Unit 10 Session 2 Use Week of: 2 God Rejected Saul as King BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35 MAIN POINT: God rejected Saul as king because of his sin. KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 47:7-8 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever, and He rules over the world. SMALL GROUP OPENING (10 15 MINUTES) PAGE 26 LARGE GROUP BIBLE STUDY (25 30 MINUTES) PAGE 28 SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES (25 30 MINUTES) PAGE 34 Leader BIBLE STUDY By all appearances, Saul was a good choice as king. He was tall, handsome, and blessed by God. But Saul forgot that his kingship was from God. Saul made some mistakes that cost him his throne. In 1 Samuel 13, 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) 22 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
Saul sinned again when his troops battled the Amalekites. 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. When Samuel arrived, Saul proudly said, I have carried out the Lord s instructions! Samuel asked him about the sheep, the cattle, and King Agag. But Saul still insisted that he had obeyed; he planned to offer the sheep and cattle to the Lord as a sacrifice. 2 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 kids 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. Additional resources for each session are available at gospelproject.com. For free training and session-by-session help, visit www.ministrygrid.com/web/thegospelproject. God the King 23
The BIBLE STORY God Rejected Saul as King 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35 Saul was king over Israel. He gathered an army and took some of the men into the hill country. The Philistines, enemies of Israel, were in the land. Saul s son Jonathan took some other men to destroy a Philistine army camp. The attack made the Philistines mad! The Philistines came out to fight the Israelites. They had more chariots, more horses, and more soldiers. The Israelites were outnumbered. They were all afraid; some of them hid. Saul wanted to ask God for help. Maybe if he made an offering to God, they would win the battle. But only the priests were allowed to give offerings to God. Saul waited for Samuel, but Samuel did not come. His soldiers started to leave, so Saul decided to make an offering to God himself. 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 a 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. Some time later, Samuel came to Saul with a message from God. God wanted Saul to attack the Amalekites. God said to kill 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 24 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
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. 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: King Saul sinned by giving a sacrifice that only the priest was allowed to give. God rejected Saul as king, but He had a plan to send His Son, Jesus. King Jesus gave up His own life as a good and perfect sacrifice so sinners would be forgiven and accepted. WANT TO DISCOVER GOD S WORD? GET ADVENTURE! Invite kids to check out this week s devotionals to see how Jonathan trusted in God, but Saul did not. Jonathan trusted God to defeat the Philistines, and the Lord saved His people. (1 Sam. 14:23) Order in bulk, subscribe quarterly, or purchase individually. For more information, check out www.lifeway.com/ devotionals. God the King 25
Small Group OPENING SESSION TITLE: God Rejected Saul as King BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35 MAIN POINT: God rejected Saul as king because of his sin. KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 47:7-8 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever, and He rules over the world. Welcome time Greet each kid as he or she arrives. Use this time to collect the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids connect to your group. As kids arrive, encourage them to think about a time they had a tough choice and made the wrong decision. What did they learn from it? Allow children to share their experience if they want to. Be prepared to share an example from your own childhood. SAY We face tough choices all the time. Sometimes it s hard to know the right thing to do, but God is always ready to help His children. He gave us the Holy Spirit and His Word so we can know what He wants us to do. Useful Things activity page, 1 per kid pencils or markers Activity page (5 minutes) Invite kids to complete the activity on the Useful Things page. Encourage them to draw lines connecting the part to the object that needs it. SAY You matched items that were useful, but you had a few leftover items that were not useful. Today we are going to learn about a king who was no longer useful because he didn t listen to God. 26 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
Session starter (10 minutes) OPTION 1: The king says Play a game of Simon Says, but use the phrase The king says. Explain that the kids should obey the king only if his commands begin with the king says. Kids who obey a command without this phrase, or who do not obey a king s command, must sit out. Play as time allows, choosing a new king or queen in each round. SAY We are continuing to learn about Israel s first king, King Saul. The people were supposed to listen to the king. But it was King Saul s responsibility to listen and obey God. We ll see if Saul was obedient in our Bible story. OPTION 2: Team puzzles Before class, swap out two pieces from each puzzle. Try to select pieces that would not be obvious. Form teams and challenge teams to complete their puzzle as fast as they can. When teams figure out their last two pieces do not fit, encourage them to work with another team to find their last two pieces. Continue until every team s puzzle is complete. SAY Great job working together. Each team was not able to finish its puzzle because it was missing some pieces. A puzzle doesn t work without all the right pieces. Saul looked like the right fit as the first king of Israel, but he was missing a very important characteristic. His heart was not completely obedient to God. LOW PREP 25-piece puzzles, 1 per team Transition to large group God the King 27
Large Group LEADER SESSION TITLE: God Rejected Saul as King BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35 MAIN POINT: God rejected Saul as king because of his sin. KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 47:7-8 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever, and He rules over the world. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as large group time begins. leader attire large Bible Introduce the session (3 minutes) [Large Group Leader enters wearing royal robes and carrying a very large Bible.] LEADER [Thumb through the pages of the Bible.] There is so much to learn! I don t think I will ever get through all of these pages. [Turn to the kids.] God has so many different rules for His people. As a king, I need to know them so I can help my people obey them! Being a king is much harder than I thought it would be. What do you think would be the most important thing for one of God s kings to do? [Allow kids to respond.] Giant Timeline Giant timeline (1 minute) LEADER Those are great answers. I bet those would have been helpful for King Saul to know. Do you remember King Saul? Let s look at our timeline. Last week we learned that Israel demanded a king, and God chose Saul as Israel s first king. Will 28 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
someone please read the title for today s story? [Allow a volunteer to read.] Hmm rejected? That s a pretty harsh word. Do you know what rejected means? [Invite a volunteer to explain what rejected means in her own words.] In just a few moments, we ll learn what Saul did to be rejected as king. Big picture question (1 minute) LEADER Who remembers our big picture question from last week? [Invite a volunteer to say it.] That s right! Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever, and He rules over the world. Think about our big picture question and answer as we listen to our Bible story. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35. Tell the Bible story in your own words, or show the Bible story video God Rejected Saul as King. LEADER What a sad story! Last week, Saul had a bright and exciting future ahead of him as the first king of Israel. What do you think changed about Saul from last week s story to today s story? [Allow children to think and respond.] Actually, if we look closely, not much changed at all. Think back to our last story. Where was Saul when Samuel was ready to announce him as king? He was hiding! He was scared! The same thing happened this week. When it seemed that all his men were leaving the army, Saul panicked and didn t wait for Samuel. Saul thought if he offered the sacrifice, the men would stay. He didn t trust in Bibles God Rejected Saul as King video Big Picture Question Poster Bible Story Picture Poster Main Point Poster God the King 29
God s timing. In the second part of our story, Saul told Samuel he didn t obey God s command because he was afraid of the people. He gave in to what the people wanted instead of trusting God. King Saul sinned by giving a sacrifice that only the priest was allowed to give. Saul even tried to make excuses for his sin, claiming that he just wanted to offer sacrifices to God. But Samuel told Saul that God cares more about obedience than about sacrifices. God rejected Saul as king because of his sin, but He had a plan. Many years later, God sent the perfect king: Jesus! Jesus obeyed God perfectly. Jesus became our perfect sacrifice to take away our sin. When we trust in Jesus He becomes King of our lives. He forgives us of all our sin and gives us eternal life! We continue to show God how much we love Him by obeying His Word. King Jesus gave up His own life as a good and perfect sacrifice so sinners would be forgiven and accepted. Ask the following review questions: 1. What did Saul do wrong when the Israelites ran away from the Philistines? (Saul offered the sacrifice that only Samuel should have offered, 1 Sam. 13:9) 2. How did Saul disobey when he fought the Amalekites? (Saul did not destroy everything that God commanded him to destroy, 1 Sam. 15:7-9) 3. What was Saul s excuse for his disobedience? (Saul wanted to offer the best animals as sacrifices, 1 Sam. 15:24) 4. What does God prefer: offerings or obedience? 30 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
(obedience, 1 Sam. 15:22) 5. When Samuel left, did he ever visit Saul again? (no, 1 Sam. 15:35) 6. Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever and He rules over the world. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use Scripture and the guide provided with this session to explain to boys and girls how to become a Christian. Assign individuals to meet with kids who have more questions. Encourage boys and girls to ask their parents, small group leaders, or other Christian adults any questions they may have about becoming a Christian. Tip: Provide I m a Christian Now for new Christians to take home and complete with their families. Key passage (5 minutes) Show the key passage poster. Lead the boys and girls to read together Psalm 47:7-8. LEADER We can trust and obey God because He is the King and rules over everything. We know that God is in charge. Sing the key passage song. Key Passage Slide or Poster God Alone song Discussion starter video (4 minutes) LEADER Saul thought his disobedience would not matter to God if he saved some of the best animals for sacrifice. But that is not what God asked Saul to do. If you do something similar to but not exactly what you were asked to do, does it still count as obedience? Let s watch this video as we think about that question. Show the Unit 10, Session 2 discussion starter video. Talk to your kids about why Nell s father became upset with Unit 10, Session 2 discussion starter video God the King 31
her. Ask them if Nell did anything bad. Nell s behavior was wrong because she did not do what she was asked. LEADER God wants our hearts to be obedient to Him. He wants us to obey because we trust in Him and believe that He loves us. However, we cannot obey perfectly. That s why God sent Jesus! Jesus obeyed perfectly. When He died on the cross and rose again, He made the only way for us to be forgiven and made new. God doesn t want us to make excuses for why we disobey. Instead, God wants us to trust in Jesus so the Holy Spirit will teach us to obey. He Is King song Sing (4 minutes) LEADER I am so glad that God is in charge. As sinful people, we re going to make mistakes. But God never makes mistakes. Let s sing a song to praise Him for how good He is. Sing together He Is King. Pray (2 minutes) LEADER Do we remember the answer to our big picture question? Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever, and He rules over the world. Let s pray together and ask God to help us obey Him with happy hearts to show Him how much we love Him. Invite kids to pray before dismissing to small groups. Dismiss to small groups 32 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
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. God the King 33
Small Group LEADER SESSION TITLE: God Rejected Saul as King BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35 MAIN POINT: God rejected Saul as king because of his sin. KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 47:7-8 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever, and He rules over the world. Key Passage Poster Tip: Check out sign language tutorials online before class for ideas. Bibles, 1 per team Main Point Poster Consequence Strips printable bowls or bags, 2 Key passage activity (5 minutes) Review the key passage by reading it together as a group. Invite kids to think of hand motions to use to help them remember it. For a larger group, consider forming smaller groups of kids to work together. Once kids have finished, they may present their hand motions to the class. SAY God is King over the world, and He is in charge. Saul did not obey God that is sin. God rejected Saul as king because of his sin. No earthly king is able to obey God perfectly. God had a plan to send His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life and die on the cross to take the punishment for our sin. Jesus rose from the dead three days later, and He is our King forever. Bible story review & Bible skills (10 minutes) Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35. Briefly retell the Bible story, or invite volunteers to read sections of the Bible story aloud. Before class, print and cut out the Consequence Strips. You may also make up your own consequences for the Leader s Choice strips. Place the consequences in a bowl or bag. Form two teams, making sure each has access to a Bible 34 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
to look up answers. Ask the players questions one at a time, alternating between teams. If a player gets the answer right, award her team a point. If she gets the answer wrong, she must draw a consequence strip from the bowl/bag and do as it says. If she will not do as it says, award the other team a point. Questions: 1. Where was Saul while he waited for Samuel? (Gilgal, 1 Sam. 13:7) 2. How long did Saul wait for Samuel? (seven days, 1 Sam. 13:8) 3. What would God have done had Saul waited for Samuel? (established Saul s kingdom forever, 1 Sam. 13:13) 4. Did Saul know that he disobeyed God? (No, Saul thought he had obeyed God s commandment; 1 Sam. 15:13,20) 5. What happened to Samuel s cloak? (Saul tore it when he tried to keep Samuel from leaving; 1 Sam. 15:27) SAY There were consequences when you got the question wrong and further consequences if you didn t obey the strip you picked. These consequences were silly and fun, but in life, the consequences of disobedience are often serious or dangerous. Saul faced the consequence of losing the kingdom because he did not obey God completely. The Bible teaches that the consequence of our sin is death and separation from God (see Rom. 3:23). Jesus died so that we could be with God forever. Trusting Jesus gives us eternal life! Our sin still has other consequences, but if we trust Jesus, we don t have to be afraid of being separated from God. Option: Retell or review the Bible story using the bolded text of the Bible story script. God the King 35
LOW PREP Follow Directions printable, 1 per kid pencils Silly Story printable, 1 per kid pencils Activity choice (10 minutes) OPTION 1: Follow the directions Before class, print out the Follow Directions printable. Give each kid a copy and ask kids to turn the pages facedown while you give instructions. SAY I have a list of instructions for you to follow. I want you to see how fast you can do this. Make sure you read the instructions very carefully! Watch to see if the children read and follow the last instruction. Quietly acknowledge those who do. Do not say anything to the others until they reach the last instruction. SAY Often we get carried away and don t follow the directions. Your first task was to read all the instructions before you began. Why is it sometimes difficult to follow directions? Who can help us obey? (Jesus, the Holy Spirit) OPTION 2: Silly stories Print a copy of the Silly Story printable for each kid. Invite kids to form groups of three or four and work together. After a few minutes, invite kids to read their version of the story to the other groups. SAY Great job! Your stories turned out pretty funny. When we do whatever we think is best, it can make a pretty big mess. In this activity, it was a silly mess, but in life it may not be. Sometimes, we are tempted to disobey God when His plan doesn t make sense to us. To many people, it didn t make sense for Jesus to die on the cross. But Jesus obeyed perfectly anyway. But, Jesus didn t stay dead! He rose again and made the way for us to be with God. We obey God because He loves us and wants what is best for us. 36 Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 10 Session 2
Journal and prayer (5 minutes) Distribute each child s journal and instruct the kids to write down or draw pictures of an area in their lives where they may be disobeying God. After kids write or draw, encourage them to pray and ask God to help them obey. SAY Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever, and He rules over the world. God wants us to obey Him because His ways are best for us. When we believe in Jesus, and understand how much He loves us, He changes our hearts so we want to obey Him. Make sure each child secures this week s sheet in the journal, and then collect them. Keep the journals in the classroom so they will be available every week or as often as you wish to use them. If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to complete the coloring page provided with this session. Pray, thanking God for sending His Son to rescue us from sin. pencils Journal Page Bible Story Coloring Page, 1 per kid crayons or markers Tip: Give parents this week s Big Picture Cards for Families to allow families to interact with the biblical content at home. God the King 37