Lesson Topic – The Bigger They Are…
That’s Good to Know – Be Brave For God
Bible Lesson – Goliath meets David-1 Samuel 17:32-50
Spoken Word – Proverbs 28:1- Those who live right are as brave as lions.
Parent Corner – Remember when the 10 spies gave their negative report about the Promised Land? They were afraid of giants in the land. While their report was exaggerated (no, the Israelites were not the size of grasshoppers in comparison), there really were giants.
In today’s Bible lesson, we meet the most famous giant, Goliath. Over 9 feet tall, Goliath apparently was a descendant of a tribe of giants that settled in Gath, one of the five main Philistine cities.
Had any of the 10 spies lived at this time, they might have said, “We told you so!” Sadly, most of Israel, even King Saul, had the same fearful spirit. But not young David! He had the spirit of Joshua and Caleb. He knew that any obstacle confronting God’s people could be overcome through faith and obedience.
Fearsome “giants” still array themselves against kids today. Sometimes these are giants of the imagination: Monster under the bed, things that go bump in the night and “what if “ fears (what if mom dies, what if I get lost, what if I fail the test, etc.).
Every child will at times face giants of doubt and uncertainty regarding his faith (Does God really love me? Is Jesus real? Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?).
Of course, there’s no way for boys and girls to avoid the giant of temptation. And they often have to face the monster of events beyond their control.
To help kids understand how God can help them be brave and bold even in the most difficult situation, paint a graphic picture of the impossible battle David faced. There was no way David could defeat Goliath in his own power, yet he had no fear. Similarly, there are no battles in your children’s lives that they cannot overcome through the strength of Christ. Teach them to be brave for God.
