May 16 | Discovery

Study Questions for Groups

By Michael C. Mack

1. In what specific way did you obey God in fulfilling the mission on which he has sent you during the past week?

2. What was the biggest challenge you faced last week?

Ask two people to read aloud 1 Samuel 16:7 and 17:32-50 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions.

Ask a third person to retell the story in their own words.

3. What would you say is the key word in these passages, and why?

4. Let’s dig deeper:

• In your own words, what does God look for in spiritual leaders?

• How is that different from the kinds of things people generally look for in leaders?

• Compare the words of Saul and David. What main differences do you see in their perspectives and attitudes?

• Now compare David and Goliath. What was each one depending on to bring about victory? (Try to move beyond the obvious.)

• Fill in the blanks with your own response for this phrase, and then share your sentence with the group: The Lord who rescued me from ___ and ___ will rescue me from ___. (Leader, respond to each sentence by saying, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”)

5. What do you learn about God from these passages?  

6. What do you learn about people?

7.  What do you learn about obedience from David in these passages? How is it related to a conviction that “the battle is the Lord’s”?

8. What do you learn from David about what it takes to let the whole world know about our God?

9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”

10. What battle do you anticipate facing this week?

For Next Week: Read and reflect on 1 Samuel 24:1-20. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.