1 Samuel 16.1-13; Jer. 33.14-16

David knew about trusting God’s promises! At an early age David was anointed as the king to succeed Saul’s throne. It took many years to see the fulfillment of that promise for him to rule Israel. When David was king, God made him another promise, that the seed of David would sit on his throne to rule over an eternal Kingdom. What does that mean? David wouldn’t ever live to see this fulfilled, but God’s promise has come true in Jesus!

Key Verse

“For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ”
– 2 Corinthians 1.20a (NLT)

Lesson

Explain to the kids that each week you’re looking at a story from the Old Testament* that points to Jesus. It’s often helpful to briefly review the previous week’s lesson.

Object Lesson (The way a tree grows)

Supplies: An acorn or some other tree seed, newspaper, tape, scissors.

Use the following video to learn how to make a tree grow from newspaper! Be prepared with your pre-rolled newspaper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cVMM_8__aA

Show the children the seed and ask them what’s inside. Express how wonderful it is that the seed has the potential to grow into a tree! You wouldn’t think that something that small could amount to much but if you give it enough time, the ‘promise’ in the seed comes true. Explain that God’s promises sometimes take time. Show the children the rolled up newspaper and speak about how it’s something that normally gets thrown in the recycle bin. As you cut it ask them if they think it can grow. Say that it doesn’t look like it because it’s just an old piece of junk newspaper. Surprise the kids by pulling the tree out of the newspaper like in the video. Explain that we can trust God’s promises, even in situations where things seem hopeless!

Bible Story

Props you may want to use: A jar of oil.

Ask the kids whether they do chores at home. Ask them what the worst chore is to do at home (probably taking out the garbage or cleaning the cat litter box). Explain that in the old days looking after the sheep was the worst job and it was often given to the youngest person in the family. Ask the children if any of them are the youngest in their family. A few hands might go up. You could say to them that they might have been looking after sheep if they were living back in the day!

Ask the kids where they would go looking if God told them to go find a new president for the country. They would go looking where all the ‘important’ people are wouldn’t they? Most people wouldn’t go looking for someone who’s working with garbage would they? Well, there was a prophet in the old testament and God sent him to go find a new king …

Use your Bible or a children’s Bible to tell the story from 1 Sam. 16.1-13.

Application

After David was anointed did he immediately go sit on his throne in Jerusalem? No, he went back to looking after the sheep. Did he trust God’s promises though? Yes, he did! One day David’s father Jesse called him and asked him to take food to his brothers because their was a big battle with the Philistines. When David saw the giant Goliath, was he afraid? No, because he trusted God’s promise for the nation of Israel. Even after David killed Goliath, it took a long time for him to become king, but he always trusted God’s promises!

Did you guys know that God made David a promise that’s also for all of you? Much later, when David was king, God made him another promise, that the seed of David would sit on his throne to rule over an eternal Kingdom. What does that mean? Jeremiah the prophet spoke about that promise:

Hold up the newspaper tree as you read Jeremiah 33.14-16

Jeremiah was talking about the Jesus who was to come. Did God fulfill his promise? Yes, he did! Jesus came and he now sits on his throne in heaven. Each of you have the opportunity to trust God’s promise. You might not think that you’re important, but God loves you and he sent his son Jesus because he wants us to walk in his promises!

Prayer: Thank God for sending his Son Jesus and making a way for us to be close to him. Thank him that we can always trust his promises. Pray for wisdom and courage for the children as they seek to follow God.

* Old Testament: The first part of the Bible that tells the story of God’s people and explains his promise.


Review Questions

  • What did God tell Samuel to do?
  • What does it mean to consecrate yourself? (To be clean and set apart for God)
  • Where was David when his brothers and dad were at the sacrifice?
  • Do you think God can see what’s in your heart?
  • How would you feel if God sent someone to anoint you?
  • What would you do?

Game

Hit the target

The goal of this game is to hit a target of Goliath with crumpled newspaper.

Supplies: Newspaper, Goliath head drawn on cardboard/paper plate.

How to Play: Have the kids crumple newspaper into a ball and then have each of them take turns to try hit the target with their crumpled up newspaper!

Play a second round where you put the trash can in the middle of the room and have everyone try to throw their ball in the trash/recycling.

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