[Previous 1 Samuel kids' talks here and here. I used some of the same pictures at the start of this one. I then got 7 guys to pretend to be David's brothers (showing muscles etc) then my little Micah to be David.]
Sometimes we want to be the big guy. The one who is strong and impressive. The leader of the pack. The one who would never get laughed at or teased. The one who tells everyone else what to do.
Saul was the big guy. He stood a head taller than anyone else. He was strong. He was handsome and he was... a very bad king for God's people.
The trouble with being the big guy is that it can make you think that you don't need God. You think that you are big enough to win battles by yourself. You think that you are big enough to make up the rules. And you get a bit too big for your boots.
Which is what happened with Saul. Big King Saul thought that he didn't need to wait for God's prophet. He thought that he could offer sacrifices to God himself. But did God like that? No.
God rejected big King Saul and was looking for a new king. Someone who was... smaller.
God told Samuel to go to the town of Bethlehem and find a man called Jesse. One of Jesse's sons was going to be the new king of God's people. But which one?
Samuel looked at Jesse's oldest boy. His name was Eliab. Samuel liked the look of him. He was big and handsome. Samuel said to himself “Surely this Eliab is the one!”
But God said no. “Don't take any notice of what he looks like or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God doesn't see like people see. God looks inside. He know what we're really like.”
Hm. Which one then. How about Aminadab?
No. Not him either.
Shammah!
No. God didn't chose him.
Samuel looked at seven of Jesse's sons but God said no to all of them. “The Lord hasn't chosen any of these,” he said to Jesse. “Are there any more? Are these all of your children?”
“There's one other,” Jesse said. “But he's just a boy. He's little and he's out looking after the sheep.”
“Go and get him.” said Samuel. So Jesse sent someone to get his youngest, smallest son.
David came in from the field. Samuel looked at him and said, “this is the one.”
Often we want to be the big guy. But God's not interested in big guys. Big guys (like King Saul) can think they are so big they don't need God. They can think they are too big to keep God's rules. Or to ask God for help. God chooses the little guy. Like David. Like Jesus. People who don't look strong. People who aren't too big for their boots. People who will trust God to win the battle and save them.
Is this during the service? And before the sermon?
ReplyDeleteYes and yes. Andrew is preaching on 2 Samuel. Our sunday school is doing Romans at the moment so the kids talks are kind of redundant - but we want something in the main service for kids. I think it's working quite well doing 1 Samuel stuff while Andrew is preaching 2 Samuel. I can't steal his thunder this way but the themes of 1 Samuel are v. similar to 2 Samuel. And it's good if the adults go into the sermon with 1 Samuel content fresh in their minds.
ReplyDeleteOK.
ReplyDeleteI'm relieved for Andrew.
If we were working the same book for kids' talks and sermons I might go one week behind Andrew so it acts as a kind of review for the adults. (And so I could steal his exegesis.) But I might not. What's the worst thing that could happen? The congregation hear the same point twice?
ReplyDeleteTrue. But it's not much fun as a preacher hearing the kids talk take away any sort of suspense or resolution that you might want to build in the talk.
ReplyDeleteHow do you guys do the kids talk thing? And how does that work with sunday school?
ReplyDeleteAt the morning service the preacher leads the whole service and does the kids talk. It's exhausting and could be done much better.
ReplyDeleteThe kids go out to sunday school straight after the kids talk just as the congregation are turning to the second Rejoice hymn.
The sermon, kids talk and sunday school are rarely related.
There's no kids talk or sunday school at the 5pm service - even though there are often up to a dozen kids. I try to preach with them in mind.
ouch! good work simone and not just for kids.
ReplyDeleteAl - Your morning service sounds pretty standard traditional presbyterian.
ReplyDeleteHave the dozen kids who come at 5pm done the Sunday School thing in the morning? If not, I'd do something for them. Not to say that your talk isn't good... Maybe you could do a kids spot telling them what to listen out for.