The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Samuel.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Here Comes A King:
A Study of the Book of 1 Samuel

Lesson 23 (Unrelated Brothers)
1 Samuel 20:1-42

The Text:

1. Who does David go to as he flees from Saul?  Why?  What does he want to know?  How are his concerns received?  What reason does David give for Saul’s true intent to be hidden?
    
2. What plan does David suggest in order to reveal Saul’s true intentions about him to Jonathan?  What is Jonathon’s initial reaction?
    
3. What request did Jonathon have for David should David be right about Saul?  Why?  What would be the expected result if not for this relationship?
    
4. What signal does Jonathan arrange to give to let David know of Saul’s intent?  How does Saul react to Jonathan’s story about why David is not at the festival meal?  What does this suggest that Saul had learned or figured out?   
    
5. What reaction does Jonathan have to Saul’s words and actions?  What does Jonathan do?  What reminder does Jonathan leave with David as they part ways?

The Application:

1. How easy/hard is it to get accurate information when you are in trouble?  Do you have someone who would listen to you when your story might sound unbelievable to them?  How do you react when someone comes to you with a story that sounds unbelievable? 
    
2. How hard is it to consider options that include the possibility that you might be wrong?  How determined are you to discover the truth about situations, regardless of what that might be?   
       
3. How do the actions of someone else affect your friendships with others?  Are you able to maintain friendships with individuals in spite of how others close to them may feel or act toward you?      
    
4. Do you have ways of warning close friends of impending danger?  Would you know if they were in danger?  How concerned are you about protecting your “legacy”?  
    
5. How do you react when people close to you mistreat a friend of yours?  How valuable are friendships to you even when circumstances force you to go separate ways?

Next week: 1 Samuel 21:1-15
He Did What!?