Key Bible Passage(s):

Tier 1:

It’s easy to miss the fact that the start of I Samuel is rooted deep in the time of the Judges, and in the spiritual, political and societal chaos that characterised that period. It was a time of anarchy and of incredible brutality, injustice, violence, oppression.  The underlying problem is articulated for us in the Book of Judges (21:25): In those days Israel had no king; everyone did what was right in their own eyes. The rejection of Christ as King leads to confusion and disorder throughout the life of the Church. Understanding what it means to speak of the Kingdom is critical to the health of the Church’s worship and witness.

Tier 2:

The problem isn’t that Israel asked for a king. There was always provision for that in the Covenant. The problem is that Israel asked for a king … such as all the other nations have (8:5). In other words, they didn’t want a king like Jesus. They didn’t want to be a people set apart for Him, and ruled by Him. They want to be ‘like all the other nations’ (8:20) Their asking for a king is in fact the expression of their rejection of Jesus (8:7, they have rejected me as their King…’). The result is the rise of Saul. But even in the midst of their rejecgtion of Him, Christ is at work to redeem the office and to replace Saul with a king who will point beyond themselves to Him.

Tier 3:

David is a king under whom the Church can learn (to some extent at least) what it means to live under the gracious and righteous reign of Christ. The Lord’s Covenant with David holds firm in spite of David’s failure, and the legacy of his sin. He is pointing through Solomon to a greater Son, the Messiah (the seed of Abraham) will be a descendant of David!  And that ultimately, this Son of David will build the house for the Name of the Lord, and will sit on a throne that will be established for ever… (7:16)

Christ executes the office of king in calling out of the world a people to Himself, in giving them officers, laws and censures, by which He visibly governs them; in bestowing saving grace upon His elect, rewarding their obedience, and correcting them for their sins, preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings, restraining and overcoming their enemies; and powerfully ordering all things for His own glory and their good; and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God and obey not the Gospel.

WLC Q&A 45

Group Discussion:

Do you think of Jesus as your King? How does that shape your thinking about being a disciple?

What experience of these 3 aspects of Jesus’ kingship have you had as a Christian?

Why does He need to subdue us? What does He need to defend us from? Who are His – and our – enemies? And how does He restrain and conquer them?

Does the idea of Jesus as King inspire you as a Christian? or does it provoke a different reaction?

and later in the session:

read Ps.57. 

What do you think David is tempted to feel as he sits in the cave of Adullam?

What are the key elements of David’s response to the situation he finds himself in?

What aspects of God’s character and covenant does David focus on?  What does that enable David to do?

What is the relationship between what David believes and what he feels?

What do you learn from Ps.57 that you could use to help someone who felt they’d taken things into their own hands and messed everything up?

Homework:

Over this half-term we have been working to memorise Matthew 6:1-4. You will have to keep refreshing the rest of the Sermon on the Mount whilst you do this.

(we’ll have memorised the whole of the Sermon on the Mount over the 3 years of DTP)

To Be A Christian: Q&A 25-34

Read I Kings 9-22