Sermon Notes:
God set up this encounter at Engedi:
1. For Saul to see that God’s favor has left him.
2. For David to confront his enemy and let him go.
David teaches us in 1 Sam 24 that:
3. People after God’s own heart don’t seek vengeance on others but leave it in the hands of God.
4. People after God’s own heart learn to forgive others and let it go and leave it with God.
5. Jesus commands us to forgive others
a. Forgiven people are expected to forgive others.
b. The source of our power to forgive is rooted in God’s forgiveness towards us.
c. Forgiving others sets us free.
Follow-up Questions from Sunday’s Message:
Intro question:
What would you say is one of the most memorable places you have visited in terms of nature?
Digging deeper:
1. Read 1 Samuel 24. As you read this chapter, what would you say is the main point or the ultimate take away?
2. When you read verse 4, how do you picture this playing out in your head? What do you think David was thinking as he was approaching Saul?
3. As we read verses 5-7, we see an internal struggle was taking place in David’s head. What do you think that was?
4. What do you believe Romans 12:19 means? How do you think we should apply this in our lives? How have you?
5. After David confronted Saul, how do you think he felt after listening to Saul’s response in verses 16-20? How would you have felt?
6. What do you think Saul was after in verse 21?
7. When David went to bed that night, what do you think was going through his mind?
8. In Ephesians 4:31-32, it says that God wants us to get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, etc. from our lives. Why do you think this is?
9. It also tells us to forgive other people. Why do you think it is so important to God that you forgive others?
10. What does Jesus teach about forgiveness in Matthew 18:21-35?
11. In Jesus’ parable on forgiveness, who is the King and who are we?
12. Would you say you are a forgiving person? On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being highest, how would you rate yourself?
13. Would you say you are a person living free of the past hurts of others?
Prayer:
Pray this week for God to reveal to you people in your life that you haven’t forgiven. If someone comes to your mind, ask God to help you to forgive them as you remember all the things God has forgiven you for.
Meditation for the week:
Forgiveness is resolving to live with the consequences of another’s sin in your life and placing it in the righteous, just hands of God!