Leader Guide
Video Leader Guide
Select a video to have playing as children enter the Large Group room. Videos are under Resources on the top menu bar.
Have Small Group leaders greet the children as they enter the Large Group room and engage them in a game or conversation until time for Large Group to begin.
Welcome (1 minute)
Welcome back for the last lesson of our Superbook adventure, “Samuel and the Call of God.” Today, we will learn what it means to dedicate your life to the Lord. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, dedicated Samuel to the Lord—even before he was born! Now, let’s worship our amazing God who loves us and works in us as we stand and sing The Salvation Poem!
Play Video 7: (Song) The Salvation Poem (3 minutes)
Be sure to preview the song so you can sing along with the children.
The Salvation Poem
SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)
Our SuperTruth for today is: “I will dedicate my life to the Lord.” Let’s say it together. “I will dedicate my life to the Lord.
What do you think this means?
It means to commit or make a decision to give yourself to God; to honor and serve Him every day. When you dedicate yourself to God, you belong to Him! When Samuel was old enough, Hannah, his mother, brought him to stay with Eli the priest in the Tabernacle.
Read 1 Samuel 1:28:
“Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.
Some of you may have been dedicated to the Lord by your parents. Whether you have been formally dedicated in church or not, to dedicate your life to God is an important personal decision for each one of us to make. By doing this, we commit to serve and honor Him with our lives while we are on the earth!
Let’s say the SuperTruth together again. “I will dedicate my life to the Lord.
Introduce Condensed Bible Story (1 minute)
If most or all children watched the Bible story video in a previous lesson, omit it here and go straight to the SuperVerse.
If you saw the full Superbook video in Lesson 1, you’ll remember Chris was disturbed by a dream—yet he tried to downplay or dismiss it. What changed Chris’ mind after meeting Samuel? He saw the impact that a young person could make for God. Chris learned about how God talks to us in different ways and how we must listen and obey.
For those of you who haven’t seen our Bible story yet, we are going to watch a short version now. And if you’ve already seen it, watch again to see how Samuel trusts God when everyone around him is panicking.
Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (11 Minutes)
Condensed Bible Story
Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to meet the prophet Samuel. He answers God’s call as a child, then grows up to become Israel’s leader. The children discover they’re never too young to serve God!
Play Video 10C: SuperVerse Graphic 3
Graphic loops 3 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat the verse.
SuperVerse Graphic 3
SuperVerse (3 minutes)
Our SuperVerse today is 1 Samuel 3:19:
As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.
Let’s have the girls say the first part of the verse, stopping after the word “him.” Then the boys will complete the verse. Are you ready? Go!
Samuel dedicated his life to God. As he grew, God was with him every step of the way. Samuel learned to hear God’s voice and then share with the people what God said. Over time, the people saw that the words Samuel shared with them came true. God fulfilled everything that Samuel said, confirming that he was a true prophet of God.
When you dedicate your life to the Lord, who do you think is with you? God!
Yes, just like Samuel, as you grow, God is with you and will work through you. When you ask Jesus into your heart, He lives inside you by His Holy Spirit. He goes with you everywhere, at all times.
The Holy Spirit lives in all believers. When we dedicate our lives to God, the Holy Spirit empowers us to serve God. He speaks to our hearts and guides us. Then we must do our part to listen and obey! Now, let’s say the SuperVerse again. This time the boys will start and the girls will finish. Go!
Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. They may simply repeat it several times while older children may memorize part or all of it. Be sure all children understand its meaning.
Introduce Signposts Video (1 minute)
Samuel lived a thousand years before Jesus was born, yet we can learn a lot about Jesus from Samuel’s life. Let’s watch our Signposts Video to learn how the story of Samuel points to Christ.
Play Video 6: Signposts Video (4.5 minutes)
Signposts Video
Prayer and Send-Off (2 minutes)
Let’s pray before we move to Small Group.
Dear God, thank You that Jesus willingly left Heaven to come to Earth for us. We praise You that He dedicated His life to Your will so completely that He agreed to die on the cross for our sins. Help us dedicate our lives to You in thanksgiving for all You have done for us! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Today in Small Group, you are going to play a game called “I’m All In.” If you don’t know what that means, you will soon find out!
Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.