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David #4

 [DAVID] A matter of conscience_ 

1 Samuel 24 

How do we determine God’s will? 
 Do we look to circumstances, the counsel of friends, the words of Scripture? 

On 17th April 1521, Martin Luther appeared before the Holy Roman Emperor in order, he thought, to defend his Protestant beliefs. Instead, he was shown all of his writings and asked whether he still believed their contents. Luther askes “for time to think, in order to satisfactorily answer the question without violence to the divine Word and danger to my soul.” The next day he stood before the emperor and uttered the famous words, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason... I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand. May God help me, Amen.” 

 
[Group discussion starter] How do you determine whether God is leading you to do something? 

 

In 1 Samuel 24 everything seems to indicate that David should kill Saul and take his place on the throne of Israel. Yet David rejects conventional wisdom and uses a different method for deciding what is right. His attitude and actions should cause us to reexamine our own ideas about guidance... 

 
[Read 1 Samuel 24] 

 

What feelings and struggles do you think David experienced in this passage? 
 

 
In verses 1-4, what factors might have convinced David that it was God’s will for him to kill Saul? 
 

 
We often rely on circumstances and the counsel of friends when making important decisions. To what extent are these reliable guides? 
In verses 5-7, what additional factors convince David that he should not mistreat Saul in any way? 
 

 
Is it ever right to go against conscience, in a small area, for the sake of a supposedly greater good? Explain. 
 

 
Why do you think that David places such importance on respecting “the Lord’s anointed”? 
 

 
In verses 8-15, what arguments does David use to convince Saul of his innocence? 
 

 
Describe how Saul responds to David’s words? (verses 16-22) 
 

 
What do David’s actions force Saul to conclude about David? 
 

 
David could have killed Saul and seized the throne of Israel. 
Instead, he relies on God both to avenge him and to establish him as king. 
Although the result would appear to be the same in both cases, how would it be different? 

 

 
How can we know when to take matters into our own hands and when to leave them in God’s hands? 

 

 
In what area of your life do you need God’s guidance? 

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