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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

Scriptures quoted from the International Children’s Bible®, copyright ©1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.

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

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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

Scriptures quoted from the International Children’s Bible®, copyright ©1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.

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

Send us a text

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

Scriptures quoted from the International Children’s Bible®, copyright ©1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.

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