Confirmation: King David

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Work through the confirmation Lesson below.  Do the best you can on your own.  If you need help, or if you get stuck send me an email, (revrichm@gmail.com), text or call me (610-401-5602).  When you're done, post your answers at the bottom.  When we meet next I will go over this and we'll do an exercise to have some fun with it.  

King David

My Faith Story

The BIG Question: Do you have to have David-like courage and trust to be useful to God?

Think about a time when you were called to do something but fell short. It may be a humorous story or something very serious. How did you feel when you messed up? How did others respond to your actions? Were they surprised that you made a mistake? Where was God in all of this? Does God use imperfect people to do amazing things?

Open the Bible

As Saul, the first king of Israel, continues to falter as a leader, God rejects him and is now ready to choose a new king. Read 1 Samuel 16:1–13 to see who was involved in selecting David as the new king. There wasn't any fanfare or even a voting process; God did the choosing and Samuel made it official.

• What does God look at when choosing someone to serve God? (See verse 7.)

• Why would God choose the youngest candidate and a lowly shepherd boy to be king?

• How could David be a successful king with no leadership experience and probably no people skills since he was living with the sheep?

Look again at 1 Samuel 16:13. David is king because God says so, and David is equipped with the Holy Spirit to enable him to do the job. This secret anointing of David tells us that God knows what leadership qualities David has, even though his family doesn't recognize them.

Now, turn your Bibles to 1 Samuel 17. This is the familiar story of David and Goliath. What do you already know about this story?  Write down what you remember of the story on a piece of paper. Then, using the story from chapter 17, look at your paper and fill in any gaps. This was the first of many triumphs David had on the field of battle. Among other things, David was a renowned soldier and leader of men in battle.

Question 1: If you were an Israelite, how would you have reacted when young David volunteered to challenge the giant Goliath?

Question 2: Why was it such a big deal that David killed Goliath?

Question 3: Why do you think the Philistine army fled once Goliath died?

Question 4: Would you follow David after witnessing this miracle?

When David first became king, it was of the small southern tribe of Judah. Read about that in 2 Samuel 2:1–7. Next read 2 Samuel 5:1–10. What's happening in these verses? This is the second time David has become king. This is the first time that people in the lands of both Judah (Southern Kingdom) and Israel (Northern Kingdom) have recognized the same leader. This shows not only how God's people desired unity but also how well liked David was. In a shrewd political move, David makes the city of Jerusalem the capital of the united kingdom, making the city both the center of power for the nation and the religious center for the people of God.

Question 5: Who are some leaders today who strive for unity?

Question 6: Why is it important for the people of God to be unified?

Lutheran Study Bible page 2103: On the "United Kingdom of Israel" map, you can see how David expanded the kingdom from what was originally Saul's kingdom. Locate Jerusalem on the map. If you also locate Jerusalem on the "Kingdoms of Israel and Judah" map on page 2105, you can see that the city, even though in the Southern Kingdom, was close to the border with the Northern Kingdom. David's decision to make Jerusalem the religious center when uniting the two kingdoms was a wise one.

With a new king of Israel, the nation experienced peace. God made a promise to David, telling him that someone from his family would always be king and that his son would be the one to build a temple for God. Read about this promise in 2 Samuel 7:1–17. This promise will be a lasting promise. Read Isaiah 9:6–7. God's promise comes up again in these verses. This time it is the promise of a new king coming from the family of David, the promise of a Savior, the Prince of Peace.

Open the Catechism

To learn of confession, we will go as a group in to our church and kneel down—at the communion rail, on kneelers found in the pews, or on the floor. Those who are unable to kneel can sit or stand. The act of confessing our sins while kneeling is an ancient practice that is not commonly used today. But confession is still important for us just as it was for David when he sinned and needed God's forgiveness.

Student Book page 306: Read together "How people are to be taught to confess" to learn what Martin Luther had to say about confession. Read the three questions and the answers. Invite questions from the students and emphasize the importance of their personal, private confession and public confession and absolution in church.

 

Cartoon Connection

Question 7: What’s the double meaning in the title of the cartoon?

Question 8: David had many skills besides stand-up comedy. What were some of them?

Question 9: What qualities of leadership did David have?

Life Connection

Whether we realize it or not, we have talents and abilities that can be put to use right here in our church. Think of ways you can use your gifts to assist in an upcoming worship service. You could perform a skit, sing a song, play instrumental music, read the lessons, be an usher, serve food, greet people as they enter worship, or many other things. Pick one,

and know that God is using you to do amazing things.

Quiz Show

1. David was named king after __________ ruled.

     a. Solomon

     b. Saul

     c. Paul

     d. Nathan

2. David's relatives included . . .

     a. Jesus, Ruth, and Abraham.

     b. Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

     c. Paul, Timothy, and Nathan.

     c. Groucho, Harpo, and Chico.

3. David grew up as the son of . . .

     a. a poor Bethlehem farmer.

     b. a wealthy landowner.

     c. the king of Judah.

     d. Saul.

4. David became well-known early in his life because . . .

     a. he was a man of large physical size and strength.

     b. he killed the giant Goliath.

     c. he was an excellent weapons maker.

     d. he was a great musician.

5. One of David's friends was the prophet . . .

     a. Jeremiah.

     b. Ezra.

     c. Isaiah

     d. Nathan.

6. David was king of . . .

     a. Judah.

     b. Israel.

     c. both Judah and Israel.

     d. Finland.

7. David felt it was important to bring __________ to Jerusalem.

     a. the finest meat and bread

     b. the weapons of the whole nation

     c. the Ark of the Covenant

     d. Noah's ark

8. The story of David reminds us that . . .

     a. God only loves perfect people.

     b. God has a hard time forgiving people when they mess up.

     c. not everyone is cut out to be a leader.

     d. God uses imperfect people to do amazing things.