The Life of David
K-GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE ICEBREAKER Question: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
QUESTIONS 1) Envy is the painful and resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by someone else. How did Saul’s envy lead him to pain and resentment? How can envy lead to our pain and resentment towards others?
The Life of David “The Anatomy of Envy & Jealousy”
2) Why is it easy for us to be envious of those who we most closely identify with? Why do we envy people who are in the areas we value the most?
3) The more successful David became, the more fearful Saul became. Why did Saul’s envy and jealousy turn into fear?
4) It’s easy to compare ourselves with others who seem to have better circumstances than us. Why is easier to envy someone who seems to be in a better position than to be happy for them?
5) If we face any kind of competition, it’s easy to find joy in their mistakes or failures. Why do we spend our time viewing competition as a threat and not as someone to help us improve?
6) Saul wasted his time being jealous of David. Despite being rejected as the future King, Jonathan maintained composure, kept focus on what God was doing uniquely in his life, and benefited greatly from his friendship with David. How can you benefit from focusing on what God is doing in your life? PRAYER - Spend some time taking prayer requests and praises. Pray together, asking God to help us not to be envious or jealous but to be thankful.
10.4.15
I SAMUEL 18:6-16 6
When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. 7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" 9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. 10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
EVERYBODY LOVES DAVID
King Saul’s Daughter, Michal, Loved David. I Samuel 18:20: Now Saul’s Daughter, Michal, was in love with David…
King Saul’s Officers Loved David. I Samuel 18:5: Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.
Saul Was Angry at the People’s Response Towards David. I Samuel 18:8-9: Saul was very angry: this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
Saul Was Afraid of David. I Samuel 18:12, 15, 28-29: Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. When Saul saw how successful David was, he was afraid of him. When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
Saul Demoted David. I Samuel 18:13: So Saul sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns (see v. 5).
Saul Tried to Kill David. By Throwing a Spear at Him 3 Times (I Samuel 18:10-11; 19:9-10). By Putting Him in Battle Against the Philistines (I Samuel 18:13, 17, 20-25). By Pursuing Him (I Samuel 19:1-2, 11, 19-22; 23:7-8, 24-28; 24:1-2; 26:1-2).
ENVY AND JEALOUSY
King Saul’s Son, Jonathan, Loved David. I Samuel 18:1, 3: After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
SAUL DISLIKED DAVID
All Israel & Judah Loved David. I Samuel 18:16: But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
ENVY
JEALOUSY
Painful and resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by someone else. We envy those who…
Are in the areas we value
the most Seem to have better circumstances Get recognized for their accomplishments
Intolerance of rivalry
We get jealous when…
We are afraid someone
will become equal to or superior to us Someone else may experience the success that we have experienced.
WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR CHILDREN Had Saul, like Jonathan, been willing to accept his rejection as King with composure and calmness, David’s successes would not have been so distressing (I Samuel 23: 17-18; I Samuel 15:22-23, 28-29).
QUESTIONS 1) Envy is the painful and resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by someone else. How did Saul’s envy lead him to pain and resentment? How can envy lead to our pain and resentment towards others?
The Life of David “The Anatomy of Envy & Jealousy”
2) Why is it easy for us to be envious of those who we most closely identify with? Why do we envy people who are in the areas we value the most?
3) The more successful David became, the more fearful Saul became. Why did Saul’s envy and jealousy turn into fear?
4) It’s easy to compare ourselves with others who seem to have better circumstances than us. Why is easier to envy someone who seems to be in a better position than to be happy for them?
5) If we face any kind of competition, it’s easy to find joy in their mistakes or failures. Why do we spend our time viewing competition as a threat and not as someone to help us improve?
6) Saul wasted his time being jealous of David. Despite being rejected as the future King, Jonathan maintained composure, kept focus on what God was doing uniquely in his life, and benefited greatly from his friendship with David. How can you benefit from focusing on what God is doing in your life? PRAYER - Spend some time taking prayer requests and praises. Pray together, asking God to help us not to be envious or jealous but to be thankful.
10.4.15
I SAMUEL 18:6-16 6
When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. 7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" 9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. 10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
EVERYBODY LOVES DAVID
King Saul’s Daughter, Michal, Loved David. I Samuel 18:20: Now Saul’s Daughter, Michal, was in love with David…
King Saul’s Officers Loved David. I Samuel 18:5: Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.
Saul Was Angry at the People’s Response Towards David. I Samuel 18:8-9: Saul was very angry: this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
Saul Was Afraid of David. I Samuel 18:12, 15, 28-29: Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. When Saul saw how successful David was, he was afraid of him. When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
Saul Demoted David. I Samuel 18:13: So Saul sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns (see v. 5).
Saul Tried to Kill David. By Throwing a Spear at Him 3 Times (I Samuel 18:10-11; 19:9-10). By Putting Him in Battle Against the Philistines (I Samuel 18:13, 17, 20-25). By Pursuing Him (I Samuel 19:1-2, 11, 19-22; 23:7-8, 24-28; 24:1-2; 26:1-2).
ENVY AND JEALOUSY
King Saul’s Son, Jonathan, Loved David. I Samuel 18:1, 3: After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
SAUL DISLIKED DAVID
All Israel & Judah Loved David. I Samuel 18:16: But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
ENVY
JEALOUSY
Painful and resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by someone else. We envy those who…
Are in the areas we value
the most Seem to have better circumstances Get recognized for their accomplishments
Intolerance of rivalry
We get jealous when…
We are afraid someone
will become equal to or superior to us Someone else may experience the success that we have experienced.
WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR CHILDREN Had Saul, like Jonathan, been willing to accept his rejection as King with composure and calmness, David’s successes would not have been so distressing (I Samuel 23: 17-18; I Samuel 15:22-23, 28-29).
