David

Week Two: David the Worshipper

Key thought: David’s heart of worship connected him with God and His purposes for David’s life. 

Key Verse: 

1 Samuel 16:23 (NIV)‍

“Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.”

OPEN

Question 1
‍The challenge for us is to continue our pursuit of God week in and week out.
How was your week after the last eGroup session? Have you noticed that your perspective of your day in and day out jobs has changed at all?

Question 2
‍God wants us to play a part in his glorious plan for the world and he often uses the mundane things we do to achieve it. A young boy went to spend time with Jesus and offered his meal of bread and fish. Jesus took it, blessed it, and outworked a miracle with it.
What small acts have you done, that have had a bigger impact than you first thought they would have?

STUDY

Read the following passages/verses: 1 Sam 16:14-23

Rev 4:11
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Question 3
‍Ps Jordan talked about how the only way to approach and connect with God is with a Heart of worship. Worship acknowledges God’s presence and majesty. 
Why is a heart of worship so important as we approach God? What would be the alternative?

Question 4
David was known as a worshipper first – this was central to his life even as a king. Thinking of David and perhaps some other people you know in your life…
What marks them as a worshipper, instead of someone who just sings a couple of worship songs on a Sunday?

COMMIT

Question 5
Sunday worship in church is an important part of our journey knowing and following Jesus, but it shouldn’t stop there.
How can you go deeper in your worship with God outside of Sunday?

Question 6
Sometimes the things we want to see change will only shift as we engage with God through worship. This applies in all areas of our life – career, business, family, social circles etc.
What in your life do you want to see shift? What do you need to change in your worship to see this happen?

PRAY

Pray that God will draw you closer to him this week as you go deeper in your worship of Him, and that in doing so you will see the things shift in your world that need to shift.

PRACTICAL

This week make the changes you’ve discussed to grow in your identity as a worshipper of God throughout your whole week. 

If you’re reading through the story of David alongside this story (or you want to start), read the following passage(s) of scripture this week:

1 Samuel 17-20

Week Three: David the Warrior

Key thought: David had his eyes fixed on God rather than the Goliath that stood before him – this is where his courage came from.

Key Verse: 

1 Samuel 17:45 (NIV)

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'x”

OPEN

Question 1
Everything we do can come back to our life of worship and our pursuit of God.
How was your week after the last eGroup session? Have you noticed that your worship has gone to a deeper level?

Question 2
Whatever we do, or whatever happens to us, our perspective makes a significant difference.
Have you ever had an experience where you thought you knew what was going on, but you realised later it wasn’t what you thought it was?

STUDY

Read the following passages/verses: 1 Sam 17:40-50 (NIV)

Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

Question 3
Ps Jordan and Ps Jake discussed how David’s response to Goliath was different to everyone else’s on the battlefield. David had his hope in God, and it anchored him.
Where did David find the courage to go up against Goliath? How might this apply in your life – what are you anchored on?

Question 4
Sometimes in life things seem bigger and scarier than they should. This was the case for every Israelite (including King Saul), except for David.
When have you let the challenge in front of you seem bigger than your view of God?

COMMIT

Question 5
David took on the challenge of Goliath with what he had, who he was, and trusting God in it all. But his faith didn’t come from nowhere.
What can you do to grow your faith before you find yourself in a challenging situation so that you’re able to respond with faith in the future?

Question 6
The unseen world and our physical reality are closely linked. But one should define and influence the other. We don’t want to be victims of whatever is happening next in life.
How can we live in a way that our view of God (and the unseen world) impacts our physical reality, rather than letting our physical reality change our view of God?

PRAY

Spend some time in prayer magnifying God, letting your view of Him get bigger and bigger, and offer to him any challenging situations you find yourself in at the moment.

PRACTICAL

This week spend some personal time magnifying God. In doing so, see what changes in your challenging situations. Some great ways to magnify God are through:

• Praise
• Worship
• Prayer
• Hearing other people’s testimonies
• Meditating on God & His word
  

If you’re reading through the story of David alongside this story (or you want to start), read the following passage(s) of scripture this week:

1 Samuel 21-26

Week Four: David the Fugitive


Key thought: Sometimes things feel like they’re going in reverse, but they’re still actually moving forward.

Key Verse: 

1 Samuel 18:28-29 (NIV)

28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

OPEN

Question 1
As we magnify God, everything else starts to come into perspective.
How was your week after the last eGroup session? Have you noticed that your view of God has increased as you magnified him?

Question 2
Sometimes in following God things can seem like they take a sharp U-turn and start getting worse! After stepping out in faith, or perhaps acting on something in God’s word things sometimes get hard.
Have you ever experienced this? What was your reaction?

STUDY

Read the following passages/verses: 1 Sam 18:1-11, 28-30 (NIV)

John 16:33 (NIV)
 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Question 3
David knew what it was to be a fugitive – one who was falsely accused! David’s convictions about who God is and what he had said helped get him through his years on the run.
What convictions do you have about God, what he has said, and what he is doing in your life through hard times?

Question 4
David had significant people in his life like Jonathan who looked out for him and encouraged him when things got hard.
Who do you have in your life who encourage you when things get hard? Is there anyone in your life going through a hard time who you could encourage? How?

COMMIT

Question 5
Sometimes it’s the things we learn in our hardest season that prepare us for the future season. This was true for many biblical characters including David.
What is something that God might be trying to teach you in the midst of what you’re currently going through?

Question 6
One of the remarkable things about David’s life was his ability to continue to do the right things even when faced with terrible circumstances.
When things are hard for you (perhaps even right now), what are the right things you know you need to keep doing?

PRAY

Pray for God to speak to you through the season/situations you find yourself in, that through the process God will grow something significant in you.

PRACTICAL

If you have people in your world who encourage and support you through tough seasons take a moment to thank them this week. If you’re aware you need some people to fill this role, ask some close friends if they would be able to.

If you’re reading through the story of David alongside this story (or you want to start), read the following passage(s) of scripture this week:

1 Samuel 27-31

Week Five: David the King


Key thought: The big challenge to ruling and reigning is to not relax – but to bring blessing and betterment to those around us.

Key Verse: 

2 Samuel 2:4 (NIV)

“Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.”

OPEN

Question 1
Hard times are often made easier with the encouragement of others.
How was your week after the last eGroup session? Did you have any encouraging moments or conversations with others?

Question 2
Ps Jordan and Ps Jake talked about how we are ‘kings’ of our own sphere or world.
If you were to describe what you are a ‘king’ over, what would that include?

STUDY

Read the following passages/verses: 2 Sam 6:12-20 (NIV)

Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV)
“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Question 3
Sometimes it can be easy to see other people’s ‘highlight reels,’ assume they are simply taking life easy, and desire the same. But the story of David challenges us to keep believing for more.
What do you find difficult about resisting the temptation to ‘take life easy?’ Do you think it is a double-edged sword, or a false dream? Why/why not?

Question 4
When David ‘suddenly’ became king, he didn’t then just sit back and relax. He then worked to bring security, unity and blessing to his nation and his people – filling a gap that only he could fill.
Are you aware of a gap in your world that God might be calling you to fill?

COMMIT

Question 5
Effective stewardship of what God has entrusted to us comes back first and foremost to who we are pursuing. This can get harder the ‘easier’ life becomes.
Would you describe yourself as a man/woman after God’s own heart? Is there anything that needs to change in your life for you to keep pursuing God like David did? 

Question 6
We are called to rule and reign with Christ, not just in the future but here and now wherever we find ourselves. Family, school, work, church, community etc.
What is one thing you can do this week to better steward what you are ‘king’ of, and by doing so bring blessing to others?

PRAY

Pray for one another that God would give you the wisdom to rule and reign with Him in every area of your life, that you would bring blessing and betterment to those around you.

PRACTICAL

This week put into practice what you talked about in Question 6 so that you can be an even greater blessing to those around you.

If you’re reading through the story of David alongside this story (or you want to start), read the following passage(s) of scripture this week:

2 Samuel 1-5

Week Six: David’s Failure

Key thought: The safest place for us is pursuing God ‘on the battlefield’ instead of ‘resting on the rooftop.’

Key Verse: 

2 Samuel 11:1 (NIV)

“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.”

OPEN

Question 1
We’re all moving forward in better stewarding what God has given us.
How was your week after the last eGroup session? Did you make any progress in being a better steward of what God has given you?

Question 2
King David was somewhere where he shouldn’t have been when he shouldn’t have been there. It led to a series of mistakes and failures, and a lot of embarrassment!
Can you think of any funny/awkward situations when you or someone you know ended up in a place that you/they shouldn’t have been?

STUDY

Read the following passages/verses: 2 Sam 11:1-17 (NIV)

2 Sam 12:13 (NIV)
“Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’
Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”

1 John 1:7 (NIV)
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

Question 3
David’s resting instead of pursuing led to him becoming distracted, which escalated until he found himself in a place of great failure. Sometimes in life this doesn’t look like rebellion, but simply complacency.
What might complacency look like in your life? Are you aware of what you need to do to keep yourself away from these situations?

Question 4
When David was confronted by Nathan the prophet, he repented and once again committed to pursuing God again. It’s not a question of if we will fail, but how we will respond when we do fail.
How do you respond to times when you fail?

COMMIT

Question 5
Like Ps Jordan and Ps Jake talked about in the video, it is possible for all of us to ‘have the lid’ on areas of our life that no one else knows about, but we do. We need God’s Holy Spirit to speak to us and confront us in these areas so that we can commit to pursuing him again.
What space are you creating for God to confront and speak to you? Does what you’re doing/not doing need to change?

Question 6
One of the best parts of this story is that when David repented and recommitted to pursuing God again, he was reinstated in God’s view. The same opportunity for repentance and recommitment to pursuing God is available for us.
What do you need to bring to the light? 

If you’re part of a group who you trust and feel comfortable sharing with, you can share now. Otherwise talk to someone this week or spend some time with God repenting and recommitting to pursuing Him again in this area of your life.

PRAY

Pray for one another that as you bring things to the light God would forgive, reinstate, and give you the power/ability to continue to pursue him as one after God’s own heart.

PRACTICAL

This week put into practice what you talked about in Question 6, recommitting to pursuing God in every area of your life.

If you’re reading through the story of David alongside this story (or you want to start), read the following passage(s) of scripture this week:

2 Samuel 6-12

Week Seven: David’s Legacy

Key thought: We are living in the legacy of those who have gone before us, and we get to establish a legacy for those still to come.

Key Verse: 

1 Chronicles 17 :11-12 (NIV)

“When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.”

OPEN

Question 1
How was your week after the last eGroup session? Did you feel lighter/more focused having brought things to the light?

Question 2
King David had a desire to build a temple to bring glory to God, but God said no. His response was to set up the next generation to achieve it instead.
Have you ever felt/experienced God saying no to you? What was your response?

STUDY

Read the following passages/verses: 1 Chronicles 17:1-15 (NIV)

Genesis 15:2-3 (NIV)
“But Abram said, ‘Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.’”

Hebrews 11:13 (NIV)
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.”

Question 3
Even in David’s latter years there was still a desire in him to pursue God. He viewed his life and his legacy with an eternal perspective, with the end result being Jesus himself descending from his lineage.
How does the story of David challenge the way you view your current reality?

Question 4
King Hezekiah, in comparison to King David lived with relative apathy, thinking “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?” 
What makes it hard to live with the eternal perspective of David instead of relative apathy like King Hezekiah?

COMMIT

Question 5
Often in life when things are going wrong it can simply be due to a lack of meaning. All of us want to make an impact beyond our time here on earth.
What kind of legacy do you want to leave for your family, community, church, etc?

Question 6
Like Ps Jordan and Ps Jake talked about, David was able to finish his race well because he had a heart of worship that sustained him through his entire life. It was who he was pursuing more than what he was doing that mattered most.
As we come to the end of this study, what is one thing that has stood out above everything else? What are you going to do about it?

PRAY

Pray for God to draw you closer to him as you commit to pursuing him daily, and in doing so, that the life you live would leave a legacy that impacts the next generation and beyond.

PRACTICAL

Make a commitment as a group to hold one another accountable to pursuing God above everything else. You might even want to discuss ways in which you will be able to do so.

If you’re reading through the story of David alongside this story (or you want to start), read the following passage(s) of scripture this week:

2 Samuel 13-24

For further reading, read 1 Chronicles 10-22 & 28-29