“Giant Faith”
Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
Reckless and childlike trust in God turns human reality upside down.
Patriarchs and Prophets (Beginning of the End), Chapter 62
David Annointed as King
Patriarchs and Prophets (Beginning of the End), Chapter 63
David Kills Goliath
OVERVIEW
Have you ever had to overcome an obstacle? I am not talking about a small thing like deciding what kind of clothes to wear or whether to try to run a mile, but one of those big life changing types of obstacles? You know the kind that keep you up at night? The ones that make you question the existence of God? How about the kind that makes you get down on your knees and plead with God for a sign because without one you’re probably going to make a terrible mistake? Those are the kinds of things you will discover in our lesson today.
OPENING ACTIVITY: MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
DISCUSSION
Remember you are God’s child. He has chosen you and loves you more than you can ever imagine.
Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 (Message)
But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
TRANSITION
How does knowing God on a personal level change your life? Maybe you’ve never had to rely completely on God, or maybe you begged God to help you and the answer you got wasn’t what you were hoping for. David has a few of both of those kinds of experiences in our lesson today. See what life lessons can be learned from the story of David.
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
Read 1 Samuel 16:1-12.
1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”
9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.”
10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.”
11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
DISCUSSION
Read 1 Samuel 16:14-22.
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.
15 Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”
17 So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”
19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”
20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.
22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
DISCUSSION
Read 1 Samuel 17:4-11.
4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
DISCUSSION
Read 1 Samuel 17:26-29.
26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
29 “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”
DISCUSSION
Read 1 Samuel 17:38-40.
38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
DISCUSSION
Read 1 Samuel 17:42-47.
42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
DISCUSSION
Read 1 Samuel 17:52-53.
52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.
DISCUSSION
APPLICATION
What made David so fearless? What would it take for you to be able to emulate the strength and faith of David? The story of David and Goliath is one of those feel-good stories that helps us gain an insight into the character of God. God doesn’t always give us situations like the one in our story today. However, God promises to never leave us or forsake us, which brings us to the question: How far is God willing to go to make a personal impact on your lives? How far are you willing to let God go to fulfill His leading in your life?
FOLLOW UP
Describe your favorite superhero.
Ask God to help you find His calling on your life.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
OVERVIEW
Last week’s lesson covered King Saul’s turn from obeying God to leading on his own in direct disobedience to God and God’s instructions about battling the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15). Not surprisingly things went from bad to worse. The end of 1 Samuel describes Saul’s sad ending, including his death and that of his son Jonathan (1 Samuel chapters 28 and 31).
At the end of chapter 15, King Saul had gone directly against God’s instructions. Since Saul hadn’t killed the captured King Agag, the prophet Samuel did that. Then Saul and Samuel separated on bad terms, with Samuel warning that Saul’s kingship would be taken away and given to someone else.
It’s this setting—at the end of chapter 15—that provides the context for starting our study this week. This might explain why God told Samuel to go to Bethlehem and anoint a new king (to replace Saul). It might also explain why Samuel brought up the idea that Saul could be provoked to kill Samuel if he heard about this. And it could also explain why the elders of Bethlehem felt alarmed when Samuel showed up unannounced.
This story includes the often-repeated reality, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Even the prophet Samuel judged Jesse’s sons by how they looked on the outside. But because Samuel listened to God’s voice, he refrained from anointing the older sons of Jesse. David wasn’t even in the lineup since he was the youngest in the family (with the sheep). And yet, by going through all of the older brothers first, they were all present to see the youngest be anointed. This could bring back memories of Joseph and his older brothers’ jealousy.
Two surprising things occur at the end of this story. First, the Spirit of God comes upon David from that day forward. (This might give us a hint why David’s reaction to Goliath in the next chapter is different from everyone else’s reaction.) Secondly, after the Spirit of God came upon David, he went right back to taking care of the sheep. We might expect him to immediately become Israel’s new king, but he didn’t. He took care of sheep, just like Moses did before he led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery. This can remind us to be ready to adjust our time expectations to meet God’s timing for our lives.
Anointing
What’s your birth order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, other)? What difference does it make?
Read 1 Samuel 16:1-23.
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.
15 Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”
17 So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”
19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
1. Why did Samuel continue to mourn for Saul (vs 1)?
2. What made anointing a son of Jesse a delicate matter?
3. Why did Samuel have a hard time choosing the right person to anoint?
4. Why do humans look on the outside while God looks on the inside?
5. What happened when Samuel anointed David?
6. What was David’s relationship with King Saul?
7. When are you able to discern what people are like on the inside?
8. Are you anointed?
SUMMARY
There’s more than one way to see things. The human way is limited. God’s way takes us beyond human limitations. And God places a higher value on what’s inside us—our character and trust in Him—than what’s on the outside. We also see that God’s anointing of His Spirit changes us, although dramatic changes might become more obvious later (such as what we will find in the next chapter).
APPLICATION
This unique story of David’s anointing isn’t nearly as familiar as the next story (David and Goliath), but it has a direct bearing on it. Family dynamics can be powerful. Sometimes it seems like we’re stuck in a rut. At other times change happens dramatically, or maybe it occurs gradually over time. Choose one of these applications and adapt it if necessary so the Holy Spirit affects your life after studying 1 Samuel 16.
SIBLINGS.
How do you relate to your siblings, and how do your siblings relate to you? If you don’t have any siblings, consider how you relate to your closest friends or relatives. Those with a lot of years between them function almost like separate generations. Those close in age tend to either be very close or very competitive (like Jacob and Esau in Bible times).
YOU’VE CHANGED.
When David was a child shepherd, who would have thought he would kill the giant Goliath, and also become the second king of Israel, and in the genealogy of the Messiah? When a person is young, the changes seem to happen more frequently, but even older people change—sometimes in an instant and sometimes gradually.
Then pray together that God will change you into the person he desires you to be.
ANOINTED.
Samuel anointed David with oil as a symbol of God’s special power coming upon him. When a person accepts Jesus into their life, the Holy Spirit enters and lives there. We sometimes use the symbol of baptism to illustrate this.
