. I m disappointed, but I love solving cases and I don t want to stop! That reminds me. The boss gave me another case to solve this morning. I m glad you re here, because I need all the help I can get! 2 flashlights (1 with working batteries, 1 without) Tip: You may wish to use radios as well as other objects as time allows. Group demonstration (5 minutes) Leader Before we read the case file, the boss asked me to test these flashlights for him. He wants to be sure that all of our inspector gear is in top working order. Can I get a little help from a co-inspector? Invite a volunteer to come on stage. Give him the flashlight with no battery. When the flashlight does not work, encourage the volunteer to discover the source of the problem with help from the audience. Then give him the flashlight with the working battery and ask him to test it. Leader Great job, co-inspector! I am relieved that at least one of our flashlights is in working order! An inspector can t solve a case at night or in a dark room without a flashlight. You know, it s really important to have strong and stable power sources. Without power sources, we wouldn t have telephones, refrigerators, washing machines, computers, and all sorts of gadgets that God has blessed us with. Come to think of it, our case today is about a group of people who didn t stay close to their power source not an electrical power source, but a spiritual one. God s people needed to depend on Him for their strength and energy. Instead, they tried to use their own power to solve their problems. That doesn t sound like a very good idea, does it? Hints of Christ 39

41 Timeline Map Raise Up song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Timeline map (1 minute) Leader Let s find out which case we will be solving today. Two weeks ago we learned about Ruth and Boaz. Boaz was Ruth s redeemer. Last week we discovered that Samuel was God s special messenger who told the people God s plan. This week we will solve a case about a captured ark. I love solving cases about captured Wait a minute. What is an ark, anyway? It s not like Noah s ark, is it? I can t wait to gather some more clues! Key passage (5 minutes) Leader Before we crack this case, let s make sure you are mentally prepared for the challenge! Do you remember the key passage? Has anyone memorized it? Let s say it together, and then we will quote it from memory! Guide boys and girls to read the key passage together a few times. Then cover up the words and lead them to recite the passage from memory. Repeat several times. Sing together Raise Up. Big picture question (1 minute) Leader I am impressed! You make great co-inspectors. Now that your minds are warmed up and ready to go, let s tackle this case. Our big picture question for the week is, Why was the ark of God important? What is an ark? Let me see if the boss added some definitions to this file. Aha! Here we are! OK, so this is not Noah s ark, which was a big boat that a lot of animals sailed on during the flood. No, this is the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant, or ark of God, was a wooden box covered in gold that contained the Ten Commandments. 40 Unit 10 Session 3

42 So what exactly did the Israelites do with the ark? Let s read the rest of the case file and find out! Bibles, 1 per kid The Ark Was Captured video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Tip: A Bible story script is provided at the beginning of every session. You may use it to guide you as you prepare to teach the Bible story in your own words. The bolded text is a shorter version of the Bible story that can be used with younger kids or as a review. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 4 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video The Ark Was Captured. Leader What a crazy story! You know, even though the ark seemed powerful, it was only a wooden box covered in gold. It had no power! However, this box was a symbol of God s presence with the Israelites. It belonged to them, and God made sure the Philistines knew it. The Philistines could not get near it without getting sick. That reminds me of something, but what does it remind me of? Oh! The flashlight the boss gave me! The flashlight was not powerful without a battery. The ark of the covenant was just a box without God s presence! The clues are starting to make sense. God wanted the ark to be a reminder of His presence with the people, but the ark itself was not powerful. The ark was a symbol of God s presence, almost like a country s flag is a symbol of that country. Wait a minute! Maybe this is the answer to our big picture question! Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. Can we say it together, co-inspectors? Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. I guess the Israelites got a little confused. They thought that taking the ark into battle was exactly like picking up God and taking Him into battle. They thought that their great idea would help them win against the Philistines. They probably should have asked God if He thought that was a great idea kind of like how I should have checked Hints of Christ 41

43 with the boss before I promoted all of you. Even though the ark was captured, God was still able to show the Philistines just how powerful He really is. Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. God didn t stop with a reminder. He sent Jesus to earth as God in a human form. God came to earth and lived with His people. One of the names for Jesus is Immanuel, which means God with us. After Jesus died on the cross and rose again, God gave us the Holy Spirit so He can always be with us. The Holy Spirit guides and helps those who trust in Jesus. Bible Center of It song and other songs of your choice The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about becoming a Christian. Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Just like God promised to be with the Israelites, God is with us. He wants us to trust and obey Him, just like He wanted the Israelites to trust and obey when they went into battle with the Philistines. Let s praise God for always being with us, no matter what! Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. 42 Unit 10 Session 3

44 Song suggestions: Center of It unit theme song Incredible God Nothing Compares to the Glory I Want the World to Know O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing blindfold bucket filled with soft beanbags, foam balls, or balloons Tip: Be careful to play this game in a safe space free of obstacles so the blindfolded volunteer doesn t get hurt. Group game (10 minutes) Blindfold challenge Ask for two volunteers. Blindfold one volunteer and ask her to stand still while you scatter the beanbags or balls across the stage or floor. The other volunteer must guide the blindfolded volunteer as she picks up the scattered balls and places them in the bucket. The guide may not touch the blindfolded volunteer; he must only use words. Encourage the audience to give the blindfolded volunteer conflicting advice, forcing her to listen closely to her guide. Leader Great job, co-inspectors! Our blindfolded coinspector had to depend on a partner for help. Without a partner, the task could not have been completed. A partner s voice was needed for guidance, just like we must listen to God s voice for guidance in our lives. We can trust that God is always with us, just like this coinspector was with the blindfolded volunteer. God will never leave us. Let s say our big picture question and answer together! Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. Review (4 minutes) Leader OK co-inspectors, here is one last test of your clue-gathering skills! Let s see how much you remember from our story. Hints of Christ 43

45 1. Who won the first battle between the Israelites and the Philistines? (the Philistines, 1 Sam. 4:2) 2. What did the Israelites take with them to the battlefield? (the ark of the covenant, 1 Sam. 4:3-5) 3. Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. 4. What happened to the ark of the covenant? (The Philistines captured it, 1 Sam. 4:11) 5. Where did the Philistines first put the ark of the covenant? (in the temple of their false god Dagon, 1 Sam. 5:1-2) 6. What happened to the idol of Dagon the Philistines worshipped? (The idol fell facedown before the ark. The next day, its head and hands broke off; 1 Sam. 5:3-4) 7. What does the name Immanuel mean? ( God with us the ark was a hint that Jesus would come live on earth.) Missions (6 minutes) Leader Some people in the world worship many false gods, just like the Philistines in our story. They need to know that the one and only God sent His Son, Jesus, to be God with us. Let s read about people in South Asia. Read the following story Do Not Worship Idols to the boys and girls. Leader In Exodus 20:4-5, God told the Israelites they shouldn t make an idol, bow down to one, or worship one. South Asian Hindus celebrate Krishna Janmashtami (KRISH-nah JAHN-mahsh-THAM-ee) each year. They believe this is the day that one of their gods, Krishna, 44 Unit 10 Session 3

46 was born. At midnight, they bathe and dress an idol of Krishna. During the morning, women will draw patterns of children s footprints leading to the house to represent Krishna walking into their home. Please pray that Hindus will learn not to worship idols but to worship Jesus who died for their sins. Jesus wants to live in their hearts and homes and be their Savior. Take a few minutes to pray for people like the Hindus in South Asia who worship gods that don t exist instead of the one true God. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader It s almost time to go, co-inspectors! Before we do, let s go over some announcements from the case file. Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader I sure have learned a lot these past three weeks! I can t believe how many clues God put in the Old Testament that point to Jesus life! You know, I used to think that solving cases like the case of the bubble gum spitter or the ceiling climber were extra-important. Now I am beginning to realize that the mysteries in the Bible are the most important mysteries of all! I m so glad that you were able to help me solve these cases. You make great co-inspectors! Before we pray, let s say the big picture question and answer together one more time! Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. Close in prayer. Dismiss Hints of Christ 45

47 small items of your choice, 3 small box with lid Additional idea What s in the box? Show the kids three small items. Consider using a paper clip, coin, eraser, or other item of your choice. Turn away from the kids and insert one of the items into the box. Secure the lid and hide the other items. Make sure the kids don t know which object you put into the box. Invite a few kids to the front of the room, and give them the box. They have three seconds to hold and shake the box. Once they all have had a turn, let each one guess what is in the box. Open the box to see who got it right. Repeat and play again as time allows. Leader The Israelites seemed to think God was in the ark. That wasn t the purpose of the ark. Why was the ark of God important? The ark reminded the Israelites of God s promise to be with His people. 46 Unit 10 Session 3

48 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Hints of Christ 47

49 Unit 11: Saul and David Big Picture Questions Session 1: What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Session 2: How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. Session 3: Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Session 4: Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Session 5: What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. Session 6: What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. 48

50 Unit 11: Saul and David Unit Description: When Israel rejected God as their leader, He gave them a king. God used the kingly line to bring forth the Redeemer Jesus Christ, the last King. Despite Israel s sin throughout history, God is still faithful to the promises He gave His chosen people. God never changes. Unit Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Session 1: Israel Demanded a King 1 Samuel 8 10 Session 2: God Rejected Saul as King 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 14:18-48; 15:1-35 Session 3: David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath 1 Samuel Session 4: David and Jonathan Became Friends 1 Samuel 18:1-12; 19:1-10; 20:1-42 Session 5: God Made a Covenant with David 2 Samuel 7 Session 6: David Sinned and Was Restored 2 Samuel 11:1 12:14; Psalm 51 A Kingdom Created 49

51 Leader BIBLE STUDY Today s Bible story picks up more than 20 years after the Philistines returned the ark of God to the Israelites. During that time, Israel began to seek God again, and Samuel led them to remove their foreign gods and worship God only. Samuel had judged Israel throughout his lifetime, but he was getting old. So Samuel made his sons, Joel and Abijah, judges over Israel. But like many sons before them, Joel and Abijah did not follow the example of their father. They disobeyed God and caused problems for Israel. Up until this point, Israel had relied on God to give them judges to lead them. The elders of Israel spoke to Samuel about his sons and demanded a king. All the other nations around them had kings, they pointed out. Samuel knew their request was sinful, and he prayed to God. Give them what they want, God said. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their King. Samuel explained to the Israelites what rights a king would have over them; he warned them that when they regretted asking for a king and they would regret it God would not help them. The people insisted on having a king, so God told Samuel to appoint a king. Through a series of events, a young man named Saul came to Samuel. God had chosen Saul to be the king, so Samuel explained to Saul what God had said. Samuel anointed Saul by pouring oil on his head. Samuel presented Saul to Israel. Long live the king! they replied. God knew Israel would want a king, but the kind of king Israel wanted was not the kind of king they needed. They wanted a king like the other nations. The problem was that every human king would fail them. God had a plan to give them Jesus a perfect King who would reign with justice and righteousness forever. (Isa. 9:6-7) 50 Unit 11 Session 1

52 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: Israel Demanded a King Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 8 10 Big Picture Question: What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 54 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 55 Timeline map (1 minute)...page 55 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 56 Group game (10 minutes)...page 56 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 56 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 57 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 58 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 58 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 58 Review (4 minutes)...page 59 Missions (6 minutes)...page 60 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 61 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 61 Additional idea...page 62 Saul and David 51

53 The BIBLE STORY Israel Demanded a King 1 Samuel 8 10 Samuel was a judge over Israel. At this time, Israel had no king, but they wanted a king. Samuel had two sons, Joel and Abijah. Because Samuel was getting old, he let his sons be rulers over Israel. There was a problem, though. Joel and Abijah were not good judges like their father was. Joel and Abijah weren t fair in how they judged. They were dishonest. The leaders of Israel went to Samuel. You were a good judge, they said, but your sons have not followed your example. We don t want them to lead us; we want a king! The other nations around Israel had kings, and the Israelites wanted one too. Samuel wasn t sure how to respond, so he prayed to God. Samuel, give the people what they want, God said. They are not rejecting you; they are rejecting Me as King. Give them what they want, but make sure you warn them what it will be like to have an earthly king. Samuel explained to the Israelites what rights an earthly king would have. A king could make their sons serve in the army, he could make their daughters work for him, or he could take away their fields and servants. Samuel warned the people that they would regret asking for a king, but the Israelites didn t care. Give us a king! they replied. Meanwhile, a wealthy man named Kish was looking for some of his donkeys that had wandered off. Kish told his son Saul to take a servant with him and search for the missing animals. Saul stood out among his peers; he was taller and more attractive than any of the other Israelites. Despite his search, Saul was unable to find the donkeys. He was ready to give up. Wait, his servant said. There is a man of God in this city. Let s talk to him; maybe he knows where we could find the donkeys. Saul and his servant found the man of God it was Samuel! Don t worry about the donkeys, Samuel said. They have been 52 Unit 11 Session 1

54 found. Samuel invited Saul to have dinner with him. The next morning, Samuel told Saul that God had chosen Saul to be the king of Israel. Saul was surprised because he was from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel. Samuel used oil to anoint Saul. You will be king! Samuel said. Samuel gave Saul some instructions and sent him home. The Spirit of God was with Saul. Some time later, Samuel gathered the Israelites to present Saul, their new king. But where was Saul? They couldn t find him. God said, There he is, hidden among the supplies. The people ran to get Saul, and Saul stood among all the people. Long live the king! they said. Christ Connection: The Israelites demanded a king, so Samuel anointed Saul. God intended for a heavenly king to rule over them, but the Israelites didn t trust God s plan. God had a plan to one day send His Son, Jesus, to rule the entire world. Jesus would be the perfect King who would bring peace and salvation to the world. Saul and David 53

55 Kids Worship LEADER Session Title: Israel Demanded a King Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 8 10 Big Picture Question: What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. room decorations Tip: Decorate as much or as little as you prefer, based on your space and budget. countdown video Suggested Theme Decorating Ideas: You may choose to create the interior of a medieval castle on stage. Cover the floor with a bright red sheet or blanket, or create a more authentic floor covering by scattering straw across the stage. Place a table on one side of the stage. Decorate this table with wooden mugs and plates, candles, fake fruit, or other appropriate fake foods (such as plastic chicken legs and loaves of bread). Use a crumpled blue blanket, sheet, or towel to create a moat on the opposite side of the stage. You may place blocks or 2-by-4 pieces of wood on top of the moat to create a bridge. You may wish to draw stained glass windows onto large sheets of white paper and hang them behind the table. You may also hang brightly colored drapes to give the impression of tapestries. Alternatively, you may wish to hang pictures or posters of old castles, knights, or royal families. Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. 54 Unit 11 Session 1

56 royal attire for leader Tip: You may adjust the costume and dialogue to fit a princess instead of a prince. Character Insight: The prince wants to become king more than anything, but he is not ready yet. Ultimately, he learns the best kings and leaders depend on God. Timeline Map Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters wearing royal robes (old sheets, a plain Bible times costume, or a commercially sold royalty costume). Complete the costume by adding a paper or plastic crown, gold and silver costume jewelry, and tall boots. Draw and cut out a coat of arms to tape onto the front of the costume. You may also wish to carry a plastic sword.] Leader [majestically] Good morrow, fair maids and handsome knights! You have come to visit my castle, yea? Pray tell, from whence have ye come? I am the king [queen] of this noble castle! I rule the lands as far as the eye can see by yon tall watchtower. Many serfs serve me loyally. Stay awhile, and I shall reveal the secrets of this mighty kingdom! [Break character.] How was that? Convincing enough? Let me tell you, this whole being king thing is hard work! OK, so maybe I m not king quite yet. I will be one day, though! I m actually the prince. My dad is the real king. He is the ruler of this land. The king had to leave town on a hunting expedition, so he put me in charge for the next six weeks. I hope I don t disappoint him. He left some work for me to do. He said it would teach me how to be a better king. Hey, would you like to help? We can discover how to be a good king together! Timeline map (1 minute) Leader This map should give us a good idea of where to start! Here is my castle, looking impressive as always! Today s Bible story is called Israel Demanded a King. It seems that the king wanted us to learn about a man named Saul. The Bible says that Saul was the first king of Israel. I wonder what kind of king he was! Saul and David 55

57 dress up supplies (costumes, sheets, shoes, hats, yarn, construction paper, washable markers, tape, streamers, stickers, cotton balls, rubber bands, toilet paper) Tip: Choose supplies that fit your time frame and budget. You may separate the kids into groups, or you may choose one volunteer and a few kids to play the game while the audience cheers. Bibles, 1 per kid Israel Demanded a King video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) 56 Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Our big picture question for the week is, What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? What kind of king would you want to have as your leader? Select a couple of kids to respond. Ask an adult helper to also answer. Leader History is full of all types of kings. Strong kings, weak kings, good kings, and bad kings. It must take a pretty important person to be a king. Wait a minute. I have an idea. Are any of you interested in becoming a king or queen? Let me show you just what it takes to look like royalty! Group game (10 minutes) Royal parade Choose two volunteers. Divide the remaining kids into two groups. Tell each group that they will have three minutes to dress a volunteer like a king or queen. The new royalty will then parade across the stage to show off their costumes. Encourage kids to decorate creatively. Leader I have never seen such beautiful royal robes! You really know how to dress like royalty. Often members of the royal family wear special clothes because they have such an important job. It s a big responsibility to lead an entire country trust me, I know! and beautiful clothes are one way that people have chosen to honor their leaders. Let s read about this king named Saul so we can find out how his people, the Israelites, honored him. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 8 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video Israel Demanded a King. Unit 11 Session 1

58 Tip: A Bible story script is provided at the beginning of every session. You may use it to guide you as you prepare to teach the Bible story in your own words. For a shorter version of the Bible story, read only the bolded text in the Bible story script. Bible Tip: Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. Leader That story was not quite what I expected! Even though the Israelites rejected God by demanding a king, God gave the people what they asked for. At least God told Samuel to pick a pretty cool guy for the job! Saul sounds awesome. He was tall and good-looking, definitely the kind of leader that the Israelites would respect. But God still warned the people that they would have trouble because of their new king, even though it didn t seem like Saul could cause any trouble. God knew the Israelites would one day regret serving a human king. What the Israelites did not know was that God had an even bigger plan in mind. Just like we read at the end of our story, God planned to send His Son to be the perfect King. Jesus would rule over all people, bringing peace and forgiveness to those who repent and believe in Him. This must be the answer to our big picture question! What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Will you say the big picture question and answer with me? What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Leader God did not send Jesus just for the Israelites; God sent Jesus to be the King of all nations. I am so thankful that God sent us the perfect King of kings Jesus. Jesus is perfect, but He died on the cross to pay the price for our imperfection. When we repent and trust in Jesus, we are no longer separated from God by our sin. Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about the gospel. Saul and David 57

59 Generous King song and other songs of your choice A Clean Heart song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) chocolate chips, 4 or 5 per kid chocolate chip cookies, 1 per kid napkins Tip: Post an allergy alert. You may use another kind of cookie, or use sprinkles or raisins instead of chocolate chips. 58 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Can you say the big picture question and answer? What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Let s praise God for the gift of the perfect King, Jesus! Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Generous King (unit theme song) Live to Worship Hallelujah to My King Say, Say Worthy Key passage (5 minutes) Leader The king told me to memorize this Bible verse during the next six weeks while he is away. Will you memorize it with me? It s supposed to show me how to be a better king one day! I m not sure quite what it means yet, but let s read it together several times so that we will start to get the hang of it. Guide kids to read the key passage together three times. Sing the key passage song. Group demonstration (5 minutes) Leader I have a gift for you from my father the king! He wants you to feel welcome in his castle. He has acquired some rare chocolate, and he would like to share a small handful with each of you! Would you like some? Begin to distribute chocolate chips with help from adult royal attendants. Ask an adult royal attendant to come and pretend to whisper a message or hand you a piece of paper. Unit 11 Session 1

60 Just as the kids begin to take their first bite, interrupt them. Leader Halt! I mean, stop! Don t eat your treats yet! The king just sent a messenger with special news. He said if you wait and do not eat the chocolate, he will send you something better! What do you think about that? Are you willing to wait? Discuss how difficult it can be to wait on something better when what you already have is good. Ask several kids how waiting makes them feel. Do they trust the king to provide something better than chocolate? Leader Because you have been so patient, the king has awarded you each a whole chocolate chip cookie! Not only that, but you may eat your chocolate chips as well. Distribute the chocolate chip cookies with help from adult royal attendants. Leader Waiting is hard, especially when you don t know exactly what you are waiting for. The Israelites were impatient and demanded a king. What they did not know was that God had something better in store for them. If they had chosen to wait patiently, then the Israelites would have been spared the trouble and heartache that a human king can bring. Let s say the big picture question and answer together! What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Review (4 minutes) Leader I need to make sure that I remember all the details from our story today because our story will teach me how to be a good king! Let s review the story together. 1. Why did the Israelites want a king? (They knew that Samuel s sons disobeyed God. They wanted a king like the other nations; 1 Sam. 8:5) Saul and David 59

61 2. Did God give the Israelites what they asked for? (Yes, but He told Samuel to warn them about the demands a king would make; 1 Sam. 8:9) 3. Why did Saul stand out among the other Israelites? (He was taller and more handsome than his peers, 1 Sam. 9:2) 4. Why did Saul search for Samuel? (He needed help finding his father s lost donkeys, 1 Sam. 9:3-6) 5. What did Samuel tell Saul? (The Lord had anointed him to be king, 1 Sam. 10:1) 6. What did the Israelites say when they learned that Saul would be their king? ( Long live the king! 1 Sam. 10:24) 7. What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. 8. What king would bring peace and salvation to the world? (Jesus would be the perfect King who would bring peace and salvation to the world.) Missions (6 minutes) Leader Different countries and people groups around the world have different kinds of rulers. Some, like my country, have kings. Others have presidents, prime ministers, or chiefs. This is a story about a tribe in Africa who is ruled by a chief. The people in this tribe need to know that Jesus is the King of kings. Read the following story, Visiting a Chiefdom. Leader Christians from Humboldt, Tennessee, went to West Africa on a trip. They were in a chiefdom in Sierra Leone. Yes a chiefdom. A kingdom is a place where the monarch, a king or queen, is leader. In a chiefdom, the chief rules. There are 48 villages in Sierra Leone that make up the 60 Unit 11 Session 1

62 chiefdom that the church visited. The church members got to go to a school olympics while they were there. They told the Creation to Christ Bible story to all of the students at the olympics. There were 58 new believers in this chiefdom in just one of the villages! Please pray that more villages will welcome more Christians, and that they will be willing to listen to the stories about Jesus. Another group of Christians also partnered with the church in an agricultural project. They are building a storehouse, and now the families are planting new crops. Pray that their crops will grow and bring in enough food for the community. Not everyone lives in a place with churches. Some people in the world have never heard about Jesus. We can share the good news about Jesus and pray for other Christians to share the gospel too. Will you join me this week in praying for the people of Sierra Leone and the Christians who travel to tell them about Jesus? Great! Announcements (2 minutes) Leader It s almost time to leave! I need to hurry to the stables to check on my royal horses. Before I go, let me tell you about a few important royal declarations. Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader Speaking as a king myself, I can assure you that every king needs help from God. I learned that much from today s story! Human kings are imperfect and make mistakes. OK, OK, so I am not exactly a real king yet! I will be a real king one day, though, and I want to keep learning how to be a good ruler. Let s say our big picture question and answer one last Saul and David 61

63 time before we go! What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Close in prayer. Dismiss oranges, 1 per kid (Other fruit such as apples may be used.) Tip: Post an allergy alert. Additional idea Identifying oranges Select several volunteers. Give each kid an orange. Ask her to study it and remember its features, and then collect all the oranges into a pile. Ask each kid to find her original orange from the pile. You may allow kids to eat the fruit. Leader Did you have a difficult time finding your orange? Though many oranges look very similar, each one is actually unique and original. No two oranges are exactly alike. In the same way, each one of you is unique, designed by God s perfect hand. God picked you for a very special purpose. Just like He picked Saul to be the king of Israel, you are also chosen to do God s good work. There is no one else like you in the world! 62 Unit 11 Session 1

64 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Saul and David 63

65 Leader BIBLE STUDY By all appearances, Saul was a good king. He was handsome, taller than most people, and God had blessed him. But Saul forgot that it was God who gave Saul his throne. First, Saul sinned by burning offerings in Samuel s absence. That moment was an important test for Saul. According to Samuel, the Lord would have permanently established Saul s reign if Saul had obeyed. Instead, God would appoint a king who was loyal to Him. (1 Sam. 13:13-14) Then, before battle, Saul vowed that anyone who ate before sunset would be cursed. When the battle was over, the Israelites were so hungry they ate the livestock before the meat finished cooking. Saul s oath resulted in the people sinning against God (Lev. 19:26), and it almost cost him his son Jonathan s life. Finally, God told Saul to destroy the Amalekites completely. The Amalekites were enemies of God s people. (See Deut. 25:17-19.) But Saul spared Agag the king and kept the best livestock and cattle. They destroyed the worthless things. Samuel arrived. I have carried out the Lord s instructions! Saul said. Samuel asked him about the sheep, the cattle, and King Agag. Saul still insisted that he had obeyed; he planned to offer the sheep and cattle to the Lord as a sacrifice. To obey is better than sacrifice Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king! Samuel said. (1 Sam. 15:22-23) After they returned to Israel, Samuel never visited Saul again, and the Lord regretted making Saul king. As you teach, help guide the children to understand that all earthly kings like Saul are imperfect. But we can see how those kings point us to the perfect King, Jesus, who carried out His Father s instructions without fail. Thank God for sending us the King we needed a King who loved us enough to give His life for our salvation. 64 Unit 11 Session 2

66 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: God Rejected Saul as King Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 14:18-48; 15:1-35 Big Picture Question: How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 68 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 68 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 69 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 69 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 70 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 70 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 71 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 72 Review (4 minutes)...page 72 Timeline map (1 minute)...page 73 Group game (10 minutes)...page 73 Missions (6 minutes)...page 74 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 74 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 75 Additional idea...page 75 Saul and David 65

67 The BIBLE STORY God Rejected Saul as King 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 14:18-48; 15:1-35 Saul was a young man when he became king of Israel. God s people had asked for a king, and they got Saul. As ruler over Israel, Saul gathered an army. Some of the men went with Saul into the hill country, and the rest of them went with Saul s son Jonathan to a place called Gibeah. Jonathan led his men to attack and destroy a Philistine army camp. This made the Philistines mad! Saul sent messengers to tell everyone in Israel what had happened. Saul called for more men to help fight the Philistines. The Philistines came out to fight the Israelites. They had 3,000 chariots, 6,000 men on horseback, and more foot soldiers than anyone could count! The Israelites were outnumbered. They were all afraid; some of them hid. Saul waited seven days like Samuel had told him to do, but Samuel had not come with more instructions yet. Saul s soldiers were leaving him. Saul didn t want to wait any longer, so he made an offering to God. Then Samuel showed up. Saul, what are you doing? Samuel asked. You hadn t come, and the men were leaving me. I wanted to ask for God s help before we went into battle against the Philistines, Saul replied. You have disobeyed God, Samuel said. Saul was king, not the priest. It was a sin for Saul to make the sacrifice! You will not be king much longer. God is going to find someone obedient to be king. The fighting began between the Israelites and Philistines. Earlier that day, Saul had told the soldiers not to eat anything before sunset. If anyone eats before I get even with the Philistines, you will be cursed! Saul said. The Israelite men soon became weak because they were hungry. They were in a forest when they came across some honey. It looked so good, but none of the men ate it because they didn t want to be cursed. Jonathan hadn t heard what his father Saul had said. He dipped his staff in honey and ate some of it. All of a sudden, Jonathan had more energy and felt strong. Then one of the men with Jonathan said, Your 66 Unit 11 Session 2

68 father made us promise not to eat today. Anyone who eats is cursed! My father sure is making trouble for you, Jonathan replied. I had just a little taste, and I feel great! The Israelites were tired from all the fighting, but when they had won, they ate the food they had captured from the Philistines. They were so hungry, they disobeyed God by not properly preparing the food. That night, King Saul wanted to attack the Philistines again. He asked God, Will You help us defeat the Philistines? But God did not answer. Saul knew this meant someone had sinned. Saul pledged to find out who had sinned, and he promised to kill that person. But Saul found out his son Jonathan had sinned. Jonathan said, I tasted a tiny bit of honey. Saul was ready to kill Jonathan, but the Israelites stopped him. Jonathan had been a good military leader; they did not want him to die. So Saul agreed to not kill his son. One day, Samuel came to Saul with a message from God. God wanted Saul to attack the Amalekites, killing all of the people and all of the animals. So Saul and his army fought the Amalekites. They won, but they did not destroy everything like God had commanded. Saul only destroyed the worthless things and things he didn t want. God told Samuel, I regret that I made Saul king because he does not obey Me. Samuel confronted Saul and told him what God had said. I did obey Him! Saul argued. I only saved the best animals to sacrifice to the Lord. Does God care more about obedience or sacrifices? Samuel asked. You rejected His instruction, so God has rejected you as king. Saul admitted his sin and pleaded for forgiveness. Samuel turned to leave. God has taken away your kingship today, and he is giving it to another king, Samuel said. Samuel left, and God was sorry He had made Saul the king of Israel. Christ Connection: God s message to Saul was clear: Obey Me and all will go well for you. But Saul did not obey God. Samuel told Saul he would not last as king. God rejected Saul as king, but He had a plan to bring Jesus His Son and our perfect King to rule over His people forever. Saul and David 67

69 Kids Worship leader Session Title: God Rejected Saul as King Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 14:18-48; 15:1-35 Big Picture Question: How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. leader attire paper scroll Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters, wearing the same costume from the previous week and carrying a scroll.] Leader [majestically] Good day, fair maidens and handsome knights! Wherefore come ye to this castle? Mayhap ye shall stay awhile, and anon I will. [Recognize the kids.] Wait a minute! I know you guys! Weren t you here last week when we learned about King Saul? I m glad you re back! I still have a lot to learn about becoming a good king. Actually, my dad just sent me a royal message. Would you like me to read it to you? Dear son, prince of this fair land, I hope you have taken seriously my instructions to study these Bible stories and memorize the key passage. These stories will teach you the most important thing about being a good king. Please let me know if you have any questions. 68 Unit 11 Session 2

70 I remain your loving father, The King P.S. The hunt has been very successful. We will bring home lots of good meat. Isn t that great? Plenty of meat for the royal kitchen! Generous King song and other songs of your choice Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Well, I suppose we had better continue studying these Bible stories. Before we do, let s praise God for being the King of kings! Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Generous King (unit theme song) Live to Worship Hallelujah to My King Say, Say Worthy Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Who remembers our big picture question from last week? What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. A perfect king I ve been wondering Do you think I could ever be a perfect king? I want to be! I want to be the best king there ever was! I want to impress everyone with my wisdom! I want to overwhelm them with my might! I want to OK, so maybe I am getting a little carried away. I guess I can never be a perfect king. Jesus is the only perfect King. He s the only One who has obeyed God perfectly. Oh, that reminds me of this week s big picture question. Saul and David 69

71 Our big picture question is, How does God feel when His people obey? My dad, the king, spends a lot of time reading the Bible. He says being a good king means reading God s Word and obeying what it says. Before we find out the answer to this question, let s review our key passage. A Clean Heart song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) 2 or 3 dirty pennies small glass jar or drinking glass with 4 tbsp. white vinegar and 1 tsp. iodized salt paper towels spoon wet wipes or hand sanitizer (optional) Key passage (5 minutes) Leader Does anyone remember the key passage from last week? We have five weeks left to memorize it! Let s read it together. Guide kids to read the key passage together. Ask all the princes to stand and read the key passage together. Invite all the princesses to stand and read the key passage. Lead everyone to sing the key passage song. Group demonstration (5 minutes) Leader This week while I was cleaning, something happened that reminded me of our key passage. Let me show you what I discovered. Show the kids the dirty pennies. You may choose to pass them around, but have wipes or hand sanitizer available. Collect the pennies and drop them into the solution for one minute. Use a spoon to remove the coins, and dry them on the paper towel. Show the kids how bright and new the pennies look. Leader These clean pennies remind me of the clean heart mentioned in the key passage. When you have a clean heart, you have repented of your sins and are following God s plan for your life. It s important for followers of Christ to have a clean heart, and that includes kings like me. OK, I get it, I m only a prince! Let s see if King Saul s heart was as clean as these clean pennies. 70 Unit 11 Session 2

72 Bibles, 1 per kid God Rejected Saul as King video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 13 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video God Rejected Saul as King. Leader It seems like Saul s heart was not as clean as I thought! Saul disobeyed God more than once in this story. He made a sacrifice to God, even though that was not part of his job. God had chosen the priests to make the special sacrifices, and He had chosen Saul to be the leader of the people. Saul s sacrifice was a sin because he was doing a job that God had not chosen him to do, instead of patiently waiting for Samuel to arrive. Saul disobeyed again when he chose to keep some of the Amalekites possessions instead of destroying all of them like God had commanded. Even though Saul told Samuel that he had kept those possessions so that he could offer them to the Lord, he was ignoring the Lord s command. Samuel told Saul that obeying God is more important than making sacrifices to Him. Because Saul disobeyed God, God was sorry He had made Saul king. God decided to choose a new king to replace Saul. God rejected Saul as king. I did not realize how important it is for a king to obey God! I thought kings got to make their own rules. I guess even kings have to listen to God because human kings are not perfect. Only Jesus, who is the King of kings, is perfect. That reminds me of our big picture question and answer! How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. Let s say it together! How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. Saul and David 71

73 Bible Tip: Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Leader Because Jesus is our perfect King who will reign forever, we can have forgiveness for our sins. Jesus perfection makes up for our imperfection. He obeyed God totally, completely, and all of the time. Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about becoming a Christian. Review (4 minutes) Leader Let s review the details of our story to make sure we haven t missed anything! 1. When the Israelites saw the Philistines chariots, horses, and soldiers, what did they do? (They hid because they were afraid, 1 Sam. 13:5-7) 2. Why was it a sin for Saul to make an offering to God? (Saul did not wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice as commanded; 1 Sam. 13:13) 3. What did Saul forbid his soldiers to do? (They were forbidden to eat until the Philistines were defeated, 1 Sam. 14:24) 4. What did God tell Saul to do with the possessions of the Amalekites? (He told Saul to destroy all of their possessions, 1 Sam. 15:3) 5. How did Saul disobey God? (He didn t destroy everything like God commanded, 1 Sam. 15:9) 6. Samuel told Saul that God cares more about than sacrifices. (obedience, 1 Sam. 15:22) 7. After Saul disobeyed God, how did God feel? (He was sorry He had made Saul king; 1 Sam. 15:11,35) 72 Unit 11 Session 2

74 8. How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. 9. Who is our perfect king? (God had a plan to bring Jesus His Son and our perfect King to rule over His people forever.) Timeline Map Timeline map (1 minute) Leader Can you help me find the castle on the timeline? Ah yes, here we are! Last week we learned that The Israelites Demanded a King, and God chose Saul to rule the people. This week we learned that Saul disobeyed God. Saul did not have a clean heart. It looks like next week we will meet the man whom God chose to replace King Saul. Group game (10 minutes) The prince says Play a game of Simon Says with a princely twist. Group kids into teams. Ask the kids to stand up. Tell them to perform various actions, preferably related to the story or to royalty. Begin each instruction that kids should perform with the phrase The prince says. The kids should consider any instruction given without this phrase invalid. A team is out if anyone on the team performs an action incorrectly or obeys an invalid instruction. You may ask the kids to perform more than one action at a time. Play as much as time allows. Leader Great job! You may sit down now. It s hard to follow instructions, isn t it? You have to be very careful and pay close attention so that you don t miss anything. Your group had to totally obey the commands or you were out. Total obedience is hard, isn t it? Saul and David 73

75 Saul had a hard time following God s instructions. When those instructions did not make sense to him, he decided to make up his own rules. Saul should have obeyed God. God wanted to give Saul the kingdom, but He couldn t because Saul did not have a clean heart. I guess it s really important for kings to obey God! Even a king shouldn t make all his own decisions. Maybe that s why my dad asked me to read this story today! I learned that no human king can make perfect decisions all the time. That reminds me of our big picture question and answer! Let s say it together. How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. Into the Disaster Zone missions video Missions (6 minutes) Leader Do you remember the clean pennies from our group demonstration? God wants to make our hearts as clean as those pennies. God sends missionaries all over the world to teach people how to have clean hearts. Sometimes missionaries work in very dirty places. A missionary family in Japan worked hard to clean up after a disastrous earthquake. They were willing to work in a dirty place so that the people of Japan would come to know Jesus, the King of kings who gives us clean hearts. Watch the video Into the Disaster Zone, which details one missionary family s commitment to the people of Japan as they work to clean and rebuild Japanese cities after a devastating earthquake. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader Before we go, let s say the big picture question and answer together one last time! How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, 74 Unit 11 Session 2

76 but we all sin and need a Savior. Now I will read the important royal declarations of the week. Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader It s almost time to go! I have some royal documents to sign. Thank you so much for helping me learn that God wants me to obey Him completely. I can t pick and choose when I want to obey. Jesus is the only perfect King because He obeyed God totally. I know I will mess up and sin. I m glad that God sent Jesus to redeem us from our sin. I want to be a good king, so I know that I will have to listen to God and obey Him. Close in prayer. Dismiss beach balls, 2 permanent marker Additional idea Message relay Write the big picture question and answer on each beach ball. Create teams and instruct them to sit down in a line or row. The challenge is for each team to pass its beach ball down the line from one end to the other. Each team member must touch the beach ball as it passes by. The last team member to touch the ball must shout out the message written on the beach ball. Play again, passing the ball back up the line. Play several times. Everyone on the team must touch the ball as it passes or the team cannot win. Leader What did everyone on your team have to do? Everyone had to touch the ball. Did everyone touch the ball? Did everyone touch the ball each time we played? Saul and David 75

77 Who was tempted to hit the ball over your team members heads to the last person in the line so you could win the game? It can be very easy to think that it is OK to break a rule. Is it really OK to disobey a rule? What if you follow only half of a rule or command? Is it a sin? Partial obedience is total disobedience. Breaking any part of God s law is breaking God s law. God desires for His people to be totally obedient. Remember our big picture question and answer, How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. 76 Unit 11 Session 2

78 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Saul and David 77

79 Leader BIBLE STUDY Samuel had anointed Saul as king over Israel, but it wasn t long before Saul s disobedience led God to reject him as king. God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to meet Jesse and his sons. God had chosen one of Jesse s sons to be Israel s king. Jesse had many sons. Eliab was Jesse s oldest son. When Samuel saw Eliab, he thought, This must be the one God has chosen! Eliab was likely tall and good-looking. Why wouldn t God choose someone like that? But God doesn t make decisions like people do. Read what God said to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7. Jesse s sons took turns passing before Samuel, one by one. Samuel was probably eager to hear which son God had chosen to be Israel s next king! Abinadab? No, not him. Shammah? No. The Lord hasn t chosen this one either. Jesse had one more son; his youngest, David, was out tending the sheep. David came in and God said, This is he. Samuel anointed David, and the Spirit of the Lord took control of David. David was still a youth and was not yet king when he found himself at the battle where the Philistines had gathered to fight the Israelites. The story of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known accounts in the Old Testament. When the Israelites cowered in fear, David stepped up and defeated the enemy with just a sling and a stone. As you teach this week, help the kids relate to the Israelites. Apart from Christ, we are powerless before our enemies of sin and death. David reminds us of Jesus, the greatest hero, who came to save us. When we look to Jesus, He gives us salvation and eternal life. 78 Unit 11 Session 3

80 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath Bible Passage: 1 Samuel Big Picture Question: Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 82 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 82 Timeline map (1 minute)...page 83 Big picture question (2 minutes)...page 83 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 84 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 84 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 86 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 86 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 86 Review (4 minutes)...page 87 Group game (10 minutes)...page 87 Missions (5 minutes)...page 88 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 89 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 89 Additional idea...page 90 Saul and David 79

81 The BIBLE STORY David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath 1 Samuel Saul was not going to be king of Israel anymore. He had disobeyed God. Israel needed a new king, a better king. God told Samuel to visit a man in Bethlehem named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons, and one of them would be Israel s king. Samuel did what God told him to do. He went to Bethlehem to meet with Jesse and his sons. Jesse s oldest son, Eliab, was tall and handsome. This must be the one God chose to be king, Samuel thought. Samuel, he s not the one, God said. Do not pay attention to what he looks like. You look at what you can see on the outside, but I see the heart. One by one, Jesse s sons approached Samuel, but God had not chosen any of them. Do you have any more sons? Samuel asked. Yes, Jesse said. My youngest son, David, is in the field taking care of the sheep. Jesse sent for David. When David arrived, God told Samuel, He s the one! Samuel poured oil on David s head and the Spirit of the Lord was with David. Then Samuel went back home. The Spirit of the Lord was not with Saul anymore. In fact, Saul was bothered by an evil spirit. Saul s servants suggested Saul find someone who could play the harp. Hearing beautiful music might make Saul feel better when the evil spirit bothered him. One of Saul s officials knew just the person to play the harp David, son of Jesse. David came to Saul and whenever Saul felt troubled, David played his harp and Saul felt better. At this time, Israel s enemies, the Philistines, got ready for war. They were going to attack a town in Judah. King Saul got his army ready to fight. The Israelites camped on one hill while the Philistines camped on another. There was a valley between them. 80 Unit 11 Session 3

82 The Philistines had a great warrior named Goliath. At 9 feet 9 inches tall, Goliath was their hero. Goliath shouted at the Israelites, Why are you lined up, ready for battle? Send me your best man, and we ll fight one-on-one. But none of the Israelites wanted to fight Goliath. They were afraid of him. Jesse s three oldest sons were part of the Israelite army camped on a hill. Jesse sent David to check on his brothers and to give them something to eat. David saw Goliath and watched the Israelites run away in fear. David heard that Saul had offered a great reward to the man who killed Goliath, and David volunteered to fight. You don t stand a chance against Goliath, Saul argued. I have killed wild animals, David explained. God will keep me safe. Saul allowed David to fight Goliath. He offered his armor to David, but David could hardly move. He took off the armor and chose five smooth stones from a nearby stream. David was armed only with the stones and a slingshot. Goliath saw David and made fun of him because he was just a boy. You come to fight with a spear and sword, David replied, but I come to fight in the name of God! You have insulted Him, and God always wins His battles! David ran toward Goliath. He slung a rock at Goliath, and the rock hit Goliath in the forehead. Goliath fell facedown, and David killed him without even having a sword. Christ Connection: The Israelites were up against their toughest enemies, the Philistines. They didn t stand a chance against Goliath, the mighty Philistine warrior. God gave David power to defeat Goliath. David reminds us of Jesus, who came to save us from our greatest enemies: sin and death. Jesus, the ultimate hero, gives us salvation and eternal life. Saul and David 81

83 Kids Worship leader Session Title: David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath Bible Passage: 1 Samuel Big Picture Question: Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. leader attire paper scroll Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters wearing royal robes and studying a scroll. The prince does not notice kids at first.] Leader [Mutters to himself.] So that makes 12 cavalry regiments, 4 archery divisions wait, who is the archery commander? I thought he was listed somewhere. Four hundred footmen? That can t be right, we have to have more than that. [Notice the kids.] Oh! Well hello, guys! Or Good morrow, as I should say! How are you? I was just studying this document. It contains the breakdown of my country s military power. I need to memorize everything I can about our military because as king I will be in charge of it one day. Even though it s hard to memorize all these facts, I like learning about all the different jobs that our soldiers do. You know, it s time for us to learn another Bible story together. Our story today has lots of soldiers in it. One soldier is 82 Unit 11 Session 3

84 particularly tall and strong. I can t wait to find out how this story will help me become a better king! Timeline Map Timeline map (1 minute) Leader OK, so what stories have we learned so far? First, we learned The Israelites Demanded a King. Even though they rejected God as their King, God anointed Saul to be king. Then we learned that Saul disobeyed God, and God Rejected Saul as King. This week, we will learn that God anointed David. We will also learn how David fought Goliath. That leads me to our big picture question! Big picture question (2 minutes) Leader Before I tell you this week s big picture question, let s review the last two big picture questions and answers. First, What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Who is the perfect King God planned to send? Yes! It is Jesus! How perfect is Jesus? Wait, that s a silly question. To be perfect means that you are totally obedient. Jesus is completely sinless. He never, ever, ever sinned. Not one single time. Wow. I can t even begin to think about being perfect. That reminds me of our next big picture question and answer. How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. I am so glad that God understood that we all sin and need a Savior. This week we are going to see what happened after God rejected Saul as king. God told Saul that He had picked a new leader. I wonder who the next king will be. Our big picture question is, Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? Saul and David 83

85 Who is David? Do you think he s going to be the next king? It is like a big secret! We need to figure this out so I can learn how to be a good king. That reminds me, I have some special royal secrets that you can help me solve. paper lunch bags, 6 textured items (cooked spaghetti noodles, cotton balls, marbles, flour), different items per bag Post an allergy alert. Bibles, 1 per kid David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Group demonstration (5 minutes) Ask for several volunteers. Tell kids that there are mysterious objects inside the bags. Tell them that the bags contain some of the king s royal secrets. Ask kids to take turns feeling inside the paper bags. They must try to identify the objects without looking inside the bags. Leader You guys did a great job of helping me discover these royal secrets! It took courage for you to reach inside the bags without looking in them first. You had to be brave because you didn t know what was inside. In our story today, David showed great bravery. Let s find out what happened! Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 16 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath. Leader Wow! David was probably not the strongest or most powerful man in Israel, and he killed a huge giant with only one stone! The Bible says Goliath was 9 feet 9 inches tall. That s basically as tall as a professional basketball hoop, and you know how hard it is to reach those things! How tall are you? Can you think of some really tall people you may know or you may have seen on TV? Not only was Goliath tall, but he was a champion for the Philistines. I don t know about you, but I don t think I 84 Unit 11 Session 3

86 would want to fight a man Goliath s size without some backup! David was a hero! He had some seriously awesome power! Do you think I could kill a giant like that? Maybe if I practice with my slingshot I will be able to do something amazing, just like David! How do you think David got special power, anyway? You know, maybe David wasn t extra special, even though he did serve God and obey Him. Do you remember what kind of man Saul was when God anointed him? He was tall and handsome. He looked like the perfect king. Even though he looked like a good king, Saul did not act like a good king. He disobeyed God. God had to choose a new king who would obey Him, and He chose David. David probably did not look much like a king. David was the youngest son in his family. In spite of this, God made him a hero. Do you think God chose David partly because He wanted the Israelites to understand that true power comes from God alone not from looks or abilities? Maybe. Hey, I think I discovered the answer to our big picture question! Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Could you say that again with me? Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. When I think of heroes like David, I think of another hero. This hero is the perfect King of kings we have been talking about for the last couple of weeks. Can anyone tell me who this hero might be? You re right. It s Jesus! Just like David saved the Israelites from Goliath, Jesus saves each of us from sin and death. He is the ultimate hero! Jesus gives us salvation and eternal life. Saul and David 85

87 Bible Tip: Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. A Clean Heart song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Generous King song and other songs of your choice The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about becoming a Christian. Key passage (5 minutes) Leader Do you remember our key passage from the past two weeks? Can anyone say it from memory? Call on a kid or two to recite the key passage. Assist them as needed. Leader Great job! Keep practicing our key passage. My father says this key passage is very important for future kings and queens to know and understand. Guide kids to read the key passage together two times. Sing the key passage song. Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader I am so thankful that God gives us clean hearts and steadfast spirits, just like our passage talks about! We can praise Him together. Let s say our big picture question and answer before we sing. Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Generous King (unit theme song) Live to Worship Hallelujah to My King Say, Say Worthy 86 Unit 11 Session 3

88 beanbags, 3 long socks, 3 buckets, 3 masking tape Tip: You may choose to use only two of each supply item. If you have a smaller group, you may give each kid a slingshot. Be sure to play this game in a safe place! Review (4 minutes) Leader I need to make sure I remember our story so that I will learn how to be a better king. Let s go over some review questions together! If you think you know the answer, stand up tall like a king. 1. Whom did Samuel go to Bethlehem to meet? (Jesse and his sons, 1 Sam. 16:1) 2. Whom did God tell Samuel to anoint as the king of Israel? (David, Jesse s youngest son; 1 Sam. 16:11-12) 3. Why did David play the harp for King Saul? (An evil spirit troubled Saul and the harp soothed him, 1 Sam. 16:23) 4. With which group of people were the Israelites at war? (the Philistines, 1 Sam. 17:1-3) 5. Who was the Philistines greatest warrior? (Goliath, 1 Sam. 17:4) 6. Who volunteered to fight Goliath? (David, 1 Sam. 17:32-37) 7. What did David carry as his weapon? (a slingshot and five smooth stones, 1 Sam. 17:40) 8. Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. 9. What does Jesus save us from? (Jesus saves us from our greatest enemies: sin and death.) 10. What does Jesus give us? (Jesus, the ultimate hero, gives us salvation and eternal life.) Group game (10 minutes) Slingshot target practice Place one beanbag inside each sock. Explain that kids will be practicing their aim with their slingshots. Ask for three volunteers. Place the buckets about six feet in front of each Saul and David 87

89 volunteer and tape a start line in front of the volunteers feet. For safety reasons, guide kids to play one at a time. Make sure kids give the first volunteer enough room to sling the beanbag toward the bucket without hitting anyone. The volunteers will see how many times they can sling their beanbags into the bucket in one minute. They must throw from behind the starting line. You may repeat with other volunteers as time allows. Leader Great job! You guys should join the slingshot division of our military. Even though slingshots are pretty cool, they are not necessarily the strongest weapon that exists. How would you feel if you had to fight a 9-foot, 9-inch giant with this slingshot? Would you be scared? David showed great courage when he volunteered to fight Goliath. He trusted God. God was with David and helped him win against the giant. God gave David the power he needed. Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Missions (5 minutes) Leader Just like David showed great courage, missionaries around the world show courage every day as they try to teach people about Jesus. Sometimes missionaries must live and work in very dangerous places in order to tell the people around them that Jesus saves us from sin and death. Read the following missions story, Love in the Face of Fear. Leader Millions of people live in the townships surrounding Cape Town, South Africa. For most children, their homes are small, the electricity and water don t work all of the time, and their parents may not have a steady job. There is often gang violence in the streets, 88 Unit 11 Session 3

90 so the children have learned to be afraid as much as they have learned what it is like to be loved. But God is at work in Cape Town townships! Missionaries Bonnie, Bruce, Sheri, Sarah and Michal work in six township schools each week. They tutor the children in their schoolwork, and they teach them about Jesus during Bible study time. Now the children call those Bible studies their church. More than 90 children have received Jesus as Savior! Please pray that these children will grow in their knowledge of God. Ask God to help them show His love to others in the township. Thank God for the missionaries who are faithful to go and teach these children that His perfect love casts out all fear. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader We are about out of time! I need to practice my slingshot throw as soon as possible. Before we go, I will read aloud the important royal declarations for this week. Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader I guess I learned today that looks and abilities don t make someone a good king. God can choose anyone to be king. It s important for kings and leaders to get their power from God instead of relying on themselves. Before we go, let s say our big picture question and answer together one last time! Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Close in prayer. Dismiss Saul and David 89

91 balloons, 5 different colors, 5 of each color tape Additional idea Balloon blasters Tape a line on the floor. Tape a circle on the floor several feet away from the line. Choose five volunteers to play. Ask volunteers to line up behind the tape line. Give each kid five balloons, all the same color. When given the command, each volunteer will inflate a balloon to his desired fullness and release the balloon to fly into the circle. Play five rounds. After each round, note where all the balloons landed. Leader How many, if any, of our balloons landed in the circle? Each person had five tries; how did it go? How much power did your balloon have? Did you need more power? David picked up five stones to fight Goliath. How many of them did he use? Right! Only one. Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. God gave David the power to defeat Goliath with only one stone and a slingshot. God is all-powerful, and He will help us follow His plan when we believe in Him. 90 Unit 11 Session 3

92 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Saul and David 91

93 Leader BIBLE STUDY Following David s slaying of Goliath, the Philistine warrior, King Saul s son Jonathan dedicated himself to David. He loved David as much as he loved himself. Jonathan s gifts to David the robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt indicated that Jonathan recognized David as God s choice for the next king, a position Jonathan could have rightly expected as Saul s son. David got a lot of attention for striking down Goliath, and King Saul was jealous. Saul unsuccessfully attempted to kill David. Saul instructed his servants and his son Jonathan to kill David. But Jonathan loved David, and he pleaded with his father not to kill him. As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed, Saul told Jonathan. With this promise, David returned to serving King Saul. But it wasn t long before Saul was again troubled and attempted to kill David. This time, David fled. In 1 Samuel 20, David came to Jonathan in a desperate situation. What have I done? What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father that he wants to take my life? David asked. Jonathan had a hard time believing his father would want to kill David, so Jonathan and David came up with a plan to determine Saul s intentions. Through his interactions with Saul at the festival of the New Moon, Jonathan determined Saul did want to kill David. He relayed the information to David, and the two friends departed with great sadness. As you teach the story of David and Jonathan, help kids recognize what Jonathan did for David. He laid down his rights as king and interceded on his behalf. Jonathan s life gives us a glimpse of Jesus, the mighty friend of sinners. Jesus left His position in heaven to come down to us. He gave up His life to save us, and intercedes for us before God. 92 Unit 11 Session 4

94 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: David and Jonathan Became Friends Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 18:1-12; 19:1-10; 20:1-42 Big Picture Question: Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 96 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 96 Timeline map (2 minutes)...page 97 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 98 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 98 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 98 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 100 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 100 Group game (10 minutes)...page 100 Review (4 minutes)...page 101 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 102 Missions (5 minutes)...page 103 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 103 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 103 Additional idea...page 104 Saul and David 93

95 The BIBLE STORY David and Jonathan Became Friends 1 Samuel 18:1-12; 19:1-10; 20:1-42 David, the youngest son of Jesse from Bethlehem, had done the seemingly impossible. With a sling and a stone, David killed Goliath, the mighty Philistine warrior. David lived at the king s palace. Jonathan, the son of King Saul, became best friends with David. Jonathan gave gifts to David: his robe, military tunic, sword, bow, and belt. David was successful at everything Saul asked him to do, and Saul made David a high officer in his army. But Saul didn t love David like Jonathan did. In fact, Saul was jealous of David s success, and he wanted to kill David. Saul even asked Jonathan to kill David! Jonathan really liked David, so he warned him, My father wants to kill you. Go hide in a safe place until I can talk to him. The next morning, Jonathan talked to Saul about David. Why would you want to kill David? Jonathan asked. He has done nothing but help you. Saul agreed and promised not to kill David. Jonathan told David the good news, and David returned to serve Saul as he had done before. But King Saul did not keep His promise very long. One day when David was playing the harp for Saul, Saul was bothered by an evil spirit, and he threw a spear at David. David escaped. He went to Jonathan and told him what had happened. That can t be! Jonathan said. My father tells me everything, and he hasn t told me he wants you dead. It s true, David replied. He didn t tell you because he knows we are such good friends. He didn t want to upset you. How can I help? Jonathan asked. David came up with a plan to figure out how Saul felt about David. The New Moon festival is tomorrow, David explained. I m supposed to be at the meal, but I m not going. If Saul asks where I 94 Unit 11 Session 4

96 am, tell him I asked for your permission to go to Bethlehem. If he gets angry, you will know he wants to kill me. Jonathan told David that he would give him a sign so David would know how Saul responded. Jonathan would find David in the field and shoot three arrows. If David was safe, Jonathan would send his servant to get the arrows, and Jonathan would say, The arrows are to the side of you! But if Saul wanted to kill David, Jonathan would say, The arrows are beyond you! So Jonathan went to the New Moon festival with his father. When Saul sat down to eat, he asked, Where s David? David is in Bethlehem. I gave him permission to go, Jonathan said. Saul became very angry. David deserves to die! he yelled. Why? Jonathan asked. What has he done wrong? Saul threw his spear at Jonathan, and Jonathan left the table. He was sad that his father wanted to kill David. The next morning, Jonathan went to the field where David was hiding. He shot three arrows and sent his servant to retrieve them. The arrow is beyond you! Jonathan shouted. That was Jonathan s sign to David that Saul wanted to kill him. Jonathan sent his servant away, and David came out from where he was hiding. David fell to the ground because he was so sad. David and Jonathan cried and said their good-byes. Take care of yourself, Jonathan said. The two men parted ways knowing that no matter what, they would always be friends. Christ Connection: Jonathan was a true friend to David. Jonathan s life gives us a glimpse of Jesus, the mighty friend of sinners. Jesus calls us friends (John 15:15). He gave up His position in heaven to come down to us, gave up His life to save us, and intercedes for us before God. Saul and David 95

97 Kids Worship leader Session Title: David and Jonathan Became Friends Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 18:1-12; 19:1-10; 20:1-42 Big Picture Question: Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. countdown video leader attire stuffed dog or other animal letter Tip: Throughout this lesson, you may imitate a dog s bark, or ask another adult to bark from a hidden space in the room. 96 Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters carrying a stuffed dog (dialogue may be adjusted for another animal) and a letter.] Leader Good morning! I m so glad you came to the castle today. You are just in time. The king sent me another royal letter. Can I read it to you? Here goes! Dear son, prince of this fair land, I hope you know how important it is for a king to surround himself with good, wise friends. There is one friend who is better than any other; make sure you discover who this friend is and seek Him immediately. I remain your loving father, The King Isn t it great to get letters from the king? I took his advice very seriously. I spent all day yesterday searching for the best friend of all. Guess what? I think I found him! Have you ever heard that a dog is a man s best friend? Unit 11 Session 4

98 Well, this is my dog! He is the best friend I have ever had! His name is Barker because he likes to bark. Can you make the sound of a barking dog? [Allow kids to bark for a few seconds before asking everyone to quiet back down.] That was impressive! Barker and I have spent a lot of time together recently. I like to pet him and feed him and take him to the park. He s always ready to play or cuddle. The best part about having a dog is that Barker won t let me down like other friends sometimes do. He really is the perfect friend, right, Barker? You know, I think the Bible mentions a best friend in our story today. Let s see if this friend is anything like Barker. Timeline Map Timeline map (2 minutes) Point to each Bible story picture and location on the timeline as you review the chronology and the big picture questions for the unit. Leader Let s review some of the Bible stories my father wanted me to learn in order to become a good king. First, we learned that Israel Demanded a King. Saul was the first king, but What kind of king did God plan to give Israel? God planned to send a perfect king. Saul looked like a king, but he certainly wasn t perfect. He didn t obey God, so God Rejected Saul as King. How does God feel when His people obey? God delights in total obedience, but we all sin and need a Savior. Last week we learned that David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath. God chose David to be king in Saul s place. Even though David was young and he didn t look like a king to anyone else, God looked at David s heart. God knew David would obey Him. Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath. Just like David saved the Israelites from Goliath, Jesus saves us from Saul and David 97

99 sin and death. This week we will learn that David and Jonathan Became Friends. Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Our big picture question for the week is, Who is our friend? I know who my friend is! I wonder if Barker is the answer to our big picture question! I guess we will have to find out when we read the story. First, I want to show you a trick I ve been teaching Barker. It s pretty neat! Sit, Barker. Good dog! [Set Barker aside.] 8-10 small twigs or thin sticks rubber band Tip: If you have a smaller group of kids, provide twigs for each kid to participate. Bibles, 1 per kid David and Jonathan Became Friends video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Group demonstration (5 minutes) Ask for two volunteers. Challenge them to break one of the twigs, which they will be able to do easily. Bundle the remaining twigs together with a rubber band. Hand the bundle to each kid, asking each kid to try breaking the bundled sticks in half. The bundle is too thick to break. Leader You guys are pretty strong, but it s still almost impossible to break a bundle of sticks! One stick by itself is broken easily, while the bundle cannot be broken at all. Good friends are like this bundle of sticks. They make us stronger than we would be by ourselves. God wants us to have good friends who help us. Good friends help during good times and bad times. Let s read about a friend who helped David when David was having a difficult time. Listen closely to see if you can find out the answer to our big picture question, Who is our friend? Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 18 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video David and Jonathan Became Friends. Leader Jonathan was such a good friend to David! He 98 Unit 11 Session 4

100 protected David when his own father wanted to kill him. Saul was jealous of David partly because he realized that David had more kingly characteristics than he did. The Israelites liked David, and that upset King Saul. He did not want David to take his the throne. What Saul did not realize was that God had already anointed David to be the next king of Israel. David didn t need to take the throne. God gave David the throne. Jonathan saved David s life, making it possible for David to become the next king. David could have been killed if Jonathan had not helped him. Jonathan was willing to put his own life at risk in order to help David. That reminds me of someone else we have been talking about someone who gave up everything so that He could help us when we were in trouble. Can anyone think of who this person might be? Invite kids to call out the answer when you raise your hands in the air. Raise your hands and lower them. Leader That s right! It s Jesus. Jesus gave up His life for us. He was an incredible friend to us when He died on the cross, and He is still our friend today. We can talk to Jesus about our hopes, dreams, fears, and worries. Did you know that Jesus also intercedes for us before God? That means that when we disobey God, Jesus tells God that we are His friends. Because Jesus died for our sins, God forgives our sins. Isn t that amazing? Sometimes our human friends let us down, and sometimes we let our friends down. However, Jesus is the friend who will be there for us no matter what. He is the perfect friend. Can anyone tell me the answer to our big picture question now? Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Let s say it together! Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Saul and David 99

101 Bible Tip: Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. Generous King song and other songs of your choice balloons, 1 per group Tip: If you have a larger group of kids, guide kids to play in pairs 2, 4, 6, 8, and so forth. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Leader Jesus came to earth to call sinners to repent of their sin and trust in Him as their Lord and Savior. In the Book of John, Jesus called the disciples His friends. When we repent of our sin and trust in Jesus, He calls us His friend. Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about the gospel. Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Can we say the big picture question and answer together one more time? Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Let s sing and praise God for sending Jesus, the mighty friend of sinners. Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Generous King (unit theme song) Live to Worship Hallelujah to My King Say, Say Worthy Group game (10 minutes) Add a friend game Prior to the worship time, decide whether a few kids will play or if you will form multiple groups to play the game. Lead kids to gather on one side of the room or stage. Hand the first kid in each group a balloon. Instruct kids that the first person must bounce the balloon in the air as she walks across the room and returns. 100 Unit 11 Session 4

102 Upon returning, a second team member will join the player and will help her bounce the balloon as they walk across the room and back. Each time, a new player should join in and help keep the balloon off of the ground. Continue playing until the entire team has walked across the room and back all while keeping the balloon bouncing in the air and off of the ground. Leader You just demonstrated how important friendship can be. The more friends you had join your team, the easier it was to keep your balloon in the air. If you all worked together, you should have been able to keep the balloon off of the ground. Even though human friends are not perfect, God wants us to be friends with one another, just like David and Jonathan were friends. God also wants us to share with our friends the good news about Jesus. We can thank God for giving us good friends, especially our friend Jesus. Jesus is the friend who will never let us down. He is always by our side. Let s say the big picture question and answer together! Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Review (4 minutes) Leader It s time to find out how many facts you can remember from our story! Let s go over these review questions together. 1. Who was Jonathan? (King Saul s son and David s close friend, 1 Sam. 14:49, 18:1) 2. Where did David live? (at the palace serving King Saul, 1 Sam. 18:2) 3. Why did King Saul want to kill David? (Saul became jealous and afraid of David; 1 Sam. 18:9,12) Saul and David 101

103 4. How did David know that he was in danger? (Saul threw a spear at David while he was playing the harp, 1 Sam. 18:10-11) 5. What did Jonathan and David want to find out during the festival? (They decided to find out if Saul still wanted to kill David, 1 Sam. 20:5-7) 6. What was Jonathan s plan to let David know if Saul wanted to kill him? (He would shoot three arrows in the field. If he told his servant the arrows are beyond you, then David was in danger and needed to flee; 1 Sam. 20:18-22) 7. What happened at the festival? (Saul became angry. He said that David deserved to die and threw his spear at Jonathan; 1 Sam. 20:30-33) 8. After Jonathan told David the news, what did David do? (He fell to the ground and cried. He and Jonathan said goodbye; 1 Sam. 20:41-42) 9. Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. 10. What did Jesus give up to come down to us? (He gave up His position in heaven to come down to us, gave up His life to save us, and intercedes for us before God.) A Clean Heart song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Key passage (5 minutes) Leader Would anyone like to say the key passage from memory? Select a few kids to try to quote the passage. Assist and encourage as needed. Leader Great job! We still have three more weeks to memorize this passage! Let s read it aloud together! Guide kids to read the key passage together. Sing the key passage song. 102 Unit 11 Session 4

104 The Friendly Church Planter missions video Missions (5 minutes) Leader People all over the world need to know that Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. They also need human friends who will love them and teach them about Jesus. A church planter named Ben is doing just that. He is making friends with the people around him so that he can tell them about Jesus. Let s watch this video to find out more about Ben and the people he shares the gospel with. Watch the video The Friendly Church Planter. Leader Did you have any friends who do not know about Jesus? Maybe you know some kids at school or in your neighborhood who do not know that Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. People sometimes listen to friends better than they listen to strangers. You can pray to God and ask Him to send you a friend who needs to learn about Jesus. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader We are about out of time for today! I am so glad you came to the castle today. I really enjoyed learning about friendship together. Before we go, I will read the important royal declarations to you. Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader Earlier I was so glad that Barker was my new best friend, but I think I got a little confused about him. Yes, dogs are wonderful pets and they can be good companions, but there is no friend like Jesus. He is our best friend, and He will never leave us. Barker cannot talk with me or guide me through the good and bad times in my life. Barker can t forgive me of my sins. Jesus can do all of those things. I am so thankful that Jesus is my friend. I know He will Saul and David 103

105 help me make good choices when I become king. Let s say our big picture question and answer again. Who is our friend? Jesus is the might friend of sinners. Close in prayer. Dismiss 2 tape lines, 15 feet apart Additional idea Link up Explain that when you give the command, two kids will link arms, say the big picture question and answer, and run to the line and back. Two more kids will join the first two and repeat the process. Each time a group returns to the start line, two more kids join in until the group is all linked together. Leader Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Why is Jesus the mighty friends of sinners? He died for our sins. When we repent and trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, He is our friend. 104 Unit 11 Session 4

106 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Saul and David 105

107 Leader BIBLE STUDY Things were not looking up for David. King Saul had tried multiple times to kill him, and he had to flee for his life, leaving behind his good friend, Saul s son Jonathan. But God had appointed David to be king, and God was faithful to him. Leading up to 2 Samuel 7, Jonathan was killed in battle against the Philistines. Saul fell on his own sword, and David became king of Israel. Then David moved the ark of God to Jerusalem. David settled into his palace, and God gave him peace from his enemies. When David looked around, something didn t seem right. He was living in a majestic palace while the ark of God was in a tent! David determined to build God a temple. That night, God gave the prophet, Nathan, a message for David. Have I ever asked you to build Me a house? God said. Since I brought the Israelites out of Egypt, I have dwelled in a tent. God continued, reminding David that he used to be a shepherd, but God had made him a king! I have always been with you, and I have defeated your enemies, God said. God promised to give the Israelites a place to stay so they wouldn t need to move around anymore. God promised to give them rest from their enemies so they could stop fighting. Though God denied David s desire to build God a house, God promised to make a house for David: a dynasty of his descendants and an everlasting kingdom. Nathan told David what God said, and David was amazed. As you teach kids about God s covenant to David, help them understand the significance of David s everlasting kingdom. God s promise to David was ultimately fulfilled by his most significant descendant, Jesus Christ: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33). 106 Unit 11 Session 5

108 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: God Made a Covenant with David Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 7 Big Picture Question: What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 110 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 110 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 111 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 111 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 111 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 112 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 113 Timeline map (2 minutes)...page 113 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 114 Review (4 minutes)...page 114 Missions (5 minutes)...page 115 Group game (10 minutes)...page 116 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 116 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 117 Additional idea...page 117 Saul and David 107

109 The BIBLE STORY God Made a Covenant with David 2 Samuel 7 God chose David to be king of Israel. When David was young, he played the harp for King Saul, and God gave him power to defeat Goliath, the great Philistine warrior. David became the king of Israel, and God gave His people a time of peace. David was talking with Nathan the prophet. Nathan was a messenger for God. David said, I live in a palace of nice cedar wood. But the ark of God sits inside a tent! It hardly seemed fair. Shouldn t God have a nicer house than David? David wanted to build a temple for the ark of God. He told Nathan his plans. God is with you. Do what you want! Nathan said. But God didn t want David to do whatever he wanted. God wanted David to do what God wanted. That night, God gave Nathan a message for David. This is what God wanted Nathan to say to David: David, are you going to build a house for Me to live in? Think about what I have done for My people. I brought them out of Egypt. I gave them leaders to guide them. The entire time I have been with them, My house has been a tent. Did I ever ask anyone to build a temple for Me? You used to be a shepherd, David. Don t you remember? But I made you a king. I helped you defeat your enemies, and My people now live peacefully in their own land. I promise you, David, that you and your descendants will be kings. When you die, one of your sons will be king. He will be a strong king, and no one will be able to take his kingdom away from him. He will build a house for Me. I will love him, and I will never leave him. When your son dies, his son will be king. The king will always be someone in your family. When God was finished speaking, Nathan told David everything God said. David went into the tent he had set up for the ark of the Lord. He sat down and prayed. Lord God, I don t deserve anything You have done for me, and You 108 Unit 11 Session 5

110 promise to do so much more! God, You are so great! There is no one like You! You chose the Israelites to be Your own people. You rescued them from slavery in Egypt. God, please keep Your promises to me and my descendants. I am confident You will keep Your promises because You are trustworthy. Christ Connection: God made David a promise. He told David that every future king of Israel would come from David s family, and David s kingdom would last forever. God kept His promise by sending His Son, Jesus, to be one of David s descendants. Jesus is our King who will never die; He will rule over God s people forever. Saul and David 109

111 Kids Worship leader Session Title: God Made a Covenant with David Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 7 Big Picture Question: What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. leader attire paper scroll 110 Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters wearing royal costume and carrying an official-looking scroll.] Leader Good morning! How are you doing today? Glad you were able to make it! I have something I want to show you. It s the document of the king s official royal lineage. Do you know what a lineage is? A lineage is all the descendants of one particular person. I am part of my great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather s lineage. This grandfather was the first king of my country. The royal document I m holding shows that only members of my grandfather s family are allowed to be king. This document promises that I will be king and my future son will be king because we are part of this lineage, or family. Someone in our story today started an important lineage in the Bible. Before we find out who this person is, let s praise God for giving us a beautiful day and an opportunity to learn more about Him! Unit 11 Session 5

112 Generous King song and other songs of your choice Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Our theme song describes a wonderful king who is generous. Name one way our King is generous. Allow several kids to share their thoughts before leading the group to sing the theme song. Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Generous King (unit theme song) Live to Worship Hallelujah to My King Say, Say Worthy Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Isn t it wonderful to sing and praise God? We praise God because we know that He is our friend. He always keeps His promises. Today we are going to discover a promise that God made to David. Our big picture question for the week is, What did God promise David? Bibles, 1 per kid God Made a Covenant with David video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 2 Samuel 7 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video God Made a Covenant with David. Leader David wanted to build a home for the ark of God because he wanted to honor God. David did not think it was right for the ark to sit in a tent while he lived in a beautiful palace. However, God had different plans. God s plan was not for David to build a beautiful temple; instead, God wanted David s son to build the temple. Saul and David 111

113 Bible Tip: Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. God s plan was to make David s kingdom last forever. Can anyone tell me what a covenant is? A covenant is a promise between two people or a promise between a person and God. One person promises to bless or serve another person in a specific way. In our story, God made a covenant with David. He promised to bless David in a very specific way. God promised that David s descendants would be kings long after David died. He promised that David s son would build God a temple, and someone from David s family would reign forever. I think we have the answer to our big picture question! What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. Can we say the big picture question and answer together? What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. God kept His promise to David, but not in the way you might expect! Jesus was one of King David s descendants. Jesus will reign on the throne forever. This means that God kept His promise to David by sending His Son, Jesus, to be born into David s family. Jesus will never die again; He will always be King. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Leader Because God sent Jesus to earth, we can have forgiveness for our sins. When we repent of our sin and trust in Jesus, we can be friends with the King of kings. Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about becoming a Christian. 112 Unit 11 Session 5

114 long strips of paper, 1 per kid tape or stapler Tip: If you have a smaller group, you may give each kid more than one strip of paper. Timeline Map Group demonstration (5 minutes) Leader A family lineage can be very, very long! King David had many generations of descendants before Jesus was born. Let s see just how long a lineage like King David s can be. Distribute the paper strips. Reserve one paper strip and loop it into a circle, stapling or taping it in place. Ask kids to come on stage individually and hand you or another adult their paper strips. Loop each strip through the preceding strip and secure it with tape or a staple in a circular ring. The strips should form a chain. Display the chain in a prominent place in the classroom or hang it on the wall to remind kids that David s kingdom will last forever because of Jesus. Leader This is a really long chain! This chain represents David s descendants, but we know that David had even more descendants than the number of links on this chain. However, God was faithful. He kept His promise by sending Jesus, who will reign forever. Let s say the big picture question and answer together! What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. What an amazing promise! Timeline map (2 minutes) Review the previous stories briefly before indicating the location of today s Bible story on the timeline. Leader Who demanded a king? The Israelites did and God gave them a king. He warned them that they would regret their choice. God selected Saul to be the first king of the Israelites. What did Saul do? Saul sinned and sinned and sinned. He refused to follow God s plan. Saul didn t completely obey God. As a result, God told Saul that his son would not be the next king. God picked a new Saul and David 113

115 person to be the next king. Who remembers his name? David! David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king. Before he became king, God prepared him for the job. First, David fought Goliath with God s power. David also had a good friend named Jonathan. Jonathan helped save David s life and protect him from King Saul. And finally in today s Bible story, we learned that David had become the king of the Israelites. This week, we learned that God made a covenant, or a promise, with David. God fulfilled this promise by sending His Son, Jesus, to reign forever. Next week we will learn more about King David, though our story might be a little different than you d expect. A Clean Heart song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Key passage (5 minutes) Leader Have you been practicing our key passage? I certainly have! We only have two more weeks to memorize it. Can we say it together? Let s read it through one time and then see if we can recite it from memory. Guide the kids to read the passage together. Cover the words and lead kids in reciting the passage from memory. Sing the key passage song. Review (4 minutes) Leader Great job learning the key passage! The king will be so impressed when he returns. Now let s see what we remember from our story! 1. What did King David want to build? (a temple or home for the ark of God; 2 Sam. 7:2,5) 2. What did Nathan tell David? (Nathan told David to do what he wanted to do, 2 Sam. 7:3) 114 Unit 11 Session 5

116 3. What message did God give Nathan? (David s descendants would reign on the throne forever. David s son would build the temple; 2 Sam. 7:12-13) 4. What did David pray to God? (David prayed that God would do as He promised, 2 Sam. 7:25) 5. What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. 6. Who will rule over God s people forever? (Jesus is our King who will never die; He will rule over God s people forever.) Missions (5 minutes) Leader We learned today that King David was one of the ancestors, or older family members, of Jesus. Did you know that some people groups around the world worship their ancestors? As Christians, we know that this is wrong. Missionaries help tell these people groups that they should worship God and God alone. Read the following story, Confused About Worship. Leader There is a huge problem in South Africa among the Zulu males. They are really confused about worshiping God. We have lots of ways to worship God we sing hymns and choruses, we pray, and we serve God because we love Him. In South Africa, the problem is much bigger than the question of which song to sing. Many Zulu men think it is OK to worship their ancestors and consult witch doctors for every sort of problem. They call themselves Christians while worshiping other gods. God teaches us in the Ten Commandments, Do not have other gods besides Me. (Exodus 20:3) It is not OK to worship anyone or anything except God. These Zulu men are causing problems in some churches Saul and David 115

117 in South Africa. Please pray that the churches will study the Bible and know what God says. Pray that the people will worship only God. Ask God to help these confused Zulu men understand that they should only worship Him. Pray that they will repent and stop worshiping their ancestors and trusting the witch doctors. It s so sad when people don t understand the good news about Jesus. Trusting in Jesus is the only way to be forgiven of our sins. God is the one true God. He is the only one who is holy and worthy of our praise and worship. God is the only one worthy of glory. flying discs or metal plates, 1 per 10 kids Group game (10 minutes) Spin the disc Form groups of no more than 10 kids. In each group, count off so that each kid has a number. Ask one player to come up and begin spinning the disc on its edge as you would spin a coin. This player will then call out another player s number before sitting back down. The player whose number is called will jump up and grab the disc before it stops spinning. She will then spin the disc again and call out another number. Encourage kids to call out every number so that each kid has a turn. Leader That was a pretty fun game! You worked hard to make sure that the disc never stopped spinning. If we had enough people to play the game, the disc could spin forever! In the same way, King David s descendant, Jesus, will sit on the throne forever. He will always be King, and no one can stop Him. We can have peace and joy because we know that Jesus will reign forever. Announcements (2 minutes) Leader Before we go, let s say our big picture question 116 Unit 11 Session 5

118 and answer together. What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. Are you ready to hear the important royal declarations of the week? Here we go! Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader OK, let s review what I learned today. Training to be king is hard work, but it s fun too. I have really enjoyed our Bible stories and big picture questions and answers. My dad, the king, says that the Bible is a very important book for everyone to read and study. The Bible teaches us about God s plan to send Jesus to rescue us from sin. OK, what else did I learn today? Oh, yes! I learned today that Jesus will reign forever. He is the King of kings, and He is more awesome and powerful than any human king! I am so thankful that Jesus reigns now and will reign forever. Close in prayer. Dismiss paper bag slips of paper with instructions written on each one Additional idea I promise to Select four or five volunteers to join you at the front of the class. Ask the volunteers if they are willing to be courageous and promise to do whatever is asked of them. They cannot know what is asked of them before they agree whether or not to promise. The volunteers who agree to make the promise must draw a task out of a paper bag and follow the instructions. Sample instructions: eat a donut, eat a sardine, stand on Saul and David 117

119 one leg for as long as you can, sing a song, smile, do 10 jumping jacks, read the key passage, clap 20 times, side hug someone in the room, or make a silly face. Congratulate the volunteers for completing the instructions as they promised they would. Leader Who wanted to know all of the details before they made the promise? Who wanted to break their promise when they read their task? Have you ever made a promise, but you broke it? Do people always keep their promises? No, we don t. We are not very good at fulfilling all of the promises we make. Who always fulfills His promises? God does! God is always faithful to keep His promises. What did God promise David? God promised that David s kingdom would last forever. 118 Unit 11 Session 5

120 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Saul and David 119

121 Leader BIBLE STUDY The Ammonites were no strangers to the Israelites. They often fought over the region of Gilead, which stretched east of the Jordan River. David had tried showing kindness to the Ammonites, but they humiliated the Israelite ambassadors. (See 2 Sam. 10:1-5.) Thus began a war between the Israelites and Ammonites. This context sets the scene for the story of David s sin and restoration. One evening, David looked from his rooftop and saw Bathsheba bathing. He inquired about her and found out that she was the wife of Uriah, one of David s elite soldiers. Her married status alone made her off-limits to David, but he nevertheless called for her and slept with her. David probably assumed his sin would go unnoticed, until Bathsheba told him she was pregnant with his child. With Uriah gone to war, it was obvious the baby was not his. But David had a plan. He called Uriah home from the battle and encouraged him to be with his wife. But Uriah refused. Uriah didn t think it was fair for him to be with his wife while other men were at war. So David moved to plan B. He instructed the commander of the army to position Uriah in the most violent part of the battle so he would be killed. This time, David s plan worked. Uriah was killed, and David took Bathsheba as his wife. God knew David s sin and sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. David realized he had sinned against God. God issued a punishment: David s son died. David s confession is recorded in Psalm 51. David knew making sacrifices would not be enough to please God and pay for his sin. God wanted David s heart to change so he would not want to sin again. Like David, we need more than a changed lifestyle to be made right with God; we need new hearts. Jesus died to satisfy God s wrath against sin so that we could be made alive in Him. 120 Unit 11 Session 6

122 Kids worship OVERVIEW Session Title: David Sinned and Was Restored Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 11:1 12:14; Psalm 51 Big Picture Question: What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Kids Worship Countdown...Page 124 Introduce the session (2 minutes)...page 124 Big picture question (1 minute)...page 125 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)...page 125 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional)...page 127 Sing and offering (3 12 minutes)...page 127 Group demonstration (5 minutes)...page 128 Timeline map (1 minute)...page 128 Key passage (5 minutes)...page 129 Group game (10 minutes)...page 129 Missions (6 minutes)...page 130 Review (4 minutes)...page 130 Announcements (2 minutes)...page 131 Prayer (2 minutes)...page 131 Additional idea...page 132 Saul and David 121

123 The BIBLE STORY David Sinned and Was Restored 2 Samuel 11:1 12:14; Psalm 51 David was king of Israel. As king, David s responsibility included protecting the Israelites by leading the army. In the springtime, kings commonly went to war with their armies. One spring, David sent out the army, and he put Joab in charge of them. The Israelites fought the Ammonites, but David stayed in Jerusalem. One evening, David was walking on the roof of his palace when he saw Bathsheba. Bathsheba was a beautiful woman, and she was the wife of Uriah, one of David s best warriors in the Israelite army. David sent his messengers to get Bathsheba, and she came to David s house. Later, Bathsheba told David that she was going to have a baby; the baby would be David s. David knew what he had done was wrong. Bathsheba was married to Uriah. David should not have a baby with someone who was not his wife. But David had a plan to make sure no one found out that Bathsheba s baby was his. David called Uriah home from the battle and told him to go spend time with his wife. But Uriah didn t think it was fair for him to relax at home while the other men were at war. He slept on David s doorstep and refused to see his wife. No matter what David did or said, Uriah did not go home. David s plan was not working, so he made up another plan. This time, he instructed Joab, the leader of the army, to send Uriah into the hardest part of the battle so he would be killed. Joab did what David wanted. He sent Uriah to the place where the fighting was most dangerous, and the Ammonites killed Uriah. Joab sent a messenger to David to deliver the news that Uriah was dead. When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she was very sad. David took Bathsheba into his house to be his wife, and she gave birth to a baby boy. 122 Unit 11 Session 6

124 It seemed as though David had gotten away with his sin, but God knew what David had done, and God was not happy with David. God sent Nathan the prophet to talk to David. Nathan told David a story. There was a rich man and poor man who lived in the same city. The rich man had many animals, but the poor man only had one little lamb, which he loved. A traveler came to the rich man. Instead of offering one of his own animals to the traveler, the rich man took the poor man s lamb and prepared it for the traveler to eat. David listened to the story, and he was angry. The rich man should die! he said. And he should give the poor man four lambs to make up for the one he took. You are the man! Nathan said. Nathan explained that God had given David a position of great power with everything he needed. But David killed Uriah to take his wife. David realized he had sinned against God. David deserved to die. You won t die for this, Nathan assured David, but God will punish you. Your son will die instead. After Nathan spoke to David, David wrote a psalm. He confessed his sin and asked God to restore him. God, create a clean heart for me, David prayed. David realized he could try to make sacrifices to please God, but that wouldn t be enough to pay for his sin. God wanted David s heart to change so that he would not want to sin again. Christ Connection: When David sinned against God, God forgave him, but sin always comes with a price. God spared David s life, but David s son died. When we sin, we can receive God s forgiveness because God sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for our sin. Jesus died the death we deserve so that we could be made right with God. Saul and David 123

125 Kids Worship Leader Session Title: David Sinned and Was Restored Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 11:1 12:14; Psalm 51 Big Picture Question: What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. Key Passage: Psalm 51:10 Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. leader attire 124 Introduce the session (2 minutes) [Leader enters wearing royal costume and looking sad.] Leader Good morning! It s good to see you. I m not having a very good day, but maybe you can cheer me up. I did something I should not have done, and now I feel guilty and upset. Before my father left for his hunting trip, he told me to take good care of the horses in the stable. He asked me to make sure they had plenty of food and water, and most importantly he warned me not to make the horses run too long or too hard. We have to take good care of our special horses. Last night I took my favorite horse out for a long ride. I wanted to see how fast she could go, and I made her run hard over some rocky ground. She stepped sideways on a rock and sprained her ankle. I wish I had listened to my dad! Even though my horse will be OK, I know that I shouldn t have made her run on rocky soil. When my dad comes home, he will see the bandaged horse in the stable Unit 11 Session 6

126 and know that I disobeyed. Have you ever disobeyed your parents or done something that you know you shouldn t do? I know I have! Everyone makes bad choices sometimes, even princes and kings. Today we are going to learn about how King David disobeyed God. Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Our big picture question for the week is, What should we do when we sin? Can anyone tell me what the word sin means? Select three or four kids to share their thoughts. Leader Sin is any actions, attitudes, words, or thoughts that do not please God. Sin is breaking God s law. The Bible says that all people have sinned. Does anyone remember what Bible verse tells us that we all sin? Romans 3:23 tells us that all of us sin. I sin. You sin. Your parents sin. Our pastor sins. Everyone sins. Jesus is the only person who has ever lived who did not sin. Let s listen to our story to find out how David sinned against God. Listen closely to discover the answer to our big picture question. Bibles, 1 per kid David Sinned and Was Restored video (optional) Big Picture Question Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 2 Samuel 11 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video David Sinned and Was Restored. Leader David sinned against God in more ways than one! David made a series of bad choices that led to Uriah s death. The Israelites were at war with the Ammonites. While the men were off fighting the battle, David stayed in Jerusalem. When David first saw Bathsheba, he should have put Saul and David 125

127 her from his mind immediately. Instead of forgetting about Bathsheba, he invited her to the palace. When David found out that Bathsheba was going to have a baby, he tried to cover up his sin. David wanted Uriah to come home and rest so that everyone would think that Uriah was the baby s father. However, Uriah didn t want to rest while the other men were fighting. Because of this, David had Uriah killed. David wanted to cover up his sin so badly that he murdered another man! When we try to cover up our sin, we always make things worse. Even though it seemed like David s plan worked, God knew that David had disobeyed Him. God sent Nathan to tell David that he had sinned. God forgave David, but David s son would die as a consequence of his sin. God loves each of us and wants to forgive us of our sins, just like He did David. We face consequences when we choose to sin. The ultimate consequence of sin is death eternal separation from God and Jesus. However, we have a Savior who was willing to die to pay the high price for our sins. Though we might face other consequences for our bad choices, we do not have to remain separated from God because Jesus died for us. He paid the price for our sin with His death on the cross. Jesus conquered sin and death. We can ask Him for forgiveness and trust Him as our Savior and Lord. This is the answer to our big picture question! What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. Let s say it together! What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. We can have forgiveness because Jesus saved us from sin and death by taking the consequence for our sin upon Himself. He sacrificed Himself on the cross to pay for our sin. 126 Unit 11 Session 6

128 Even after we trust in Jesus and become a Christian, we will still mess up and sin sometimes. But we should remember our big picture question and answer. What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. Bible Generous King song and other songs of your choice The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Leader We are the ones who deserve to die. We are the ones who broke God s law and sinned. But Jesus loves us. He is gracious and merciful. He took our punishment and died for us. Because of His sacrifice, we can be made right with God. Use your Bible and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Encourage kids to ask their parents or other adults any questions they have about becoming a Christian. Anytime you share how to become a Christian in a large group environment, try to have counselors available to meet one-on-one with kids. Make sure kids know who they can talk to and when they can talk. Sing and offering (3 12 minutes) Leader Let s praise God for sending Jesus to pay the price for our sin with His death on the cross! Let s praise God for raising Jesus from the tomb! Provide kids with an opportunity to participate in an offering as a part of worship during one song. Select three or four songs to sing during this time of worship. Song suggestions: Generous King (unit theme song) Live to Worship Hallelujah to My King Say, Say Worthy Saul and David 127

129 large poster board or piece of paper small piece of crumpled paper glue tape various craft materials (fabric, tissue paper, construction paper) Timeline Map Group demonstration (5 minutes) Before class, glue the crumpled piece of paper to the poster board or paper. Ask two or three volunteers to come on stage. Tell them that the wad of paper is spoiling the clean poster. Ask them to cover the wad by taping fabric, tissues, and construction paper over it. Allow kids to add as many coverings as they wish. Leader Wow, the wad of paper has grown even bigger! The more our volunteers tried to cover up the ugly spot, the larger and more obvious the spot became. That s exactly what happened to King David. He tried to cover up the fact that he sinned and had a baby with Bathsheba when she was not his wife. Instead of making his sin go away, David s attempt to cover up his wrongdoing led to Uriah s murder. Uriah s murder was another sin against God. When we try to cover up our sins, we make things even worse. God wants us to be honest with Him and confess our sins so that He can offer us forgiveness through His Son, Jesus. Let s say the big picture question and answer together! What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. Timeline map (1 minute) Leader Let s review all of the Bible stories we have learned since you first visited the castle! Each story has helped me learn about how to be a good king. Has it helped you learn how to be a good king or queen? Good! First, Israel Demanded a King, so God anointed Saul to be the king of His people. However, Saul sinned against God, so God Rejected Saul as King. God directed Samuel to pick a new king who would obey God, and David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath. God 128 Unit 11 Session 6

130 blessed David, which made Saul jealous. Fortunately, David and Jonathan Became Friends. When Saul tried to kill David, Jonathan protected him. Later, God Made a Covenant with David and promised David that his kingdom would last forever. Today, we learned that David Sinned and Was Restored. When we sin, we should ask God to forgive and restore us, too. A Clean Heart song Key Passage Slide or Poster (enhanced CD) masking tape 8-10 heavy books Tip: Provide more supplies if you want the entire group of kids to play. Key passage (5 minutes) Leader Have you memorized the key passage? This is the last week we will study it! Can we say it together from memory? Guide kids to recite the key passage from memory. Sing the key passage song A Clean Heart. Group game (10 minutes) Walk the line Use the masking tape to mark a straight, 6- to 8-foot line across the floor or stage. Call two or three volunteers to come onto the stage. Ask each volunteer to walk carefully on the tape, holding their arms out horizontally with palms facing up. Tell them you know that walking across the line is easy. Next, ask each volunteer to walk on the tape again this time holding out two or three heavy books in each palm. Ask the volunteers to walk the line a third time with four or five books in each hand. Leader Great job! It s much easier to walk on the tape without holding heavy books, isn t it? The greater the number of heavy books that you hold, the more difficult it becomes to walk. Sin works the same way in our lives. Sin weighs us down. It keeps us from living the life that God created us to live. Saul and David 129

131 We can thank God that He sent Jesus to take the burden of sin away from us. Jesus allows us to live freely because we are forgiven. Let s say the big picture question and answer together! What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. Cattle Call missions video Missions (6 minutes) Leader Sometimes people need help from others in order to understand they have sin in their lives and that they need to trust in Jesus for forgiveness. Missionaries live in countries and cities all over the world. They tell people the good news about Jesus. Often the people they talk with speak another language. Check out this video and see what the missionaries do to tell others about Jesus. Watch the missions video Cattle Call. Leader This week, let s pray for the missionaries in Madagascar. And let s not forget that we are also called to share the gospel with other people. Let s pray for each other this week too. Review (4 minutes) Leader Let s review today s story and see how many facts we can remember. 1. Where was David while his men were fighting the Ammonites? (in Jerusalem, 2 Sam. 11:1) 2. Who was the woman David saw from his rooftop? (Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 11:2-3) 3. When David called Uriah home from battle, what did he tell Uriah to do? (Go home, 2 Sam. 11:8) 4. Did Uriah do as David asked? (No. Instead, he slept on David s doorstep; 2 Sam. 11:9) 5. What did David do in order to cover up his sin? (He ordered Joab to place Uriah in the fiercest part 130 Unit 11 Session 6

132 of battle where he would be killed, 2 Sam. 11:15) 6. What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. 7. What did Jesus do so we could be made right with God? (Jesus died the death we deserve so that we could be made right with God.) Announcements (2 minutes) Leader Let s say the big picture question and answer one more time before I read the important royal declarations! Are you ready? What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. Make any announcements from your kids ministry. Prayer (2 minutes) Leader I have learned so much about becoming a good king since you joined me here in the castle! I learned that no human king can be perfect, but Jesus is the perfect King of kings. I learned that even kings need to obey God. I learned that God gives us power to do great things, just like He gave David power to defeat Goliath. I learned that we need good friends, and Jesus is the best friend of all. I learned that God always keeps His promises. Finally, I learned that even kings sin, but God offers us forgiveness because of Jesus death on the cross. I think I know now why my father wanted me to study these stories! I will be a better king if I listen to God and trust Him. Thank you for helping me discover these truths. I know my dad will be excited to hear all the things I have learned! Close in prayer. Dismiss Saul and David 131

133 hula hoops, 5 paper markers Bible Additional idea Touch the hoop Label five areas of the room, one for each of the five gospel plan phrases: God rules. We sinned. God provided. Jesus gives. We respond. Place a hula hoop by each sign. Explain to boys and girls that you will read a verse of Scripture. (See the gospel plan guide for suggested Scriptures.) When you finish reading the verse, kids must go touch the hula hoop under the gospel plan phrase that the verse matches. Leader Jesus died the death we deserve so that we could be made right with God. If you have any questions about the gospel or trusting in Jesus, please ask an adult or your parents today. What was our big picture question and answer? What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us. 132 Unit 11 Session 6

134 The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Saul and David 133

135 Unit 12: A Kingdom in Trouble Big Picture Questions Session 1: What did King Solomon ask from God? King Solomon asked God for wisdom to lead God s people. Session 2: What did God promise Solomon? God said, I will live among the Israelites and not abandon My people. Session 3: How did God punish King Solomon s sin? God divided Israel into two kingdoms. Session 4: Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom comes from God. 134

136 Unit 12: A Kingdom in Trouble Unit Description: Even though Solomon possessed the greatest wisdom ever granted, he still did little to use that wisdom to honor God. Ultimately, as Solomon lost his focus on God, the kingdom split, and God used the Southern Kingdom of Judah to fulfill His plan of redemption. Unit Key Passage: 1 Kings 8:61 Unit Christ Connection: Solomon s grand earthly reign is a picture of the eternal reign of Christ. Solomon s sin divided his kingdom, but Christ s perfect Kingdom is forever. Session 1: Solomon Asked for Wisdom 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12; 3:1-15 Session 2: Solomon Built the Temple 1 Kings 6:1 8:66 Session 3: Solomon s Sin Divided the Kingdom 1 Kings Session 4: Poetry and Wisdom Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes A Kingdom Created 135