Life group 1 – Courage to be Different
Israel Wants a King
1 Samuel 8–10
Big Idea
Courage often means choosing God's way when everyone else is choosing something different.
Question: When have you bought something, worn something, or done something simply because everyone else was doing it?
Read 1 Samuel 8:4–22.
Then 1 Samuel 10:17–27.
What Do You Notice?
Why did Israel want a king?
Were they asking for something sinful or something reasonable?
What warning did Samuel give?
Why do you think they ignored God's warning?
Israel's request wasn't really about having a king.
It revealed a deeper issue:
"We want to be like everyone else."
God had chosen Israel to be different.
Instead of trusting God as their King, they wanted what looked successful.
Often our greatest temptation isn't rebellion.
It's conformity.
Read Romans 12:2
How does Paul's instruction connect with Israel's story?
Discussion
1.Where do you feel the greatest pressure to fit in?
Work? University? Relationships? Social media? Family? Friend groups?
2.What does "being different" look like for a Christian today?
Is it mostly behaviour? Beliefs? Priorities? How we spend money? Dating? Forgiveness? Generosity?
3.Is there an area where you've slowly adopted the values of culture without noticing?
Examples: Success, Sex, Identity, Comfort, Wealth, Entertainment, Individualism
4.What's harder: Being rejected because you're following Jesus...or, Quietly compromising so you won't stand out?Why?
5.How do we know the difference between genuine conviction and simply being different for the sake of it?
Challenge This Week
Ask yourself every day:
"Am I making this decision because everyone else is doing it—or because Jesus is leading me?"
_____________________________________________
Israel Wants a King
1 Samuel 8–10
Big Idea
Courage often means choosing God's way when everyone else is choosing something different.
Question: When have you bought something, worn something, or done something simply because everyone else was doing it?
Read 1 Samuel 8:4–22.
Then 1 Samuel 10:17–27.
What Do You Notice?
Why did Israel want a king?
Were they asking for something sinful or something reasonable?
What warning did Samuel give?
Why do you think they ignored God's warning?
Israel's request wasn't really about having a king.
It revealed a deeper issue:
"We want to be like everyone else."
God had chosen Israel to be different.
Instead of trusting God as their King, they wanted what looked successful.
Often our greatest temptation isn't rebellion.
It's conformity.
Read Romans 12:2
How does Paul's instruction connect with Israel's story?
Discussion
1.Where do you feel the greatest pressure to fit in?
Work? University? Relationships? Social media? Family? Friend groups?
2.What does "being different" look like for a Christian today?
Is it mostly behaviour? Beliefs? Priorities? How we spend money? Dating? Forgiveness? Generosity?
3.Is there an area where you've slowly adopted the values of culture without noticing?
Examples: Success, Sex, Identity, Comfort, Wealth, Entertainment, Individualism
4.What's harder: Being rejected because you're following Jesus...or, Quietly compromising so you won't stand out?Why?
5.How do we know the difference between genuine conviction and simply being different for the sake of it?
Challenge This Week
Ask yourself every day:
"Am I making this decision because everyone else is doing it—or because Jesus is leading me?"
_____________________________________________
Life group 2 – Courageous Faith
David and Goliath
1 Samuel 17
You don't need giant faith.
You need a giant God.
What's something you've avoided because it felt too intimidating?
Read 1 Samuel 17
What did everyone else see?
What did David see?
What made David different?
Discussion
Everyone measured Goliath against themselves.
David measured Goliath against God.
Faith changes what we compare our problems to.
Challenge
Write down one giant.
Beside it, write ways God is bigger.
_____________________________________________
David and Goliath
1 Samuel 17
You don't need giant faith.
You need a giant God.
What's something you've avoided because it felt too intimidating?
Read 1 Samuel 17
What did everyone else see?
What did David see?
What made David different?
Discussion
Everyone measured Goliath against themselves.
David measured Goliath against God.
Faith changes what we compare our problems to.
- What "giants" do young adults commonly face?
- What giant are you personally facing right now?
- When life feels overwhelming, what do you instinctively trust?
- Yourself? Friends? Money? Planning? Avoidance? God?
- How has remembering God's past faithfulness helped you face present fear?
- What practical step of faith is God asking you to take this week?
Challenge
Write down one giant.
Beside it, write ways God is bigger.
_____________________________________________
Life group 3 – Courage in the Wilderness - David on the Run
1 Samuel 18–24
The wilderness isn't where God abandons us. It's where He prepares us.
What's the longest you've ever had to wait for something important?
Thoughts
Why was Saul chasing David?
Why didn't David kill Saul?
What does this reveal about David?
David spent nearly fifteen years waiting. The wilderness wasn't punishment.
It was preparation.
Discussion
Challenge
Instead of asking,
"When will this end?"
Ask,
"What is God teaching me here?"
1 Samuel 18–24
The wilderness isn't where God abandons us. It's where He prepares us.
What's the longest you've ever had to wait for something important?
Thoughts
Why was Saul chasing David?
Why didn't David kill Saul?
What does this reveal about David?
David spent nearly fifteen years waiting. The wilderness wasn't punishment.
It was preparation.
Discussion
- Have you ever felt like life wasn't moving forward?
- What does waiting reveal about our hearts?
- How do disappointment and unfairness tempt us?
- Have you ever wanted to "take matters into your own hands" instead of trusting God?
- Looking back, can you see ways God has grown you through difficult seasons?
Challenge
Instead of asking,
"When will this end?"
Ask,
"What is God teaching me here?"
Life group 4 – Courageous Leadership
David Becomes King
2 Samuel 7
God's greatest leaders build His kingdom before their own.
Who has been the most influential leader in your life? Why?
Thoughts
What did David want to do?
What did God promise instead?
Why is God's covenant significant?
David wanted to build God a house.
Instead God promised David an eternal kingdom fulfilled through Jesus.
Sometimes God's plans are bigger than our ambitions.
Discussion
Ask daily:
"Whose kingdom did my decisions build today?"
David Becomes King
2 Samuel 7
God's greatest leaders build His kingdom before their own.
Who has been the most influential leader in your life? Why?
Thoughts
What did David want to do?
What did God promise instead?
Why is God's covenant significant?
David wanted to build God a house.
Instead God promised David an eternal kingdom fulfilled through Jesus.
Sometimes God's plans are bigger than our ambitions.
Discussion
- How do we accidentally build our own kingdom?
- What motivates your biggest life decisions?
- What would building God's kingdom actually look like in your workplace?
- How do you know when ambition has become an idol?
- If Jesus asked you to lay down one dream to follow Him, what would be hardest?
Ask daily:
"Whose kingdom did my decisions build today?"