The Lord is My Shepherd

Season after Pentecost, Proper 14, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture: (Appointed: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33) Psalm 23

We continue to remember Israel’s leaders and how they strived to serve God. Each had their own challenges and gifts. The need for faithful leadership continues today and we seek wisdom from how these leaders sought the welfare of their people and showed their devotion to God.

The lesson appointed for this day tells of David’s son, Absalom, dying and of David’s grief. Since this is not appropriate for a children’s lesson, we focus on Psalm 23 instead.

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LPTW Proper 14, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 14, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

Nathan Confronts David

Season after Pentecost, Proper 13, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a (adapted)

We continue to remember Israel’s leaders and how they strived to serve God. Each had their own challenges and gifts. The need for faithful leadership continues today and we seek wisdom from how these leaders sought the welfare of their people and showed their devotion to God.

This week’s lesson is the teaching of David’s poor judgment from last week’s appointed text – taking Bathsheba as his own and sending Her husband to die in battle. We do not need to go into detail regarding this particular account of David’s foolishness. But we can still hear Nathan’s parable and understand that even the great King David made mistakes and acted in his own interest instead of being faithful to God and the people in his care.

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LPTW Proper 13, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 13, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

David Served God

Season after Pentecost, Proper 12, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture: (2 Samuel 11:1-15)

(Since this story is inappropriate for children, we suggest an overview of David as leader for this week.)

We continue to remember Israel’s leaders and how they strived to serve God. Each had their own challenges and gifts. The need for faithful leadership continues today and we seek wisdom from how these leaders sought the welfare of their people and showed their devotion to God.

Download the Lesson Plans

LPTW Proper 12, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 12, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

God Promises David an Important Place in History

Season after Pentecost, Proper 11, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a

We continue to remember Israel’s leaders and how they strived to serve God. Each had their own challenges and gifts. The need for faithful leadership continues today and we seek wisdom from how these leaders sought the welfare of their people and showed their devotion to God.

David wants to build a temple for the Ark of the Covenant. God tells David that establishing his legacy is more important. God promises that David’s lineage will enjoy special favor with God.

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LPTW Proper 11, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 11, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

The Ark to Jerusalem

Season after Pentecost, Proper 10, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture: 2 Samuel 6: 1-5, 12b-19

We continue to remember Israel’s leaders and how they strived to serve God. Each had their own challenges and gifts. The need for faithful leadership continues today and we seek wisdom from how these leaders sought the welfare of their people and showed their devotion to God.

The emphasis is on celebration of our relationship with God. David brings the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, thus making this important city a religious center as well as a political one. The Ark of the Covenant represented the people’s relationship with God. David as king wants to do what is right for the people and in God’s eyes. Most of the time he succeeds. Part of the celebration is sharing food with everyone. We celebrate in community.

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LPTW Proper 10, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 10, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

David Is Anointed King of All Israel

Season after Pentecost, Proper 9, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

The context for this week’s reading is complicated and confusing. It was not a straight line from graciously mourning Saul’s death – Saul who was sometimes an ally and often a foe – to accepting the peoples’ apparently unison cry for David to be their ruler. But that is where we find ourselves this week and especially for children perhaps it is best to focus on unity and a leader who unites.

David is heralded for uniting the Kingdom and ruling over it all. Through this, the people are reminded that they are “better together” as they face common enemies and present a united front. Everyone can benefit from a reminder of the importance of teamwork and community, as well as understanding of everyone has an important role to play. Today’s teamwork activities are designed to teach the value of living in community.

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LPTW Proper 9, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 9, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

Season after Pentecost, Proper 8, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture:2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27

Saul and David have a long and complicated history together. Saul became increasingly ineffective and paranoid and even chased David around the countryside trying to kill him at several points. David and Jonathan have been best friends, and Jonathan has given up so much for his friend, David.

Grief is always complicated, but here David simply laments the loss of two very important people. He also curses the circumstances and warns that this bodes poorly for the country. David shows his honesty with God and puts his emotions right out in public.

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LPTW Proper 8, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 8, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

David and Goliath

Season after Pentecost, Proper 7, Year B, Old Testament
Scripture: I Samuel 17 (1a, 4-11, 19-23) 32-49

 This story shows David’s courage but also his faith in God. It is not his ability as a warrior that defeats the enemy, it is his faith in and service to God. Goliath is made out to be some sort of beast – almost a monster. He then represents all our fears and needs for a powerful God. No mere mortal can defeat such a beast with their own power. We must call upon God to help us.

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LPTW Proper 7, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 7, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament

The People Want a King

The Season after Pentecost, Proper 5, Year B, Old Testament Lesson
Scripture:  I Samuel 8: 4-11, 16-20

This is a bit of foreshadowing in the people’s cry for a king, and God’s prediction that they will be sorry. Thy wanted to be like the other countries around them, and they saw only the things a king would provide for them. They wanted to feel safe and cared for. But God knew that this was a form of rebellion against his dominion, and that no human king could provide what they really needed. He also knew that they were fickle and self-centered, and that eventually any king would fail them. But he told Samuel to grant their request anyway. Perhaps we should be careful in what we ask God for, or at least acknowledge that God can redeem even our worst choices.

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LPTW Proper 5, Year B, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 5, Year B, Older Children, Old Testament