Group Guide
This Week's City 7:
4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
Ice-Breaker:
- What’s the funniest or most memorable time you got completely lost while driving?
Scripture
1 Samuel 9
Saul Meets Samuel
9 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
3 One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” 4 So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.
5 Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”
6 But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”
8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” 9 (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)
10 “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.
11 As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”
12 “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. 13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”
14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.
15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”
18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”
21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”
22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. 23 Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. 24 So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. 26 At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. 27 When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.”
Saul Meets Samuel
9 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
3 One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” 4 So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.
5 Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”
6 But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”
8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” 9 (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)
10 “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.
11 As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”
12 “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. 13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”
14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.
15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”
18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”
21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”
22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. 23 Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. 24 So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. 26 At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. 27 When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.”
Discussion Questions:
Saul looked like exactly what Israel wanted in a king. He had the appearance, stature, and position, but he was spiritually shallow. He needed his servant to point him toward the prophet, he didn't recognize Samuel, and was given honor he had done nothing to earn.
Saul's story gives us a picture of a king who is unable to recognize what is right in front of him. Jesus is the opposite: the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep, seeks the lost, and willingly gives Himself to save them. Saul receives an unearned place of honor at Samuel's table; Jesus takes an unearned cross on behalf of sinners.
Worldly systems equate kingship with power, prestige, and receiving honor from others. Jesus showed a completely different kind of kingship. He had every right to glory, yet He willingly humbled Himself and gave His life for people who could never repay Him.
Samuel told Saul to stop because he had a word from God for him. Saul could have kept moving, but God's invitation required him to pause. We can become so accustomed to filling every empty space that silence itself can feel uncomfortable.
Saul thought he was dealing with a problem: his father's donkeys were missing. He had no idea that God was using that ordinary responsibility to direct him toward Samuel. What looked like an interruption was actually part of God's providence.
One of our deepest fears can be that we have finally messed up too badly, that this decision, failure, sin, or missed opportunity has put us beyond what God can redeem. The gospel gives us a very different foundation: our hope rests not in our ability to get everything right, but in the character and grace of God.
- Saul was an Israelite by birth, part of God's covenant people, and surrounded by the things of Israel's faith, but he didn't even recognize Samuel as God's prophet. How does Saul's story challenge the assumption that being raised around Christianity, attending church, knowing the Bible, or identifying as a "Christian" means someone actually knows and follows Jesus? Where does that kind of “cultural Christianity” become dangerous?
- Who are the people in your life who may be around Christianity without actually knowing Christ? How can you pray for them, talk with them, and look for opportunities to point them toward Jesus?
Saul's story gives us a picture of a king who is unable to recognize what is right in front of him. Jesus is the opposite: the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep, seeks the lost, and willingly gives Himself to save them. Saul receives an unearned place of honor at Samuel's table; Jesus takes an unearned cross on behalf of sinners.
- We can become disappointed with people when they fail to lead, protect, understand, or respond the way we hoped. Saul reminds us that human leaders will disappoint us, sometimes because of their weakness and sometimes because of their sin. Think about a time when someone you respected or trusted let you down. How did that disappointment affect the way you viewed that person, yourself, or even God?
- Is there a leader or person in your life that you've been expecting something from that only Jesus can ultimately provide?
Worldly systems equate kingship with power, prestige, and receiving honor from others. Jesus showed a completely different kind of kingship. He had every right to glory, yet He willingly humbled Himself and gave His life for people who could never repay Him.
- Jesus had every right to be honored, yet He willingly took the lowest place and served people who could give Him nothing in return. What tends to make you feel valuable or important: being recognized, being needed, being right, having influence, being respected, being in control, etc.? How does Jesus' example confront that desire?
- Who is difficult for you to serve because there is little recognition or benefit coming back to you? How can you follow Jesus example by serving that person, expecting nothing in return?
Samuel told Saul to stop because he had a word from God for him. Saul could have kept moving, but God's invitation required him to pause. We can become so accustomed to filling every empty space that silence itself can feel uncomfortable.
- Have you noticed that constant noise or activity has hindered you from entering God's presence?
- Rather than adding another spiritual activity to an already full schedule, what do you need to remove so that you can slow down before God? What are you willing to say no to in order to make time for Him?
Saul thought he was dealing with a problem: his father's donkeys were missing. He had no idea that God was using that ordinary responsibility to direct him toward Samuel. What looked like an interruption was actually part of God's providence.
- What ordinary responsibility, interruption, frustration, or season in your life might God be using to lead you somewhere you cannot see yet? Or what could He be teaching you that you need to learn before you get there?
- Think about the thing you are currently tempted to rush through or resent as an inconvenience. What would change if you treated it as an opportunity to practice faithfulness and pay attention to what God may be teaching you? Share one specific situation with the group and ask them to help you notice how God is working.
One of our deepest fears can be that we have finally messed up too badly, that this decision, failure, sin, or missed opportunity has put us beyond what God can redeem. The gospel gives us a very different foundation: our hope rests not in our ability to get everything right, but in the character and grace of God.
- Think about a failure or regret that you still carry with you. When that situation comes to mind, what do you tend to believe about yourself, God, or what happens next? Where does the weight of your failure feel greater than the reality of God’s grace?
- What is one thing you need to do with that failure instead of continuing to carry it: confess it, apologize, make something right, ask for help, or receive God’s forgiveness?
Prayer Topics:
- Pray that we would trust Jesus instead of relying on our appearance or performance.
- Ask God to help us put others before ourselves and serve without seeking recognition.
- Pray that we would make time to slow down, listen to God, and spend time in His Word.
- Ask God to help us recognize His work in the ordinary parts of our lives.
- Pray that we would not be controlled by the fear of failure, but trust God’s grace when we fall short.
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