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Spotlight! Session #8Week of 2/2/20DavidOpening PrayerThe Nicene CreedI believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried,and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,who has spoken through the prophets.I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the deadand the life of the world to come. Amen.Icebreaker Discussion: Here you will find a current top 40 song. The subject of the song may/may not reflect the topic of the lesson. PLEASE PLAY THE AUDIO VERSION OF THE SONG! Music videos are the work of artists and video producers and associate an image with the song that may or may not represent the lyrical value of the song. The goal of the icebreaker song is to have a song that both students and parents have heard or is currently charting. We want to use these songs to get parents and students talking so when we get to the core of the lesson, both parties are warmed up and ready to share. Parents should view the video prior to the lesson to see if it is something that you want to view during the lesson.The Champion / Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris - this lesson you can play the music video as it associates positive images with the lyrics.Values:?Positive ???Pace:?fast ???Clarity:?Clear???? Issues:?In today’s world we all want to win and be the elite player or the star of the show. In life we also want to win to. This song tells the story of a person who has the desire to win but for all the right reasons. “When they write my storyThey're gonna say that I did it for the glory, But don't think that I did it for the fame, yeah, I did it for the love of the game.” Questions: What is something you love to do so much that you are willing to make great sacrifices for? Actions:?Find someone in your school or family that may be struggling to be the best that they can and help them achieve their goals.Mass Readings for Sunday 1/12/20If you would like to preview the Gospel and the reading for the week you can find them here: ZONE (know these facts as they will be part of our Kahoot! Trivia for large group)Courage – Sometimes called fortitude, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means personal loss or harm.Christ – a title for Jesus, the One anointed by God as MessiahPsalms – poems and hymns that were first used in the liturgy of the Israelites. Today, the psalms are also prayed and sun in the public prayer of the church.Anoint – to use oil to mark someone as chosen for a special purpose. In biblical times, the priests, the kings and sometimes the prophets were anointed as a sign of God’s favor.Featured Scripture for DiscussionThis is the section where you will read the scripture, discuss it and answer the questions.The Spotlight scripture is: 1 Samuel 17:32-46,48-50The Story of DavidAfter Moses and Joshua died, the people of Israel were governed by a series of judges and priests. This was an effective system only if the leaders (e.g., the judges) and people were committed to following the Lord. The book of Judges in the Old Testament records the failure of the people and leaders under this system. God had predicted this failure (Deuteronomy 17:14-15) and knew that eventually Israel would be ruled by a king.Just before 1051 BC, the year Saul became king, the people of Israel demanded that Samuel (the prophet) select a king to rule over them. Samuel’s sons were dishonest judges and thereby disqualified for the job. God had predicted Israel’s desire for a king so they could “be like other nations” (1 Samuel 8:20). However, God had called Israel to be different from all other nations. In calling for a king, Israel was indirectly rejecting God as ruler.The Lord agreed to let the people have a king to rule them, thus Saul was chosen as the first king of Israel. Saul was a “choice and handsome man” and stood head and shoulders above all other men. Though Saul looked the part, he was impetuous, hot-tempered, disobedient and jealous. Saul was 30 years old when he became king and reigned over Israel 42 years. After Saul openly disobeyed God twice, God told Samuel (1 Samuel 13:13-14) that his kingdom would not endure and that God had sought out a man after his own heart. That man was David.Most everyone who has ever been to Sunday school or Vacation Bible School as a child knows the familiar story of David and Goliath. We know David as the young shepherd boy who slew a giant with a one stone and a simple slingshot. We know that this brave shepherd boy grew up to be a great king of Israel. We also know that Jesus Christ descended from the house of David. But what else? Who was this David and what can we learn from him today?Much is written in our Bibles about David. More has been written about David than any other character in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament there are sixty-six chapters written about David and in the New Testament there are fifty-nine references to this great man. We not only can read about David’s life in 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 1 Chronicles, we can glean insight into what he thought and felt by reading many of the Psalms he wrote. Seventy-three Psalms are attributed to David.In Hebrew the name David means “beloved.” David is the only person in the Bible whose epitaph reads “a man after God’s own heart “(1 Samuel 13:14,?Acts. 13:22). David was born in 1040 BC and was the youngest son of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10-11). He is described as handsome and ruddy with beautiful eyes (1 Samuel 16:12). He was anointed as a boy to be God’s chosen king by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel. 16:13) and from that day forward, the Holy Spirit remained with him for the rest of his life.READING DAVID’S LIFE IN CONTEXT (OPTIONAL):Read?1 Samuel 16-31; all of 2 Samuel;?1 Kings 1:1-2:12; and?1 Chronicles 28?& 29 to get the “Big Picture” for the 3-lesson study of David. – 1 Samuel 17:32-54?New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)David Challenges Goliath.?32?Then David spoke to Saul: “My lord should not lose heart. Let your servant go and fight this Philistine.”?33?But Saul answered David, “You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”?34?Then David told Saul: “Your servant used to tend his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or bear came to carry off a sheep from the flock,?35?I would chase after it, attack it, and snatch the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by the throat, strike it, and kill it.?36?Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, because he has insulted the armies of the living God.”37?David continued: “The same?Lord?who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the?Lord?will be with you.”Preparation for the Encounter.?38?Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic, putting a bronze helmet on his head and arming him with a coat of mail.?39?David also fastened Saul’s sword over the tunic. He walked with difficulty, however, since he had never worn armor before. He said to Saul, “I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.?40?Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag. With his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.David’s Victory.?41?[a]With his shield-bearer marching before him, the Philistine advanced closer and closer to David.?42?When he sized David up and saw that he was youthful, ruddy, and handsome in appearance, he began to deride him.?43?He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods?44?and said to him, “Come here to me, and I will feed your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.”?45?David answered him: “You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the?Lord?of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have insulted.?46?Today the?Lord?shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down…?48?The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters, while David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.?49?David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell on his face to the ground.?50?Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with sling and stone;Discussion Questions:What re some ways you have been courageous in your life?What are some tangible things you could do to become more courageous in your faith life?Why do you think David has so much confidence in facing Goliath?When David faced Goliath, Goliath started to call him names and make him feel small. How do you handle bullies or people that think they are better than you?What are some modern stories of people overcoming hardships or winning against all odds?David was chosen by God, yet he still sinned. What does this show you about your own life and about God’s relationship with you?List some areas in your own life that you struggle with. How can God help you overcome them?Saint Profile:Saint Gregory the Great“Act in such a way that your humility may not be weakness nor your authority be severity. Justice must be accompanied by humility, that humility may render justice loveable.”Saint Gregory the Great’s StoryGregory was the prefect of Rome before he was 30. After five years in office he resigned, founded six monasteries on his Sicilian estate, and became a Benedictine monk in his own home at Rome.Ordained a priest, Gregory became one of the pope’s seven deacons, and also served six years in the East as papal representative in Constantinople. He was recalled to become abbot, but at the age of 50 was elected pope by the clergy and people of Rome.Gregory was direct and firm. He removed unworthy priests from office, forbade taking money for many services, emptied the papal treasury to ransom prisoners of the Lombards and to care for persecuted Jews and the victims of plague and famine. He was very concerned about the conversion of England, sending 40 monks from his own monastery. He is known for his reform of the liturgy, and for strengthening respect for doctrine. Whether he was largely responsible for the revision of “Gregorian” chant is disputed.Gregory lived in a time of perpetual strife with invading Lombards and difficult relations with the East. When Rome itself was under attack, he interviewed the Lombard king.His book,?Pastoral Care, on the duties and qualities of a bishop, was read for centuries after his death. He described bishops mainly as physicians whose main duties were preaching and the enforcement of discipline. In his own down-to-earth preaching, Gregory was skilled at applying the daily Gospel to the needs of his listeners. Called “the Great,” Gregory has been given a place with Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome, as one of the four key doctors of the Western Church.An Anglican historian has written: “It is impossible to conceive what would have been the confusion, the lawlessness, the chaotic state of the Middle Ages without the medieval papacy; and of the medieval papacy, the real father is Gregory the Great.”Reflection: If you ever feel overwhelmed by the negativity and evil of the world, ask st. Gregory the Great to pray with you to keep hope alive and maintain a good attitude. This “great” saint is a living example that things will get better if you trust and serve God. Focus on God and there is no telling how much you can accomplish.Wins and SpinsHave each member of your family or small group talk about a “win” for the day. Something that went well or you feel good about. Now have each member of your group talk about a “spin” something that did not go as planned, was disappointing or you feel could be improved. After each member of your group has said a win and a spin, pray for each member’s spins.Example: My win for today is I got a A on a quiz. My spin for today is that I had a fight with my mom this morning and I feel bad about the things I said. (the group will now pray for each person’s “Spin” so there will be healing or improvement.)Christian Music Song of the DayShoulders – For King & Country a few minutes to reflect on the words and images from the video. – How can you get your strength from God?Closing PrayerOur Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. ................
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