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We are taking a couple of weeks off to rest, relax and spend time with family. May God grant you a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.
David and Mary

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

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Elijah continued to be a prophet in Israel during the times of Kings Ahab, Ahaziah and Joram (7th, 8th, and 9th kings of Israel). Elisha became Elijah’s helper. When Elijah’s work as a prophet came to an end, a chariot and horses of fire appeared, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah’s special gifts were passed on to Elisha to continue the work of the prophets. Elijah was one of a handful of people in the bible that went straight to heaven without dying.

Bible verses used in this episode:

2 Kings 2:1-18

Outline:

1. Elijah’s farewell tour and departure (2 Kings 2:1-12)
2. Elisha takes up Elijah’s ministry (2 Kings 2:1-12)

Tips for teaching children:

• Take the children outside to look at clouds. Find clouds that like things in today’s lesson (horses, chariot, Elijah or Elisha, a coat). Use this opportunity to talk about heaven.
• Teach young children how to draw loops that increase in size to form a whirlwind.
• Use paints or markers to illustrate the story.

Tips for teaching adults:

• This story can be read during the class time.  This can be organized as a dramatic reading, assigning different characters in the story to different readers or one person could read the narrative part, another be the voice of Elijah, another Elisha, and another could be the group of prophets.
• Spend several minutes discussing aspects of this text.  You could help start conversation by choosing some of the following discussion prompts: 
  • Describe the relationship between Elijah and Elisha.  What can we learn from this relationship?  
  • Why do you think the fiery chariot and horses come between Elijah and Elisha just before Elijah was taken up in a storm?  
  • What does the coat of Elijah represent?  
  • When Elisha asks for a ‘double-portion’ of Elijah’s spirit, what is he really asking for?
  • What legacy of faith do you want to leave?  
  • What legacy of faith do you want to leave your children and others?
  • What can you do to pass your faith to others who come after you? What can you do now to make this happen?

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Elijah and the Whirlwind

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Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, led his people and wanted them to trust God. Everyone was very afraid when a huge army was about to attack Judah, so King Jehoshaphat called all of the people together to fast and pray. The Lord spoke through a prophet and told the people not to worry because this battle belonged to the Lord. Jehoshaphat sent the army into battle, but, different to other battles, he placed a group of men in front to praise the Lord in song. While the army of Judah was approaching the battlefield praising the Lord, the Lord set the enemy armies against each other. By the time Judah’s army arrived at the battle, it was already over. The enemy armies had killed each other!

Bible verses used in this episode:

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Outline:

1. King Jehoshaphat leads the people in prayer to God. (2 Chronicles 20:1-19)
2. God defeats the enemies and Jehoshaphat leads the people in praise of God. (2 Chronicles 20:20-30)

Tips for teaching children:

• Recreate the scene in verse 28 by making instruments and having a praise parade.
• Ask the children to share anything they might be afraid of. As a group, pray like Jehoshaphat and the people prayed in verse 18 by lying face down on the ground.
• Guide the children in making up a tune for the words of verse 21, “Thank the Lord. His love continues forever.”

Tips for teaching adults:

• Begin the class by singing, “The Battle Belongs to the Lord” and “Rescue Me.”
• This story can be read during the class time.  Use the outline in the show-notes to divide up the reading. 
• Here are some discussions questions related to verses 1-4: 
  • How did Jehoshaphat emotionally react to the news of a large army coming to attack?  
  • How did he respond to this news?  
  • What can we learn from him about when we feel overwhelmed by a problem?
• Here are some discussions questions related to verses 5-12: 
  • What do you notice about what Jehoshaphat prayed? 
  • How can rehearsing God’s character and past actions help us when we pray?
• Hand out pieces of paper to the class members and ask them to write down problems they are facing that feel overwhelming to them.  Collect these and designate someone in the class to read these out and then pray about them.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Jehoshaphat and the People Pray

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Elijah had been in hiding for the 3 years of the drought. The Lord now told him to reveal himself to King Ahab. Elijah bravely asked the king to gather all the people at Mount Carmel for a contest to see whose god was real.  Priests of the false gods, Baal and Asherah, also attended.  The priests prayed and chanted all day, but they could not get their “gods” to send fire down to burn the sacrifices on the altar they had built. Finally, Elijah had his altar doused in water and prayed to the Lord to send fire. Fire immediately consumed the sacrifice, the wood, stones, soil and even the water overflowing into the trenches around the altar. Everyone there now knew God was real. After this time, the rain came, and the long drought ended.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Kings 18

Outline:

1. Elijah summoned King Ahab, the prophets of Baal and the people to Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:1-20)
2. In a contest between prophets, the Lord proves he is the only true God (1 Kings 18:21-40)
3. Eolijah prays and God ends the 3 year drought. (1 Kings 18:41-46)

Tips for teaching children:

• Before telling the story, conduct a number of simple contests. These may include simple contests like  arm wrestling, who can stand on one foot for the longest time or who can refrain from smiling the longest as everyone else is being silly. This can lead into the story of the contest between God and Baal.
• Make a thaumatrope (simple animation) with alternating pictures of an altar and of fire. Online instructions such as these can be helpful. https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/thaumatrope/ 

Tips for teaching adults:

• Bring 12 large rocks into the classroom and ask three or four volunteers to build an altar while someone reads v.20-40.     
• Ask the following questions: What do you think is the main point of the story?  How would you respond to this story? Why would you respond this way?
• Bring a fire lighter. Hand out pieces of paper and ask the class members to write down their answer to the question: “What “Baals” compete for your devotion today?” Then ask them to take the lighter and light their paper.  Then throw it into a bowl of water to put out the fire.
• End class with prayer recommitting the class to serving God and God alone.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Elijah and the Contest at Mt. Carmel

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God sent the prophet Elijah to tell King Ahab (7th king of Israel) that a terrible drought would come upon Israel because of his disobedience. Ahab’s evil wife, Jezebel, was so angry that she started having prophets of the Lord hunted down and killed. The Lord sent Elijah into hiding by a brook of water. The Lord kept Elijah safe. Twice each day, the Lord had bread and meat delivered to Elijah by unusual means – ravens. When the brook dried up, the Lord sent Elijah to the home of a poor widow. When Elijah stayed at the widow’s home, she miraculously had enough flour and oil to make bread. She never ran out. When the widow’s son died, Elijah raised him from the dead. The Lord took care of Elijah.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Kings 17

Outline:

1. Elijah prophesied a drought and then went into hiding at God’s command. (1 Kings 17:1-6)
2. God provided for Elijah through a widow from Zarephath. (1 Kings 17:7-16)
3. Elijah raised the widow’s dead son. (1 Kings 17:17-24)

Tips for teaching children:

• For small children, hide a picture of Elijah and find him.
• Provide flour, oil and water and make bread together. 
• Guide older children in reflection using the “God’s Story” reflection page. 

Tips for teaching adults:

• Bring to class bread, oil and a burner and ask a couple of people to make flat bread in the classroom while you are having the class.  Or you can bring to class some bread to share that you have made out of flour and oil.  Recipe
• Ask the class to share any stories about drought that they might have experienced and how they and their community coped.  
• There are three sections in our story today.  Challenge the class to think of at least one way we can respond to each section in the story.  Here are some ideas you can give the class to get them thinking: What are the issues of trust in the story? What can we learn about God’s provision and God’s power?
• Here are some further questions to ask: How does Elijah reveal his trust in God?  How does the widow?  How does God demonstrate his power over the weather?  What does this say about the god, Baal, and his power?
• End the class with a prayer thanking God for his provision and empowering the class members to deepen their trust in God, especially when things look bleak.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  God Takes Care of Elijah

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Rehoboam was officially appointed the new king when his father, Solomon, died. When Rehoboam became king, Jeroboam gathered the people together and asked Rehoboam to be easier on the people and not make them work as hard as Solomon had done. The court elders advised Rehoboam that the people would love and follow him if he did this. Rehoboam ignored this good advice and listened to his young friends’ bad advice instead. They told him to make the people work harder and to treat them more like slaves. Because of this, the people rebelled, and the kingdom was divided into two parts. Rehoboam was king of the smaller part- called Judah. Jeroboam became king of the larger part- called Israel.

Bible verses used in this episode:

• 1 Kings 11:26-43
• 1 Kings 11:41-12:24

Outline:

1. Jeroboam, man of the people (1 Kings 11:20-40)
2. Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, is an unwise king (1 Kings 11:41-12:15)
3. God’s nation divides (1 Kings 12:16-19)
4. Israel chooses Jeroboam as their leader (1 Kings 12:20-24)

Tips for teaching children:

• Use a pizza as a way to tell the story. Spread tomato sauce and cheese on the pizza as you talk about Saul, David and Solomon. Cut the pizza into 12 pieces (12 tribes) but keep the pizza together.
  Then, show a jar of hot peppers. Describe Rehoboam’s cruel treatment of the people. The people rejected Rehoboam. Then divide the pizza into two parts (2 kingdoms). One part should have 2 parts to represent 2 kingdoms. One part should have 10 pieces to represent Israel.

Tips for teaching adults:

• This story can be read in class.  Use the outline provided in the show-notes for how to divide the reading up.
• There are several questions that this text can generate.  Here are a few to think about and possibly use in the classroom.  What principles of leadership can we learn from this story?  In what ways does Rehoboam reveal his pride?  What are the consequences of pride and poor leadership?  What can leaders of God’s people today learn from this story about keeping God’s people united?
• In a more general way, encourage the class to brainstorm important 10 pieces of wisdom you believe the young people of your congregation should hear and follow?  Follow up by brainstorming ways you can share your wisdom with the youth in a healthy way.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  God’s Nation Divides

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

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Solomon built a fantastic temple for the Lord. This temple replaced the Tabernacle tent that had been used since Moses’ time. After the temple was completed, the Lord reminded Solomon that this huge, beautiful temple would mean nothing if the people ever turned away from Him.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Kings 6:1-9:9

Outline:

1. Construction of the Temple and palace (1 Kings chapters 6-7)
2. Dedication of the Temple (1 Kings chapter 8)
3. God speaks to Solomon (1 Kings 9:1-9)

Tips for teaching children:

• If teaching small children provide blocks so that they can build their own version of the temple.
• Guide the children in finding Egypt and Jerusalem on a map. Talk about how God led them out of Egypt and slavery. Then, talk about the lavish temple in Jerusalem.
•  God was not limited to living in the temple only. Older children can discuss I Corinthians 3:16 and talk about how our bodies are a temple for God to live in.
• Older children can discuss the temple versus the palace. Solomon’s palace was twice as big as the temple. Why do you think he had the temple build first?

Tips for teaching adults:

• Below are three links to animations to Solomon’s Temple.
  • Solomon’s Temple (this one is a cut-away drawing of the Temple. This would be good to use as a PowerPoint slide while you are studying these chapters in class as a visual. 
  • An animation description of the Solomon’s Temple:  (5 minutes) 
  • An animation description with commentary and interpretation of Solomon’s Temple (10 minutes)  
• God is not contained in a building even though he may be in the building 1 Kings 8:27).  Ask participants to write down two places where they especially feel the presence of God and worship him more freely or genuinely.  
• At the end pray to God summarizing the words of Solomon.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Solomon Builds the Temple

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

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After David’s death, his son, Solomon, became king. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask for anything he wanted. Solomon did not ask for selfish things; instead, he asked for wisdom to be a good king for the people. God granted Solomon his request. He judged many cases, such as the time two women claimed that they were the mother of a baby. Solomon said he would cut the baby in two so each woman would have an equal share. To save the baby, the real mother said that the other woman could have the baby. By this, Solomon knew who the real mother was. These types of judgment and Solomon’s great Proverbs made him famous for his wisdom.

Bible verses used in this episode:

• 1 Kings 3:3-28
• 1 Kings 4:29-34
• James 1:5 

Outline:

1. God gives King Solomon wisdom to rule. (1 Kings 3:3-15)
2. Solomon applies wisdom to a dispute between two mothers. (1 King 3:16-28)

Tips for teaching children:

• Define wisdom as “applying knowledge in practical ways in various situations.”
• Read 1 Kings 4:29-34 to the children. Ask the children what kinds of things they think Solomon knew about animals and plants.
• Print the words of James 1:5 on a paper and provide children with paint, markers, glitter or other items so they can decorate a border around the verse.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Begin by asking the class members to share what they believe was some of the best wisdom their parents passed on to them?  Follow up by asking what they believe has been the best wisdom they have given to their children?
• Read the story from 1 Kings.3:3-15.  Choose two-three readers to divide up the reading.
• To encourage participants to engage the Scripture, ask the following questions: 
  • What experiences might Solomon have had growing up that would motivate him to ask God for wisdom in ruling God’s people?
  • What qualities or character traits do you see the young Solomon has from this story?  
  • What piece of wisdom would you give Solomon in order for him to grow in these qualities & character traits?
• Read James 1:5 and 3:13-18.  Draw two columns on a white board.  Write “earthly wisdom” as head of one column and “heavenly wisdom” as head of another column.  List the traits of each in their respective columns.  Participants can discuss ways we can encourage each other to act in ways that are wise.
• End the class time by praying for wisdom, particularly the things mentioned in James 3:17-18.
  
  
  
  

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Wise King Solomon

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Although David was a good king, there was a time when he did not choose to follow the Lord. Once, when he looked across from the roof of his palace, he saw a beautiful woman, Bathsheba, bathing. This led David to commit adultery with Bathsheba. When Bathsheba became pregnant, David arranged to have her husband murdered so that he could marry her. The prophet Nathan confronted David with his sin. David’s heart was such that he repented of his sin and asked the Lord to forgive him. 

Bible verses used in this episode:

2 Samuel 11:1-12:25

Outline:

1. David gets Uriah’s wife pregnant. (2 Samuel 11:1-5)
2. David arranges a coverup and has Uriah killed before marrying Bathsheba. (2 Samuel 11:6-27)
3. The prophet, Nathan, confronts David and the child dies. (2 Samuel 12:1-23)
4. Solomon is born. (2 Samuel 12:24)

Tips for teaching children:

• Show wedding photos and talk about promises husbands and wives make to one another. 
• Talk about the importance of confessing sin. Provide a shallow dish of sand. You or any of the children can use your finger to write a sin in the sand. Pray and ask God’s forgiveness. After the prayer, wipe away the word (the sin) you wrote in the sand. This represents God’s forgiveness.

Tips for teaching adults:

• The story is likely too long to read in its entirety during the class time so it can be summarized.  Be prepared to read certain parts when summarizing such as the story of the one little female lamb.
• David saw and took what didn’t belong to him.  This set him into a downward spiral leading him to commit adultery and murder.  But these are only symptoms of something deeper in David.  
  • What, do you think, is behind David’s actions?  
  • Where did David go wrong?  
  • Why would he send for Bathsheba knowing that she is a married woman and married to one of his most trusted and capable soldiers?  
  • Besides the obvious sins of adultery and murder (two of the ten commandments), what other sins was David guilty of?
• Challenge the class in their interactions with people to ask themselves the question, “am I treating this person as one made in God’s image or am I using them for my purposes?”
• There is forgiveness in this story, too.  Have everyone pray to God and confess their sin. Following this have someone pray on behalf of the people in the class using the words of Psalm 51:1-12 (but change singular to plural).  After the prayer ask someone to read Psalm 32:1-5.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  David’s Sin with Bathsheba

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King David remembered his good friend Jonathan. He found out that before Jonathan died, he had had a son named Mephibosheth. David had Mephibosheth brought before him. He gave Mephibosheth all of the land that had belonged to Saul. He also gave him servants and told him he would always care for him. He treated him like a son. David did not wait until Mephibosheth asked for help. He gave kindness freely.

Bible verses used in this episode:
2 Samuel 9

Outline:

1. King David seeks out Jonathan’s descendants. (2 Samuel 9:1-4)
2. King David blesses Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son. (2 Samuel 9:5-13)

Tips for teaching children:

• Learn to say and spell M-E-P-H-I-B-O-S-H-E-T-H
• Discuss “kindness” and plan something kind the group can do. 
• Make coupons or gift vouchers to give parents or others. An example coupon for a mother might contain the words, “This coupon can be used for washing the dishes. I will smile and wash the dishes for free today.”

Tips for teaching adults:

• Have someone read the story aloud. Ask the group to reflect on the following questions:
  • Why would David want to show kindness to the house of Saul? 
  • And what does David get out of this?
• This is a story about David's kindness, a kindness motivated by his promise and loyalty to Jonathan.  David’s act of kindness was not expected. Challenge the class to plan an act of kindness to someone in their congregation or family that is not expecting it.  It could be a nice gift, an invite to a meal, cleaning a house.
• Challenge the class to plan how to create space for others not normally in your circle of friendship — invite someone who’s “outside your circle” to eat with you or go visit someone who you would not normally visit.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:
Bible Lesson:  David Helps Mephibosheth

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After Saul and Jonathan died in battle, David became the king of Israel. The people loved David. He made Jerusalem the capital and the main place of worship for Israel. He made two attempts to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. On the first attempt, he did not follow all of God’s instructions, but the people were still celebrating, and David was very popular. When a man named Uzzah touched the ark, he immediately died. On the second attempt, David followed God’s instructions and the ark was safely moved to Jerusalem. David learned that being popular does not mean that one can forget the Lord.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 31:1-6; 2 Samuel 5:1-5; 6:1-19

Outline:

1. The Death of King Saul (1 Samuel 31:1-6)
2. David is recognised at the king of all Israel. (2 Samuel 5:1-5)
3. God’s presence is established in the new capital, Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 6:1-19)

Tips for teaching children:

• Show illustrations of the ark of the covenant. There is a good one in the tabernacle set at www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/moses-tabernacle/ 
• Find Jerusalem on a map.
• Make a paper crown and decorate it.

Tips for teaching adults:

• I would suggest summarizing 1 Samuel 31 – Saul’s death and 2 Samuel 5 – David becoming king but read 2 Samuel 6:1-19.  Choose some readers to read the different sections.
• Discuss and list some ways that our worship can demonstrate that we regard God as holy and worthy of all our honour and respect.  Think in terms of the kind of language we should use in worship and what actions we should do or not do.  In other words, how would you put together a worship that demonstrated to everyone present that God is a holy God?
• God was offended by Uzzah’s action.  David was offended by God’s action.  Which offends you more: God’s action or Uzzah’s action?  Why?
• What is one thing you can do to show that you believe that God is a holy God and should be given the kind of respect he deserves?

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  David Becomes King

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Saul continued to be jealous of David. He hunted him and tried to kill him. David had raised his own armies and could have fought Saul, but he did not. He respected Saul as king. David trusted the Lord to know when it was time for him to become king. Once, David came to Saul’s camp and found Saul sleeping. He quietly took Saul’s spear and water jug to prove to Saul how close he had been. After walking a long distance away, David called to Saul and told him that he could have killed him but chose to show mercy. Mercy means to show kindness even though we have the power or opportunity to hurt someone.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 26

Outline:

1. David quietly takes a spear and water jug from a sleeping King Saul. (1 Samuel 26:1-12)
2. Paul offers momentary peace to David. (1 Samuel 26:13-25)

Tips for teaching children:

• Talk about mercy and what it means. Mercy is compassion or forgiveness that is shown towards someone when we have the power to punish or harm them.
• Play a game where King Saul must identify David from the rest of the group. 
  • One child should lie on the floor and pretend to sleep like King Saul did. The child should wear a blindfold. Place a couple of objects near him to represent a spear and water jug.
  • The rest of the children should group behind the sleeping King Saul. 
  • Once Saul is “sleeping” the group chooses one child to quietly slip up to Saul. The child should remove the items and bring them back to the group.
  • The child playing David should say “Mercy” to signal King Saul to wake up and identify which child was David.
• Print the word MERCY in the middle of a large paper and then allow the children to decorate it with markers, crayons, glitter or other items.

Tips for teaching adults:

• This story is brief enough to read it during the class so I suggest that you have this text read.
• Ask the class to look over the story and to think about David’s words and actions.  What were some right things that David does and says in this story?  What can we learn about David?
• Challenge the class with the following: Live in such a way that your conscience is clear—even if others misunderstand you. At the end of each day ask, “If God looked at my actions today, would I be guiltless?” Pray according to how you answer.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  David Shows Mercy to Saul   

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David moved to Saul’s house. Saul often asked him to play the harp for him when he was upset. Saul became jealous when the people began to prefer David over him. In his jealousy, he threw a spear at David and tried to kill him. Saul’s son, Jonathan, was David’s friend, and he helped David escape from Saul.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 18:1-11 and chapter 20

Outline:

1. David and Jonathan become firm friends. (1 Samuel 18:1-4)
2. King Saul becomes jealous of David’s growing popularity. (1 Samuel 18:5-11)
3. Jonathan recognises Saul’s threats and helps David escape. (1 Samuel 20)

Tips for teaching children:

• Talk about jealousy and how it is seen in a child’s life.
• Make friendship bracelets.
• Paint friendship paintings. Two children work together on the same picture.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Begin the class time by asking the class members to think of their two or three closest friends and follow up with the question, “What makes them your closest friends?  What qualities make them your friend?”  Get someone to write these qualities or character traits on a white board.
• Have the text of 1 Samuel 18:1-11 read and then talk about the friendship of David and Jonathan.  Although the Bible never spells out why they were such good friends, use your imagination, and discuss what qualities might they have that made them good friends and focus on Jonathan’s character.
• Summarise 1 Samuel 20 and follow up with these questions: 1) What did Jonathan sacrifice for his friendship with David?  How does Jonathan model the character of God?
• Go back to the white board and ask everyone to choose one of these characteristics of being a friend that they lack and then pray about that silently for a minute or so. 
• Close the session with a prayer focusing on asking God to help us be true friends to one another.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Jonathan Helps David Escape

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David’s older brothers went to fight battles with King Saul while David stayed home and cared for his father’s sheep. When David was sent to take food to his brothers, he was appalled to find that the whole army was afraid of the Philistines. Every day, a huge soldier, Goliath, came forward and mocked the Lord and his army. David trusted in the Lord’s strength and knew that the Lord would help him defeat Goliath. David used his sling and killed Goliath with a stone between his eyes.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 17

Outline:

1. David hears Goliath’s bold challenge. (1 Samuel 17:1-30)
2. David kills Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31-58)

Tips for teaching children:

• If your space is tall enough, measure the height of Goliath and place a sign or tape on the wall at that height. 9 feet and 4 inches or 284.48 centimetres.
• Supply the children with 5 smooth stones each. Using Sharpie markers or paint, invite the children to write 5 words of their choice that describe their faith commitment. Example: “Mary will trust God always.”
• David had perfect aim. The children can throw tennis balls at a stack of overturned cups to practice their aim.
• Show pictures of a sling.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Begin the class by singing “The Battle Belongs to the Lord.”
• Ask the class to have their Bibles open at 1 Samuel 17 and then discuss the following  questions from the text: 
  • What qualities and characteristics of David does the story bring out? 
  • How has David’s role as shepherd prepared him for his battle with the giant?  
  • What does this tell us about our past victories and our present “giants” we may be facing? 
  • What great acts of faith have you done or that you have seen in others?
• Have each class member to write down two or three times when God has helped them in the past to have a victory over a challenge they were facing. Follow up with asking each class member to pray silently to God thanking them for this victory. 

Full teaching instructions, free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  David and Goliath

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God told Samuel that he had chosen a new king for Israel, and the new king was to be one of Jesse’s seven sons. When Samuel saw the sons, he assumed the Lord would choose Jesse’s oldest son. Instead, to everyone’s surprise, the Lord chose the youngest son, David. Samuel anointed David as the new king, but it would be many years before the time was right for David to take Saul’s place. The Lord chose David even though he did not look as big and handsome as his older brothers. The Lord does not judge by outward appearance but by the heart.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Outline:

1. God sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, (1 Samuel 16:1-5)
2. Samuel anoints David. (1 Samuel 16:6-13)

Tips for teaching children:

•  Before the session, ice and decorate plain cookies but add salt to a few of them. Show the iced ookies to the children and ask them to judge which would taste the best (without tasting). Finally, allow the children to taste the cookies and talk about how what looks good on the outside does not show what the inside is really like .
• Make a craft involving hearts.
• Anoint each of the children to show them what it was like for David. Use water as it is less messy than oil.
• Talk to the children about what is in their hearts.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Read the text or choose another person to read this story.  Follow up the reading with the question:  What does it mean that God was looking for a man after God’s own heart? What kind of heart would this be?
• Use the rest of class time to set up a date and time for your class to go “people watching.”   The idea is to watch people and try to see them with the eyes of God, seeing them as God sees them. 
  • Meet at a public space where there are people who are out and about.  This could be a mall, the downtown area or any place where there are people walking about.  Pair up and spread out. Each pair should find a spot to sit and watch people walk by.  As you watch people walk by, think about what God may see in these people.  Ask yourself the questions: “What does God see?” “What is their heart like?” “What is their story?”  “What would God want to say to them?”  
  • Do this for about ½ hour or so and then gather for a coffee and sit and reflect on this experience.  Here are some further questions to ask: “What was this experience like?” Did you see people in a different way?  How so?  Was there anyone you saw that stood out to you? Why? What would you say to them?  How would we interact with others if we saw them as God sees them?

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Samuel Anoints David 

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The Lord gave King Saul specific instructions on how to handle a battle with the enemy, the Amalekites. King Saul disobeyed the Lord in front of all of the people, and then he refused to admit his own sin. When Samuel confronted him, Saul made excuses and even blamed others. Although Saul would remain in place as king for many years, it was at this time that the Lord rejected him as King.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 13:5-14; 15:1-35

Outline:

1. Saul’s impatience costs him the crown. (1 Samuel 13:5-14)
2. Saul disobeys God’s plan for battle. (1 Samuel 15:1-9)
3. Saul makes excuses and Samuel delivers God’s judgment. (1 Samuel 15:10-35)

Tips for teaching children:

• Discuss taking responsibility when we have done something wrong. 
• Discuss God’s forgiveness when we repent. As a prayer exercise, provide small pieces of paper and pens. Children write their sins on the paper and then pray to ask God’s forgiveness. After the prayer, crumple up the paper and throw it in a rubbish bin. Plan for a quiet and thoughtful time for this, so the children do not rush through it. One way to do this is to turn the lights low and light candles.

Tips for teaching adults:

• The big takeaway from this story is the words Samuel spoke to Saul, “to obey is better than sacrifice.”  Here are some questions to ask the class members.  Remember to give them time to think and to formulate a response:  
  • What does Samuel mean by this?  
  • Does this mean that ritual in worship is not important? Why or why not? 
  • How does this apply to our context today?  How can we be guilty of sacrifice without obedience?
• Pass out paper and have each person in class write down an area of their life in which they struggle to obey God fully.  After a period of time, ask each class member to pray about what they’ve written, asking God to give them strength and courage to obey and not to offer excuses.  Ask God for the strength to trust him more, even when it is difficult. 

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  King Saul Disobeys God

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Although God warned Israel of the many problems associated with having a king, the people still demanded one. They wanted to be like the nations. Though reluctant, a handsome young man named Saul was anointed as Israel’s first King. The people quickly found out that having a king was not as good as they thought it would be.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 8-10

Outline:

1. Israel demands a king. (1 Samuel 8:1-22)
2. Samuel and Saul meet, and Samuel anoints Saul as king. (1 Samuel 9:1-10:8)
3. Saul is announced as King. (1 Samuel 10:9-27)

Tips for teaching children:

• Use water in a small pitcher to “anoint” kings in the class.
• Discuss the negative aspects of wanting to do things just because others are doing them.
• Younger children can “find the donkey” like Saul did. Use a toy donkey or pictures of a donkey.
• Make a crown.

Tips for teaching adults:

•  Ask the class if they would be willing to share decisions they have made (big or little) and an unintended consequence of their decision, whether good or bad.  What did they learn from their decision?
• This is a longer story, so you, the teacher, will need to summarise it for the class.  Alternatively, you can ask the class to read the story before class, so everyone will be familiar with it when they come to class.
• How do you make decisions?  When do you bring God into the picture in making decisions?  How can you make decisions that honour God and are within his will?
• When Saul met Samuel, he didn’t know that God was orchestrating this meeting.  Think about a time in your life where you believe you experienced a God moment, a meeting with someone or an event that you think was a God-orchestrated meeting or event.  Share this with the class.  Why do you believe this?  How did it affect or change you or others?
• When Saul was announced as the king, he was hiding.  Are you hiding from a ministry God is calling you to?  Ask the class to share something they think God is calling them to, but they are ‘hiding’ from?  How can the class encourage them to come out of hiding?

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Saul Becomes Israel’s First King

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While young Samuel was sleeping, the Lord called his name. Not recognising the voice, Samuel ran to the elderly Eli, mistakenly thinking it was him. When the voice continued to call Samuel, Eli told him to listen carefully. The voice must be the voice of the Lord. The Lord spoke to Samuel and told him that Eli’s sons would not be the new priests of Israel. Samuel would be. Samuel served the Lord as long as he lived as a Priest, Judge, and Prophet.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 3

Outline:

1. God calls young Samuel, but Samuel does not recognise God’s voice. (1 Samuel 3:1-9)
2. God speaks to Samuel and shares bad news about Eli’s family. (1 Samuel 3:10-18)
3. Samuel grows and establishes a solid reputation as a prophet. (1 Samuel 3:19-21)

Tips for teaching children:

• Invite the children to come to class in their pyjamas. Enjoy acting like Samel sleeping and hearing God calling his name.
• Play a game where one child sits in the middle of the room, blindfolded. The other children move around the room and take turns calling out “Samuel, Samuel.” If the blindfolded child recognises the voice of the caller, then they trade places.
• Talk about hearing God’s voice through reading the Bible.

Tips for teaching adults:

• This chapter is short enough to read in a class setting.  I suggest using the outline provided in the show notes above.  Alternatively, you can arrange for the class to listen to the story in audiobook format. Chances are, someone in the class will have an audiobook app on their phone.
• Instruct the class to be completely quiet and still, and to listen in complete silence.  Do this for 1 minute.   What did they hear?  What did they notice?
• Encourage the class to get into the habit of really listening to God’s voice when they read the Scripture.  Find a quiet space and a quiet time.  Read the Scripture slowly and mindfully, concentrating on the words of the text – not just the words themselves but also the emotional content of the text, the way the text moves forward.  Encourage the class to be intentional when reading the word of God.  And begin your Scripture reading by saying, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.”  The following week, ask the class if this made a difference in their reading and understanding God’s word.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: The Lord Speaks to Samuel

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

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Hannah did not forget the promise that she had made to the Lord. After her son, Samuel, was weaned, she took him to the Tabernacle and presented him to Eli, the High Priest. Samuel’s parents returned home, but Samuel remained with Eli to be a helper. Samuel would have cleaned and run errands and lots of other jobs to help the priests. Hannah made a new robe for Samuel every year and brought it to him when she and Elkanah visited the Tabernacle.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 1:21-2:26

Outline:

1. Hannah gives her son, Samuel, to God. (1 Samuel 1:21-28)
2. Hannah gives thanks. (1 Samuel 2:1-10)
3. Young Samuel’s purity in contrast to Eli’s evil sons. (1 Samuel 2:11-26)

Tips for teaching children:

• Children can design a coat. Alternatively, outline a coat and provide materials for the children to decorate it. Talk about Hannah giving Samuel a new coat every year.
• Collect stories of children doing heroic things and share the stories with the children in your class.
• Invite the children to reflect on how it would be in the tabernacle and what they might see or hear.
• Young children can clean or straighten up the classroom to relate to Samuel helping in the tabernacle.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Ask the class to think of an answered prayer and then write down a short prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God.  Ask those who are willing to read these prayers to the class. 
• As a class, do something special for the children in your congregation.  Depending on the size of the church or your resources, do something that will encourage your children, do something that communicates your love and God’s love and that communicates how special they are.
• Pray for the children of your congregation by name – pray that they will grow up serving God and pray that you will do what you can to help them grow up to serve God.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Samuel- Helper in the Tabernacle

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Elkanah had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah taunted Hannah because Hannah had no children. Hannah prayed and wept near the entrance when she accompanied Elkanah to the Tabernacle. In her prayer, she promised the Lord that if He gave her a son, she would give that son to Him all the days of her life. Hannah’s prayer was so intense that the High Priest, Eli, saw her and thought she was drunk. Hannah’s prayer was answered, and she gave birth to a son. His name was Samuel.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Outline:

1. Hannah is childless (1 Samuel 1:1-8)
2. Hannah’s prayer and vow (1 Samuel 1:9-18)
3. Samuel is born (1 Samuel 1:19-20)

Tips for teaching children:

• Explain how to pray and try a few different prayer methods. Click here for suggestions.
• Invite a woman to class to dress as Hannah and tell the story from her point of view.

Tips for teaching adults:

• After you read the story, ask if anyone has felt like they have been in Hannah’s place before. Perhaps they have been in a situation where others have prospered and they have not. Perhaps they have been overlooked and have seen others receive blessings. Invite them to share with the group.  
• Hand out blank index cards.  Ask the class to write down a longing they have, a longing they want God to fill.   Give time for people to write something down.  Ask the class to silently pray to God about this longing. At the end of the session, challenge them to pray about this during the week.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: God Answers Hannah’s Prayer

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

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Boaz was the owner of the field where Ruth gathered grain. He was also a relative of Naomi’s late husband. When Boaz took notice of Ruth and treated her with kindness, Naomi knew that he would be a good husband to Ruth. She instructed Ruth to follow the wise custom of lying at the foot of Boaz’s bed to show that she wished to marry him. Boaz also followed tradition by gaining the permission of another relative of Naomi’s who had the right to marry Ruth. Boaz and Ruth married, and when they had a son, Naomi took care of him like her own grandchild.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Ruth 2-4

Outline:

1. Ruth meets Boaz. (Ruth chapter 2)
2. Naomi’s plan for Ruth. (Ruth chapter 3)
3. Boaz marries Ruth. (Ruth chapter 4)

Tips for teaching children:

• Provide materials so that children can draw a picture of their family. Teachers should remember that this is the child’s perspective. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and children have no control over the situations. In all cases, affirm the child and remind them that God loves them and the people in their family.
• Lead the children in reflection and  “wondering questions.” The children may also have their own questions.
  • I wonder why Naomi thought that Boaz would be a good husband for Ruth?
  • I wonder how Naomi helped Ruth take care of her baby?
  • What would happen if someone new joined my family?

Tips for teaching adults:

• Come prepared to give examples of disasters that resulted from people trying to cut costs or take shortcuts. For example, the ship Titanic sank on 14 April 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Over 1,500 people. Lifeboats were cut from 64 to 20—the legal minimum—to maintain the ship's aesthetics and maximise deck space
• Ask the class when they did the right thing even though it was difficult or came at a cost.
• Read Ruth chapters 2-4 and ask the class to describe Boaz’s character. They should pay attention to what is said about him, what he says, and what he does.
• Pray that God may help you be loyal, faithful and have a heart to do the right thing.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Ruth and Boaz

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Naomi’s husband and two sons died while they were all living in the foreign country of Moab. She told her two daughters-in-law to go back to their own parents. Naomi wanted to return to her relatives in her original homeland of Judah. One daughter-in-law did what Naomi said, but the other (Ruth) travelled with Naomi to take care of her. Ruth worked hard in the fields to support Naomi.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Ruth 1:1-2:13

Outline:

1. Naomi returns to Bethlehem after living ten years in Moab. Her husband and sons have died, but she is accompanied by her daughter-in-law, Ruth. (Ruth 1:1-22)
2. Ruth works hard in the fields and earns the respect and protection of the owner. (Ruth 2:1-13)

Tips for teaching children:

• Many children come from non-traditional families, so use this opportunity to talk about how God understands and loves people no matter what their family situation is. Naomi and Ruth had suffered many losses and did not have support around them. Even so, they loved each other and helped each other.
• If possible, bring barley or a barley product to class for the children to experience. Malt is made from barley, so children could eat malt-flavoured candy.

Tips for teaching adults:

• I suggest using the outline above to divide up the reading.  Alternatively, you can assign readers to read the following sections aloud: 
  • Ruth 1:1-5
  • Ruth 1:6-18
  • Ruth 1:19-22
  • Ruth 2:1-7
  • Ruth 2:8-13
• Focus on Ruth’s character.  Invite class members to call out the aspects of Ruth’s character that emerge from the story. Choose someone to write these on the whiteboard or chalkboard, as they are called out.  Encourage the class members to focus on her actions, words and description.
• Follow up by writing on the white/chalkboard names of people in the class (or people they know) that have this character. For example, “loyalty” is one aspect of Ruth’s character. Ask the class, “Who do you know that is a loyal person or who demonstrates the character trait of loyalty. 
• Pray and thank God for these people, who possess these godly character traits.
• Another thing we see from the story is how Boaz began caring for Naomi & Ruth, two people who were vulnerable.  Commit as a class to encourage someone the class knows who is vulnerable, such as an older person in a care facility or a widow living alone.  Some ideas might be:
  • Visit them regularly.
  • Pray with and for them.
  • Remember them with a gift on their birthday and holidays.
  • Collect money to pay for a bill.

Free teaching instructions are available from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Ruth and Naomi

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

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Many Philistines gathered in a temple to celebrate and worship their God. They brought Samson out of prison, put him in front of everyone, and made fun of him. He asked a servant to lead him to a place between two pillars. By this time, Samson’s hair had grown long again. Samson used to be proud and thought he was strong by his own strength. Now he knew he had only ever had strength because God gave it to him. So, Samson asked God for strength to do one more thing. Samson pushed the pillars apart, and the whole temple collapsed, killing the Philistines and Samson.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Judges 16:21-31

Outline:

1. Over 3,000 Philistines gather in a temple to praise their god, Dagon, and force the blinded Samson to perform for them. (Judges 16:21-27)
2. Samson prays to God for strength to crash the temple down on the Philistines and himself. (Judges 16:28-31)

Tips for teaching children:

• To begin the class, let children take turns wearing a blindfold and finding their way through a simple obstacle course of chairs.
• Build a temple out of building blocks and knock it down.
• Guide the children in drawing pictures as you tell the story. Instructions for Draw and Tell here.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Bring one or two Jenga Blocks sets to the class.  Divide the class into four groups and play one or two games of Jenga.  How far did the winning team get before the tower fell? Applaud the winner or winning team.
• Take the Jenga Blocks and construct a ‘temple.’  Choose someone to play Samson.  Read the story choosing three readers: a narrator, the crowd, and a Samson.  And when verse 30 is being read, have the person playing Samson to collapse the temple.  This will make the reading more dramatic and memorable.
• Samson prayed, “Lord remember me” and make me strong one more time.”  Pass around some note cards and ask the class to write down what they hope their final act in life will say about their faith.  Collect these and read them to the class.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: The Death of Samson

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Although the Lord chose Samson, Samson did not always choose God! He fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah, who did not believe in God. The Philistine rulers paid Delilah to find the secret of Samson’s strength. Delilah begged Samson to tell her his secret and finally revealed that his strength was in his long hair. Delilah told the Philistine leaders, and they cut Samson’s hair, made him blind, and put him in prison to do hard work.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Judges 16:4-22

Outline:

1. Samson succumbs to Delilah’s begging and reveals the source of his strength. (Judges 16:4-17)
2. Delilah turns Samson over to the Philistines for silver and they capture him. (Judges 16:18-22)

 Tips for teaching children:

• Use a balloon to illustrate the concept of peer pressure. Blow up the balloon, but do not tie it. Explain that this balloon is like us. We might be able to say no the first time someone pressures us, but when they pressure us repeatedly, we can’t take the pressure and give in. Example: One of your friends says a swear word (blow up the balloon a little more), then another friend swears when they lose at sport (blow it up some more), then your friends begin to swear at the park (blow it up some more). When the balloon finally bursts, explain that we can take the pressure for a while, but if we keep hanging around friends who swear, then we finally can’t stand the pressure, and we swear. 
• Research online to find images of individuals with exceptionally long hair. Show them to the children.
• Invite a volunteer to have their hair cut during class.
• Roll a ball of play dough and add features to form a head. Children can roll strands of play-dough “hair strands”. They can cut it and then repeat.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Have the class read the story.  You could choose four readers: one reader as narrator, one as Delilah, one as the Philistines and the fourth as Samson.
• Ask the men in the class if they have photos of themselves with long hair.  Why did you have long hair?  When did you cut it?  Why?
• Not everyone in your life has your best interests at heart.  Draw on a whiteboard/chalkboard two columns: the first column is “characteristics of a healthy relationship and 2nd column is “characteristics of unhealthy or toxic relationships.  Let the class come up with characteristics for both columns, and then discuss what makes these characteristics good or bad for relationships.
• Pray that each class member will develop characteristics that lead to healthy relationships.

Full teaching instructions are free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Samson and Delilah

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

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The Israelites drifted away from the Lord again, and the Philistines began to harass and hurt them. The Lord blessed a childless couple with the birth of a son named Samson. The Lord told Samson’s parents that Samson was to live by a vow (promise) never to cut his hair or drink any alcohol. He would be a Judge of Israel and have special strength from God. Samson kept the vow, and as he grew up, his strength became well-known throughout the land.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Judges 13-15

Outline:

1.           The birth of Samson (Judges 13:1-24)

2.           Samson marries a Philistine woman (Judges 14:1-20)

3.           Samson begins fighting the Philistines (Judges 15:1-20)

Tips for teaching children:

• Since the story is about a strong Samson, at the beginning of class, have the children do some arm wrestling.  Pair them up evenly according to their relative strength.  
• Another thing to do at the beginning of class is to let the children eat a spoonful of honey and tell them that in the story today, there will be some honey. 
• For a review activity, you can hand out paper and ask the children to draw and colour one of the scenes from the story.  When they are finished, have the other children guess which part of the story this is.  Additionally, you could have them retell that part of the story.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Divide the class up into three groups.  Tell each group to read Judges 13-15.  Give them a set of questions to answer after they read the text.  You can find a set of review questions on the Missions Bible Class website.  Here’s the link: https://missionbibleclass.org/old-testament/part2/judges-and-ruth/birth-of-samson/  Give each group about 20 minutes to read the text and answer the questions.
• After this bring the groups together asking for answers to each question.  As a teacher, you can decide how each group is to give their answers to the questions.
• To conclude, lead a discussion on what they learned about God in these chapters and what they learned about Samson.  Help the group consider the following:
  • Do you ever struggle with some of the things Samson struggled with? 
  • How have you handled these struggles?  
  • Give people time to formulate their answers.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  The Birth of Samson

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org