We Need a King
I. A TYPICAL, yet highly IRONIC request. (v.1-5)
A. It’s not UNEXPECTED. (v.3-4,8; Deut. 17:14)
B. EVERYONE is DOING it. (v.5; 1 Sam. 12:12)
C. But don’t MISS the IRONY. (v.3; 1 Sam. 2:12-22)
Today we come to the end of the season of Foundations, as we see Israel end the period of the Judges and ask for a King. This is not surprise to God, He has seen it coming for a long time, but as we look at the request there is something that seems strange.
1. Kid’s Question: When have you asked for something and it wasn’t as good as you had hoped?
2. What are you currently asking God for? What do you think your motives are?
II. They just WANT different THINGS. (v.6-22)
A. Samuel SEEKS to LISTEN. (v.6)
B. God SPEAKS the TRUTH. (v.7-9)
C. Samuel GIVES the WARNING. (v.10-18)
D. Their DESIRE is UNCHANGED. (v.19-22)
Samuel is heartbroken by the turn of events. He sees clearly that the people of Israel have a King. That’s what has kept them safe thus far, despite their repeated patterns of rejecting God and embracing idols. He speaks to God…and speaks to the people. But the results are in, and the people will have it no other way.
3. What stands out to you most about the interaction between Samuel and God? Why do you think that is?
4. What stands out to you most about the interaction between Samuel and the people? Why do you think that is?
5. When have you had an experience of wanting something different than you thought God wanted for you? What was that like?
III. Why our “SOLUTIONS” often deepen the PROBLEM. (v.5,19-20)
A. We prefer INTERMEDIARIES to INTIMACY. (v.5-7,19; Jn 5:39-40)
B. We often ASK for what we already HAVE. (v.5-8; Ex. 19:5-6; 1 Pet. 2:9-10)
C. We PURSUE the wrong IMAGE. (v.5,20; Rom. 8:29-30)
D. Our FEAR keeps us in the same PATTERNS. (v.18; Gen. 3:10; Mt. 8:23-27)
Just like the Jews asking for a King, often our “good ideas” lead us down a path of difficulty instead of into a God focused solution. There are several parallels we can see between the actions we take today and the choices that they made as they talked with Samuel in our text.
6. Where might you be settling for an intermediary instead of intimacy? What does intimacy with God actually look like?
7. What does it mean to pursue the “image of God” and its renewal in your own life? What are some specific things that will allow that to happen that you can do?
8. When has fear kept you locked into a pattern that you wanted to change? What are you afraid of currently? Is it holding you back from responding to God in some way?