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LESSON SNAPSHOT
BOTTOM LINE:
We can hear Gods voice if we learn to be still and listen.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn how God can call to us and lead us.
KEY PASSAGE:
1 Samuel 3:1-21, The Lord Calls Samuel
MEMORY VERSE:
I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIrV)
SUMMARY:
Sometimes we think that we have to be a grown up to hear Gods call. But kids will
learn that they can hear that still, small voice of God right now. 1 Samuel 3:1-21, The
Lord Calls Samuel
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Teach us how to be silent and listen so that we can hear your voice.
In Jesus name,
Amen

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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MEMORY VERSE
I can do all things through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Choose three kids from the audience. Have each one sing the memory verse in a
different musical style - country, hip-hop, oldies, opera, etc.
SMALL GROUP:
Say the memory verse in pig Latin (or in a silly voice if you dont know pig Latin!)

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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SKIT
CALLING SAMUEL
ITEM NEEDED:
A bed or cot
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: 2M
CHARACTERS:
Eli - The High Priest
Samuel - A boy living in the temple
Eli enters. He kneels down and prays.
ELI: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Amen.
Eli crawls into bed. He sighs. Samuel enters and taps him on the shoulder.
SAMUEL: Master?
ELI: What is it?
SAMUEL: You called me.
ELI: No I didnt.
SAMUEL: Yes you did. I heard you.
ELI: No, I did not.
SAMUEL: Are you sure?
ELI: Yeah, Im pretty sure.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

SKIT
SAMUEL: Must have been a dream.
ELI: Go back to bed, Samuel.
SAMUEL: Sorry to bother you. Good night.
ELI: Good night. Sleep tight. Dont bite the bed bugs!
Samuel exits. Eli starts snoring. Samuel enters again.
SAMUEL: Sir?
ELI: Hmm?
SAMUEL: What did you want?
ELI: Huh?
SAMUEL I heard you calling me.
ELI: Was I talking in my sleep?
SAMUEL: I dont think so.
ELI: Huh. Well, if I was, Im sorry. I didnt call you.
SAMUEL: But Im sure I heard you this time!
ELI: Go to sleep, Samuel.
SAMUEL: Okay. Good night.
ELI: Good night. Sleep tight. Dont bite the bed bugs!
Samuel exits. Eli starts snoring. Samuel enters again.
SAMUEL: Sir?
ELI: Oh come on!
SAMUEL: Sir, I heard you. I know I did!
ELI: Samuel, the only thing Im calling is sleep. Go to bed.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

SKIT
SAMUEL: Okay then.
Samuel starts to leave. Eli sits up.
ELI: Wait!
Samuel stops.
ELI: Samuel, the next time you hear that voice, answer it. Say, Speak, Lord, your
servant is listening.
SAMUEL: Why?
ELI: It is the Lord calling you.
SAMUEL: But thats impossible. Im just a kid.
ELI: The Lord is calling you, Samuel, as he calls to all of us. Youve heard his voice.
Now comes the important part- you need to listen.
SAMUEL: I will, master. Thank you.
ELI: Good night, sleep tight.
SAMUEL: Dont bite the bed bugs.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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OBJECT LESSON OR KIDS SERMON

ITEM NEEDED:
A cell phone
How many of you guys cant wait to get one of these? Do any of you have a phone yet?
How old do you have to be before you get one?
Phones are a sign of growing up. When you get a phone, it shows everyone that your
parents believe you are ready to be more responsible. Your parents expect you to use
the phone wisely. They expect you to keep in touch with family and friends. And they
expect you to not lose it!
Phones allow you to get in touch with the people you care about - family, friends, and
more. But we dont need phones to connect with God. We can pray any time and anywhere, and God will hear us.
Whats more, we can also hear from God! Through prayer and reading the Bible, God
can speak to us. If we are still and willing to listen, well hear that voice and find direction for our lives.
Even kids can hear from God. You dont need a phone, and you dont have to live in a
temple. Learn to be quiet, and learn to be still. Youll hear Gods still small voice come
through clear.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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LARGE GROUP GAME

(TP) ROLL CALL
ITEMS NEEDED:
Empty toilet paper rolls - a bunch of them!
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pick two teams of two. Have one member of each team stand beside the toilet paper
rolls, and have the other two stand ten feet away from their teammates. The two players standing beside the toilet paper rolls will start connecting rolls, telescoping them
together one at a time, making one long roll stretching out to their partner. As soon as
the roll is close enough that the other team member can grab it without the roll breaking
apart, that team wins.
VARIATION:
This can also be a timed contest where one player tries to connect to their partner
with the TP rolls in 60 seconds or less.
WHATS THE POINT?
We dont need phones or toy phones to call God. We can pray and listen to him anywhere.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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LARGE GROUP LESSON

BOTTOM LINE:
We can hear Gods voice if we learn to be still and listen.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn how God can call to us and lead us.
KEY PASSAGE:
1 Samuel 3:1-21, The Lord Calls Samuel
INTRO
Have you ever watched the NFL Draft? Its a very long, kind of boring event that takes
place in the spring. During the draft, all 32 NFL football teams take turns picking new
players for their team. Each team gets a certain amount of time in which to make a
choice. As soon as they do, the next team gets to make their pick, and so on and so on.
The NFL invites a select group of players to the draft to wait for their name to be called.
But for every one player at the draft, there are a hundred at home, sitting by the phone,
waiting to hear it ring. They want the phone to ring and they want to hear the voice of
an NFL coach telling them, Congratulations, we want you to be on our team.
You know what those guys dont want? A wrong number! They dont even want a call
from a friend or family member. They want to keep that phone line clear so they dont
miss a call from the Jets or the Chargers or the Texans or whomever.
As eager as those football players are on draft day to hear a call from an NFL team,
God wants us to be listening for his voice. Believe it or not, God speaks to his people
even today, giving them instructions and direction for their lives.
The best part is that God doesnt just call to adults. He calls kids too. He calls to anyone
willing to be still and listen so he can teach them who he is and how they should live.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

LARGE GROUP LESSON

Today were going to meet a boy who received a call from God. This boy grew up to be
a prophet and an important leader in Israel, and it all started one quiet night while he
was trying to sleep.
READ 1 SAMUEL 3:1-21
MAIN POINT
Samuel was a Nazirite, a person whose life was dedicated fully to serving the Lord. His
parents asked and prayed for a son, and his mother promised she would dedicate him
to the Lord and let him grow up in the temple. Thats how Samuel came to be in the
temple that night, sleeping down the hall from Eli.
God didnt wait until Samuel was grown to let him know he was special. He called him
when he was only a boy. God used Samuel to tell Eli that he and his sons would be
punished for their sins. Later on, God would use Samuel to anoint Saul and then David
as king of Israel.
It all began one night while Samuel lay in bed. Samuel heard the voice, and he answered. God is calling all of us today, waiting for us to answer. We need to learn to sit
up, be still, and be quiet. If we learn to listen then we can be like Samuel and know how
to also obey.
DRIVE IT HOME
The biggest reason people do not hear Gods voice is the same reason we sometimes
dont hear other voices - we do not listen!
Sometimes we tune out when our parents are telling us what to do. They tell us to be
responsible, to clean our rooms, to do our homework, blah blah blah. Teachers tell us
much the same thing. Be responsible, turn in your work, respect others, blah blah blah.
When our parents and teachers tell us things and we dont listen, we can get into big
trouble. If were smart, we learn to listen and listen well so we dont get into trouble.
Failing to listen to God might not get you in trouble, but it will mean missing out. It will
mean missing the chance to serve the Lord. It will mean missing the opportunity to
make choices that will draw us closer to God and allow us to participate in the good
work he is doing here on Earth.
God made each of us unique, and he has a role for us to play in the body of Christ.
Only you can fill that role! But if you miss it, you may never get a second chance.
Dont miss your shot to serve the Lord. Dont shrug it off and put it off until adulthood.
Ask God to speak to you today. Spend time alone, praying in the quiet.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

LARGE GROUP LESSON

God will speak to you. He will tell you what his plan is. Hes waiting for you to say,
like Samuel, Speak Lord, your servant is listening.
CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Teach us how to be silent and listen so that we can hear your voice.
In Jesus name,
Amen

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)

ICEBREAKER
Whos the last person you talked to on the phone?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Philippians 4:13
Say the memory verse in pig Latin (or in a silly voice if you dont know pig Latin!)
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY
Play the telephone game with the memory verse. See if the message comes out clear
at the end.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read 1 Samuel 3:1-21
Who was Samuel?
Who was calling Samuel?
What did Eli tell Samuel to do?
What message did God give Samuel?
What happened because Samuel listened to God?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for calling us and giving us a purpose. Help us to hear your voice so we can
obey.
In Jesus name,
Amen

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3-5TH)

ICEBREAKER
Whos the last person you talked to on the phone?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Philippians 4:13
Say the memory verse in pig Latin (or in a silly voice if you dont know pig Latin!)
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY
Have the kids act out todays story.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read 1 Samuel 3:1-21
Who was calling Samuel?
What did Eli tell Samuel to do?
What message did God give Samuel?
What happened because Samuel listened to God?
How can we hear Gods voice and listen?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for calling us and giving us a purpose. Help us to hear your voice so we can
obey.
In Jesus name,
Amen

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

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POWERPOINT REVIEW GAME

True or False.
Samuel was the high priest.
FALSE
God was trying to call Samuel.
TRUE
At first Samuel thought Eli was the one calling him.
TRUE
God gave Samuel good news about Eli.
FALSE
People came to respect Samuel because he listened to God.
TRUE

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

5 Simple Ways You Can Make This Lesson Stick With Your Kids

THIS WEEKS LESSON: SAMUEL

IN THE CAR:
Ask your child what they learned about this week on the drive home:
Sometimes we think that we have to be a grown up to hear Gods leading. But kids will
learn that they can hear that still, small voice of God right now. 1 Samuel 3:1-21, The
Lord Calls Samuel
HANGING OUT:
Make this weeks lesson real:
Challenge everyone in your house to be better listeners this week, listening to one another and listening to God.
AT DINNER:
Here are some great discussion starters:
- Who was Samuel?
- Why was God calling to Samuel?
- How can we be better listeners and hear Gods voice?
AT BEDTIME:
Quiz your child on this weeks memory verse:
I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIrV)
PARENT TIME:
What you need to know:
How good are you at hearing Gods voice? Spend some quiet time with the Lord
this week, and listen closely. Ask God to speak to you!

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL

I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me

strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIrV)

I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me

strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIrV)

I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me

strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIrV)

I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me

strength. - Philippians 4:13 (NIrV)

CUT ON DASHED LINE

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CRAFT ACTIVITY
Have the kids draw a comic strip illustrating the story of how God called to Samuel.

KIDS OF THE BIBLE: SAMUEL