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    • Today's Theme:
    God does not want us to wish for what other people have.

     

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     Today's Story:

    		The people demand a king.
    I Samuel 8
    Optional Memory verse:  
    "We must not be proud.   We must not make trouble 
    with each other. And we must not be jealous of each 
    other."  Galations 5:26
    International Children's Bible, New Century Version
    • Materials Needed:
    		Promised Land mat,
    Samuel figure,
    Pharaoh figure,
    1 man (priest if you have one),  Fisher Price or similar type figure,
    3 or 4 Fisher Price (or similar type) figures to represent God's people,
    blocks,
    A half piece of construction paper (to lay across some blocks to be the roof of the tabernacle.

     

    • Action Game:   "Be Fair and Take"  - A take off on 'Simon Says'
    		Remind kids that they have been learning about judges and kings.
    Tell the kids that since God wanted judges to rule the Promised Land and not kings, you are going to pretend to be a judge and the kids have to listen to you when you say, "Be fair and 
    take. . . "
    But if you say, "Obey and take . . ."  you would be acting like a king, and they should not do what you say.
    Any child who follows your directions when you say, "Obey and take," has to go back to to the beginning.

     

    Illustration of Story Set Up
    • Telling the Story:
    		In today's story God's people wish for something that others have.  
    God does not want to wish for what others have.
    I want you to listen carefully to find out what God's people wish for.
    Last week we learned that God's people didn't have a king to rule them.  
    Who remembers why God's people didn't have a king?
    		Because God wanted to be their king.
    What kind of ruler did God's people have in the Promised Land?
    		Judges
    What was the judge's job?
    		To make sure the people followed God's laws and to make sure people were fair.
    In today's story, God's people wish for something that God doesn't want them to have.
    They are going to have to be reminded that God wants to be the king of the Promised Land.
    So I'm going to need all of you to help me tell the story today.
    Your job will be to remind God's people that God wants to be their king.
    In today's story when I point to this half of of you, I want you to shout, "No kings in the Promised Land."
    		Designate half the group to say those words and practice it with them.
    Then I'll point to the rest of you and I want you to shout, "God wants to be your king".
    		Practice with the other half.
    Now listen carefully to the story so you'll be ready when we get to your part.
    		Lay out the Promised Land mat.
    Last week we learned about Samuel.
    He lived with the priest at the tabernacle because his mother gave him to the Lord.
    Lets put the tabernacle right here.
    		Build a tabernacle near the Dead Sea by making 4 pillars with blocks for the corners and place a piece of construction paper across them for a roof .
    Let's put the priest right here next to the tabernacle.
    		Add a figure to be the priest. 
    Samuel grew up at the tabernacle from a little boy to a man.
    He became the judge who ruled the Promised Land.
    Lets put Samuel right here next to the tabernacle.
    		Place adult Samuel figure next to the tabernacle.
    Samuel was judge in the Promised Land for a long time. 
    One day Samuel became very sad. Let's find out why.
    There were countries on every side of the Promised land. 
    		Point to the empty space on each side of the Promised Land mat.
    The people in these countries had something that the people of the Promised land didn't have.
    They all had a king.
    This country had a king.
    		Place the Pharaoh figure next to the mat on one side.
    This country had a king.
    		Indicate a different side and move the Pharaoh figure to that side.
    This country had a king.
    		Indicate a third side and place the Pharaoh there.
    And this country had a king.
    		Place the Pharaoh next to the mat on the fourth side .
    Samuel was getting old.
    Samuel's sons were judges, too, but they were not good judges.
    They would cheat people.