Samuel (1 Samuel 1-7)
1 Samuel 1
S: What shapes history?
C: The prayers of nobodies.
BI: The prayers of nobodies help to shape the course of history.
1 Samuel 2:1-11
S: Why should the downtrodden praise God?
C: Because he sovereignty raises the humble and opposes the proud.
BI: Rejoice because God raises the humble and opposes the wicked and the proud.
1 Samuel 2:12-3:21
S: What will God do with wicked leaders?
C: He will judge them and replace them.
BI: God cares for his people by judging wicked leaders and raising godly ones.
1 Samuel 4:1-7:1
S: What happens when we try to use God for our own agendas?
C: We encounter his holiness and wrath.
BI: When we try to use God for our own agendas, we encounter his holiness and wrath.
1 Samuel 7
S: What can godly leaders do?
C: They can lead people to renew their commitment to God and enjoy his blessings.
BI: Godly leaders lead people to renew their commitment to God and enjoy his blessings.
Saul (1 Samuel 8-15)
1 Samuel 8
S: What happens when we use secular standards for leadership rather than godly ones?
C: We get the leaders we wanted.
BI: When we use secular standards for leadership, we get the leaders we wanted.
1 Samuel 9-11
S: How does God answer our desire for leaders?
C: By providing and resourcing leaders who may or may not lead as God intends.
BI: God provides and resources leaders who may or may not lead as God intends.
1 Samuel 12
S: What is our greatest priority?
C: To obey and follow the Lord.
BI: Our greatest priority is to obey and follow the Lord.
1 Samuel 13-15
S: What happens to leaders who lack character?
C: They forfeit the privilege of leadership.
BI: Leaders who lack character forfeit the privilege of leadership.
David (1 Samuel 16 - 2 Samuel 24)
David's Rise (1 Samuel 16 - 2 Samuel 4)
1 Samuel 16
S: What does the Lord value in his people?
C: Not outward appearance, but the condition of the heart.
BI: The Lord doesn’t value outward appearance but the condition of the heart.
1 Samuel 17
S: Whom does the Lord use to deliver his people?
C: The one who trusts wholly on God and not himself.
BI: The Lord delivers his people through the one who trusts him completely.
1 Samuel 18-19
S: How do we advance in our lives?
C: Not through human strategy but by divine favor.
BI: We advance in life not through human strategy but by divine favor.
1 Samuel 20
S: What gift does God give us to sustain us in times of trouble?
C: Friendship.
BI: God gives us the gift of friendship to sustain us in times of trouble.
1 Samuel 21-23
S: How do the trajectories of our lives play out?
C: The godly grow in strength, and the ungodly self-destruct.
BI: The trajectory of the godly leads to growth, and the ungodly to destruction.
1 Samuel 24-26
S: What happens before God uses us?
C: He tests us.
BI: Before God uses us, he tests us.
1 Samuel 27, 29-30
S: Where should we place our trust in times of trial?
C: In God, not in circumstances or people.
BI: In times of trial, trust God, not circumstances or people.
1 Samuel 28, 31
S: What are the results of sin?
C/BI: Sin leads to tragic consequences.
2 Samuel 1
S: How does a godly leader treat enemies?
C: With integrity.
BI: A godly leader treats enemies with integrity.
2-4
S: What should we expect from a leader?
C: That the leader must face and pass many tests.
BI: A godly leader must face and pass many tests.
David's Reign (5-10)
5
S: What does God always do, even if it takes time?
C: He always keeps his promises.
BI: Even when it seems to take a long time, God always keeps his promises.
6
S: How should we worship God?
C: With our whole hearts and with holy fear.
BI: Worship God with whole hearts and holy fear.
7
S: Who builds whose house?
C/BI: We don't build God's house; God builds ours.
8-10
S: What does the ideal king look like?
C: He rules with justice, stability, mercy, judgment, and God's favor.
BI: The ideal king rules with justice, stability, mercy, judgment, and God's favor.
David's Decline (2 Samuel 11-20)
11-12
S: What can happen to even the oldest and greatest among us?
C: They can destroy their lives and the lives of others through the deceitfulness of sin.
BI: Even the greatest among us can destroy lives through the deceitfulness of sin.
13-14
S: What happens even after God forgives sin?
C: We face the horrible consequences of sin.
BI: Even after God forgives sin, we face the horrible consequences of sin.
15-20
S: What happens when we sin?
C: We're diminished, but God never abandons us.
BI: When we sin, we're diminished, but God never abandons us.
Epilogue (2 Samuel 21-24)
21:1-14
S: Why do God's people sometimes struggle?
C: Because of the sin of the leaders.
BI: God's people sometimes struggle because of the sins of their leaders.
21:15-22; 22:8-39
S: How was David able to achieve victory?
C: With God's help and with the help of the people God gave him.
BI: We succeed with God's help and with the people he gives us.
22:1-23:7
S: Why should God be praised?
C: Because he delivers his people through a king.
BI: Praise God because he's faithful to deliver us through our king.
24
S: What do we learn about a godly person at the end?
C: Even that person can sin.
BI: Even the godliest person can fail at the end.
