King David – A Heart Like His.

Teachers: Your job during the next four days is to expose your campers to the life of David and to the Bigness of his God!

The title of this series is W.O.W. or Wonder Of Wonders, speak-

ing of the wonders of our great and mighty God. Our God is the “Wonder of Wonders” After each lesson there will be pictures and other pages you can use to help teach the lesson for that day. Please feel free to make as many copies as you need for your class. Part #1: “A Man after God’s own heart” Each day tell the campers of someone that has been a spiritual influence in your life (Someone who has a “heart for God” and lives it. It can be someone who led you to Christ, helped you grow personal in the Lord or helped you through a difficult time in your life. You could also get other camp staff to share about someone they know. Part #2: Each day you will be looking at the life of King David. Day 1: WOW: A Man after God’s own heart. Day 2: WOW: A Shepherd Boy becomes King 1 Samuel 16 Day 3: WOW: David and the Dwarf – David fights Goliath and wins! 1 Samuel 17 Day 4: WOW: Friendship of David and Jonathan. A Sacrificial Heart: 1 Samuel 18

Day One: David the Shepherd Boy

WOW! A man after God’s own Heart

Psalms 19

The WOW Factor: Have you ever seen something that is either incredibly beautiful or just downright amazing and all you can say is

“WOW”?

W.O.W. : Wonder Of Wonders What are some things that make you say “WOW”? (Teachers: Have campers tell of their WOW experiences. Here are a few example.: A new baby brother or sister Sunset or sunrise or a rainbow or lightning… Winning a Baseball game by one point in the last inning. Seeing an eagle fly overhead God answering a special prayer request. A special verse in the Bible, Realizing that Jesus died for your sins and gives us eternal life in Heaven. God’s creation all around us… What makes us say, “WOW”? It is something extra ordinary, special, amazing and many times mind blowing. It is overwhelming and exciting. Something that stands out above the crowd. Many times it is things that are unexpected or a surprise to you! As we look at the Life and Times of King David, we see God doing some amazing things that make you simply go “WOW”, What a mighty God we serve! David was just a man like you and me. But God did some great “WOW” things in his life.

God is the Wonder of Wonders! An amazing God who does some amazing, mind blowing things.

Memory Verse 1 Samuel 13:14

WOW 1: A Man After God’s Own Heart (Teachers: Before you start this lesson, read and familiarize your self with the first part of 1 Samuel where God allows Isra-el to have a king like the other countries around them. Espe-cially read chapters 8 and 15, dealing with Israel and King Saul.)

1 Samuel 9:1-2 Good Looking Saul—The Perfect King? A man by the name of Saul became their new and first king. (1 Samuel 9:1-2) He would be the “Perfect” king for Israel. He had everything going for him.

1. His dad, Kish” was a “mighty man of power”. He was well known and people respected his decisions. He could influence people with authority. He was wealthy having quite a bit of land and animals. He was kind of a “Big Deal” in the land of Benjamin. He could “pull strings” to get things done. He was a celebrity of sorts.

2. Saul was a “choice young man” or “chosen” he was popular and the best of the lot. He was the best choice for the job of king. He had “charisma” and people wanted to be a part of his life.

3. He was tall (stood head and shoulders above the rest). 4. He was good looking—Handsome) Better looking than any other

man in Israel. 5. He looked the part of what a good king should look like.

He would command their respect. The people of Israel were happy and for quite awhile Saul was a good king. Then one day, God, through Samuel the prophet, had given him specific orders when he went out to battle and 1. Saul disobeyed the Lord. (1 Samuel 15). Saul not only disobeyed God, 2. He tried to cover it up and lied about it. 3. He even blamed the people of Israel for his sin. (1 Samuel 15:21)

In 1 Samuel 9, the people of Israel wanted to be like all the other nations around them and have their own king. God’s plan was for them to trust Him and He would be their Leader. They begged and begged and finally God gave them what they wanted.

God told Samuel that He now rejected Saul as king and someone else would become the

new king. It would be “a man after His own heart.” 1 Samuel 13:14

1 Samuel 13:14 “The Lord has sought him a

“Man after His own heart”.

Think about it! Have you ever begged and begged for something and then your parents finally gave in and gave it to you? At first you are extremely happy and excited, but later you realize that this was a stu-pid decision and not good for you at all and your parents knew what was best for you and you should have listened to them in the first place? Teachers: Try to come up with your own example in your life to share with campers.

“A man after God’s own Heart - A Heart Like His” The Lord was talking about David, who would be anointed king at a later time

What does it mean to be a “Man after God’s own heart”? (With younger camper’s especially, emphasize that this is not talking about God’s physical, beating heart, but “Heart” speaks of our emotions, feelings, desires, The Real YOU!”.) To have a “heart like someone else” speaks of having the same likes and dislikes, desires, loves, cares, passions as the other person. What grabs your heart? What are

you passionate about? What are they excited about? For some people it is football, (Packers – Vikings – Brewers – Bears) or sports in general. It can also be computers or computer games, Cell phones, work, money, (For teens it may be the opposite sex), (Let campers come up with what excites them). When we talk with some-one that is interested in the same things we are, we may say “That is a man or woman after my own heart”. Ask campers: “What do you think God is excited about? What is His heart passion? (John 3:16 – God’s love for us – so much that He gave His son for us…)

“To have a heart like someone else” may also mean that they “Hate” or dislike” the same things we do. It can be simple things like broccoli or liver or a sports team, or it can be more passionate things like hating when people get away with certain crimes, abortion, etc…

Ask campers “What do you think God hates?” The answer of course is “SIN!”. Romans 3:23 and 6:23.

David had many things against him: 1. He was the smallest of 8 brothers and they never let him forget it. He would always

be “Little Brother” They were also very jealous of him. 2. Life as a shepherd boy was not easy. It meant hard work, endless hours (24/7) with

dirty, smelly temperamental sheep. Shepherds were considered 2nd class citizens (almost outcasts) and many of them had a bad reputation as thieves and untrustworthy. If you spent 24/7 with sheep and seldom took a bath after walking after sheep all day, what would people think of you?

3. David had never been a military leader or fought in battles or wars. 4. He had not been a political leader in any way—just a simple shepherd boy! (Maybe campers know of kids in their class or neighborhood that people look down upon because they are dirty or poor or have some kind of handicap. Maybe they are the ones looked down upon. How should we react to kids less fortunate? How does God view them?)

David was a “Man after the heart of God.” #1: He was a MAN. He was anything but perfect. He struggled with sin, just like we do. There was nothing extraordinary or special about David. He was just a man! He actually had more failures than successes. He messed up many times. #2: When he did sin, it broke his heart, because he knew he had sinned against a Holy God. Psalms 51 tells of David’s heart concerning his sin with Bathsheba. #3: He walked with God and had a deep and passionate relationship with God. He knew how to talk with God. David was very honest and upfront when he talked with God. It was like sharing with his best friend. He shared his emotions, his passions, his

heart with God. He knew God personally and had a life long relationship with God! #4: He was a man of integrity—honest and upfront. He was not a fake! He lived a godly life—even when no one was watching!

#5: He was faithful to God. He only worshiped and lived for the One True God, even though everyone around him many times worshiped idols or false gods.

Where did David learn to have this kind of relationship with God? It began when he was a little shepherd boy taking care of his father’s sheep. David had learned to rely on God and share everything with Him. The lessons he learned taking care of sheep, helped to make him the great king that he became. David spent a lot of lonely, quiet nights when it was just him and the sheep. How do you think he spent those hours? What would he do if the sheep were restless and would-n’t lie down? Perhaps play music on his harp and sing to them. Remember that most of the Psalms were written by David and were actually set to music (Psalters). David probably spent much of this time getting to know his God – prayer, worship, singing. There are 150 Psalms and David wrote about almost half of them (73).

(Teachers: As you share these things about the David tending his father’s sheep with the campers, ask them how all of this would prepare David to be a king over Israel. It is important for them to realize that all the things they go through now, even though they may not like them, help to prepare them for life as adults. Above all it helps build spiritual character into their lives that will help them with many struggles as they get older. Philippians 1:6 is a great verse to share with them. You can share with them how things you learned as a “kid” or even later has helped build character in your life.

Teachers: A good exercise is simply to have the campers sit still for a few minutes (if possible) and just look around and listen to sounds around them. Ask them what they see and hear and what they have learned by simply being quiet, looking and listening. You may even want to take them on a “Silent Walk” around the camp, look and hear nature.

Sometimes the best and most powerful lessons can be learned when we don’t say a word. Think of things that speak volumes without a word being said.

Someone smiles at you or gives you a hug. Holding a little baby Watching an “old” couple hold hands and stare at each other. Watching the sun set or rise. Listening to a babbling brook or ocean waves. Seeing the devastation of a tornado or storm. Listening to the birds sing in the trees. Looking up at the stars at night or lightning during a storm. (Have campers come up with “silent Sermons” of their own.)

Psalms 46:10 says “Be STILL and KNOW that I am God”…

Psalms 19 is a good example of a Psalm that David wrote. We don’t know when David wrote this Psalm, but it describes lessons that David learned as a young boy watching the sheep at night. Each night you can hear the bleating of sheep in the background and David looking up at the starry sky and being amazed at the beauty and glory that he saw.

Psalm 19 is called “The Silent Psalm”. In the still of the night David learns more about God than any sermon or message could ever teach him.

The Heavens: Vs. 1 Heavens: The area between the ground and outer space. The air we breath, the clouds in the sky. Take a deeeeep breath—what did you just breath in—Oxygen. Where does oxygen come from?

A. Clouds: Picture David looking up at the clouds in the sky. (What animal

shapes would he see?) (Simple Truth: One fluffy cloud 1/2 mile wide by 1/2 mile long weighs about One Millions pounds or the equivalent of the weight of 100 elephants.

B. Weather: Sunshine, rain, snow, hail, storms, lightning, etc…

C. Sunset and Sunrise.

D. Night Time: What would David see when he looked up at the sky at night?

The Heavens Declare: All of this “DECLARES” or shows off the Glory of God. His power, and might. All of this was made by our God! Creation. God’s “Show and Tell” “Declare” means to “show off” or let it be seen.

When someone comes to your house and you just bought a new bicycle—what do you do—You can’t wait to “show if off”, because you earned the bike of bought it with your own money. God shows off His glory and power with the heavens that He made and keeps going. God says “Look what I did!”

E. Outer space: Sun, moon, stars, planets, meteorites.

Every night there are about 9100 stars that are visible to the human eye.

Altogether there are about:

70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars in the Milky Way. (That is 70 with 21 “0”s behind it).

F. Our sun, as big as it is small compared to many of the stars.

You can put a million earths inside the sun). On the sun, if possible you a man weighing 150 pounds on earth would weight 4,200 pounds on the sun What an amazing and powerful God we serve.

Beyond the stars: Heaven: What makes Heaven, Heaven is the fact that Jesus is there, waiting for us. Do you think David ever thought about what Heaven was like when he was star gazing at night?

Psalms 19: The WOW Psalm!!!

Day Time: When David was all alone watching the sheep during the day time, what would he see when he looked up at the sky and what would he learn about God?

“The Glory of God” God’s awesome power and majesty. His splendor and great-ness. When we see the things God has made it makes us realize how small we are and how big and great God is. We stand in awe of God. Amazed and blown away!

“His Handiwork” Just like a carpenter or artist, the “firmament” or the heavens is God’s handiwork. Have you ever made something with your own hands or come up with a plan on your own. That is your handiwork. (We as humans, are God’s handiwork.) God’s Handiwork: All the things God has created here on earth, in the sky, in outer space, Heaven etc… Including You and me!

Vs. 2: “Day unto day utters speech”. Not a word is spoken and yet God’s glory is clearly seen and proclaimed.

Vs. 3: Speech or language… There are about 3000 different known languages in the world today. How many languages can you speak or understand. In every language, all around the world, the power and glory of God can be seen and heard.

Vs. 4: Their line has gone out. Measuring line, measuring the earth from one end to the other. From one end of the earth to the other God and His power can be clearly seen. When the sun comes up in the morning or goes down at night, it comes up or goes down over the horizon—a line in the distance. This happens every day just like clock work an hasn’t failed to happen since time began.

Vs. 5 says it comes up like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, with glory and majesty. A beautiful thing to behold. The bridegroom, all dressed up in his wedding clothes, for all to see and be amazed at. Every day is a new adventure. The bridegroom is starting a new life and the sun coming up was like a new day, starting all over again.

(Every day, David would see the sun come up and was blown away by it’s beauty and faithfulness. It never failed!)

As David, day after day watched these lowly sheep, God was using this to prepare him for life. He learned many lessons that would help him to be the best king Israel ever had. Every thing that we go through as a young person is preparation for life as an adult. God uses not only the good things but the hard and difficult things in our life. They build character and strength in our life and help us to become more like Jesus.

Lessons from being a shepherd boy: How to love and respect others. How to get along with others. How to deal with his enemies (and David had a lot of enemies) How to walk with God and rely on Him daily. How to face his fears and worries. (Lions and a Bear) How to be honest with himself and especially with God. How to be faithful to God in all he did. How to trust God with every situation. How to be patient and wait upon God. How to be faithful to God—EVEN when no one else is watching!

1 Samuel 16 Sad Samuel: All of us have been sad for one reason or another. Maybe our

best friend moved away or someone we love passed away or is sick. Maybe our parents got a divorce. In 1 Samuel 16, the prophet Samuel was very sad. His heart was totally broken and he mourned for many days. The idea of “mourning” is the same as mourning for someone who you loved who had recently died.

Why did Samuel mourn? In 1 Samuel 16:1, Samuel was sad because Saul, a man he helped become king and someone that he loved very much, clearly disobeyed God and sinned. Because of Saul’s sin, God told Samuel that Saul would no longer be the King of Israel and He would choose someone else to be king. Samuel must have felt like a failure himself, because he helped choose this man as king and he had grown to love Saul and cared about what happened to him. Even though Samuel was a godly man, he had two sons that were evil and a disappointment. They were very wicked and disobeyed God in many ways.

Fearful Samuel: In Chapter 16 Samuel is still mourning for Saul. Vs. 1: The Lord told Samuel that it was time to stop mourning and start looking for a new king. God already had someone in mind. It would be one of Jesse’s 7 sons. God told Samuel to “fill your horn with oil” and go to Bethlehem, where He would show him who the new king would be. The oil would be used to anoint a new king. It would be poured on his head to show that God had chosen him to be the new king. He wouldn’t become king immediately, but only when Saul died or was kicked out as king. Samuel was afraid of Saul at this point, so God told him to make a sacrifice offering, invite Jesse and his family to the sacrifice and then to a meal.

Day 2: 1 Samuel 16

WOW! A Shepherd Boy Becomes King

Memory Verse: 1 Samuel 16:7

Goals of lesson: Help campers realize their “potential” for God. If God can use a little shepherd boy and make him a king, he can use me. Help campers realize that God is in the process of helping us grow and be used of Him. Help campers understand that man looks at the outward appearance of others, but God looks at the heart.

PBPGINFWMY: “Please Be Patient – God Is Not Finished With Me Yet.”.

Jesse brought out his first son - ELIAB. One look

at Eliab and Samuel probably thought - "WOW, This is go-ing to be a lot easier than I had thought. Just look at this guy... He was absolutely perfect: He was Jesse’s oldest son, Tall, Dark and Handsome. He was also a soldier in King Saul’s army, along with 2 other brothers. He will command respect just by his appearance. Head and shoulders above the crowd, good looking, muscular. People will naturally be attracted to him. THIS HAS TO BE HIM!!!"

Super Model Syndrome.

Why would Samuel be afraid of King Saul? 1. Saul was still king and very suspicious. As King Saul had absolute authority, which meant he could have people put in prison or even put to death just because he want to do so. 2. Saul had a fierce temper, which we find out about later in the book of 1 Samuel. Vs. 6: Sacrifice over and now time to choose new king. There are times that you might be afraid and don’t want to do what God wants you to. It is times like that you DO IT ANYWAY!!! - Even if you are afraid!

Samuel looking at Eliab’s outward appearance - How the people would see him - (How do we judge people at first sight? Are they clean, good smile, hair combed, nicely dressed, good figure, speech, language, length or color of hair, long hair, tattoo, old or torn clothes, Developmentally Disabled, Handicapped. Cancer or other disease. (JOHN THE BAPTIST)

VS. 7 - "Lord has refused him...

"NO!!!" "Lord sees not as man sees - Man looks on the outward BUT THE LORD LOOKS ON THE HEART." What is more important to God? What is on the outside or the inside.

APPLICATION: How would you react if someone came to your Bible class today who was dirty, smelly, hadn’t taken a bath in a month, sat down right next to you? What if they were crippled or handicapped or not very good looking? How do you think Jesus would react to them?

WWJD?

Samuel was running ahead of the Lord. We get in such a hurry to get things done for the Lord that we many time don’t take time to let the Lord lead us and prepare the way. We run ahead of the Lord, when the Lord wants us to slow down and do it His way. –

WAIT for Lord’s timing and leading. PRAY FIRST!!!

Ask campers what characteristics would they really like in a king or president or leader. Is it important how tall he is or how good looking or how much money he has?

(Teachers: Tell campers of someone you know that is handicapped, has some physical condition, lives in poor conditions, over weight, etc… that makes them not pleasant to look at, but they have a heart for the Lord. Ask campers if they know someone like that. I Corinthians 1:26-28.)Samuel

called other 6 sons - Each one - NO!!!

Any More Sons?: Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons? Just one - a little shepherd boy... David. Think about it: David was not even invited to the feast. David’s dad did not even consider David significant enough to invite him to the feast with the rest of the sons. David was the youngest son, a shepherd boy, and not important in his father’s eyes. Certainly you don't want him - Shepherds - Second class citizens. (Walk after sheep all day - dirty, smelly, usually had a bad reputation)

David Anointed:

Brought before Samuel - THIS IS THE ONE! Anointed David as Israel's

future king. (Ruddy, Beautiful, Handsome). Ruddy either means red hair or reddish complexion. Being outside most of the time, he would have a “reddish complex-ion). Either way, David was tall, dark and handsome, BUT that is not why God chose him. God saw his heart and knew he was a man after God’s own heart. He had a “Heart like His”. God also saw the potential that David had. He didn’t see some little shepherd boy, he saw within him a king and a man who walked after God.

OUTWARD APPEARANCE is not what matters to the Lord - How

Handsome we are, How we dress - if we wear NIKE's or the latest fashion. Whether we wear glasses, walk with a limp, talk with a lisp, over weight, whether we can sing, Have

blemishes - BUT THE HEART CONDITION is the most important to

the Lord - Our relationship with Him. (This does not mean that we don’t need to take care of ourselves physically – wash, wear good clean clothes, change underwear, comb hair, dress modestly, use deodor-ant, exercise, eat the right foods, and take care of our bodies. Remember that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.) Teachers: Campers, especially teens, seem to worry more about how they look on the outside than they do on the inside—how God sees them. It is more im-portant to have the right clothes, the right hair style, the right shoes, etc… than it is to have a right relationship with the Lord. What makes a beautiful person to the Lord??? Their heart - Their love for Him and for others, their walk with the Lord, faith in the Lord, Daily trusting Him. Some of the most beautiful people in the world are not beautiful physically - But have a beautiful heart. Joni Erickson Tada;

Teachers: Remind campers that God knows what they CAN BE for Him. He knows their POTENTIAL. In God’s eyes they are very they are important and valuable and He can make and change them into something even more valuable for Him. That is why He cre-ated them and send His Son to die for them ( and us). Read over the song below by Ray Bolts and share it with the campers.

Ray Boltz - THE SHEPHERD BOY - 1988 Gaither Music Company Chorus But when others see a shepherd boy God may see a king Even though your life seems filled with ordinary things In just a moment He can touch you and everything will change When others see a shepherd boy God may see a king

Verse 1 One by one Jesse's sons stood before the prophet Their father knew a king would soon be found And each one passed except the last No one thought to call him. Surely he would never wear a crown

Verse 2 One by one problems came and dreams get shattered And sometimes it's hard to understand but things like chance And circumstances they don't really matter Our Father holds tomorrow in His hands

Verse 3 And when others see a shepherd boy God may see a king Even though your life seems filled with ordinary things In just a moment He can touch you and everything will change When others see a shepherd boy God may see a king

Misc 1 Well it wasn't the oldest It wasn't the strongest Chosen on that day And yet the giants fell And nations trembled When they stood in his way

It may be fun to substitute the words in the song: “When others see a _________________ God may see a ___________________. Drug Addict Missionary Little boy President or Governor Little Girl Teacher Cripple Servant

The Battle: Israel Vs. Philistines: Saul was still king of Israel and they were in battle with the Philistine army. The Philistines was a nation that did not believe in the One True God and worshipped many false gods. This is the second battle Saul had with them. In the first battle Saul defeated the Philistines and now they are regrouping and fighting again. This time the battle was a little different. Even though Saul defeated them, the Philistines left the Israelites with very little armor and equipment. Only a few choice soldiers had swords, armor and other equipment. That helps explain why they were that much more afraid of Goliath and were reluctant to fight. Even with little equipment, they still had a mighty God who could defeat the boldest of enemies. God is bigger than the Philistines or any equipment loss.

THE BATTLE SCENE: Picture the Israelites on the side of one mountain and the Philistines on another mountain with a big valley in between. At the bottom of the valley is a stream or small river. Instead of fighting one on one, this time each army chooses one man to fight for the whole army – winner takes all and the other army and nation becomes slaves of the other.

Teachers: Usually we look at the story of David and Goliath as a little kids story. It is much more than that. It is a story of faith and victory and winning over the “giants” in our life. Campers will have lots of “giants” in their life, such as physical limitations, family issues, peer pressure, temptations, anger and emotional issues, fear, etc….. The goal of this lesson is to show that God is bigger than any “giant” we may face in our life. (You may remember the Veggie Tale song “God is bigger than the Boogie Man.”) In this case, God is bigger than Goliath and Goliath in God’s eyes is a little dwarf.

1 Samuel 17 David and Goliath (or David and the Dwarf)

Goliath’s armor: 17: 4-7 His helmet was made out of brass A coat of mail, which is like wearing fine chain mesh links from chest to knees and probably weighed between 175 to 200 pounds. The greaves over the shins of his legs, were brass shields that would stretch from his knees to his toes, like a hockey player would wear to protect his legs from hockey pucks). The Target of brass would be his breastplate. The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam (probably made of brass) and the spear’s head itself weighed 20 – 25 pounds. He had a man carry this spear for him (His own caddie).

The Philistines choose a warrior by the name of Goliath to be their “champion”. This guy stood 9 feet 6 inches tall. (A cubit is approximately 18 inches The length from the tip of you fingers to your elbow. A span is the distance from the end of your thumb to the end of your pinky finger when your hand is stretched our or about 6”) (Activity: Measure out 9’6” on the ground and have campers lie down to see just how big this is. Or mark it off on a tree or building and have kids stand next to it.)

17:12-20 David has an Obedient Heart Vs. 12: David Sent: David was the youngest of 8 sons of Jesse. His 3 oldest brothers were soldiers, “fighting” the Philistines under King Saul. They were older and experienced in battle. Jesse is concerned about the 3 sons, so he tells David to take some corn and bread to them and see how they are doing. He also gave him 10 cheeses to give to their captain. (Commanding Officer). If you were in the army in Saul’s day, you would have to supply your own food and armor and other supplies. The army would not provide these things.

Vs. 20 – David Obeys by leaving his sheep with a keeper and going to the sight of the battle. Remember that he was chosen to be the new king over his older and “wiser” brothers. They were not exactly on speaking terms or buddy buddies. David arrived just as Goliath was coming out and challenging the Israelites. Vs. 22-24: David got out of his carriage (Chauffer driven Pickup truck) and ran down to see what was happening and to talk to his brothers and give them their food. As he was talking to his brothers he could hear Goliath in the distance. He also saw the army of Israel run for their lives afraid of this giant of a man. Vs. 25: David also hears something else. The soldiers were saying that whoever kills Goliath, the king will give him great riches, exempt him from taxes and he will give him his daughter in marriage. David wants to make sure he heard right, so he asks “What shall be done to the man that kills this Philistine?” They tell him the same as he heard. Notice what David calls Goliath in Verse 26: “This uncircumcised Philistine, that defies the armies of the living God.” Basically he calls him a heathen that dares to stand up against the living God.

17: 8 – 11 The Mocking Giant: Twice a day for 40 days this giant of a man would come out, stand on the side of their hill and yell over to the Israelites, challenging them to a fight. He would mock or make fun of the Israelites and then challenge them to pick a man who would meet him and fight him. Who ever wins, takes all and the other army and nation becomes slaves of the other.

17: 11: Giants within—Fear: Notice Saul’s reaction to this man and his ar-

my: They were dismayed and greatly afraid. (Ask campers if they would be afraid of this giant or how they think they would react. Remember even Saul, who had been a fearless leader and commander of the army and the king was afraid. How would we react if we were in a storm at school and even the teacher or principal were afraid and shaking in their boots or you saw your parents being afraid.)

Three Giants and More... Before David stands against the obstacle Goliath, he has 2 other obstacles (giants) to overcome and “do battle with”. Watch to see how David handles them in the proper manner.

#1 Giant: His Brother Eliab. (Remember Eliab from yesterday’s lesson. This is his oldest brother that Samuel thought would be the perfect king because of his height and good looks, but God knew his heart and rejected him. Now you can see why he would not make a good king.

Vs. 28: Eliab’s Reaction: How did Eliab react when he saw his little brother at the battle field? He was burning with anger. “Why did you come down here?” Then he insults David’s job as a shepherd. “Who did you leave with those mangy little sheep of yours. The only reason you came down here was to boast and to see the battle.” (He accused him of conceit and deceit) “This is no place for a little kid.”

(Does this sound familiar. You want to help with a project and your brother or sister tell you that you are “in the way” and that you are “too young to help”?

(Teachers: This is a good place to talk to campers about #1: the fact that many times family will not approve of their decision to walk with the Lord or to serve Him. They may think of it as a waste of time. They may not understand what God is doing in their lives. Family can ei-ther encourage or discourage us from living for the Lord. #2: How to deal with friction between brothers and sisters or others who may give us a hard time.)

David did not shout at him or try to get even or have a temper tantrum. David simply responded by asking “What did I do now? Isn’t there a

cause worth fighting for here?” Then David walks away!!! There are some battles worth fighting and sometimes it is better to walk away. Who had the better and proper attitude? Now you can see why God did not want Eliab as King. He didn’t know how to control his anger. If he can’t deal with your brother or family, how can he deal with a nation. He also lacked faith. He was just as much a coward in the situation as the rest of the army. He was not exactly leadership material.

#2 Giant: King Saul Vs. 31-39 Some of the soldiers heard David talk and reported it to King Saul in his tent. The king sent for David.

Vs. 32: David volunteers to go and fight “this Philistine”. He wasn’t afraid of a little giant. Vs. 33: How did King Saul react to David’s willingness to go and fight the giant? (He tried to convince David that he didn’t stand a chance. Everything was against David:

1. He was but a youth – just a kid. 2. He was not a warrior and had no training. 3. The giant was much bigger and stronger than he was.

(People may look at you and say – “You are but a young kid, what can you do?” But with God the possibilities are endless. How can God use kids your age for His Glory? How can He use YOU?)

He did not understand David or know of his special skills or his faith in the One True God. Saul knew God, but was not trusting Him or walking with Him at this moment.

King Saul should have been the one fighting this giant and the army. 1. He was head and shoulders taller than every one else. 2. He was King of the nation of Israel and their military leader 3. He was a trained soldier and warrior and had won many battles. 4. His job was to lead and not to cowardly sit in his tent.

Vs. 28 – 29: Look at David’s Reaction:

Vs. 34 – 35: David told the king about how he kept his father’s sheep and killed a lion and a bear. Vs. 36 – 37: David told him “Just like I took care of this bear and lion, I will take care of this Philistine, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” David doesn’t say that he will do this in his own strength, but that the Lord will deliver the victory. King Saul tells David “Go and the LORD be with you.” Then he armed David with his own armor: Helmet of brass, Coat of mail and his sword. You can imagine David wear-ing the armor of a large man like King Saul – oversized and uncomfortable.

Teachers: A good object lesson would be to dress your smallest camper in some oversize, adult clothing and then have then try to walk around. You could bring a large helmet or hat, large boots, large coat or sweater, big gloves, etc… You could also make a game of it where they have to put the outfit on and try to accomplish some task. If you had 2 sets of outfits, you could even do a relay race.)

Vs. 39b – 40: David took the outfit off and took his own shepherd’s staff and slingshot and went out to find 5 smooth stones to fight with. David was comfortable with who he was. He was willing to say “This just in not me.” Key point: Be your self and don’t try to be something you are not or copy everybody else. You don’t have to dress like, talk like act like everybody else.

BE YOURSELF as God made you!

#3 Giant – Goliath Vs 41-49 David goes out to the valley and meets Goliath head on. David on one side and Goliath and his sword bearer on the other facing each other. (If you are going to face your fears it is better to face then head on, with the Lord on your side than not to face them at all and fear them the rest of your life.)

Vs. 42: Goliath Angry: Goliath takes one look at David and was angry. How dare they send out this little boy with the red complexion! Vs. 43 - 44: Goliath curses David in the name of his gods. (His gods are not going to help him now. They are but idols of wood or stone. Goliath was arrogant and egotistical, trusting in his false gods and himself.) We can almost hear him growl as he says, “Come here and I will give your flesh to the fowls of the air and to the beast of the field.” Vs. 45 – 47 (Key verses to this chapter). David’s response:

“You come to me with a sword, spear and shield: But I come to you in the name of the LORD of Hosts,

the God of the armies of Israel, whom you defy. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand.

I will kill you and remove your head.” David then tells him that not only will Goliath be killed, but the rest of the Philistine army, which they will feed to the birds and beasts of the field. He will do this so that the whole earth may know that there is a God in Israel. He wanted the whole world to know that God gets all the glory – not David or his slingshot.

Vs. 47: GOD’S BATTLE: “The battle belongs to the LORD!”

David was not fighting with swords and spears, but in the name of the LORD. He knew that was where the real victory came from.

Vs. 48 – 51 The Battle (If you can call it that). David and Goliath face off, start coming toward each other.

David RAN toward Goliath. He reached into his bag, pulled out a smooth stone, loaded his slingshot and fired! The stone sunk into Goliath’s head and he fell on his face to the earth. Then David finished what he started. He ran over to Goliath and cut off his head using Goliath’s own sword. (It was customary for the victor of a battle to cut off the opponent’s head and display it in Victory as his trophy. It was not only bragging rights, but an intimidation to the rest of the opponent’s army. Here it is also a sign of the great-ness of the One True God. As soon as the Philistines saw Goliath’s head removed and that he was dead, they fled. The army of Israel finally mustered up courage and shouted and pursued the Philistines and won the battle. (When others see that the Lord can give us victory over our fears and obstacles, it encourages them to face the enemy and charge into battle in the Lord’s strength.)

MAJOR WOW: When David faced Goliath, He didn’t talk about how big and dangerous Goliath was. He talked about how GREAT and BIG his God is.

1 Samuel 18:1 – 5 David and Jonathan These lessons are about David – A man after God’s own heart”. But David was not the only one who had a heart for God. King Saul had a son, by the name of Jonathan, who has become good friends with David. He too had a heart for the things of God and wanted to be obedient to Him.

Vs. 1: FRIENDSHIP: After David had killed Goliath and won the victory for Israel, David went back to talk to King Saul with the head of Goliath in his hand. King Saul was very impressed with this young man and his faith in the living God and his boldness in killing the giant. He was not the only one who was impressed. His son, Jonathan was in the tent and heard the conversation and admired David for his courage. From that day on they became instant and life long friends.

Best Buds! BFF (Best Friends Forever)

Lesson 4: David and Jonathan

Battle Buddies 1 Samuel 18

This is a lesson that campers should quickly identify with, seeing that many of them have built up friendships at camp over the years or have good friends back home that they buddy around. The goal of this lesson is:

1. To encourage campers to develop good and Godly friendships with other Christian kids.

2. To be thankful for the friends they have and yet realize that they may not be “forever”.

3. To build up a true friendship with the One who will

Most people think that David and Jonathan had a lot in common. They did not: 1. Age: David was probably about 18 years of age. Jonathan possibly was over 40

years old. 2. Background: David was a lowly second class shepherd boy who took care of his

father’s sheep. 3. Family: Jonathan was the son of the king. He would be called “Prince Jonathan”. 4. Destiny: David had been anointed by Samuel to become the next king of Israel. Jonathan would naturally become the next king after his father died or was disposed.

They also had much in common:

1. Both were valiant warriors. Jonathan had won his own battle over the Philistines in 1 Samuel 14.

2. David, of course had defeated Goliath.

3. Both had a heart for God. They loved God and walked with Him every day. He was their first love.

b. “Jonathan loved him as his own soul…” This is sacrificial, giving love, putting the interests of others before your own and wanting God’s best for them. Jesus’ love for us in John 3:16 is that kind of love.

c. Vs. 3 They made a “covenant” or pact with each other. In a sense they became “Blood Brothers”, making a bond of friendship with each other. The word “Covenant” means “determination”, and is like a treaty, alliance of friendship, a pledge and obligation between 2 leaders. It was a contract between 2 friends.

d. Vs. 4: Sacrifice. Jonathan took his own military garments and gave them to David. The Philistines had pretty well stripped the Israelites of all their uniforms and equipment. Very few soldiers had swords, bows or other equipment. Jonathan gave David his personal equipment, which he would probably need.

e. Giving up of the throne. King Saul’s plan for his son was to be the next king of Israel after him. But Jonathan gave up that right to his friend David. He knew that God had chosen David to be the next king, instead of him. He wanted God’s will to be done and not just his. He also knew that David was more qualified to be the new king. He was willing to give up his rights for what God wanted. When he handed David his military garb, he was handing over to him his position as king. That is “Friendship” and commitment!

(Teachers: The trend today for kids and teens is to go from one “best friend” to another, depending on who will do things “your way”. Most children and teens seem to think that their best friend will be there forever, long after they are grown up. This is a very rare thing. Many of the friendships they have at camp or school will not be there in a few years. That is why it is important to

emphasize that Jesus is our True Best Friend that will never leave us or forsake us. He is the One they can really depend on and go to, not only in times of crisis, but any time for any thing. Nothing is too small or trivial for us to talk to God about.)

Friends: Different kids of friends: 1. Acquaintances: People you see once in a while and you probably know they by

name, and you are “friendly” with. It may be kids at school or church. 2. Hang out “Friends”. People you hang out with, but are not really close to. It can be

classmates or kids in your S.S. Class or kids you go to events with or play ball with.

3. “Inner Circle” friends. A certain group of 2 – 5 people that you hang out with continually and share common interests. They are your “buddies” and close friends.

4. Best Friend: We usually only have one “best friend”. It is someone you connect with and share your thoughts and desires with. Many times you can read each oth-er like a book. You know their joys and pains and they know yours. You share se-crets and your dreams with them. You might even be willing to give your life for them.

1 Samuel 18:1 – 5 Marks of Friendship:

a. “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David” This was a once in a lifetime “best friend” relationship. They clicked with each other. The word “KNIT” means they “chained or bound” to each other in an inseparable friendship. They were spiritual “soul brothers” or “Best Buds” .