Monthly Archives: June 2014

Time

20 minutes
Description

This closer can be used at the end of a teaching period on the life of David, or you can use it when you teach about David’s second anointing as king in 2 Samuel 2:4.

 

Scriptures

·      1 Samuel 16:1-13

·      2 Samuel 2:4

·      Galatians 5:22

Materials

·      One or more small containers of oil, i.e., olive or otherwise.

·      Printouts of the instructions at the end of this file for any teaching assistants you have.

Preparation

Create the following three slides or write these words on a whiteboard or flipchart.

 

1. Prepare the containers of oil.
2. Meet with your teaching assistants, and review the instructions for anointing with them.

 

Procedure

Use the following script, or modify to suit your context:

• “David was anointed by the prophet Samuel when he was maybe fifteen years old (1 Samuel 16:13).”
• “An official anointing is a ceremony where one of God’s leaders puts oil on someone’s head to let that person know he or she has been called by God to an important work for God.”
• “David was anointed to be king at fifteen years old, but he didn’t actually become king for fifteen or more years!” (2 Samuel 2:4)
• “Why?”
• “Because even though God wanted David to be king, David wasn’t ready when he was fifteen.”
• “God had to prepare him, and God did that by letting King Saul chase him around the desert for fifteen years.”
• “During that time, God developed David’s character and skill so that when he became king, he would be able to handle it.”
• “And God does the same for us, too.”
• “God often anoints (or calls) us privately before we are publically anointed (or called) for what He wants us to do.”
• “To let us know, God may send someone to us who encourages us, points out a special gifting or talent that we have or speaks a prophetic word over our lives.”
• “This is exciting stuff, and we may get so excited that we run out and try to make God’s promise for our future happen RIGHT NOW!”
• “That would be a mistake, though.”
• “We have to wait for God’s timing; He knows when we are ready.”
• “If we try to grab God’s promise before it’s time, we could damage it and maybe even ruin it forever.”
• “David knew that he had to wait, and even though he had two opportunities to kill King Saul and take his place as king, he didn’t.”
• “He was smart; he let God tell him when the time was right.”
• “When God first gives us an anointing or a calling on our life, He is planting a seed in our hearts, but that seed isn’t ready to grow fruit yet.”
• “The seed needs time to grow, and it grows as we grow.”
• “God grows our character and our skills until we are ready to handle His anointing / calling on our lives.”
• “God may have to take us through a hard time to grow us like when He let King Saul chase David in the desert.”
• “Then, when we are ready, God gives us what He promised us so long ago.”
• “Maybe you haven’t ever had an anointing or heard God’s calling for your life.”
• “Just in case, we want to make sure you hear it today.”
• “The teaching assistants (or other role available to you) and I are going to anoint anyone who wants to be anointed today.”
• (Ask teaching assistants to follow the instructions from the page below to complete the anointing of the children.)

 

Instructions for Anointing

 

1. Ask the child’s permission first.  If the child doesn’t want to participate, help him or her feel okay about that.
2. Dip a finger or thumb into the oil, and smear a small amount on the child’s forehead (possibly in the sign of the cross, but a simple smear is fine).
3. Tell the child something you have noticed about him or her.  It could be about:
4. A skill or talent
5. A spiritual gifting
6. A fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – Galatians 5:22)
7. A hope for his or her future
8. Give the child a special Scripture to bless him or her.
9. Pray a blessing over the child.