Our lives in many ways are defined by how we handle crisis. When things get messy in our lives, our functional saviors tend to be revealed. In moments of pain or fear, we run to the things that we really worship. David teaches us that the crises of life are great opportunities to remind ourselves of just how strong our God truly is. We learn that we get grace from God so that we can be grace-givers in this world. We also see that God is the great rescuer and restorer, and that giving ourselves away to God and His mission is the best life we can possibly live.

Sometimes life just doesn’t go the way we’d hope or plan. In those moments we really have 2 choices; we can take short-cuts and compromise or we can choose to trust God and wait on Him. 1 Samuel 24 & 26 give us an incredible picture of how David handles life when things don’t go the way he’d hoped or planed. We learn that trust in God releases us to live the good life God has planned for us. Trust in God’s goodness frees us from trying to manipulate our circumstances, frees us from seeking revenge and releases us to live lives of forgiveness and love. Of course, the power to live this life only comes through a relationship with Jesus. It’s through Jesus that we can walk through the difficulties of life and trust God completely as we enjoy the good life He has for His children.

Our culture is at a major cross-roads and standing on the verge of a crisis of epic proportions. The latest national surveys reveal that the lack of friendship, loneliness and isolation are at all-time highs in America. The results promise to be catastrophic. The good news is that God offers a better way and a better life. Through David’s friendship with Jonathan we get a picture of the type of true friendship God has designed for us to experience both with Him and with other people. We see that true friendship is a gift from God, is fuel for our spiritual lives and is found in community. We also see that the DNA of this type of friendship is is built on counter-cultural principals like; humility, self-sacrifice, loyalty and honesty. Ultimately, this points us to the truest and best friend one can have in Jesus. It’s through that friendship that we’re enabled to become the type of friend and build the type of friendships we all need to thrive and flourish in life!

Last week we looked at one of the most famous stories in history as we saw David slay Goliath and defeat one of the most feared military powers of the day. This week we watch as David goes from a nobody to a national hero & celebrity overnight. We learn of the toxic dangers that the fruit of envy can produce in our lives as we watch king Saul lose his mind with jealousy. We also see that obedience to God can lead to spiritual victories in our lives, and that success comes with its own set of challenges and pitfalls. David teaches us that though obeying God comes with a price, living in God’s Kingdom is always worth the cost!

David - The Savior and the Giant - Chris Dillon, Lead Pastor 01 13 19 by New Life of Asheville

This week we launch into a study on one of the most epic stories ever told. David towers above every figure in Scripture, outside of Jesus Himself. We can learn much from the life of a man who was called a man after God’s own heart. For all of David’s accomplishments, he wasn’t perfect. He stumbled and failed in spectacular ways more than once. David points us forward to the king who would never fail, to the king of kings--Jesus Christ. In this passage we learn that God looks at the heart. He isn’t looking for the most talented, most wealthy, best looking person--He’s looking for devoted hearts. And when He finds a heart like this, He does amazing things!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

“Samuel did what the Lord said.” We get that from v. 1-4. God instructed Samuel to get over Saul’s fall from grace and go choose a new king. Doing as God commanded, (which included only telling Saul he was going to Bethlehem to sacrifice to the Lord) this meant Samuel would not be telling Saul the whole truth. What purpose would God have in instructing Samuel to withhold information from his king?

“Greatness” is something many people desire but few understand. We usually recognize the “great” only after they have achieved. What we see is the finished product, not the process. We tend to romanticize greatness. What are some of the qualities that make your list for “greatness?” What are the things you think God values as great when He considers men and women?

Too often we, as Christians, yearn for the product but try to avoid the “process.” How in your life have you experienced pain, disappointment and challenge and seen it add value to who you are?

The scene of David’s triumph is not the beginning of his story. He began in obscurity, the youngest of many brothers and assigned to keeping flocks out in the hills. Granted there were many tests he encountered and fears to overcome as he worked alone in the wild. Where have you had to draw upon your courage to meet a challenge and how, if at all, was God invited to share in this “invitation to growth?” If you neglected to seek God’s involvement, talk about that too.

When God sent Samuel to anoint Israel’s new king (which turned out to be David), Samuel looked admiringly at David’s tallest and good looking brother. God reminded his respected prophet “The Lord does not look at the things a man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” That’s quite an indictment. How often do we miss it by looking at the obvious, the outward, the physical rather than trying to see people with the lens of God? Can you share any errors in judgment you have made like this and what came of it?

Life After Christmas - Rich Miller, Guest Teacher 12 30 18 by New Life of Asheville

Week 3 of our Advent series brings us to Simeon’s Song in Luke’s Gospel. We know very little about this old man who waited patiently to see the Messiah with his own eyes. He appears in Luke’s narrative for a brief moment and then fades out of the story, never to be heard from again. And yet, his brief appearance, leaves us with much to ponder and apply to our own lives. Throughout all of these songs, God is teaching us--in a sense--that He delights in using nobodies to flip the world upside down. It was so with young Mary, old Zechariah and now an obscure old man named Simeon. Simeon teaches us deep truths about how Jesus helps us live and die well. How the salvation of Jesus is personal, but also global and how Jesus makes neutrality with God impossible. Christmas drives us all to answer the core question of humanity: what will you do with Jesus?

The Songs of Christmas - Zechariah's Song - Chris Dillon, Lead Pastor 12 16 18 by New Life of Asheville

The Songs of Christmas - Mary's Song - Bryan Robbins - Guest Preacher 12 02 18 by New Life of Asheville