aug. 25, 2019 god speaks 1samuel 3 - northside christian church · 2019-08-16 · 1 aug. 25, 2019...

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Aug. 25, 2019 God Speaks

God Speaks to Samuel 1Samuel 3

DATE PONDER POINT

THE BIG GOD STORY

Welcome and Worship (15 minutes)

Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and engage kids in worship through singing and communion.

The Big God Story (18 minutes)

Creates space for children to hear God’s word and prepare respond to the Holy Spirit in small groups

Small Groups (20 minutes)

Kids will build relationships with each other and their leaders, and respond to what they learned in the Big God Story as well as how to apply it to their lives

Dismiss (4 minutes)

Send kids out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

• The large group room will be divided into three sections. Please help kids find which section they should sit in according to their grade: 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th & 5th-6th.

• Toward the end of small group time, A/V Tech will play the 2 minute warning sound followed by a song. During or immediately following the song please regroup in the large group meeting space (not before).

• 5th & 6th graders can go directly to Snack Shack after small group time, rather than regrouping in the large group space.

Host Administrative To Do’s: • Make sure no group is too large • Make sure each group has enough supplies • Close curtains and divider wall for small groups

at 9:00 and 10:15 (and re-open after 9:00) • Cue the tech when to play the 2 minute warning

with song. • Call names for dismissal after blessing

SCHEDULE Large Group

Small Group

2 Min Warn.

Regroup/Dismiss 5th-6th

1st Service (9:00) 9:00 9:33 9:53 10:00

2nd Service (10:15) 10:15 10:48 11:08 11:15

3rd Service (11:30) 11:30 12:03 12:23 12:30

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

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GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting

them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear.

WELCOME (Host):

Stage Lights On VIDEO LOOPS: Welcome Loop, 5 Min Countdown, Welcome Image

We are so glad you are here today. Welcome the kids in your own words then say the following

to the kids: Let’s all stand and sing our praise to Him…

OPENING WORSHIP SONG (Worship Leader):

Turn out main overhead lights

WORSHIP VIDEO 1: The Way

WORSHIP VIDEO 2: Because of Your Love

(Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down)

SMALL GROUP CONNECT IMAGE

CONNECT QUESTIONS (Host): 4 MINUTE COUNTDOWN VIDEO

• What is a sound you like to hear?

• Have you ever had a dream that felt real?

• Is there a certain sound you like to hear while you are falling asleep?

Please See Below! There Is No Timeline Video Today!!!

(Storyteller)

The Big God Story: Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the

Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God

Story. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what

the Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day’s portion of The Big God Story.

The Prayer of Release: This allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet

their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms

up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy

Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and

pray with you.


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The Big God Story:

Storyteller Script

Today’s Bible story shows us how God speaks, so we listen for him. Let’s see how he spoke to a boy named Samuel who lived and served in the Tabernacle. That’s like what we know a church today. Let’s see what happened to Samuel. Read 1 Samuel 3:1-5.

The boy Samuel served the Lord under the direction of Eli. In those days the Lord didn’t give many messages to his people. He didn’t give them many visions. 2 One night Eli was lying down in his usual place. His eyes were becoming

so weak he couldn’t see very well. 3 Samuel was lying down in the Lord’s

house. That’s where the ark of God was kept. The lamp of God was still burning.

4 The Lord called out to Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 He ran over to Eli and said, “Here I am.

You called out to me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

The more we know God, the more we can know it’s him speaking to us. God speaks, but he didn’t speak very much in those days. Samuel had probably never heard God speak before! No wonder he was confused. Listen to what happened next. Read 1 Samuel 3:6-8.

6 Again the Lord called out, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli. He

said, “Here I am. You called out to me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” 7 Samuel didn’t know the Lord yet. That’s because the Lord still hadn’t giv-

en him a message. 8 The Lord called out for the third time. He said, “Samuel!” Samuel got up

and went to Eli. He said, “Here I am. You called out to me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.

Finally, Eli realized what was happening. Let’s see what he said to do. Read 1 Samuel 3:9-10.

So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If someone calls out to you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10

The Lord came and stood there. He called out, just as he had done the other times. He said, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel replied, “Speak. I’m listening.”

Samuel was ready to listen to God. God speaks, so we listen for him like Samuel did.


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We’d like to hear good news from God. But the message God gave Samuel wasn’t so great. God told Samuel that Eli’s sons were doing bad things and God was going to punish them. And Sam-uel had to share that bad news with Eli! Yikes! If God had told Samuel he was going to give Eli’s family tons of money, that would’ve been much easier to share. But when God speaks, sometimes it’s good news, and sometimes it’s bad news. We need to listen to God either way. Let’s see how Eli responded when he heard what God told Samuel. Read 1 Samuel 3:17-18.

17 “What did the Lord say to you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide from me anything

he told you. If you do, may God punish you greatly.” 18

So Samuel told him everything. He didn’t hide anything from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best.”

When God speaks good news to us, it’s easy to listen. When God speaks bad news, we can still listen humbly and accept what he says. Let’s try that now. I’m going to invite God to speak to us about something we’re doing that he’s not happy about. Then you’ll sit quietly and listen for God to show you something he wants to change in your life. God, we want to listen to you, even if you have bad news. We invite you now to show us if there are things you want to change about our lives. Show us what we’re doing wrong, and show us what you want us to do instead. Allow about one minute for silence. Amen.

There’s one more thing you should know about Samuel. God kept speaking to him! Read 1 Sam-uel 3:19-20.

19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him. He made everything Samuel

said come true. 20

So all the Israelites recognized that Samuel really was a prophet of the Lord. Everyone from Dan all the way to Beersheba knew it.

A prophet is someone who God speaks to often. A prophet’s job is to tell others what God says. Samuel started when he was just a boy by sharing the news about Eli’s sons. Sometimes God speaks to other people through us! And sometimes God speaks to us through other people. Think about this to yourself: Who are people who speak God’s wisdom in your life? God speaks to us in a lot of ways, but it might not always be an audible voice like Samuel heard. Sometimes it’s in our hearts, through the Bible, or through other people. God speaks, so we listen for him. Like Samuel, we can say, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Tell the kids we are going to close the Big God Story by worshipping him. Ask the kids to wait until they are asked to come forward to take communion.

WORSHIP VIDEO 3: Yes I Will

After a time of worshipping have kids come and take communion if they have been baptized, and bring their offering.

Fade out song slowly at Worship Leader’s prompting. (As the song comes to a close Worship Leader tells groups to head to their small group space. Say something like, “Let’s continue responding to what God is teaching us as we dismiss to our small groups. Please follow your small group leader at this time.”) IMAGE: It’s time for small groups Turn main overhead lights on


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Dismiss for small groups—refer to map for small group locations ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the end of small groups… Tech cue: 2 minute warning with exit song, using ceiling speakers, at the host’s prompting Turn speakers back to wall speakers for blessing, closing song and dismissal.


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GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard

in the Big God Story.

I’M LISTENING

SUPPLIES none ENGAGE Play a Version of Marco Polo. When God spoke to Samuel, Samuel said, “I’m listening.” Samuel discovered that God speaks, so he continued to listen for God’s voice. Let’s play a great game that can help us understand a little bit of what it might have been like for Samuel when he was learning to listen for God’s voice.

Invite a willing person to be the first “Samuel.” Samuel will keep his or her eyes tightly closed—no peeking. Everyone else will slowly move around the room. When Samuel wants to hear where people are, he or she will call out, “I’m listening!” Everyone else must respond by calling out, “Samuel!” Samuel will keep calling out or the response from the other players in an effort to track down and tag one of the other players—as in Marco Polo. Whoever Samuel tags will become the new Samuel.

God spoke to Samuel in a voice that could be heard, like you can hear mine now. God can speak to us that way, but God also speaks to us in many other ways, such as through wise advice of other people who follow God or through reading the Bible—God’s Word. As we get to know God, we’ll get better and better at being able to listen to what he’s saying. What are some ways you’ll listen for God this week? Share an example of your own, such as setting aside time in the morning to pray and listen to God.

God speaks to all of us, even if it’s not exactly the way he did to Samuel. If you tell God you’re listening, like Samuel did, God will speak to you in a special way, too. God speaks, so we listen for him. Let’s pause and listen right now.

Tell kids to silently ask God to speak to them about their families. Then pause for about a minute for kids to listen. Tell kids to silently ask God to show them a picture about school. Then pause for about a minute for kids to listen. Tell kids to silently ask God to give them one word about how he views them. Then pause for about a minute for kids to listen. God, thank you that you speak to us! Remind us to pause and listen for you this week. In Jesus’ name, amen. Thank kids for coming, and encourage them to come back next week.


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GOAL: Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

CLOSING REMARKS/ANNOUNCEMENTS (Host):

Wall Speakers On

TRANSITION ACTIVITIES (HOST):

The videos listed below are 12-13 minutes long. Please play as listed below and feel free to stop the video whenever it’s time to start the next service.

After 9:00 service play - Transition Compilation 5

After 10:15 service play - Transition Compilation 6

DISMISSAL (STORYTELLER):

Call names of kids as parent come to pick up and welcome kids who are being dropped off.

Encourage parents to enter the room and encourage kids and parents to exit out the middle door

(103)


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Dig In to the Bible

Read: 1 Samuel 3

In This Passage: Samuel is a young boy who lives in the Tabernacle. One night, he wakes up to

someone calling his name. He thinks it’s Eli, the priest, but it’s not. The third time Samuel

hears his name, Eli realizes it’s God. Samuel listens to God’s message and passes it along.

God speaks, so we listen for him.

Bible Point: God speaks…

Application: …so we listen for him.

Summary Verse: “So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of

sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

Dig Deeper

You’ll Be Teaching: God speaks. Kids have busier schedules than ever. Without a break in their

activities, it can be hard for kids to have room to listen for God. Use this lesson to encourage

kids to pause for at least a few minutes each day, allowing space for God to speak.

Think About: Have you ever felt like God was speaking to you? How did you respond?

Dig In to Prayer

Pray that your kids will hear God speaking to them.

Quick Tip

Dig In has built in discussion that gives kids a chance to speak and listen! You’ll often use “pair

shares,” where kids discuss with a partner. Having kids form pairs makes it easier for kids to

share their thoughts and feelings. To help kids get started, designate who in each pair will

begin. For example, you might say, “The person wearing the most blue can go first.” Also,

telling kids that each person will have a short, designated amount of time to talk will help take

the pressure off and will keep your class on track. It’s also helpful to announce a halfway point

so everyone gets a chance to share.


aug. 25, 2019 god speaks 1samuel 3 - northside christian church · 2019-08-16 · 1 aug. 25, 2019...

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