David and Jonathan

Storytelling Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity: 
Children will watch a short drama (acted out by adults) with simple audience participation.

Moderator Notes:  With older children you could make copies of the script and have them act it out having the congregation do the audience participation.  It would make a good presentation in front of the congregation the last Sunday of your rotation.

For scripture, see above.

Supplies List:

• Bible-times costumes for adults
• • King Saul: Royal-looking robe and crown
  • David: Slingshot, regular robes
  • Jonathan: Royal robes, bow and arrow (does not need to be a real one that can shoot. A small, toy one would be funny)
• Three chairs
• Large rock or stone (prop - could be made from posterboard)
• Poster board for making audience participation signs
• Markers for making audience participation signs
• Pencils for journaling
• Outdoor backdrop
• Place greenery, rock, etc. on one side of stage area. This should be large enough for David to almost hide behind
• Place three chairs on opposite side of stage from greenery
• Audience participation signs:
• • David: Hip, hip, Hooray!
  • Jonathan: Z-z-z-ing!
  • King Saul: Boo-oo-oo!!

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture and storytelling/drama script ahead of time.
• Gather the materials.
• Find adult actors.

Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

Open with a prayer.

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Story/Lesson/Activity:

(Have the children sit near a friend on the floor in front of the stage.)

Talk about what it means to be a friend.

Ask who their best friends are. Discuss how we treat friends. How do we show love for our friends? How does God show his love for us? Can Jesus be our friend?

[Transition to the start of the melodrama.]

Today we have been talking about friends.

In the Bible we can read about two very best friends. I think I see one of them now!

[David comes on stage.] David was a wonderful hero. People threw parades for him and cheered for him, so we are going to say “hip-hip-hooray!” when we see David, OK? Let’s practice. Hip-hip-hooray!

(When they have it down, Jonathan comes on stage.)
This is David’s very best friend, Jonathan. He is really good with a bow and arrow, so when we see him we’ll say z-z-zing to sound like an arrow. Do the motions, too. Let’s practice that one now.
(When they have it down, King Saul comes on stage.) This is Jonathan’s dad, King Saul. He started out a really good guy, but became a bad guy, so we’ll say boo-oo when we see him, ok? Great!

Can you remember what we say when we see each of them? I have some signs to help you. (Hold up signs and let them practice. (Practice until they do all three correctly. Then all three leave the stage.) See you guys later!

(To audience,) Who wants to hear the story of David, Jonathan and King Saul?

[Read Melodrama]

(Thank actors.)

Review how the melodrama script is different from the real Bible story. Make sure the kids know that Bible story is true.

Journal: Have children draw their best friend and write something kind they could say about that person.

Closing:

End with a prayer.

Special Notes/Tips:
Be sensitive to children who may feel they have no friends. Help the children make new friends so that everyone in the class has a friend.

Storytelling/Drama Script

Narrator: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a young man of God named David. [David comes out on stage doing “victory poses.”]

All: Hip-hip-hooray!

Narrator: David was the son of Jesse who had recently been anointed to be king of Israel. He defeated Goliath and the Philistines. After that, David was invited to live at the palace with King Saul. Yes, everything was going groovy for David. He even had a best friend named Jonathon who was the son of King Saul. [Jonathan comes out on stage and high-fives David.]

All: Z-z-z-zing!

Narrator: David and Jonathon hung out all the time and did everything together. [David and Jonathan act out what the narrator says.] They played video games together, played football together, and even took kung foo classes together! They were the best of friends! There was only one problem in David’s life and it was a BIG one.
[King Saul comes out on stage, eyes David and Jonathan then snarls at David.]

All: Boo-oo!

Narrator: Jonathon’s father, King Saul, became jealous of David and hated him because he did not want David to become the next king of Israel. Saul had done some very bad things and knew that the people liked David more than they did him and that made him angry.

[King Saul huffs and sulks off stage shaking his fist at David.]

Narrator: One day David came to Jonathon and told him that Saul wanted to kill him. Jonathon was very upset to hear this. He did not know that his father didn’t like David. He said to David

Jonathan: Surely this can’t be true!

Narrator: But David replied,

David: I know this to be true, and don’t call me surely!

Narrator: Then David said,

David: Tomorrow is a big party and I am expected to be at the palace, but I’m going to go hide and when Saul asks where I am, you should tell him I went to my family’s house for a party there and you said it would be fine. Then, if he gets angry, we’ll know he wants to kill me.

Narrator: Jonathon agreed to the plan and said,
Jonathan: After the big party I’ll go out to where you’re hiding with my servant and I’ll shoot three arrows in your area. Then, if it’s safe for you to return, I’ll tell my servant to bring back the arrows. But if it’s not safe I’ll tell him the arrows are beyond him.”

Narrator: This sounded like a pretty good plan to both of them, so they sealed it with their secret handshake and then went their separate ways so Jonathon could get ready for the big party.

[They do a ‘secret handshake’ which can be either a very simple one pump regular hand shake or an extremely complicated one with lots of moves. Both exit.]

[After a short pause, Jonathan comes on stage and sits down.]

All: Z-z-z-zing!

[King Saul comes on stage and sit down.]

All: Boo-oo!

Narrator: When it came time for the festival, Saul was there in his seat and Jonathon was in his proper seat but David was not in his seat. Saul was curious but didn’t say anything about it. The next day of the festival came and still David was not in his assigned seat so Saul asked,

King Saul: Where is the son of Jesse?

Narrator: Jonathon explained the situation to him and then said

Jonathan: Would you permit me to go down there and hang out with him?

Narrator: Saul got very angry and said,

King Saul: I know what you are up to and you are putting the entire family to shame. I do not want you siding with that son of Jesse. As long as he lives on this earth you will not rule your kingdom and I will surely bring him to his death. [King Saul leaves stage.]

Narrator: This made Jonathon very angry so he got up and ran out to the place where David was hiding. [Jonathan goes to other side of the stage. David goes to ‘hide’ behind the bushes.] He brought his servant and his bow and arrows. He shot the arrows out around where David was hiding and then sent his servant out to get them and called out saying,

Jonathan: Those arrows are beyond you. Why don’t you just go back home?

Narrator: So, Jonathon’s servant went back home and David came out to say goodbye to Jonathon because now he had to go into some serious hiding.

[David comes out from behind the bushes.]

All: Hip-hip-hooray!

Narrator: He thanked Jonathon for all his help and then they did the secret handshake and left. Eventually David became king, not Jonathan. They loved each other for their whole lives.

A lesson written by Jeff Johns from: Jenks Church

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