The Story of Samuel

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Students will create a black "scratch" verse bookmark with the memory verse on it.

Scripture Reference:

Samuel 3:1-22

Memory Verse:

Samuel 3:9

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• Gather the materials.

Materials List:

• clear contact paper (if desired) to coat the bookmarks

• scratching tools, such as craft sticks and kabob stylus' (or get the kit with scratching tools included)

• bright colored ribbon or yarn (or see what comes with the kit)

• hole punch

• glue sticks

• Optional: stick-on Bible verse labels or "jewels" for the bookmarks

Lesson

Opening

Welcome the children and their guide to the workshop, introduce yourself, and open in prayer.

Review the memory verse, I Samuel 3: 9, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” Also review the BONUS verse, James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word…Do what it says.”

The project for this lesson uses black scratch art paper to make a Bible bookmark with the memory verse, I Samuel 3:9 on it.

We chose black because the main part of our lesson, Samuel listening to God, occurs AT NIGHT and also at one of the dark times of Israel’s history, a time when even the priests who worked in the house of the LORD were sinning outwardly and leading other people into sin.

Bible Story: The Story of Samuel

Share this part of the story:
Hannah, Samuel’s mother, greatly desired to give birth to a baby, and how she went to the worship place to pray. She was praying, probably with her eyes closed, and quietly mouthing the words as she prayed. Eli, the priest did not know she was praying; he thought she’d been drinking wine, and he scolded her. Instead, Hannah explained to Eli how much she wanted a baby boy, that she was very sad and was very earnestly asking God for a child. Then Eli said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” (I Samuel 1:17) (Older students could find this verse in I Samuel 1 and read it out loud.)

Hannah did have a baby boy, and she named him “Samuel”, a name that means, “asked of God.” Before baby Samuel was even born, Hannah promised that he would serve God in the worship place all his life and that he would be especially dedicated to God. So as soon as Samuel was old enough to leave his family and be cared for and trained by Eli the priest, while he was still a little boy, Hannah brought him to Eli.

Every year, as Samuel grew, Hannah brought him a new robe to wear as he ministered in the worship place, the tabernacle. No doubt Hannah often prayed for Samuel to always love and obey God.
Samuel lived with Eli at the tabernacle. Eli had two grown up sons who also worked at the tabernacle, but, unfortunately, they were doing wrong things that God did not want them to do, and even worse, they were leading other people to also do wrong things.

So while Samuel was growing and learning to love and serve God more each day, Eli’s sons were continuing to do wrong things. God sent a prophet, a man who speaks for God, to tell Eli that he must make his sons do right things or else make them stop working in the tabernacle because God would judge them severely if he did not do so.

At this point, start reading I Samuel 3: 1 – 22, or tell it in your own words in an understandable way for the youngest children if you think that is best for them. Older children can take turns reading the section aloud. It might be useful to insert the questions from the discussion question section into the scripture reading. However you do it, verse 7 deserves teacher comment. It says, “…Samuel did not yet know the LORD. The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.” Point out that there is a time in our lives when we choose to listen to God’s word and to obey God. There is a time when be ask God to forgive our sins, believing that Jesus took the punishment for our sins on the cross and came to life again on the third day.

Like Samuel we have a time when we don’t really know God. Each of us has a time in our life when we’re not really “on speaking terms” with God. We're not ready to hear his voice in our hearts or feeling God's Spirit leading us. But when God decides the time is right, and you have prepared your heart by seeking God's guidance, God gives us His own Holy Spirit to begin speaking to us about how we should live and helping us live the right way.

Another comment on the Bible reading is necessary on I Samuel 3:11 – 14. Point out that Eli’s sons could not hear God because they chose to disobey God. When we disobey God, it’s called “sin”. We cannot hear God’s voice if we refuse to obey God.

Briefly review Samuel’s experience of listening to God and obeying God, and then give directions for the project.

Art Project:

Supplies: black scratch art paper kits or strips measuring 2” X 8 ½ “
neon colored tag board strips, 3” X 9”  (optional if making your own kit) -- these are simple cardboard tags you can find at an office supply store or cut out of cardboard stock.
clear contact paper
scratching tools, such as a tongue depressor or Popsicle stick
bright colored ribbon or yard
hole punch
glue sticks
stick-on Bible verse labels for the bookmarks

OPTION if you have more time:   Have students use black crayons to completely cover the neon tag with black wax, then scratch off.

Procedure:

Tell the children that because Samuel heard the LORD at night, they will use black on their Bible bookmark to remind them of the story. If using rainbow-color reveal bookmarks, discuss how feeling the presence of God and hearing his voice is like suddenly seeing rainbows as you scratch the black.

Show them how to gently scratch the paper and make designs. Some children may want to copy their memory verse onto the scratch paper also. When their designs are complete, they should use the glue sticks to attach the scratch art paper to a neon tag board strip. Provide them with a copy of the memory verse to stick on to the bookmark. Children should put their name and date on the reverse side of the tag board. Last of all, cover the bookmarks with clear contact paper to protect them from further scratch marks, and punch a hold through to top center. Slip a loop of colorful yard or ribbon through the hole and pull the ribbon or yarn back around through the loop so it stays attached.

Discussion questions: (NOTE: Insert these questions into the reading of I Samuel 3 or use them while the children are doing the art project if possible.)

1. Where was Samuel when God spoke to him? (clue, see I Samuel 3:3) ANS: He was lying down in his usual place in the tabernacle. We don’t actually know whether or not he was asleep yet.
2. What did Samuel hear? ANS: He heard someone calling his name, “Samuel”.
3. Who did Samuel think was calling him? ANS: He thought Eli was calling him.
4. Who was really calling Samuel? ANS: God was calling him; he heard God.
5. What did Eli tell Samuel the first two times Samuel asked him about calling him? ANS: He said, “I did not call you.”
6. The third time, what did Eli tell Samuel to do? ANS: He told him that God was calling him, and he should answer, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.”
7. Did Samuel obey Eli? ANS: Yes
8. What happened when Samuel obeyed? ANS: God told Samuel he would judge Eli and his two sinful sons.

Life Application:

1. When and how might a person "hear" the voice of God or feel God's presence in their life?
2. Can you "miss" that feeling or voice is you're not prepared for it?
3. How do you prepare yourself to feel God's voice/presence guiding you?
4. Who and what does God often speak through?  (worship, prayer, Bible, leaders, friends).
5. How do you know if it really God's guidance and not just a person's or your OWN thoughts?

Closing:

Have everyone share their bookmarks, say the verse together, and close with a prayer asking God to open our eyes and ears to his presence, just like he did for Samuel.

A lesson written by member "Learner" and updated by a member of the Rotation.org Content Team