Author: kristenmcnulty

Getting to Know You:

• Discuss a time when someone else helped you get something done you couldn’t do by yourself.

Going Deeper:

• Read 1 Samuel 23:1-14. What do we see David doing three different times in these verses?

o What’s the importance of us asking God for direction in our lives for everything?

o How did God answer David here?

• Notice what Saul does in 1 Sam.23:7, 21. Why do you think he praises God for helping him catch David?

• What happens in 1 Sam.23:26-29? What does David do as a result?

o How have you seen God act as the Rock of Escape in your life?

• What would you do if your family/friends betrayed you like what happened to David in 1 Sam.23:11-12, 19, Psalm 54 intro?

o How does David deal with this in Psalm 54:5?

o How should we handle our enemies according to Romans 12:19-21?

• Psalm 54:4 centers our need for God to be our help. Look up the following verses about God as our help, and discuss what that means?

o Psalm 121:2, John 14:26, Psalm 34:17-18, Psalm 46:1-3.

• How might we praise God in our times of lament? Use Psalm 54:6-7

Take it Home:

• Make talking to God your first conversation of the day and your first conversation when things go south in your life. Practice this week!

Getting to Know you: 

What’s a strange or bizarre thing that has happened to you?  

What are you most thankful for right now? 

Going Deeper: 

Read 1 Samuel 21:13 and then Psalm 34:8. How does knowing the backdrop to this psalm adjust the way we should view it? 

Discuss the following: Praise is for every moment of life from Psalm 34:1. 

-How might we choose to bless God when life is hard? 

-Read Psalm 34:3…how can we encourage people to exalt his name together? For instance, when Christians don’t sing in church or won’t pray publicly? 

Read Exodus 34:29-35. What happened to Moses in these verses? 

-What connection do these verses have to Psalm 34:5, 16?

-What could it mean today to have face to face connection with God and have that showing on our faces? 

Read Psalm 34:15-22 and compare and contrast the righteous and the wicked. What do the righteous do that characterizes them as righteous? 

-Discuss this statement. The righteous are those who live in the fear of the Lord, (vs.7,9,11) take refuge in the Lord (vs.8) and seek the Lord (vs.10). What do these things mean? 

Read Psalm 34:12-14 and discuss what it practically means to fear the Lord accordingly. Look up James 3:3-6, Prov.10:19, Rom.12:9 and Gal.6:9-10. 

Make the connection between Ps.34:20, Exodus 12:46, and John 19:33. 

Take it Home: 

Actively look for things to thank God this week, especially when things get messy. 

When things get messy, lament first but praise second.  

Getting to Know You: Share one of your mother’s qualities that you admire and hope to emulate in your own life.

Going Deeper:

Read Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:2.

• What did this command mean for the nation of Israel, and what does it mean for us today? Why are parents so important to God?
• What was the importance of obeying this command, and what were the implications of failing to do so?
• Paul repeated this command in his letter to the Ephesians – why? As followers of Jesus today, what is the importance of this command for us and the implications for our spiritual life if we fail to obey?

Read 1 Peter 3:1-7 and 1 Corinthians 7:12-16.

• Pastor Aaron talked about the profound impact that believing mothers have on their unbelieving families. How do these passages speak to this?
• In our lives today, what are some of the practical ways that the Gospel of Jesus is shown through us, in our family life and work life and social life?

Read Isaiah 49:13-16 and Matthew 23:37.

• Though God is not a human, and though He has revealed himself in Scripture using male terms, what do these passages teach us about his nature? And what does this mean for both men and women?
• How is the role of all mothers rooted in the nature and heart of God?
• As followers of Jesus, what are some of the practical ways that mothers display the nature and heart of Jesus to their children?

Taking it Home: Spend some time thanking God for your mother! And if you have not yet done so, share with her the reasons why you thank God for her.

Getting to Know You:

What is your least favorite type of conflict to have with others?

Going Deeper:

Read Matthew 5:43-48 together.

• How is Jesus’ kind of love countercultural? What do we value in our society and culture today that is different from the love Jesus commands us to show?
• Consider verse 48 again – can we ever be perfect in this life? What is Jesus calling his followers to, and why did he choose perfection as our standard?

Read Matthew 5:3-10 together.

• Where do you see these traits in our culture and society, if at all?
• How are the followers of Jesus “blessed” by these traits? Is this blessing esteemed in our culture, or something people ignore or despise?
• What are some practical ways you have seen others put these traits into practice in their daily lives? How might we do the same here in Timmins?

Read Romans 5:6-11 together.

• According to this passage, what do we actually deserve? And what did we actually receive?
• How should this description of the Gospel inform how we reach out to and show our love to others, even if they are our enemies?

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

• According to this passage, what is the heavenly perspective that belongs to each believer? How should this perspective change how we think and live?

Taking it Home:

Are you in conflict with, or being wrongfully treated by another person? Ask God how you might bless them this week.

 Getting to Know You: 

• What’s the “most successful” thing you’ve done or accomplished in your life? 

Going Deeper:

 • Who are the characters that love and support David in this chapter? Look at vs.1-5, 16, 20. Why is this significant to the outcome of the story? 

• In verses 12, 14 and 28 a phrase is repeated that is crucial to David’s success. What is it and how is knowing this a key to our success as well. 

o When the Bible refers to success, what kind of success is it referring to?? 

o Look up Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:5-9, Heb.13:5 and Matt.28:20 and discuss the promise God gives us here. 

o If God promises his presence, do we need to ask God to be with us? Why do you think we ask that regularly as part of our prayer lives and should this be a part of our prayer lives if God has already promised it? How might we pray instead? 

• How does it make you feel when others get recognition, and you don’t? Do you feel unloved, unrecognized, jealous? 

o How did Saul feel in vs.6-9? 

o How did God respond to these feelings in vs.10? 

o Why did God send a harmful spirit regularly on Saul? 

• Jealousy is a powerful and debilitating emotion that can stay with us a long time. Discuss what causes jealousy and how we can counteract it in our lives? 

o Discuss what the following verses say about jealousy. Prov.14:30, James 3:14- 16, Ex.20:17 

• How do we see Jesus the Messiah through David the anointed king (Messiah)? 

o How do David’s responses point us to Jesus in light of Phil.2:5-11. 

Live it Out: 

• Practice the presence of God this week by intentionally praying about everything you experience this week wherever you are.

Getting to Know you:
 Talk about some of your favourite Easter traditions and why you do them.
 Why do you think most people have a fear of
death?

Going Deeper:
 Discuss the shortness of life according to the following verses. James 4:14, Psalm 90:1-12, Psalm 144:3-4, Psalm 103:15-16
o What does God teach us about how short our lives are?
o How should we live in light of this reality?

 Why do you think everyone’s first reaction to the resurrection was fear? See Mark 16:8, Luke 24:37, Matt.28:1-10.

 Discuss the Criterion of Embarrassment and why it’s an important proof of the resurrection having women as the first people to see the resurrected Jesus.

 Why is it so important for us that the bible commands us not to fear? See Matt.28:5, 10. Why is this command so often repeated?

 “He is not here, he is risen, just as he said” is one of the many impactful verses of Easter. Look up the verses where Jesus predicted his death and resurrection. Matt.16:21, Matt.17:22-23, Matt.20:17-19.
o What’s the significance of this prediction?
o Why do you think the disciples weren’t expecting it to happen?

 Why should the resurrection destroy fear of sharing our faith?
o Read Matt.28:7-10 and take notice when people are commanded to go and tell.
o Read 2 Cor.4:14. Why don’t we need to fear sharing our faith even in the face of martyrdom?

 Find three proofs of the resurrection in Matt.28:7-10. How can these be helpful in sharing the good news of Jesus?

Taking it Home:
 Tell someone the good news of Easter this
week!

 Getting To Know You: 

• What is your greatest fear? Have you ever faced it? 

Going Deeper:

• Read 1 Samuel 17:3-10. What caused the Israelites to be so afraid? 

o Look up these verses that speak about giants in the bible (Gen.6:4, Numbers 13:33, Deut.3:11) Why does the Bible not have anything good to say about giants? 

o Watch the Video “Everything about the Nephilim in under 20 Minutes.” On YouTube by Impact Video Ministries 

• How does the account of David and Goliath point us to Jesus, and where do we see the gospel in this story? 

• Look up Isaiah 8:11-15. According to these verses whom should we fear and why? 

o What does it mean that God should be our fear and dread? How do we live that out in our day to day lives? 

o Who will God become to us if we choose to fear him? 

o Who will God become to those who don’t fear him? 

• Where did criticism come from for David and how did he handle it according to 1 Sam.17:28- 30, 33-37. 

o How should we respond when we face criticism, especially when it comes from “friendly” sources?

• Discuss the statement that faith makes God famous. List the reasons David fights Goliath in 1 Sam.17:46-47. 

o Look up the following verses and discuss how we might make God famous in our church and lives. Mal.1:11, Ps.147:5, John 17:1-6, Hab.3:2, Phil.2:5-11. 

Taking it Home: 

• When facing problems this week, make your first act to call on the name of the Lord for help. 

• When God gives you victory in any arena of life, make sure you give him glory right away!   

Getting to Know You: 

If you could change any of your current life circumstances, what would you change and why?

Going Deeper:
Read Matthew 5:43-48.

Have you had a lingering hurt in your life?

Have you had a lingering hurt in your life that came by way of another Christ follower?

Is there bitterness that has been born out of the
hurt?

In hurt and bitterness have you ever considered that you may be viewing their sin toward you as worse than your sin is to God?

How is God’s standard of love revealed in the cross? Read 1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8, and John 14:1-4.

The cross is love – it is unearned (Isaiah 49:1-13), unmerited (Job 7:17), and unhindered (Romans 8:39). Read each passage and discuss each of these aspects of the love of Christ that are shown through the cross.

In John 10:34, Jesus said “I give you a new command, love one another.” How is this kind of love different from the reciprocal love that is typical in the world? Answer using Luke 10:25- 37.

Taking it Home: 

Consider this statement Steve made near the end of his message: “There is no greater measure of spiritual maturity than how a Christian responds to those who hurt them.”
What first step could you take to remove that lingering hurt in your life?
Would you be willing to allow someone to help you in releasing your offense and the person who offended you? This week talk to someone in this group, or a Pastor, and ask them to pray with you and for you.

Getting to Know You: 

• What’s your favourite season of the year and why?

Going Deeper: 

• Look up Zechariah 4:6. How can we operate life not in our own strength, but in the power of God’s Holy Spirit? 

• What are some Bible stories that come to mind where the individual could never do what happened in their own strength? 

• Look up Judges 14:6, 19, 15:14. What happened when the HS empowered Samson? What happened when the Spirit left according to Judges 16:18-22. 

o Why do you think Samson didn’t know the Spirit left him? 

• According to Acts 1:8 and Eph.3:16 what does the filling of the Spirit accomplish? 

o What are we to pray for according to Eph 5:18? 

• Discuss whether we can lose the empowering spirit of God or the Indwelling Spirit of God. 

o Use John 14:16-17, 23 Rom.8:9 to help answer.

• Look up 1 Cor.6:18-20. What does it mean that your body is God’s temple? How then should we treat our bodies? 

• Look up Ps.82:1, Deut.32:8, 1 Kings 22:19-23, Job 1:6-12 and discuss God’s Divine Council. 

o Where is God in the council? 

o How does God make use of this council? 

• How might God use spirits to accomplish his purposes in 1 Kings 22:19-23 and Judges 9:22- 24. 

• According to 1 Sam.16:18 it could be seen the Lord was with David. What might we implement in our lives to have the same said of us? 

Take it home: 

• Pray Eph 5:18 and ask God to fill you with his Spirit. Ask God to help you neither grieve (Eph.4:30) nor quench the Spirit (1 Thess.5:19).  

Getting to Know You: 

·         Name one challenge and one encouragement from this past week.

Going Deeper: 

·         How does the world view appearance?  How does this contrast the way God views us? 

o   Name some ways it encourages you that God often uses ordinary people for his plans and purposes.

o   Look up 1 Samuel 9:2 and compare it with 1 Samuel 16:6-7.  How is Samuel deceived by appearance?  How might we be deceived by appearances?

·         David’s character was forged in the pasture.  Name some ways God forms character in the “pasture” times of our lives.

·         Read Genesis 16:1-14 and discuss how God sees us in our times of need.  How does it encourage you to know this? 

·         Look up Psalm 139:1-4 and discuss how God knows our heart according to these verses.  How does it challenge you knowing God knows everything about you? 

·         Discuss the importance of grieving according to the following verses:  Ps.34:18, Matt.5:4, 2 Cor.1:3-4.  Why is it important to grieve and to realize it’s ok to not be ok? 

o   Why is it important to find an end to your grief as well? 

o   What have you found helpful to bring you comfort in times of grief?

Taking it Home: 

·         Pick one chapter from Proverbs and read it this week to help ensure you don’t play the fool.

·         Spend time this week seeking the will of God for your life in prayer, in reading God’s Word and asking for God’s direction through his people and circumstances.  Once you know his will, ask God for strength to do his will!