The Gospel Project at Home: Samuel Anointed David

Read Scripture

​Read all or parts of 1 Samuel 16 from your Bible or watch the Bible story video.

Preschool Bible Story Video

Elementary Bible Story Video

Talk About Scripture

In 2016, a bidder at Sotheby’s auction paid $61,250 for a small piece of fungus! Before you think he was silly, this fungus was a European White Truffle, a rare delicacy. Chefs from around the world crave truffles to use in their recipes. Even though it’s a fungus that grows in the dirt, it has been set apart as one of the most treasured foods in the world.  

If you stumbled across a truffle in the wild, you might not even know what it is. It doesn’t look like something that could sell for thousands of dollars. Much like truffles, it can be hard to judge people just by looking at the outside. When God told Samuel to find the next king of Israel, it would’ve been easy to look for the strongest warrior, wisest teacher, or most handsome prince. Instead, God chose David, a shepherd boy who was the youngest of his family.  

David didn’t look like the obvious choice for king, but God saw beyond his appearance and treasured David as the king He wanted. Much later, God would send another king that looked different than what the people expected. His name is Jesus, and He is the King above all kings! 

David did not look like a king on the outside, but God saw his heart and chose him to be the next ruler. Jesus looked like an ordinary man to the people around Him, but He is God’s Son and the Savior of the world.                     

Pray: God, we praise You because You are wise. You give purpose and value to those the world might overlook. We praise You for seeing beyond what we can see and using all things for Your glory. Amen.

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Learn Scripture

Preschool Scripture Music Video

Elementary Scripture Music Video

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Family Prayer

Mornings: Ask God to help you not judge people by their looks, intelligence, or popularity. Ask God to help you see people they way He sees them and to love them the way He wants you to love them. How does God view people differently than the world? How does being made in the image of God give all people value?

Evenings: Praise God for using the unlikely and unexpected to accomplish His plans and bring glory to Himself! How was Jesus a different type of king than what people expected? How might God want to use you and your friends to bring Him glory?

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Family Activities

For Fun: Take a trip to the grocery store and pick out fruit together that looks delicious. While you enjoy your fruit, discuss how we can usually tell if fruit will be good on the inside by how it looks on the outside. It is different, however, with people; we can’t tell what people’s hearts are like by only looking at their appearance. Only God knows everyone’s heart.

To Serve: Ask your church staff for a list of families with children who attend a preschool or younger elementary class at your church. Send a card to each child with a note that encourages them to love Jesus and serve Him. Remind them that God can use them for His glory even as young children.

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