LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In 1 Samuel 16:1-13, God sends the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem with a horn of oil to anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel is still grieving over King Saul, who has stopped obeying God, and he is afraid Saul will hurt him if he finds out. God gives him a plan: travel to Bethlehem to offer a sacrifice and invite Jesse and his sons. When the elders of the town meet Samuel trembling, he reassures them he has come in peace. Then he prepares Jesse’s family to worship with him.
When Jesse’s sons walk in, Samuel sees the oldest, Eliab, and is sure he is the one. God corrects him with a truth that sits at the center of this lesson: people look at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. One by one, seven sons pass by and none are chosen. Then Samuel learns there is a youngest son, David, out tending the sheep. When David arrives, God says he is the one, and Samuel pours the oil on David in front of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord comes on David from that day forward, and though David will wait years to become king, he returns to his sheep, trusting God’s timing. The main takeaway for kids is God cares about what is inside us more than how we look.
OPENING ACTIVITY 6:00-6:15 | Find the Heart
Items Needed:
- Construction paper in several colors (one sheet of each color)
- A table or open floor space
- Crayons (optional)
- Stickers (optional)
Prep Ahead of Time: Cut out a mix of shapes from the different colors of paper, such as circles, squares, triangles, and a few wiggly, random shapes. Cut out several hearts in different colors so there are plenty to find.
Description of How to Do It:
Tell kids today we are going to learn that God looks at our hearts! That means God knows us on the inside and cares about everything in our lives.
Spread all the paper shapes out on a table or on the floor. Ask the kids, Can you see any hearts? Let them point to or pick up the hearts they spot. Then gather up the shapes, mix them all together, and spread them out again. Invite the kids to search for the hearts once more. Repeat the game several times, mixing the shapes between each round and asking the kids to find the hearts each time.
Wrap-Up: Gather the kids and remind them, God sees your heart, and he loves you so much. Allow them time to decorate a heart shape they found.
BIBLE STORY 6:15-6:25
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? (1 Samuel)
Question 2: Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament? (Old Testament)
Items Needed for the Object Lesson: A shiny, wrapped gift box with a rock inside, and a plain brown paper bag with a heart sticker or a small treat inside.
Today we are going to hear a story about a man named Samuel. Samuel was said because King Saul was not listening to God.
God spoke to Samuel. God said, Samuel, I have picked a new king! God told Samuel to fill a horn with oil. A horn is the hollow part of a cow’s horn. [Pretend to hold a horn.] Let’s pretend to pour oil into the horn. [Wiggle fingers as if pouring. Wait for response.]
Samuel was scared. He thought King Saul might be angry. Do you ever feel scared? [Let kids respond.]
God said, Do not be afraid, Samuel. I will show you what to do. Samuel walked all the way to Bethlehem. Stand up and march with me! [Stand and march in place.] Let’s walk to Bethlehem, too! Now sit down. [Sit down.]
In Bethlehem, Jesse and his sons got ready for Samuel to arrive. Samuel saw Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab. Eliab was tall! Stand on your tiptoes as tall as you can. [Let kids stand tall.] Samuel thought, Wow! He looks like a king!
Do you think Eliab is the king? [Wait for response.] Let’s find out what God says.
[Hold up the shiny gift box and the plain paper bag.] Which one do you think has something special inside? [Let kids choose.] Let’s look. [Open the shiny box to show the rock, then the plain bag to show the treat or heart sticker.] Oh my! The pretty box has a rock inside. The plain bag has something special. Things can look one way on the outside and be different on the inside!
God told Samuel, I do not look at how tall someone is or how they look on the outside. God looks at the heart. [Put your hand on your heart.] Can you say it with me? God looks at the heart! [Repeat together three times, hand on heart.]
Then Jesse brought another son. Samuel listened to God. God said, Not this one. [Shake your head.] Can
Another son came. Not this one! Another son came. Not this one! [Let kids join in each time.] Seven sons walked by, and God did not pick any of them. Let’s count on our fingers. [Count to seven together.]
Samuel asked Jesse, Do you have any more sons? Jesse said, Yes, my youngest son, David. He is with the sheep. Do you hear the sheep? Baa, baa! [Have kids make sheep sounds.]
Samuel said, Please bring David here. Should we call for David together? [Wait for response.] Let’s shout, David! [Kids shout, David!]
David came running! [Run in place.] He was not tall like Eliab. He was the youngest, and he smelled like sheep! [Hold your nose and laugh.] But God looked at David’s heart, and God saw that he loved God.
God said, Anoint him! He is the one! Samuel poured the oil on David’s head. Let’s pretend to pour oil on our own heads. [Pat your head gently.]
The Spirit of God was with David from that day on. David went back to take care of his sheep, and he waited for God’s plan. God picked David because of his heart. [Hand on heart.] Say it one more time with me, God looks at the heart!
Theological Questions
- What does God look at when he looks at us? (Our heart)
- Who did God pick to be the next king or Israel? (David)
Life Application Questions
- Can you think of a way to be kind to someone who looks different from you?
- What is one way you can show God your heart is happy today?
Prayer (Praying Scripture)
[Have kids repeat after you, one line at a time.]
Lord, thank you that you look at the heart and not just at how we look on the outside. Help my heart love you and love others today, in Jesus’ name, amen.
[Have all the children say Amen together!]
WORSHIP IN SONG 6:25-6:35
PRAYER 6:35-6:45 p.m.
[Transition the kids to the floor. Have them sit in a circle or on a rug.]
Today we are going to pray for hearts that love God. We will also pray that God helps us see other people the way he sees them, with kindness and love.
Leader prayer: God, thank you for looking at our hearts. Help us to love you and be kind to our friends and family, whether they look like us or not. We love you, God. Amen.
BIBLE STORY GAME 6:45-6:55 | David’s Silly Sheep
Items Needed:
- Open space in the classroom
- A shepherd’s staff or cardboard tube (optional) for David
Gather the kids at one end of the room and explain that David took care of his father’s sheep. Tell them, today we are going to be David’s sheep! Pick one child (or a leader for the first round) to be David the shepherd. Give David the staff if you have one.
David walks around the room looking for his sheep. As he walks, he calls out different animals he finds, such as, Here, kitties! Here, frogs! Here, snakes! Here, elephants! Each time, the kids act out that animal and make its sound. Leaders can whisper animal ideas to David if he needs help.
When David calls out, Here, sheep! the kids stop being silly animals, say Baa! and run to David as fast as they can.
To start the next round, choose a new David. For preschoolers, you can pick a child who is sitting nicely, or the child who reached David first, so everyone gets a turn over time. Repeat as many times as time allows.
Connect It to the Lesson: When the game is over, gather the kids and say, David loved taking care of his sheep. God saw David’s heart, and God chose him to be king someday. God looks at the heart.
BIBLE CRAFT 6:55-7:10 | David’s Shepherd Staff
Items Needed:
- 1 paper towel tube per child
- Brown construction paper
- Crayons, markers, or stickers for decorating
- 1 brown or green chenille stick (pipe cleaner) per child for the hook, or a strip of stiff cardstock about 2 inches wide and 8 inches long
- Tape
- Cotton balls and glue (optional, for a sheep charm)
- Scissors (leader prep only)
Prep Ahead of Time:
- Cut brown construction paper into rectangles that will wrap around the tube, one per child.
- If using cardstock hooks, cut the strips and curl each one around a marker to make a gentle curve.
Give each child a paper towel tube and explain that David was a shepherd who used a staff to guide and protect his sheep. Let the kids decorate their tube. They can glue on a wrap of brown paper and add stickers or marker designs.
Once the tube is decorated, a leader attaches the hook. Push one end of a chenille stick into the top of the tube and bend it over into a curve, then tape it firmly inside and outside the tube so it stays. If using a cardstock strip, tape one end inside the top of the tube and let the other end curve over like a hook. Kids who want to can glue a cotton ball sheep on the hook or near the top.
As the kids work, say, David took care of his father’s sheep. God saw that David had a good heart, and God chose him to be a king someday. Let the kids hold their staffs and say together, God looks at the heart!
SNACK TIME & BIBLE STORY VIDEO 7:10-7:25
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat snacks while they watch the Bible story video.
BONUS ACTIVITY | Heartbeats
Items Needed:
Show each child how to hold one end against a leader’s chest and listen for a heartbeat. Then swap so the leaders listen to the kids. Have everyone do 10 jumping jacks or run in place and listen again. Ask, Did the heartbeat get faster or slower? Explain that our heart is busy working inside us even when we cannot see it.
Tie it to the lesson: God cannot only see our heart, he loves what is inside us. God looks at the heart!
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE | 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (ESV)
1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”
2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”
10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”
11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.”
12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.”
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: God Sees Hearts
What I Learned Today: We learned that God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to pick the next king of Israel. Samuel thought the tallest brother would be the king, but God chose David, the youngest brother who took care of the sheep. God taught us that he does not look at how we look on the outside, but he looks at our hearts.
Questions to Ask Me:
Theological Questions
- Who did God send to Bethlehem to anoint a new king? (Samuel)
- What does God look at when he looks at us? (Our heart)
- Which brother did God choose to be king? (David)
- What was David doing when Samuel came to Bethlehem? (Taking care of the sheep)
- What did Samuel pour on David’s head? (Oil)
Life Application Questions
- What is one way you can be kind to a friend, even if they look different from you? (Answers will vary: share, include them, say something nice)
- How can you show God a happy heart today? (Answers will vary: obey, help someone, say thank you to God)
- Have you ever been picked last or left out? How could you help someone who feels left out? (Answers will vary: invite them to play, sit with them)
- What is something kind you can do for someone in our family? (Answers will vary: give a hug, share a toy, help clean up)
- What can you say to God to tell him you love him? (Answers will vary: a short prayer, thank you God, I love you God)