Golden Text
“The word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”” (Jeremiah 1:4-5, BSB) · Read in the Bible
Samuel was a boy, the same age as the students, when he heard the voice of God in the Sanctuary and received a great mission. The lesson shows children that God wants to speak with them and chooses little ones to carry His Word.
Have you ever stayed very quiet in the dark, listening to the sounds of the house? Sometimes we hear the wind, the clock, or someone talking far away. Today's lesson tells the story of a boy who, one night, heard a very special voice calling his name. It was the voice of God Himself! And that boy was about the same age as the children in your class.
His name was Samuel. He teaches us a beautiful truth: God wants to speak with children — and He chooses little ones to take His Word to the world.
The story of the boy Samuel
A long time ago, there lived a woman named Hannah, who was married to Elkanah. Hannah was very sad because she had no children. One day, at the Sanctuary of God in the city of Shiloh, she prayed with such sadness that she could not even speak the words — she only wept. Hannah asked God for a son and promised that she would give him to serve the Lord.
God heard Hannah's prayer! She had a baby boy and named him Samuel, a name that means "I asked the Lord for him". Hannah faithfully kept her promise: when Samuel grew a little older, she brought him to the House of the Lord in Shiloh to serve God alongside the priest Eli. Even as a child, Samuel already helped with the tasks in the House of God.
One night, Samuel was already lying down to sleep when he heard a voice calling: "Samuel! Samuel!" He thought it was Eli and ran to the priest, saying: "Here I am!" But Eli answered that he had not called, and sent the boy back to bed. This happened again... and again. Samuel did not yet know how to recognize the voice of God.
Then Eli understood that it was the Lord who was calling the boy. And he taught Samuel: "If the voice calls again, answer like this: Speak, O Lord, for Your servant is listening." Samuel went back to bed, the voice called once more, and the boy answered with an open heart: "Speak, for Your servant is listening!"
That night, God gave Samuel a very important message to take to the people. Samuel grew up and became a great prophet, respected by everyone, because everything he spoke from God truly came to pass.
What the story teaches
Samuel was just a little boy, but God spoke with him and gave him a special mission. This teaches us a wonderful thing: children can hear God's voice and receive missions from Him.
You do not need to wait until you grow up to serve the Lord. God wants to speak with you today! He speaks when we read the Bible, when we listen to Sunday School stories, when we sing praises, and when we pray. Praying is talking with God: we speak with Him, and He also wants to speak with us.
The important thing is to learn Samuel's answer and keep it in our hearts: "Speak, Lord, for I am listening." When we stay attentive, with a heart ready to obey, God uses us — even when we are little.
❤ For the child's heart. God knows your name and wants to speak with you! Just as He called the boy Samuel, He cares deeply for every child. When you read the Bible and pray, say to Him: "Speak, Lord, for I am listening."
Christ in the Lesson
Samuel was a prophet: someone who speaks on behalf of God. But he also pointed to Someone much greater who was to come. Many years later, Jesus was born — and He is the greatest voice of God speaking to us. The Bible says that God, who in the past spoke through the prophets, now speaks through His Son.
Jesus loves children. When He was on earth, He called the little ones close to Himself, hugged them, and blessed each one. That is why, when we hear the voice of God, we are hearing Jesus' invitation to follow Him. Samuel said, "Speak, Lord"; we too can say "yes" to Jesus, our Savior.
Closing Prayer
Dear God, thank You because You want to speak with every child in this class, just as You spoke with the boy Samuel. Help us to stay very attentive to hear Your voice in the Bible, in praises, and in prayer. Give each little one a heart ready to say: "Speak, Lord, for I am listening." In Jesus' name, amen.
Soli Deo Gloria — Scripture governs; everything else, on its knees.
Frequently asked questions about this lesson
What is the Central Point of Primary Lesson 3?+
That children can hear the voice of God and receive missions from Him. The story of the boy Samuel, who answered by asking the Lord to speak because His servant was listening (1 Samuel 3:10), teaches that God chooses little ones for His service — the key verse is Jeremiah 1:4-5.
Who was Samuel in the Bible, explained for children?+
Samuel was the son God gave Hannah after she prayed earnestly at the Sanctuary in Shiloh. While still very young, Samuel was taken to the House of the Lord to serve with the priest Eli. One night he heard the voice of God and grew up to become a great prophet, respected by everyone.
How do you explain to a child that God speaks with us?+
Tell them that praying is talking with God, but God also wants to speak with us. He speaks through the Bible, through Sunday School stories, through praise songs, and during our time of prayer. Teach the child to answer like Samuel, telling the Lord to speak because they are listening.
What activity can be used to teach this lesson to the Primary class?+
The telephone game: the children sit in a row and whisper a sentence from the lesson very quietly from ear to ear, until the last child says what they understood. It is fun and reinforces that we need to pay close attention when God speaks.
What is the memory verse for Lesson 3?+
"The word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”" (Jeremiah 1:4-5) It shows that God chooses each person even before they are born.
Teacher's Guide
Praise time: start by singing with the class hymns that speak of hearing and serving the Lord — hymns 151 and 505 from the Harpa Cristã (the Brazilian Assemblies of God hymnal) fit the theme well. Explain that the Harpa Cristã is not only for adults and challenge the Primary children to sing at home with their families.
Memory in action (Jeremiah 1:4-5): write the verse on A4 sheets of paper, divided into parts, to make a puzzle. Make two copies so that two groups can play at the same time, and put the pieces inside a gift box to draw from. Each group takes out one piece at a time and arranges them in the right order; the first to complete it wins. At the end, everyone opens their Bible to check it together.
"Telephone" activity: seat the children side by side in a straight line. The first child whispers very softly into their classmate's ear a sentence about the lesson (for example: "God called the boy Samuel"). Each child repeats to the next what they understood, until the last one says it out loud. Let everyone have a turn starting a round. The game builds attention and memory — and teaches that we need to listen carefully when God speaks.
Three questions for the class:
- What was the name of Samuel's mother, who prayed asking for a son?
- What did Samuel answer when he understood that it was God calling?
- Do you also want to hear God's voice? How can we hear Him?
Encourage each child to have a time to talk with God every day — reading a short Bible story and praying — to learn to recognize the voice of the Lord.
