Overview:

This lesson focuses on the story of Nathan confronting David about his sins, highlighting the importance of accountability and repentance. The icebreaker involves students discussing a time when they had to confront someone about a mistake or wrongdoing. The discussion will explore the challenges and benefits of accountability in personal and community contexts. The activity will be a role-playing exercise where students enact scenarios of confession and reconciliation, emphasizing empathy and understanding in resolving conflicts.

Icebreaker: M&M Conversations:

Pass around a bag of M&M's and have each student take three. For each color, assign a specific question they must answer (e.g., red = favorite movie, blue = a fun fact about yourself, green = favorite hobby, yellow = a place you'd love to visit). Go around the room and have each student share based on the colors they have.

Read 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33.

Discuss:

Who was Absalom? Especially in relation to David?
In today’s passage what happened to Absalom during the battle?
How did King David react when he learned about Absalom’s death?
Why do you think David was so heartbroken over Absalom’s death despite Absalom's rebellion?
How do the "Prayers of the People" help us respond to challenges in our community and the world?
Compare individual prayer and corporate prayer (you may need to explain the difference). What are the strengths and purposes of each?
How effective do you believe corporate prayer is in helping to address and heal community issues?

Activity: Community Needs

Divide students into small groups. Provide each group with a whiteboard or large sheet of paper and markers. Assign each group a specific aspect of community for focus (e.g., education, health, social justice). Ask groups to brainstorm and write down community needs related to their assigned focus. Encourage them to think broadly and inclusively.

Once they have finished, invite them to share the needs they have found with the group. Next, ask two questions:

How can we pray about these needs?

What can we do to meet some of these needs?

Close in a way that is appropriate to your group.