The Amazing Life of King David (5)

Teacher note: In preparation for your teachings, read through all of the narratives listed below; however, don’t necessarily cover every verse during your teaching. Instead, carefully chose which portions you’ll go through with your students.

David against Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

Main Point: God wants your availability, not ability.

Antithesis: Being Self protective in our faith.

  • Give short but compelling colorful background on David
  • A national hero.
  • Courageous faith. As a shepherd boy, killed a lion and bear.
  • Successful military and political leader
  • Devoted man of God. God called David, “A man after my own heart.” David also wrote many of our Psalms.
  • Read and explain the story with color.
  • God is looking for availability, not ability.
  • He wants a relationship with you not religion or good works. Instead, he wants you to be available for a relationship despite your sins.

Application: Make yourself available to God this week.

  • Wrestle through the decision to make yourself available to God for a relationship and for your life.
  • Communicate with God on your decision.
  • Group discussion: What are practical ideas of what God might want?
  • Examples: risking a friendship to help a friend get back on track with god, perhaps befriending someone who needs a friend.

David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18-20, 23)

Main Point: Place God at the center of your friendships.

Antithesis: Putting yourselves at the center instead of God.

  • Background on Jonathan (1 Samuel 14)
  • Similar to David, Jonathan had courageous faith!
  • Show how David and Jonathan met.
  • 1 Samuel 18:1-4
  • Jonathan apparently had respect for David before they met. Discuss: What did he respect about David?
  • They placed God at the center of their friendship.
  • 1 Samuel 20:8Pact was before the Lord
  • 1 Samuel 20:14-23More evidence of this
  • 1 Samuel 23:16-18More evidence of this
  • Describe the depth of their friendship.
  • 1 Samuel 19-20Jonathan protects David numerous times.
  • 1 Samuel 23:16-18Jonathan gave up his rightful throne to David.
  • Christ wants this depth with us. A relationship, not religion.

Application: Place God at the center of your friendships. Ideas…

  • Pray together, read and discuss the Bible together.
  • Hold discussion: Practical ways we can serve our friends.
  • Show or remind students how they can come into a relationship with Christ.

David and King Saul: “Dealing with Revenge” (1 Samuel 18-19, 22, 24, 26)

Main Point: Show kindness when wronged, not revenge.

Antithesis: Paying back evil with evil.

  • Show Saul’s insane pursuit of David.
  • Show how David twice refused to take revenge on Saul even when it looked like it might be God’s will. Chapters 24 and 26
  • God does not take revenge on us who personally know Him.

Application: Show kindness and grace, not revenge this week.

  • Hold discussion on practical ways we can show kindness, not revenge.
  • Show or remind students how to come into a relationship with Christ.

David and Bathsheba “Sin and Forgiveness” (2 Samuel 11-12)

Main Point: Confess our sins and experience God’s cleansing.

Antithesis: Hiding our sings and reaping horrible consequences.

  • Read and discuss the story.
  • Show progression of complacency, temptation and sin. (James 1:14-15)
  • Show progression in destruction with un-confessed sins.
  • Nathan’s story and rebuke.
  • God’s judgment.
  • David’s change of mind (repentance and confession)
  • God’s forgiveness and David’s restoration. (Psalm 51 and 32)

Application: Confess your sins to one another (James 5:16)

  • Confess any un-confessed sins to a trusted Christian friend this week.
  • Seek to understand God’s forgiveness and unconditional love for you.

David and His Mighty Men “Leading with Integrity” (2 Samuel 23)

Main Point: Use your influence to build up God’s kingdom.

Antithesis: Using your influence to build up your kingdom.

  • Read and show the amazing feats of David’s mighty men.
  • David refused to drink the water brought by men who risked their lives.
  • He would not use his influence for self-advantage. He knew only God deserved this kind of loyalty. That’s why he passed it up and gave it to God.
  • People often get confused and begin devoting themselves to an earthly leader more than God.
  • David’s integrity was tested and he passed.
  • Do we pass the integrity test?
  • We are to be servants of God and others, not ourselves. Mark 9:35.
  • Yet so many of us use our influence to get people to follow us, but not the Lord.
  • Saul’s problem was that he always used his leadership to his advantage, not God’s. What are you like?
  • Saul could get others to follow him, but he couldn’t get himself to follow God. Is this what you are like?
  • Uriah had integrity. See the last verse of Chapter 23.

Application:

  • Invite Christ into your life if you have yet to do this. This way, Jesus can be your righteousness/integrity in your place. 2 Cor. 5:21.
  • Have the group discuss practical ways we can use our influence to influence others toward God.