Running the Race: Lordship

Monday:	Running the Race: Lordship
Story Passages:	1st Samuel 24, 1st Samuel 26, 2nd Samuel 1:1-16
Other Passages:	2nd Timothy 2:3-5, 1st Samuel 10:1, 1st Samuel 16
Objective:	Jesus should be Lord and Master of our lives.
Memory Verse:	1st John 2:3, We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.

Introduction: Athletes and Soldiers

How many of you have ever run in a race? What do you call someone who runs in races or plays other sports? An athlete. What do you get when you win a race? (A prize.) Do you get to keep the prize if you cheat? (No.) If you don't follow the rules, you are disqualified, and you can't win. Who else has to follow strict rules? What about soldiers? Can a soldier go anywhere he wants, whenever he wants? Can he go home and visit his family any time he wants? (No.) He has to go wherever his commanding officer tells him to go. [Read 2^nd Timothy 2:3-5]

Transition: Following God

The Bible says that Christians are like athletes, running a race. If we believe in Jesus, we are supposed to follow what he says. Those are our rules. When we do whatever Jesus says, we make him the Lord and Master of our lives. In the Bible, David was a man after God's own heart, and he made God the Lord of his life. David followed God, even when it was hard.

Story: The Lord's Annointed

Saul was the king when David was a young man, but Saul the king didn't like David. Saul was afraid David would take his kingdom away from him. The prophet Samuel had annointed David, just like he'd annointed Saul before, so that after Saul, David would be the next king. It was a sure thing, but Saul kept chasing after David with armies, trying to kill him. Saul was afraid that David would try to kill him, so that David could be king. But David wouldn't do that, because God had chosen Saul and annointed him, and David knew that God wouldn't want anyone to kill Saul.

One time, Saul and his army were chasing David, and David and his men hid in the back of a cave. Saul didn't see them go into the cave, but Saul had to go. You know. He had to go. So when he got to the cave, guess where he decided to go? He was a long way from the bathroom, so he went into the cave. It was dark in the cave, and Saul didn't see David. David's friend wanted David to kill Saul, but David wouldn't do it. He took his sword, and just cut off a piece of Saul's robe. After Saul finished in the cave and went out and was leaving, David and his men went out, and David yelled to Saul, Look at this piece of your robe! I could have killed you, but I didn't, because you are the Lord's anointed. Saul was ashamed and left David alone for a while and went home.

Another time, some time later, Saul and his army were out chasing David again, and they camped for the night, and fell asleep. David and one of his men snuck into the camp, and they could have killed Saul, but David wouldn't. They only took the spear and water jug that were next to Saul's head, and left the camp. From across the way, on the top of a hill, they called down to the army that was with Saul. You didn't do a very good job of guarding your king! Look, where are the water jug and spear that were by his head? Right here! We could have killed him, but I wouldn't do that, because Saul is the Lord's anointed. Again, Saul was ashamed and left David alone for a while and went home.

David would not kill Saul, his enemy, because God had chosen Saul, and David obeyed God, his Lord and Master. David was a man after God's own heart. David said that God would take care of Saul.

Application: Lordship

What have we learned from David? [Accept some answers from the children.] David let God be in charge. The Bible says that we need to let God be in charge, too. If you were running in a race, you would have to follow the rules set up by the people who organized the race. In life, you follow the rules God gave us, because he is the one who organized the whole world.

Invitation: Lordship

[Invite children to stay after the lesson and discuss further if they want to make Jesus the Lord of their lives.]

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.