Sunday school lessons
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH, NIGERIA.
CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL LESSON 16
JANUARY – JUNE, 2024.
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SUNDAY, 21ST APRIL, 2024.
TOPIC: SAUL DISOBEYS GOD
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35
MEMORY VERSE:
To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22b, NIV).
TARGET:
To help the child understand that God hates disobedience of any kind.
OBJECTIVES:
During and after the lesson, each child will show that he or she understands the lesson by:
1. Retelling story of why God rejected Saul.
2. Praying that God will forgive all acts of disobedience against Him.
OUTLINE:
1. Israel and the Philistines Fight - 1 Sam 13:1-7
2. Saul Offers the Sacrifice – 1 Sam 13:8-15
3. God Commands Saul to Destroy Amalek – 1 Sam 15:1-7
4. Saul Disobeys God and Is Punished - 1 Sam 15:8-35
INTRODUCTION:
The passages in today’s lesson present the two occasions that Saul disobeyed God. Samuel was very careful to make it clear to Saul that God was not pleased with disobedience.
Samuel also stated that because of Saul’s disobedience God also rejected him from being king over His people.
Lack of patience, fear and negligence to instructions constituted disobedience in Saul’s behaviour. Every act of disobedience to God implies insult, dishonour, and disregard to God.
LESSON COMMENTARY
1. Israel and The Philistines Fight – 1 Samuel 13:1-7
Saul was the king of Israel. Israel had many enemies. Some of the nations around were fighting them always. Philistia was a nation very close to Israel whose citizens were fighting Israel at the time of this story.
One day the Philistines gathered in great number to fight a battle with Israel. Saul was the captain of the children of Israel. On one side the Philistines gathered in their thousands. On the other side were the children of Israel with Saul, their king. The Philistines were approaching but Saul would not start to fight them because Samuel had not come to offer sacrifice to God. It was the duty of Samuel, as the Prophet and Priest of God to offer sacrifice. But he delayed to come.
2. Saul Offers the Sacrifice - 1 Sam 13:8-15
When Samuel delayed, Saul did a very wrong thing. He went ahead and offered the sacrifice to God. He was not quite through with the sacrifice when Samuel arrived. He said he thought the Philistines may attack them at any time and his men were running away. Since Samuel was late, he had to offer the sacrifice so that God would help them in the battle. The truth is that he tried to put the blame on Samuel. Samuel rebuked him and told him that it was not right that he, who was not a prophet of God nor a priest, would offer sacrifice to God. In doing so, Saul disobeyed God. Samuel further told Saul that God had changed him from being king over His people because he disobeyed God by going to offer sacrifice in place of Samuel.
3. God Commands Saul to Destroy Amalek - 1 Sam 15:1-7
Saul was asked to destroy Amalek. He was asked to make sure that all men, women, children, and animals were killed. The reason for this is that the people of Amalek attacked the Israelites when they were going to Canaan from Egypt with Moses. God wanted the nation to be wiped out completely.
4. Saul Disobeys God and Is Punished – 1Sam 15:8-35
Saul gathered the army of Israel and matched to Amalek. They started to kill and to destroy the people. But some of his men asked him to allow them to keep the best things for themselves. Saul Agreed and did not really destroy everything exactly as the Lord had commanded. They took away the best of the animals and other things they saw and destroyed only the worthless things. Saul even refused to kill the king of Amalek called Agag and took him back to Israel. God told Samuel that Saul had disobeyed Him again. Samuel was sad and went to meet Saul. When Samuel arrived, Saul told him that he had obeyed God’s command. Then Samuel asked him what the noise of animals he was hearing meant. Saul said that his men wanted to use them for sacrifice to God. He was actually trying to make excuses for his sin. He felt he had obeyed God but his obedience was only partial. Partial obedience is disobedience.
Samuel rebuked Saul and told him that he had disobeyed God again. He pointed out to Saul that God wanted his obedience and not his sacrifice. God also wants our obedience to be instant and complete. Samuel told Saul that because of his disobedience, God had chosen another person to take his place as king over the people of God.
Saul finally admitted that he had sinned, and asked Samuel to forgive him. But Samuel knew that Saul was sorry just because he had been caught. So he told him again that God will give his kingdom to someone who would obey Him. Saul’s disobedience had cost him both his kingdom and other things. God is never happy with us when we disobey Him.
APPLICATION:
Benny looked out of the window and saw those plants his mother planted in front of the house. He did not like them and he decided he was going to cut them. Then he remembered that mother had warned everybody in the house not to cut the plant. She got it from another part of the country and It was used to make a refreshing drink. She planted the seeds so that she could make drinks from the plant for the whole family.
When mother discovered the act, she was told that Benny did it. She asked Benny why and he tried to make excuses. He said he felt the plant would attract snakes to the house. He also said he thought mother would like what he had done.
Mother was very angry because her son had disobeyed her instructions. She and father disciplined Benny adequately, He became really sorry that he had disobeyed his parents. He asked for forgiveness and promised never to repeat his action.
Disobedience in any form will always bring punishment and regret.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why did Saul make the sacrifice before the arrival of Samuel?
(A) His army was running away in fear
(B) God told Saul to do the sacrifice
(C) Anybody could do the sacrifice
(D) Samuel told Saul to do the sacrifice
2. What lesson can we learn in the second disobedience of King Saul?
(A) Our opinion Is better than God’s instruction
(B) God does not punish disobedience as before
(C) God’s instruction is superior to our opinion
(D) There Is no good lesson to learn from the lesson
3. What does this mean “To obey Is better than sacrifice’’?
(A) In this generation, obedience and sacrifice are the same
(B) It pleases God when we obey His instruction than doing other things to please Him
(C) sacrifice Is superior to obedience
(D) Samuel liked the sacrifice.
4. What Is the name of the king Saul spared?
(A) Herod
(B) Agag
(C) Nebuchadnezzar
(D) Silas.
DAILY BIBLE DOSE:
Mon: Punishment for Disobedience - Gen 3:16-24
Tue: Practise God’s Word - Deut 28:1-14
Wed: Reward of Obedience - Matt 7:24-27
Thu: Disobedient Generation - Rom 1:21-32
Fri: God Is Rich In Mercy - Eph 2:1-8
Sat: Created unto Obedience - Eph 2:10-13
__________________________
CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL LESSON 16
JANUARY – JUNE, 2024.
____________________________
Click on the link to join or share with others.......
https://chat.whatsapp.com/DlNh4ErSL0kKaApLg28nzo
___________________________
SUNDAY, 21ST APRIL, 2024.
TOPIC: SAUL DISOBEYS GOD
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-35
MEMORY VERSE:
To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22b, NIV).
TARGET:
To help the child understand that God hates disobedience of any kind.
OBJECTIVES:
During and after the lesson, each child will show that he or she understands the lesson by:
1. Retelling story of why God rejected Saul.
2. Praying that God will forgive all acts of disobedience against Him.
OUTLINE:
1. Israel and the Philistines Fight - 1 Sam 13:1-7
2. Saul Offers the Sacrifice – 1 Sam 13:8-15
3. God Commands Saul to Destroy Amalek – 1 Sam 15:1-7
4. Saul Disobeys God and Is Punished - 1 Sam 15:8-35
INTRODUCTION:
The passages in today’s lesson present the two occasions that Saul disobeyed God. Samuel was very careful to make it clear to Saul that God was not pleased with disobedience.
Samuel also stated that because of Saul’s disobedience God also rejected him from being king over His people.
Lack of patience, fear and negligence to instructions constituted disobedience in Saul’s behaviour. Every act of disobedience to God implies insult, dishonour, and disregard to God.
LESSON COMMENTARY
1. Israel and The Philistines Fight – 1 Samuel 13:1-7
Saul was the king of Israel. Israel had many enemies. Some of the nations around were fighting them always. Philistia was a nation very close to Israel whose citizens were fighting Israel at the time of this story.
One day the Philistines gathered in great number to fight a battle with Israel. Saul was the captain of the children of Israel. On one side the Philistines gathered in their thousands. On the other side were the children of Israel with Saul, their king. The Philistines were approaching but Saul would not start to fight them because Samuel had not come to offer sacrifice to God. It was the duty of Samuel, as the Prophet and Priest of God to offer sacrifice. But he delayed to come.
2. Saul Offers the Sacrifice - 1 Sam 13:8-15
When Samuel delayed, Saul did a very wrong thing. He went ahead and offered the sacrifice to God. He was not quite through with the sacrifice when Samuel arrived. He said he thought the Philistines may attack them at any time and his men were running away. Since Samuel was late, he had to offer the sacrifice so that God would help them in the battle. The truth is that he tried to put the blame on Samuel. Samuel rebuked him and told him that it was not right that he, who was not a prophet of God nor a priest, would offer sacrifice to God. In doing so, Saul disobeyed God. Samuel further told Saul that God had changed him from being king over His people because he disobeyed God by going to offer sacrifice in place of Samuel.
3. God Commands Saul to Destroy Amalek - 1 Sam 15:1-7
Saul was asked to destroy Amalek. He was asked to make sure that all men, women, children, and animals were killed. The reason for this is that the people of Amalek attacked the Israelites when they were going to Canaan from Egypt with Moses. God wanted the nation to be wiped out completely.
4. Saul Disobeys God and Is Punished – 1Sam 15:8-35
Saul gathered the army of Israel and matched to Amalek. They started to kill and to destroy the people. But some of his men asked him to allow them to keep the best things for themselves. Saul Agreed and did not really destroy everything exactly as the Lord had commanded. They took away the best of the animals and other things they saw and destroyed only the worthless things. Saul even refused to kill the king of Amalek called Agag and took him back to Israel. God told Samuel that Saul had disobeyed Him again. Samuel was sad and went to meet Saul. When Samuel arrived, Saul told him that he had obeyed God’s command. Then Samuel asked him what the noise of animals he was hearing meant. Saul said that his men wanted to use them for sacrifice to God. He was actually trying to make excuses for his sin. He felt he had obeyed God but his obedience was only partial. Partial obedience is disobedience.
Samuel rebuked Saul and told him that he had disobeyed God again. He pointed out to Saul that God wanted his obedience and not his sacrifice. God also wants our obedience to be instant and complete. Samuel told Saul that because of his disobedience, God had chosen another person to take his place as king over the people of God.
Saul finally admitted that he had sinned, and asked Samuel to forgive him. But Samuel knew that Saul was sorry just because he had been caught. So he told him again that God will give his kingdom to someone who would obey Him. Saul’s disobedience had cost him both his kingdom and other things. God is never happy with us when we disobey Him.
APPLICATION:
Benny looked out of the window and saw those plants his mother planted in front of the house. He did not like them and he decided he was going to cut them. Then he remembered that mother had warned everybody in the house not to cut the plant. She got it from another part of the country and It was used to make a refreshing drink. She planted the seeds so that she could make drinks from the plant for the whole family.
When mother discovered the act, she was told that Benny did it. She asked Benny why and he tried to make excuses. He said he felt the plant would attract snakes to the house. He also said he thought mother would like what he had done.
Mother was very angry because her son had disobeyed her instructions. She and father disciplined Benny adequately, He became really sorry that he had disobeyed his parents. He asked for forgiveness and promised never to repeat his action.
Disobedience in any form will always bring punishment and regret.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why did Saul make the sacrifice before the arrival of Samuel?
(A) His army was running away in fear
(B) God told Saul to do the sacrifice
(C) Anybody could do the sacrifice
(D) Samuel told Saul to do the sacrifice
2. What lesson can we learn in the second disobedience of King Saul?
(A) Our opinion Is better than God’s instruction
(B) God does not punish disobedience as before
(C) God’s instruction is superior to our opinion
(D) There Is no good lesson to learn from the lesson
3. What does this mean “To obey Is better than sacrifice’’?
(A) In this generation, obedience and sacrifice are the same
(B) It pleases God when we obey His instruction than doing other things to please Him
(C) sacrifice Is superior to obedience
(D) Samuel liked the sacrifice.
4. What Is the name of the king Saul spared?
(A) Herod
(B) Agag
(C) Nebuchadnezzar
(D) Silas.
DAILY BIBLE DOSE:
Mon: Punishment for Disobedience - Gen 3:16-24
Tue: Practise God’s Word - Deut 28:1-14
Wed: Reward of Obedience - Matt 7:24-27
Thu: Disobedient Generation - Rom 1:21-32
Fri: God Is Rich In Mercy - Eph 2:1-8
Sat: Created unto Obedience - Eph 2:10-13
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