HFG Questions - Week of November 9
1 Samuel 18:1-30
Jason Wolin
1. 1 Samuel 18:1-4 says, "As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."
o Looking closely at the context of this passage, what do you think the relationship of Saul and Jonathan was based on? What is the role of "common interest" in a friendship?
o Why is it that men are so afraid the have close relationships with other men? What are the logistical, emotional or spiritual hindrances to these close relationships?
o What kinds of things do we need to do to get close relationships? Is it something we can drum up? Pray for? Both?
o Are close relationships between men essential, nice to have, or a luxury? Why?
2. Jonathan was heir to a throne he never occupied because of his father's sin. But the way he handled that was remarkable. Often times we bear the burden of other people's sin in our life. It is undeserved and unfair. How can Jonathan's example help us here?
o What are the times when you feel like you have to suffer most unjustly for the sins or mistakes of other people? Why are these so difficult to bear?
o What is the lie you believe when you get upset about these kinds of things?
o What do you think were some of the truths that Jonathan clung to so that he could not only accept but befriend the very man who would take his throne?
o What Scripture sheds light on God's purposes in our suffering because of other people's sin (1 Peter 2:18)?
3. We all want to be able to say, "Whoever God uses; that is his prerogative. I want to want what God wants." But when God does decide to use someone else other than us, that can sometime be disheartening at first and can sometimes even morph into bitter forms of jealousy.
o What are areas where you typically feel jealousy? Why do you think you are particularly bothered by those things?
o What is the relationship between what you are jealous over and what you value? How does knowing that help you deal with jealousy?
o What is the root sin of jealousy (James 3:14-18; 1 Cor. 3:1-4)?
o John the Baptist said in John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease." How can we say those kinds of things with true joy and mean them from the bottom of our hearts?
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