Absalom Rebels and Is Defeated

Lesson 4 37

Absalom Rebels and Is Defeated 2 Samuel 15:1-12; 17:1-12; 18:1-18

M ost 5- and 6-year-olds understand the idea of sharing and cooperating. Because children are in the early stages of learning this behavior, however, times of selfishness and unkindness are inevitable. Sometimes tiredness, hunger, or changes in Bible Point a child’s normal routine prompt this negative behavior. Be sensitive to what’s going on in ► God says don’t a child’s life that might cause unusual selfishness or inappropriate behavior. Then guide the child to more appropriate behavior through positive reinforcement of good behavior. be selfish. Use this lesson to help children understand that God wants them to be unselfish. Key Verse LESSON WHAT CHILDREN DO SUPPLIES EASY PREP God is our help (adapted from Psalm 46:1). 1 Welcoming Song signal, CD player Getting Sing or listen to Weaving Faith Teacher Pack: CD Started praises for God. Into Life about 10 min. Children will be kind and generous 2 Helping Each Other instead of selfish. Talk about times Key Verse they’ve helped Bible Activity someone or been about 10 min. helped.

Theo’s News Surprise Box (any box Put the bag of crackers Find out what sharing will do), Theo puppet, inside the Surprise Box, a bag of crackers has resealable bag of snack and hide the box where to do with today’s crackers, CD player it’s easily accessible. Scripture. Teacher Pack: CD Cut along the dotted 3 line on the David and Bible Bible Time: David Bible, tape, scissors, Absalom figures. Tape Exploration and Absalom markers, 2 plastic glasses each puppet around an about 15 min. Watch a puppet show Teacher Pack: David upside-down plastic about David and and Absalom puppets, glass. Absalom, and then “Absalom Rebels” poster identify items they (from the Big Bible Poster can share. Pack)

Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6 Lesson 4 Fall Quarter 38

LESSON WHAT CHILDREN DO SUPPLIES EASY PREP

Center 1: Here Is Absalom My Bible Playground, Remove the Lesson 4 Listen to a rhyme about crayons, CD player pages from each My Bible David’s sharing and Teacher Pack: CD Playground student book. Absalom’s selfishness.

1 plastic spoon and 1 resealable plastic bag For each group of 3 Center 2: Sharing Snack per child, toasted oat children, fill 3 resealable 4 Mix cereal, raisins, fish- plastic bags: one with Weaving Share a snack with shaped crackers, 1 toasted oat cereal, one with Faith friends. bowl per 3 children, raisins, and one with fish- Into Life antibacterial gel shaped crackers. (optional) about 20 min. (Choose 2 centers.) Center 3: One for You, One for Me sticky notes Play a game to share notes with one another.

Center 4: Kindness 1 sheet of colored paper Scope Cut colored paper in half to per 2 children, scissors, Make a scope to spot make sheets that measure markers or crayons, ways they can be kind 5½x8½-inches. tape every day.

Be a FaithWeaver Choose a Daily Challenge My Bible Playground to apply God’s Word.

“Help Me Be Kind” 5 Prayer Lasting Tell the name of a person Impressions they want to be kind to about 10 min. this week.

Weaving Faith at Home Talk about how to share what they learned with their families.

Fall Quarter Lesson 4 Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6 39

Absalom Rebels and Is Defeated 2 Samuel 15:1-12; 17:1-12; 18:1-18 BIBLe BACKGROUND FOR LEADERS

A note about this lesson: You might be surprised that you’ve been asked Finally, Absalom decided to revolt openly, and he to teach this Bible passage to children this age. Rest assured that for chose Hebron for his headquarters. David had been this age level, we’ve chosen to focus on how our selflessness honors proclaimed king in Hebron, and Absalom had been God. Help kids understand that God wants us to share. born there; it was a significant place of worship; it was the city David had abandoned when he moved David’s Family Turmoil his capital to Jerusalem. Absalom must have counted all these factors in his favor.

It’s important to know about certain events in the lives of Absalom Is Defeated David’s other children in order to understand the context in which today’s events took place. Amnon, one of David’s sons, was attracted to Tamar, a daughter of David must have realized that Absalom had gained David and half-sister to Amnon, and he raped her then quite a following, because when he heard of the turned against her. Absalom, Tamar’s brother and revolt, he insisted on fleeing Jerusalem for safety. another of David’s sons, took her in. Two years later, After receiving conflicting advice, Absalom decided Absalom had Amnon murdered and then fled from David not to attack David right away. The delay allowed and Israel. David mourned for Amnon and wished to be David time to muster an army (2 Samuel 18:1). reunited with Absalom (2 Samuel 13:37-39). In the ensuing battle, 20,000 died. In the end, Absalom David Restores Absalom was killed by Joab, and David again wept over the death of a son. Self-centered attitudes and actions had taken the life of yet another of the king’s sons. After Absalom had been gone three years, Joab, David’s trusted general, had seen enough of David’s The Jesus Connection pain. He enlisted a “wise woman” to confront David and convince him to allow Absalom to return to Israel. David agreed, but apparently he was hesitant Jesus’ selfless life made a world of difference for us. to fully forgive and restore Absalom, because he How can we keep our attitude Christ-centered? By refused to see him after his return. It took setting looking at him, all the time. Joab’s field on fire two years later for Absalom to finally get the king’s attention and be allowed to visit How does a self-centered attitude affect relation-ships? his father. Absalom bowed to the ground before David, and David kissed him, offering forgiveness. How could following Jesus’ selfless example improve those relationships? Absalom’s Revolt Thank God for sending Jesus, who leads us on to better relationships by showing us how to treat others After that meeting, Absalom put a subversive plan into action. with selfless love—the way he treats us. You can He would meet people coming into Jerusalem, criticize his write your prayer here. father’s system of administering justice, and promise a better one if he were made king. He treated the people as equals, not as if they were below him, as indicated in his response to those who bowed before him (2 Samuel 15:5-6). In this way, he won over large numbers of people.

GETTING STARTED

Welcoming Song Welcoming Song Supplies signal CD Tip Consistently use the same signal to announce a transition to the player next activity. You could flip the lights off and on, use a train whistle, have a Teacher Pack puppet rustling inside a bag, or sing cleanup songs. Keep it simple, consistent, CD: “When I Go to and fun.

Church” (track 3) What You’ll Do As the children arrive, greet each one with a smile. When it’s time to begin, use your signal to gather the children together in a circle. Stand in the center of the circle with the children gathered around you holding hands.

Have the children walk around in a circle and sing “When I Go to Church” (track 3 on the CD) to the tune of “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”

When I go to church, I see all my special friends. Where I learn about God’s love, and how it never, ever ends. And I learn about how Jesus came to die for all my sins. When I go to church. (Repeat 2x.)

Say: I’m so glad you’re here at church. We have a lot of wonderful things to learn and do today.

2 KEY VERSE ACTIVITY

Helping Each Other Helping Each Other Supplies

Bible What You’ll Do Have the children form a circle and sit down. Open your Bible to Psalm 46:1, and show the children the words.

Say: Our Key Verse from the Bible says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever- present help in trouble.” This means that God helps us. Lead the children in repeating the Key Verse with you: God is our help (Psalm 46:1).

Talk With Kids Ask: . Tell about a time you helped someone. . Tell about a time someone helped you.

Say: Today we’ll hear about someone in the Bible who was selfish and greedy. ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH, but be kind and help others. Let’s say our KeyVerse again. Lead the children in repeating the Key Verse with you: God is our help (Psalm 46:1). 3 BIBLE EXPLORATION Theo’s News Theo’s News Supplies Surprise Box (any box will do) What You’ll Do Theo puppet resealable Say: Friends, it’s time for Theo’s News! bag of snack crackers Have the children sit in a circle, and then play “Here, Theo” (track 2 on the CD). When CD player the CD segment ends, bring out the Surprise Box, and put Theophilus the FaithRetriever Teacher Pack puppet on your hand. Then follow along with the script. CD: “Here, Theo” (track 2) Theo: Hi, everybody! Teacher: Hello, Theo! Tell us what interesting news you’ve dug up about the Bible today. Theo’s News Theo: I hid it in the Surprise Box. Easy Prep Teacher: Let’s look inside to see what Theo dug up for us today. (Choose a child to open the Surprise Box, and have the kids pass the bag of crackers Put the bag of crackers around the circle so everyone can see it up close. Give the children time to guess what inside the Surprise Box, they’ll learn about in the Bible today.) and hide the box where Teacher: Theo, why did you hide the crackers in the Surprise Box? it’s easily accessible. Theo: I wanted to share them with everyone here. Teacher: That’s nice of you, Theo! Friends, what if I kept all the crackers to myself and ! ALLERGY didn’t share them with you? Do you think I would be a kind person? ALERT (Pause for kids to answer your question.) Teacher: When we share what we have, we show kindness. (Give a few crackers to each child.) Teacher: But when we want everything for ourselves, we’re being selfish. And ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH—be kind and generous instead. Let’s listen to the Bible to find out what happens to a selfish man named Absalom. Theo: Have fun, boys and girls! Teacher: Say goodbye to Theo.

Encourage the children to wave or say goodbye to Theo. Then put Theo away in a safe place for next week’s use. Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6 Lesson 4 Fall Quarter 42

Bible Time: David and Absalom

What You’ll Do Open your Bible to 2 Samuel, and show the children the words. Bible Time: David and Absalom Say: Let’s meet two people from the Bible. Hold up the two puppets as you talk about Supplies them. King David was a good and kind king who loved God. Absalom was very selfish and wanted everything for himself. He didn’t want to share with others. Bible tape Move the puppets as you speak. Speak in a gruff and unkind manner when speaking for scissors Absalom and in a kindly manner when speaking for David. markers Narrator: One day, Absalom came up with a plan to try to take away his father’s 2 plastic glasses kingdom. Let’s listen to him talk. Teacher Pack David and Absalom: I’m Absalom. I’m more handsome than anyone I know. I should be the king. I Absalom puppets want all of my father’s land, food, money, and animals. I’m going to take away my father’s kingdom, even if I have to fight him myself. “Absalom Rebels” Narrator: Well, King David heard that his son wanted to be king. Because King David poster (from the Big was a kind king, he was worried about what would happen to the people. Bible Poster Pack) David: I’m sad that my son wants to take something that doesn’t belong to him. I don’t Bible Time: David and want Absalom to hurt my people and his army. I will leave so he won’t hurt my people. Absalom Narrator: It made God happy that King David was willing to put others first. So God Easy Prep protected King David and his army when Absalom started a fight with his father’s army. Absalom lost the battle and did not get what he wanted. Cut along the dotted line on the David and Put away the puppets. Absalom figures. Talk With Kids Tape each figure Ask: around an upside- down plastic glass to . What do you think about what Absalom did? create a puppet. . What do you think about what David did?

Bring out the “Absalom Rebels” poster, and set it on the floor. Have the kids sit in a circle around the poster. Direct the children to use the markers to each draw a picture of something they can share in the hands of or around David’s men. Make sure every child has an opportunity to draw a picture.

Say: David and his men were kind, and they shared with other people. But Absalom was selfish. When we’re selfish and keep wanting more and more things, we become unhappy, just as Absalom did. ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH. God wants us to be kind and generous, just like David.

4 WEAVING FAITH INTO LIFE

Choose at least two of the learning centers to help reinforce today’s Bible lesson. Gather the needed materials, and put the supplies in an out-of-sight area until you’re ready for them. Allow the children to choose which center they’d like to explore first. Then circulate among the children as they create and explore. Encourage them to make connections between their activities and the Bible by asking them the questions included with each description.

CENTER 1:

Here Is Absalom Center 1: Here Is Absalom Supplies What You’ll Do Distribute the My Bible Playground pages, and have kids write their names on their My Bible papers. Playground crayons CD player Give each child a handful of crayons, and instruct the children to place some crayons in Teacher Pack Absalom’s hands and some in King David’s hands on the pages. CD: “Here Is Absalom” (track 14) Practice the rhyme below with the children before beginning “Here Is Absalom” (track 14 on the CD). Center 1: Here Is Begin the CD and have the children follow along. Absalom Here is Absalom. (point to the picture of Absalom) Easy Prep He’s a selfish man. (place a hand over the crayons and say “mine!”) Remove the Lesson He wanted to be king, but that wasn’t God’s plan. (shake index finger from left to 4 pages from each right) God protected David because God made him king. My Bible Playground David had a kind heart, and he shared everything. (give some of David’s crayons to student book. others in the picture) Talk With Kids Ask: . Tell about a time someone was selfish and didn’t share with you.

Say: We get sad when people are selfish and don’t share with us. David was very sad that his son Absalom became a selfish man. God is sad when we’re selfish. ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH. Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6 Lesson 4 Fall Quarter 44

CENTER 2: Sharing Snack Mix

Center 2: Sharing Snack Mix What You’ll Do Supplies Have the children wash their hands (or use antibacterial gel). Then have children form groups of three, and give each child in the group a bag with a different snack. 1 plastic spoon and 1 resealable plastic Say: Let’s have each group combine your snacks and make a tasty Sharing Snack Mix. bag per child toasted oat cereal raisins Give each group a small bowl, and let children pour their snacks into the bowl. Then fish-shaped crackers have the children refill their bags with the snack mix and enjoy the tasty treat. 1 bowl per 3 children antibacterial gel Talk With Kids (optional) Ask: . How is your snack better since you shared? ! ALLERGY . Why is it better when friends share with one another? ALERT Say: Sometimes it’s hard not to be selfish. But we can ask God to help us be kind and Center 2: Sharing Snack Mix not selfish. ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH, but be kind and generous instead. Easy Prep

For each group of 3 CENTER 3: children, fill 3 resealable plastic bags: one with One for You, One for Me toasted oat cereal, one with raisins, and one with fish- What You’ll Do shaped crackers. Give children each three sticky notes and have them stick the notes to their shirt or dress. Center 3: One for You, One for Me Say: We’re going to play a game where you share your sticky notes. Try to put your Supplies notes on someone else—one note at a time. If someone puts a note on you, share it with someone else. When I call time, we’ll see who shared the most notes. sticky notes Call time after two minutes. Have kids count their notes to see who has the fewest.

Talk With Kids Ask: . What was hard about this game? . What’s hard about not being selfish? . What can you do this week to share with others?

Say: Sometimes it’s hard to share, but God can help us share because ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH. This week, ask God to help you not be selfish.

CENTER 4: Kindness Scope

Center 4: Kindness What You’ll Do Scope Say: We can always be on the lookout for Supplies ways to show kindness every day. Let’s make a “Kindness Scope” and practice 1 sheet of colored looking for good ways we can share. paper per 2 children scissors markers or Hand out half-sheets of colored paper crayons tape and markers or crayons. Let the children draw and color arrows that point in all Center 4: Kindness different directions on their paper to Scope remind them to look all around for ways Easy Prep to be kind. Roll the paper into a tube with the arrows showing, and tape it into Cut colored paper in place. half to make sheets that measure 5½x8½-inches. Talk With Kids Say: Now let’s pretend we’re at school and “scope out” where we can do kind things. What do you see? Pause. Now let’s pretend we’re at home and “scope out” where we can do kind things. What do you see? Pause. Now let’s pretend we’re at church and “scope out” where we can do kind things. What do you see? Pause. ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH. There are all kinds of places that we can dokind things, and when we do that, we make God happy. 5 LASTING IMPRESSIONS

Be a FaithWeaver Be a FaithWeaver Supplies

What You’ll Do My Bible Playground After the children have cleaned up their centers, bring everyone back to a circle area on the floor. Review the lesson activities and the Bible Point, and then encourage the children to share what they remember about the Bible today.

Also use this time to challenge kids in their faith. Encourage them to choose a Daily Challenge for applying today’s lesson to their lives this week. Use this challenge for encouraging your children’s growing relationships with Jesus.

Talk With Kids Say: Today we learned that ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH. Let’s each choose a way to be kind and generous this week, instead of being selfish.

Give kids these three ideas to choose from: . Share your toys with a friend or a brother or sister. . Share a snack with someone. . Let someone else play with your favorite toy.

Allow the kids to either choose from these three ideas or take a minute to think of a few new ideas together. Then have them tell which idea they’ve chosen. Make sure you choose a challenge as well and tell kids which challenge you chose. Your commitment will inspire children and will give them an opportunity to see God at work in your life as well as in theirs!

“Help Me Be Kind” Prayer

What You’ll Do Say: ►GOD SAYS DON’T BE SELFISH. He wants us to enjoy being kind to others. Think of someone you want to be especially kind to this week. Let’s bow our heads and ask God to help you be kind to that person.

Encourage each child to name the person he or she wants to be kind to this week. Begin with “Dear God,” and then go around the circle and have each child finish the sentence.

Dear God, Help me be kind to [person’s name]. End the prayer with “In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Weaving Faith at Home

Have children take home their My Bible Playground pages whether they worked on them or not. Have the children tell their parents the challenge they committed to in the “Be a FaithWeaver” activity. Encourage the parents to help their kids fulfill this commitment throughout the week. By working together and focusing on the same goals, you and parents can help children weave faith into their lives!

Talk to your Director about e-mailing the FREE FamilyConnect to all your church’s families. Available at group.com/digital.

Fall Quarter Lesson 4 Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6