David and Jonathon
DAVID #1
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with prayer.
- Scripture Reference: I Kingdoms/I Samuel 16-20. The setting here is important. Saul had started out well. What happened? Review last week’s lesson. Samuel is now searching for a new king to anoint. As the students read the passage, give each a piece of paper with 6 columns: heart, courage, jealousy, friendship, hatred, oaths. Have them note examples of each as they read. Discuss their findings.
What does the Scripture mean when it says that God looks at the heart and not at the physical features? Goliath is described in the Bible as a descendant of the “giants”. Giants??? There is archeological evidence in Gath (Goliath was from Gath), Monash, and Megiddo of huge weapons and scales from huge body armor. Do you think David was afraid when he faced Goliath? Where did David get his courage? Is that important?
What does the statement that Jonathon and David became “one in spirit” mean? Would that be an accurate description of your friendships? How would David’s life have been different without Jonathon’s friendship? How do Saul’s actions show what happens when hatred enters our lives?
- Service References: David played the harp and in Psalm 44 prefigured the Entrance of the Theotokos in vespers: “Let David greatly rejoice, striking his harp. ‘Virgins’, said he, ‘shall be brought to the King after her, her companions shall be brought unto Thee.’” And likewise, “David, leading the dance, leaps in gladness and rejoices with us, and thee, O undefiled and all-pure Virgin, he calls the Queen…” Why is David rejoicing? And he rejoices again in the Paschal Canon: “David the ancestor of God, leaped and danced before the ark which prefigured Thee.” How did the ark prefigure Christ?
- Discussion: These chapters detail one of the most powerful friendships detailed in the Old Testament. David and Jonathon were “best friends”. Ask the students to complete the sentence: A friend is a person who… Write their responses on the board. Now, with the whole class, create the “perfect” friend:
When I’m having a hard time, my perfect friend _______.
When I’m excited by good news, my perfect friend ________.
When I have a fight with my parents, my perfect friend ________.
When I fail at something, my perfect friend __________.
If I’m in a crisis, my perfect friend ___________.
When I get angry with my perfect friend, he or she _________.
When I’m down, my perfect friend ____________.
When I’m struggling with my faith, my perfect friend ___________.
My perfect friend always brings me ____________.
Which of these friendship characteristics do your friends exhibit? What is your own strongest friendship characteristic? Your weakest? Are our friends perfect? What happens when we expect them to be perfect? What’s the best gift you could give a friend? He could give you? What’s the greatest risk you’ve taken for a friend? Your friend for you? How does God work through our friendships?
- Close with prayer: Have each student pinpoint a friendship characteristic to work on this week. Pray for the strengthening and maturing of each other’s friendships today and during the week.
