Doing God's Work
Posted by: Buffalo Dream Center
Topic: Bible stories
Verse: Give and it will be given to you... Luke 6:38
Props:
10 boxes
wrapping paper
label the boxes: Food (2 boxes), weapons, clothes (2 boxes) Home, treasure, cattle, reward (2 boxes-must be identical)
Instructions:
Discussion:
1. When an army goes to fight battles, some of the soldiers must stay behind to guard the base. (Bring out he boxes labeled -food, weapons, clothes, and home)
A. While David and his men were away from their homes; the Amalekites came to take away their families and all their possession. David left his village unprotected. The Amalekites were enemies of Israel (have 4 children come and take the 4 boxes)
B. Many of the men who followed David were angry, blaming him for what had happened. Their families had been taken away. David felt very bad.
C. In this time David began to encourage himself in God. There was no one else around to encourage him. Everyone else was too upset. David encouraged himself by reminding himself of God's promises.
2. David asked God what to do.
A. The Lord told him to go after the Amalekites, though many of his men were tired from the journey they had just finished.
B. He took 600 men part way, but a third of them did not have the strength to go on. So, 200 of them stayed behind to watch the supplies while the others went on to fight.
3. God gave David a great victory.
A. He found an Egyptian slave who had been traveling with the Amalekites. The slave had been left behind because he was sick. He told David where to find the Amalekites.
B. David led his men in a surprise attack on the Amalekites and beat them in the battle. The families of David and his men were safe. David recovered all of their possessions that were stolen. (Send 4 children to take the boxes from the first group)
C. David and his men captured a great deal of spoil for the Amalekites (food, clothing, cattle etc . . (Bring out 4 more boxes and put them in the arms of children)
4. David insisted that the treasures be evenly divided among the men.
A. When the 400 soldiers who fought came back to the 200 that had stayed behind they did not want to share what they had received. The men who did not want to share were considered wicked. They were also called sons of the Devil. The devil will make you stingy if you listen to him.
B. David gave the order for the men who fought to give equal shares to the men who stayed behind. (Give the 4 new boxes to 4 other children to show dividing the spoils)
C. David realized that is was as important for someone to guard the home base, as it was to fight the battles.
D. This story tells us how God splits the reward with preachers who work full time for Jesus and those who give.
1. If every Christian quit his or her job to become a missionary or preacher, there would be no one left to give to God's work.
2. If an army loses its ability to make weapons and produce food, it cannot fight for long.
3. When we give to God's work, He gives us the same reward in Heaven as the missionary or full-time worker gives. Our part is just as important. (Bring out the 2 identical boxes labeled "reward" Give 1 to two different children to show this point)
4. It is important for us obey God and give what he tells us to. If we do not obey God that could affect what the missionary or full-time worker for Jesus is able to do.
Closing: Pray for missionaries in different countries. Pray that God would show us what our part is.
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