Saul

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1 Samuel: Lesson 35 — Who Do You Serve? 1 Samuel in Review

The following are the final review discussion questions from a weekly study I led through the book of 1 Samuel at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

 

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

Lesson 35 (Who Do You Serve?)
1 Samuel in Review

 

  1. What stands out to you from our study of 1 Samuel?  Why?  What are some key things you have learned?  Has the study changed any of your thoughts or actions?
     
  2. Who was Samuel?   How/where did he grow up?  What is the character of the people around him as he grows up?  What happens to them?  Why?  Do/should the people around you determine how you “turn out” in life?
     
  3. As Samuel grows older, what do the people of Israel request?  What is their purpose and reasoning?  What do they expect?  How does Samuel feel about their request?  What answer does God have for Samuel’s concerns? In what ways today do people reject  God as “king” in their life? 
     
  4. How is Saul selected to be the king of Israel?  What credentials does he have?  How does he seem to take the idea of becoming king?  What are some highlights/lowlights of his life?  What are some changes that take place in him as he reigns as king?  What is behind those changes?  Do you know specific things that God has called you to do?  What qualifies you to do what God calls you to do?  Does God’s calling guarantee that you will do it correctly or faithfully?  What are some influences to changes in your life . . . For the good?  . . . For the bad?
     
  5. How does David gain national attention?  What makes him think he can do a task no one else is willing to attempt?  Where is he when it comes time to select the replacement to Saul as king?  What does he do after being anointed by Samuel to be the next king?  How confident are you of God being able to do the impossible through you?  What would it take to believe/do that?  What does it take to faithfully live day-to-day when you know God has something different in store for you?   
     
  6. How does Saul treat David?  How does that treatment change over the course of time?  What happens as Saul begins to suspect, then becomes confident, that David is to be his replacement as king?  How do you treat others?  Does that change if you perceive them to be a threat to your current position?  What protections do you need to have in place to help keep from treating people in ways that are wrong?
     
  7. How does David treat Saul?  Does that change over time?  How can you maintain a “righteous” treatment of people who don’t treat you well?  How important is honoring and respecting others to you?  How do you act toward those who are set against you?  How do you respond when your “enemies” fall?
     
  8. Who is really “king” in your life?  How can you maintain a practice of Jesus as Lord?
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1 Samuel: Lesson 27 — May The LORD Judge

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 27 (May The LORD Judge)
1 Samuel 24:1-22

The Text:

  1. After Saul finished his pursuit of the Philistines, a pursuit that interrupted his pursuit of David, what did he do?  Where did begin his search?  Why?
     
  2. Where are David and his men hiding?  Who comes into their hiding place?  What did David’s men want him to do?  What does David do?
       
  3. After accomplishing what he did, how did David feel about it?  What was the explanation given to his men for why David felt the way he did?  How did David respond to his men? 
       
  4. What does David do after Saul leaves the cave?  What message does he give to Saul?  What questions are asked by David?  Who does David call upon to be the judge between he and Saul?   
       
  5. How does Saul respond to David’s words?  What question does Saul have?  What statement does Saul make about David’s future?  What is Saul’s request of David before Saul returns home?  What does David do after this encounter?

               

The Application:

  1. What things are you so focused on that you return to them even after life had interrupted them with other urgent matters?  Are they good things or bad things or some of each?  How much do you rely on others for information on where you should go or what you should do? 
     
  2. How much time do you spend hiding in one form or another?  Have you ever had a person you were hiding from show up and not even realize you are there?  Do you ever find yourself encouraging someone, or yourself, to do the wrong thing just because the opportunity is present and it appears to do so will make things easier?     
     
  3. Do you feel bad for even “minor” violations against someone?  How hard is it to recognize someone as a fellow servant of God when their actions are not godly?   
          
  4. How can you defend your cause with honor when you find yourself unjustly under attack?  
     
  5. Are there people who deserve better treatment than what you have given them?  How hard is it to “let the LORD judge” when the opportunity exists for you to judge?

               

Next week: 1 Samuel 25:1-44
A Fool’s Very Temporary Reprieve

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1 Samuel: Lesson 26 — Listening For Protection

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 26 (Listening For Protection)
1 Samuel 23:1-29

The Text:

  1. Where are David and his men?  What news does David hear?  Who does he go to for direction?  What response does he get?  What response do David’s men have?
     
  2. What does David do in response to the concern of his men?  What is he told?  What do he and his men do?  How successful are they?
     
  3. What is Saul’s immediate reaction when he finds out David is at Keilah?  What does he do?  When David hears that Saul may be coming toward him, who does he go to for information?  What does he find out? 
     
  4. Because of what he learns, where does David escape to?  Who meets him there?  What is  his purpose?  What information does he share?   
     
  5. Who discloses David’s location to Saul this time around?  How does Saul respond?  What does he want to know?  As Saul and his army were closing in on David, what causes them to break off the pursuit?

              

The Application:

  1. What response do you usually have when you hear of someone in trouble?  How often do you ask God what you should do?  Are there times that you are skeptical of something a friend says God wants them to do? 
     
  2. When someone questions a course of action that you believe God wants you to do, how do you feel?  Would you be willing to go back to God and make sure you heard right, or would you be tempted to dig in your heels and do it just to prove you can?     
     
  3. When faced with a situation, good or bad, where the outcome appears to be a given, do you handle it with your own wisdom and ability based on what you see or do you ask God what you ought to do?      
     
  4. Who do  you know that you need to meet where they are and help them find strength in God?  How can you do that?  
     
  5. Does it ever feel like there is always someone trying to deliver you to the enemy?  How does it feel when God provides the way of escape — especially if the source is unexpected?

              

Next week: 1 Samuel 24:1-22
May The LORD Judge

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1 Samuel: Lesson 25 — The Cost of Integrity

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 25 (The Cost of Integrity)
1 Samuel 22:1-23

The Text:

  1. Where does David go after his time in Gath?  Who hears about it?  What do they do?  What is the common characteristic of the people who gather around David at this time?  What concern does David have?  How does he resolve it?
     
  2. Who hears about where David is?  What does he accuse his officials of?  How does he compare himself to David?  What does he have to say about Jonathan?
     
  3. Who speaks out?  What information does he give?  What does Saul do with that information?  What does he accuse the priests of doing? 
     
  4. How does the priest respond to Saul?  What does he say about David?  What does he say about his own actions?  Does the one give credibility to the other?  What is Saul’s response?  Are Saul’s guards and officials willing to carry out his order?  Who does?   
     
  5. What happens to Ahimelech and his family?  Who escaped?  Where did he go?  How did David feel and respond to the incident?

             

The Application:

  1. Have you ever felt a need to go into hiding?  Do you know someone who has retreated into hiding?  How could someone help you in such a time?  How can you help others in such a time?  How do you think it would feel to become the leader of the group that comes to David? 
     
  2. How does anger typically change the way you view people — even your most trusted friends and/or associates?  What is the danger of thinking everything revolves around you?     
     
  3. When someone is looking for information that you know will be used in a destructive manner, how tempting is it to share whatever you know so that you will appear more important than everyone else?     
       
  4. How does it feel to be accused of wrongdoing when you know what you did was right? 
       
  5. Have you ever had a time that someone else suffered on your behalf?  How does this make you feel?  How does it feel to suffer because of someone else?

             

Next week: 1 Samuel 23:1-29
Listening For Protection

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1 Samuel: Lesson 24 — He Did What!?!

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 24 (He Did What!?!)
1 Samuel 21:1-15

The Text:

  1. Where does David go?  What is the priest’s reaction when David shows up?  What reason does David give for being alone?  What does David want?
     
  2. What does the priest not have?  What bread does he have instead?  What do we know about this bread?  How does David respond to the requirements necessary for having this bread?  What does Jesus say about this incident (Matthew 12:1-13)?
     
  3. For future reference, who happens to be there with the priest while David is there?  What else does David request after the bread was given?  What is significant about the only such item available?
     
  4. Where does David go when he leaves the priest?  What do the people there say about him?  Is there anything that surprises you about what is not written?     
     
  5. How did David react to what the people were saying?  What effect did this have on the king and his desire to be near David?

            

The Application:

  1. How do people react when you show up?  Why do you think that is?  How do you feel about giving incomplete or misleading information to someone?  Are there times where that is appropriate? . . . inappropriate? 
     
  2. Are there things that you consider sacred that you wouldn’t give to just anyone?  How do you feel about sharing the things of God with others?  What do the words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”, mean to you in this context?  How does Jesus apply this?     
     
  3. How aware are you of people watching you?  For what reasons would people be watching you?  Has God ever returned to you the use of something that you had devoted to Him?      
     
  4. What would the enemies of God say about you?  Do they even know you exist?  Do you think that what you might consider your greatest achievement is necessarily what others would say is most significant?  
     
  5. How “crazy” does fear make you act?  How do you respond to people who act in ways that are strange, or peculiar, to you?

            

Next week: 1 Samuel 22:1-23
The Cost Of Integrity

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1 Samuel: Lesson 23 — Unrelated Brothers

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!?

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1 Samuel: Lesson 22 — Hide And Seek

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 22 (Hide And Seek)
1 Samuel 19:1-24

The Text:

  1. What did Saul tell all those around him, including his son Jonathan, to do?  What did Jonathan do instead?  Why?
     
  2. What conversation does Jonathan have with Saul?  What things does he point out about David?  How does Saul respond?
     
  3. When war breaks out again, what does David do?  How successful is he?  What does David do following the war?  What was the result?
     
  4. For what purpose does Saul send men to David’s house?  Who lets David know?  What does she do for him?  How does Saul describe David when he finds out what happened?   
     
  5. Where does David go?  Who does he go to see?  What does Saul do when he hears where David is?  What happens to those Saul sends to capture David, and eventually to himself?  Why do you think this event kept them from capturing David?

          

The Application:

  1. Have you ever been in the middle of a verbal attack on someone you know — perhaps even had someone close to you ask you to participate in that attack?  How do/would you respond?  What influences your decision? 
     
  2. What makes it hard to defend a person who is being unjustly attacked?  Are there things that make it easier?  Are there people in your life that you know would stand up for you?  Are there people who know you would stand up for them?     
     
  3. How is it possible to keep doing what you are supposed to do when you know it benefits those who are against you?  How do you realize when it is time to “stand up under” hardship or temptation and when it is time to find the “way of escape”?   
         
  4. What risks are you willing to take to protect the innocent?  Are there limits to what you would do?  What determines that?  Are there people that you consider an enemy that have done nothing but good for you?  
     
  5. Who do you turn to when you feel threatened?  Have you ever experienced God using truth to defend and protect you?  How can you use truth to defend and protect others?

          

Next week: 1 Samuel 20:1-42
Unrelated Brothers

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1 Samuel: Lesson 21 — The Rise To Fame

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 21 (The Rise To Fame)
1 Samuel 18:1-30

The Text:

  1. Following the defeat of Goliath, who did David become friends with?  Why do you think that happened?  What change did Saul initially make regarding David?  How did David do with the tasks Saul would assign him?   How did Saul, and others, respond?
     
  2. After the battle, who did the Israelite women come out to meet?  What was the refrain of the song they were singing?  How did this make Saul feel?
     
  3. What did Saul do when a harmful spirit from God came upon him?  How did Saul feel toward David now?  What task did Saul assign David?  Why, what did he hope to see happen?
     
  4. How did David respond when Saul wanted to give him his oldest daughter, Merab, in marriage?  How does Saul approach David regarding Saul’s daughter Michal?  What is Saul’s hope?   
     
  5. What happens when word gets to David of the “bride-price” Saul sets for Michal?  What did Saul realize about David?  What effect did this have on him?

         

The Application:

  1. How easy is it to connect with people  of like mind and spirit?  Who makes you look good by what they do?  How do people around you respond when you do things with excellence? 
     
  2. How do you feel when you are overshadowed by the accomplishments of someone else?  Why is it so hard to see another person get glory or credit that is greater than what you receive?    
       
  3. Are there people you wish dead, or at least out of your life, because their accomplishments make yours look small in your own eyes?  How should you treat them?  What are some ways to help you get to that point?      
     
  4. How do you view yourself in relation to others?  What is the danger of thinking too highly of yourself?  . . . Too  low of yourself?  How can you find the right view of yourself?  
     
  5. How do you handle the success of others?  How do you handle your own success?

         

Next week: 1 Samuel 19:1-24
Hide And Seek