How to Hear from God

 

 Study Guide for Week of October 3, 2021 

This Week Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-10

Crossroads Community Group Guide:
A. Welcome: Welcome everyone especially new persons and read out loud the purpose of your group
B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.

C. Worship Time: Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use Yes I Will  (or pick your own on YouTube make sure it has the lyrics on the screen)

D. Announcements

1. Weekly Resources on Crossroads Facebook Page    

        Monday: Listening Room Resources for the week

        Children's resource each week  

2. Daily Devotional Video: The Encouraging Word with Pastor Willie

3. Announcements and Events:  Crossroads Web Site

4. Watch the Sunday service here Sunday 11:45am

E. Review   

1. How did you do with what you wanted to apply from last week?
2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

F. Opening Question (a simple question to introduce the main theme - called an icebreaker): What do you do when you need to hear from God?

G. Read Background Information: 

 Samuel was one of the greatest leaders in the Bible. Chapters 1-3 show his birth and early childhood. Chapter 3 focuses on God calling him. Notice that he does not recognize God's voice and that Eli who is the priest gives Samuel instructions on how to hear from God. verse 9 is a great template or explanation on how to hear from God. This study focuses on who will write the story of our lives. The key is to let God write your story. That comes through surrender. 

Verse Outline: Some key Points to discuss 

       I.            I. Writer Number One: God – verse 1 – 4a

Key Concept: God desires to speak to you so you can walk in your God given destiny

Key Verse: Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Community Group Application: Community group members hear and answer God’s call to be His voice, His hands, His feet,  His heart in a broken world 

       I.           II.  Writer Number Two: Other People – 4-8

Key Concept: Other people will impact your life for good or for bad. You will impact other people’s lives for good or for bad.  

 Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character”.

 Community Group Application: Community group members support each other as they grow and discover God’s purpose for their lives.

III. Understanding Three: Biblical Spirituality is Very Good – Verse 31 and Romans 1:26-27

 Key Concept: There is hope and healing for the misuse of sex. (Marshall Shelley)

Key Verse: Romans 1:26-27 Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Community Group Application: In a world filled with those wounded sexually, followers of Jesus are to be God’s agents of healing and restoration. (Marshall Shelley)

Community Group Application: Community group members not only focus on personal healing and growth but on reaching out to others, so they don’t get stuck

     II.    H. Word: - read the scriptures above in portions - break it down into smaller portions to read. Read it in portions aloud together several times. (Goal is that everyone understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words - keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses)

1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?
2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.
3. What are the details?
4. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

I. Discuss the following general questions together (Goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion - the leader should not speak more than 30% of the time - let the group discover what God is saying to them).
1. What catches your attention in these verses?

2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?
3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?
4. What do you learn about people from the story?

5. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?

 
J. Commitment - Obedience - Application  (This is the key - have everyone answer this question): 
1. What in specific will you commit to apply in your life from this study? 

K. Prayer Time:                
1. Pray for an empty chair representing new people who you want to join your group. Name names of people specifically. 

2. Pray for your group to multiply.               
3. Pray for the needs of the members of the group. It is best to divide into 2 groups one of male and the other female.

L. For Next time:                
1. Ask each person the name of a person they will invite to the group                                         for next week.