small group study

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SMALL GROUP STUDY

F O L L O W

T H E

L E A D E R

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W K 1 0

BREAK THE ICE Take a few minutes to discuss one or two of the following question: 1. When you were little, who was your favorite superhero and why? 2. Who is your hero (a parent, a celebrity, an influential person in one’s life)?

STUFF ANDREW SAID "I imagine that was how it was for the early followers of Jesus Christ. They were on the cusp of something that was big. They were a part of something that was going to be so much bigger than themselves. They had walked with Jesus and saw Him do miracles, and He gave them the challenge to go into the world and do exactly what He did. ‘Find a group of people you can tell about Me and how to have true life!’ And they did it. They went out and changed the world. From those original 120 followers of Jesus they turned this world that we live in upside down." "They begin by looking to God and they say, “We blew it.’" "He is saying all those things that are holding you back from loving God—get rid of it. And the same is true for us. True repentance is when we turn away from our old way of doing things and we start on another course of action." "Now imagine this—you start to be surrounded by your enemies. Any logical person says, I am going to run. But the Israelites do something different. They press deeper into their faith believing that God is going to show up."

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4.

When was the last time you messed something up? How bad was it? Are you more prone to make excuses, or take the blame when you mess up? Why? How does it impact how you live your life knowing that God has forgiven you? During your week, how do you focus on God and not let the hustle and bustle of the week win? 5. What verse from the Bible do you use to remind yourself that God is with you? 6. Do you see God as a forgiving parent, or a stern judge? Why? 7. When was the last time you took time to refocus on God and living for Him?

W H AT D O E S T H E B I B L E S AY ? Explore the following Passage in 1 Samuel 7:2-17 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah. When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that He may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him. While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel

in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. Samuel continued as Israel’s leader all the days of his life. From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord.

COMMENTARY Twenty years of silence separates 7:1-7:2. During that time the Israelites experience a change of heart. Instead of mourning because of the “heavy blow” God had dealt them (6:19), they “mourned and sought after the LORD” (v.2). Samuel seizes the moment and leads the Nation of Israel back to God. This movement is reminiscent of the great leaders of old: Jacob (Gen 35:2) and Joshua (Josh 24:14,23) where they exclaimed, “Get rid of your foreign gods!” When reading this passage you will notice the stark contrast between Samuel and the House of Eli. Eli’s sons were a disaster, and Eli was spiritually dull. His corrupt sons, Hophni and Phinehas, abused women serving at the Tent of Meeting (2:22). The Book of Judges concludes with a laundry list of that portrays these Levites guiding the tribes of Israel into sin—idolatry and fratricide. Also, Samuel opens with more of the sinful Levitical activity including forcing Israelite worshipers to offer unacceptable sacrificial portions to the Lord, as well as their role in Israel’s disastrous loss to the Philistines. Now Samuel prepares to rout the Philistines’ mighty army (7:2-17). While Hophni and Phinehas hoped to bring victory by bringing the Ark of the Lord against the Philistines

(which they lost). Samuel brought victory to Israel by bringing the people back to the Lord. The writer of this section is very careful to point out the victory came only when God’s people turned wholeheartedly back to God. The repentance of Israel, not the ark, brought about freedom from their oppressors.

DIGGING DEEPER 1. Why does Samuel gather the entire nation? 2. How many times can you recall where Israel gets off track and their leader gathers them together to refocus? 3. Have you ever known someone who was as corrupt as the House of Eli? 4. Do you think Eli ever thought his family would end up like they did? 5. What warnings can you find for your own life in this passage? 6. How can you refocus your family on God this month?

JOURNAL