David and Goliath is one of the most famous stories in the history of the world, and it's a story that dares us to believe in a living God who is active in the world and on our side. Small Group Discussion Questions   We talked about how the ancient world was an enchanted place, which means it was loaded with spiritual agency; spiritual forces were at work everywhere, all the time. People believed relics contained spiritual power, spirits lived in the woods, and demons constantly possessed people. Why is it hard for us to think of the world that way? Why is it hard for us to believe the world is filled with spirits and spiritual forces? In what ways is it good and in what ways is it bad that we don’t tend to think of the world as an “enchanted” place where spiritual forces are constantly at work? Discuss: “Modern people believe in God, but we don’t really expect him to do anything. We believe in God, but we’d rather not have to depend upon God.” Why do we struggle believing God is on our side and fighting for us? How can that be a good thing and a bad thing? What would it look like to believe God was on your side in a healthy way? A way that didn’t assume you were more important than others? A way that didn’t assume that meant God will give you an easy, rich life? How do modern people like us recover the innocence of our belief, the ability to really believe that God is active in the world and on our side? What’s a situation in your life where you need help believing God is active and on your side?

Israel's first King (Saul) certainly looked the part. He was wealthy, good looking, and tall. However, he disobeyed God and turned out to be a terrible King. In contrast, David was just a ruddy shepherd boy, but he was the one chosen by God to be the next King. As we're introduced to David in I Sam. 16 we learn that our identity doesn't come from others, but from God. David also shows us that hard work and humility go a long way. Small Group Discussion Questions   Series:  King… the story of David (part II) Text:  I Sam. 9:1-2, I Sam. 13:13-14, I Sam. 16:1-13, I Sam. 16:17-19 1.  Read I Sam. 9:1-2.  Why do you think there is such an emphasis on Saul’s physical appearance in the text?  Have you ever prejudged someone, or formed opinions about someone based on their appearance?  Have you ever had someone prejudge you based on your appearance?   2.  Read I Sam. 16:7.  What does the writer mean when he says, “the Lord looks on the heart?”  What does it mean to “look at the heart” of someone?   3.  What are some of the problems/dangers of letting other people define who you are?  What does it mean to find your identity in Christ?  How do you do that? 4.  David worked hard and remained humble as a shepherd even after he was chosen by God to be King and anointed by Samuel.  What lessons can/should we learn from David’s example? 5.  Read Ephesians 1:3-14.  Take some time to name and discuss all the spiritual blessings Paul mentions that are ours “IN CHRIST.” 6.  The last spiritual blessing that Paul mentions in this part of his letter to the Ephesian church is that we are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”  What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit as a believer?  

Israel's first King (Saul) certainly looked the part. He was wealthy, good looking, and tall. However, he disobeyed God and turned out to be a terrible King. In contrast, David was just a ruddy shepherd boy, but he was the one chosen by God to be the next King. As we're introduced to David in I Sam. 16 we learn that our identity doesn't come from others, but from God. David also shows us that hard work and humility go a long way. Small Group Discussion Questions   Series:  King… the story of David (part II) Text:  I Sam. 9:1-2, I Sam. 13:13-14, I Sam. 16:1-13, I Sam. 16:17-19 1.  Read I Sam. 9:1-2.  Why do you think there is such an emphasis on Saul’s physical appearance in the text?  Have you ever prejudged someone, or formed opinions about someone based on their appearance?  Have you ever had someone prejudge you based on your appearance?   2.  Read I Sam. 16:7.  What does the writer mean when he says, “the Lord looks on the heart?”  What does it mean to “look at the heart” of someone?   3.  What are some of the problems/dangers of letting other people define who you are?  What does it mean to find your identity in Christ?  How do you do that? 4.  David worked hard and remained humble as a shepherd even after he was chosen by God to be King and anointed by Samuel.  What lessons can/should we learn from David’s example? 5.  Read Ephesians 1:3-14.  Take some time to name and discuss all the spiritual blessings Paul mentions that are ours “IN CHRIST.” 6.  The last spiritual blessing that Paul mentions in this part of his letter to the Ephesian church is that we are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”  What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit as a believer?  

Scripture shows that the Gospel is intended to be shared around the entire world. Being a witness to what Jesus has done in the world will mean that we are close to suffering. Pray, Give, GoSmall Group Questions The word witness comes from the word “martyr”. What does that mean to you? What does it mean to suffer for the gospel in your context? Witness means to evangelize, and that can leave a bad taste. Why do you think that is? How do we still faithfully give witness to Jesus? Culture crossing is hard. Do you have a unique experience with that? Why is it important to cross cultures to reach people? What role will your Small Group play in global missions? Pray. Give. Go. Take a moment to pray for our global partners.

Acts 1:8 is a mandate for missions and it seems clear that the plan, according to Jesus, is that missions should start with those closest to us. For our church that means our city. We want to love our city and be a church that makes an impact. As you look at the churches that were started in the New Testament, it's hard not to see the difference that they made in the cities they were in. We'll specifically look at how this played out in the cities of Philippi and Ephesus and then we'll look at some tangible ways we can make an impact in our city. Continue to fill out your Neighbor challenge card from last week. If you didn't get one, there will be some available on your way out.Small Group Questions 1. What does it mean for you to cause a “beautiful disruption” in your city? 2. Why should the church serve our city? How have you seen a church impact their city in the past? 3. What role do you see your Small Group playing in impacting our city? 4. Is anyone in the group interested in serving as a missions coordinator? This person would meet with our Missions Pastor, Jonah quarterly to discuss ways for your Small Group to serve.

Jesus gave us a simple, revolutionary plan to change the world: love your neighbor. When we love our neighbor, we love God, and we cannot love God without loving our neighbor. Do you know your neighbors? Like do you really know them? If yes, talk about what meeting and building a relationship with your neighbors was like. If no, what obstacles do you see preventing you from building a relationship with your neighbors? What do you think about the statement, “God hasn’t called us to love the whole world, but to faithfully love the people in front of us”? What would living that out look like in your life? Do you find that it is easier to “love everyone from a distance” than love the people in close proximity to you? Why might this be so? What do you see as potential opportunities for you to engage your neighbors this year? Do you feel comfortable sharing your faith with other people (such as your neighbors)? How can our group help each other to grow in our ability to share our faith with others?

Examining Isaiah 7, John 1, and Exodus 25, we look to the incarnation of the Son of God. We discover a disappointing God who walks with us through sin, suffering, and death, instead taking us around sin, suffering, and death.