编者按  这是一套在美国很受欢迎的教材，按年龄共分三部分：0-6岁学龄前儿童教程，6-12岁学龄儿童教程，和12岁以上青少年教程。我们将陆续翻译成中文，分享给大家。 这套教材里的每一篇，无论是教程还是各种活动，都独立成篇，没有先后顺序，大家可以按需要和负担选择使用。 *更多内容，请关注公众号“羊之门” & thedoorofsheep.com/6-12岁 

目的

这一课帮助孩子们明白：我们的生命要倚靠对神的信心和祂的供应，而不是只依靠自己的力量和聪明。

主题

不顺服、信心、敬畏神、贪婪、自私、撒母耳、扫罗

等孩子(10分钟)

活动 | 我有多少耐心？

开头的祷告(5分钟)

参见：开头的祷告

背经节(12分钟)

有人靠车，有人靠马，但我们要提到耶和华我们神的名。-诗篇 20:7

一起多读几遍这节经文，让孩子们轮流分享：这节经文对他们来说意味着什么？今天我们如何把这句话应用在生活里？鼓励孩子们在这一周多读或背诵几遍，把它记在心里。

圣经故事与讨论(15分钟)

引言

扫罗作王，开始时很谦卑，他依靠神来赐给他作领袖的力量。但很快我们看到，扫罗开始自满、自我膨胀，开始依靠自己的力量带领百姓。神多次给扫罗悔改的机会，但扫罗却一再拒绝神，凭眼见行事，而不是凭信心。最后，扫罗被神弃绝，他的国被夺去，赐给了别人。

读 撒母耳记上 11:1–11

扫罗作王的起初是强有力的，神的灵大大感动他，使他和军队拯救了雅比人，打败了亚扪人。

讨论问题：

1. 扫罗听见雅比人消息之前在做什么？（谦卑地在田里耕地。）

2. 神怎样赐给扫罗打仗的能力？（神的灵大大感动他。）

3. 扫罗这次的胜利怎样坚固了他作王的地位？（百姓看见神与扫罗同在，也看到扫罗能团结十二支派。）

   
   

读 撒母耳记上 13:5–16

接下来扫罗的处境就没那么顺利了。非利士军队人数远超过以色列人，扫罗开始凭眼见行事，而不是凭信心。他不再等候神的引导，也不再寻求神的喜悦，反而急躁行事，擅自献上燔祭。撒母耳因此责备他。

讨论问题：

1. 为什么扫罗的士兵害怕发抖？（因为非利士军人数远远多于他们。）

2. 以色列人因害怕做了什么？（他们开始离开扫罗逃跑。）

3. 为什么扫罗献燔祭是错误的？（扫罗不是祭司，也没有等候神的引导，而是急躁行事。）

读 撒母耳记上 14:1–23

以色列人缺乏武器又寡不敌众，扫罗犹豫不前，而他的儿子约拿单却凭信心前进，并赢得了胜利。约拿单说：“耶和华使人得胜，不在乎人多人少。”他相信神必赐下超自然的胜利。

讨论问题：

1. 为什么以色列人没有武器？（非利士人不允许他们有铁匠。）

2. 为什么扫罗犹豫不前？（他依靠自己的力量，不再依靠神的灵带领他。）

3. 为什么扫罗的儿子约拿单没有被恐惧捆住？（他凭信心前进，相信耶和华必施行拯救。）

   
   

读 撒母耳记上 15:1–31

撒母耳从神领受明确的指示，要扫罗去击打亚玛力人，把他们的一切都毁灭。但扫罗顺从肉体，忽略了神的命令，贪婪地保留了最好的牛羊，还放过了亚玛力王亚甲的性命。扫罗甚至为自己立了纪念碑，炫耀自己的胜利。

撒母耳得知后心里忧伤，去面对扫罗。扫罗欺骗撒母耳，说自己完全遵行了神的命令；当被揭穿后，他又推说是百姓留下牛羊要献给神。撒母耳告诉扫罗，顺服胜于献祭，悖逆与行邪术、拜偶像一样可恶。因为扫罗弃绝了神的话，神也弃绝他作王。

扫罗试图找借口，说他是怕百姓而顺从了他们。他更在意自己的名声胜过对神的敬畏。即使被告知王位会被夺去，扫罗仍旧只关心自己的面子，请求撒母耳在百姓面前尊荣他，而不是真心悔改。

讨论问题：

1. 扫罗是否完全听从神的话，灭尽亚玛力人及其所有财物？（没有，他贪心保留了最好的，还放过了亚甲王。）

2. 扫罗把战胜亚玛力人的功劳归给了谁？（归给自己，还为自己立了纪念碑。）

3. 神更喜悦什么：燔祭还是顺服？（顺服。）

4. 为什么扫罗被弃绝为王？（因为他先弃绝了神的话。）

5. 扫罗看重什么胜过神？（自己的面子和声望。）

   
   

课堂活动(10分钟)

实物短讲 | 扎根深处

备选课堂活动(15分钟)

故事 | 浣熊瑞奇的故事

应用(2分钟)

扫罗的开头是谦卑的，但一旦作王，他的态度很快转向自我中心，不再以神为中心。扫罗更看重别人的赞赏，而不是讨神喜悦。我们在一切顺利时，是否也容易忘记神？有多少次我们把功劳归给自己，而不是把荣耀归给神呢？

下节课

下周一定要来哦，我们将一起看看，嫉妒如何把扫罗变成了一个“怪物”。

结尾的祷告(2分钟)

参见：结尾的祷告

反馈单

课结束之前，把一张带回家的反馈单分发给每个孩子。

*** 英文版 *******

THE RISE AND FALL OF SAUL

LESSON 3: The First King of Israel

This lesson illustrates the importance of living a life of faith in God and His provision, rather than relying on just our own strength and understanding.

TOPICS

Disobedience, Faith, Fearing God, Greed, Selfishness, Samuel, Saul

AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes)

How Patient Am I? (Activity) Click here

OPENING PRAYER AND PRAISE (5 minutes)

Further info? Click here

MEMORY WORK (10 minutes)

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7 NIV

Read the verse together several times. Go around the room and ask children to share their thoughts on the verse; what does it mean to them? How might we apply it to our lives today? Ask the children to read or say the verse several times during the next week.

SCRIPTURE READING AND DISCUSSION (25 minutes)

Introduction:Saul's reign as King starts humbly as he relies on God to empower him as a leader, but all too soon we see that Saul becomes enamored with himself and begins to rely on his own strength to lead the people. God gives Saul numerous opportunities to repent, but Saul blindly continues to reject God and walk by sight rather than by faith. Saul is rejected and his kingdom is ultimately torn from him and given to another.

Read 1 Samuel 11:1-11

Saul’s reign as king starts out strong, God’s Spirit comes upon him in power which enables Saul and his army to come to the rescue of the city of Jabesh and defeat the Ammonites.

Discussion Questions:

1. What was Saul doing just before he heard the news regarding the people of Jabesh Gilead? (Humbly plowing his fields.)

2. How did God empower Saul for battle? (Had the Spirit of God come upon him.)

3. How did Saul's victory solidify his position to be the first king of Israel? (The people could see that God was with Saul and that Saul was able to unite the 12 tribes.)

Read 1 Samuel 13:5-16

Saul doesn’t fair as well in his next encounter. The Philistine army greatly outnumbers the Israelites. Saul begins the perilous journey of walking by sight instead of faith. Saul no longer waits on the Lord for direction; he no longer seeks the Lord’s favor, but impatiently takes matters into his own hands. The prophet Samuel rebukes Saul for taking it upon himself to offer the burnt offering.

Discussion Questions:

1. What caused Saul's soldiers to quake in fear? (The Philistine army greatly out numbered them.)

2. What did the men of Israel do because of their fear? (They began to desert Saul.)

3. Why was it wrong for Saul to offer up the burnt offering? (Saul was not a priest, nor did he wait on the Lord's direction and impatiently took matters into his own hands.)

Read 1 Samuel 14:1-23

Without weapons and being greatly outnumbered Saul hesitates, while his son Jonathan moves forward in faith and obtains a victory. Jonathan states, “Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few." Jonathan trusts the Lord to provide a supernatural victory.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why didn't the Israelites have weapons? (The Philistines did not allow them to have blacksmiths.)

2. Why was Saul hesitant to go into battle? (Saul was relying on his own strength, no longer relying on the Spirit of God to lead him.)

3. Why wasn't Saul's son Jonathan immobilized by fear? (He moved forward in faith, trusting that the Lord would save them by providing a supernatural victory.)

Read 1 Samuel 15:1-31

Samuel gives Saul explicit instructions from the Lord to attack and annihilate the Amalekites and to destroy everything that belonged to them. Once again Saul listens to the flesh, disregards God’s instructions and greedily decides to keep the best of the plunder for himself and his men. Saul even spares the life of the Amalekite king, Agag. Saul takes credit for the victory and sets up a monument in his own honor.

When Samuel heard of Saul’s disobedience he was troubled and went to confront Saul. Saul fraudulently tells the prophet that he has carried out the instructions of the Lord. When confronted Saul lies once again and states that his men kept the best of the plunder to offer it as a sacrifice to God. The prophet Samuel tells Saul that it is better to obey than to offer sacrifices. Saul’s disobedience was on the same level as witchcraft and idolatry. Samuel states that since Saul rejected the word of the Lord, The Lord had rejected him as king.

Saul tried to excuse his actions by saying that he was afraid of the people and gave in to them. Saul valued his reputation more than he feared God. Even after being told that his kingdom would be torn from him Saul was more concerned with his reputation than he was with true repentance, and asked Samuel to honor him before Israel’s elders.

Discussion Questions:

1. Did Saul obey the instructions of the Lord and totally annihilate the Amalekites and destroy everything that belonged to them? (No, he greedily decides to keep the best of the plunder and even spares the life of the Amalekite king.)

2. To whom does Saul give credit for the victory over the Amalekites? (He gives himself credit for the victory and goes as far as to set up a monument in his own honor.)

3. In which does God delight more: burnt offerings or obedience? (Obedience.)4. Why was Saul rejected as king? (Because he had first rejected the word of God.)5. What did Saul value more than God? (His own reputation.)

CLASS EXERCISE (10 minutes)

Deep Roots (Object Talk) Click here

ALTERNATE CLASS EXERCISE (5 minutes)

Ricky the Raccoon (Story) Click here

APPLICATION (2 minutes)

Saul started out with humble beginnings, but his attitude quickly changed once he became King. Saul's focus became self-centered rather than God-centered. Saul sought the admiration of others more that he sought to please God. Do we tend to forget God when things are going well? How often do we take the credit, when we should instead be giving God the glory?

NEXT WEEK

Be sure to be here next week as we discover how jealousy turned Saul into a monster.

CLOSING PRAYER (2 minutes)

Further info? Click here

TAKE HOME PAGE

Give one copy to each child at the end of the class to take home. Click here for NIV or KJV [PDF]

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