Life Group Questions

1. If you were not able to hear this week’s sermon, consider going to the church website and listening to it. What are some main ideas that you gathered from the sermon? Do you have any questions?

2. Do you ever struggle with accepting God’s will? Describe a time in which you had trouble understanding the goodness of God’s will. How can we learn from the example of Job (cf. Job 42:2) and David (cf. 2 Chronicles 20:1-6)?

3. The Lord tells Samuel that He will punish the house of Eli in this section. Why should we consider God as just in carrying out this punishment? Explain God’s justification in carrying out the future judgment of sin (cf. Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 51:3; Daniel 9:13-14). Does God’s judgment seem unfair or harsh to you? Explain.

4. What are some indications from our passage that Samuel struggled with the Lord’s message? List some things that Samuel had to overcome in order to share the full message of God. Why is it important for us to share the whole truth with people (cf. John 18:37; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; Ezekiel 33:7-9; Acts 20:25-27)?

5. How would you describe the attitude of Eli toward Samuel’s message? How do you think you would have responded? What does Eli’s response tell us about his view of God?

6. Why do you think the writer includes the information of 1 Samuel 3:19-21? How does this information help us see the plan of God unfolding? What does it mean that the Lord was with Samuel and allowed none of his words to fall to the ground?

by Terry Beatty /  Lead Teacher and Ministry Vision