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Sermon Questions - March 13, 2016

Restraining Grace
1 Samuel 25:1-44
March 13, 2016

Study Questions

1.    Read 1 Samuel 25:1a. Given how prominent a man Samuel was, why do you think the author gave so little space to his death? How did Israel respond to his death? How do you suppose Saul and David responded to his death?
2.     Read 1 Samuel 25:1b-8. Where was the wilderness of Paran? Why did David go there? Who was Nabal? What did David request of him and in what spirit?
3.    Read 1 Samuel 25:9-17. How did Nabal respond to the request? What reason did he give? What did David plan to do in return? How many went with him and how many stayed behind? How did Abigail come to know of David’s plans?
4.   Read 1 Samuel 25:18-35. What specifically did Abigail plan to do? What were David’s specific intentions? Upon meeting him, what Did Abigail say of Nabal and how did his name play into her words?
5.   What did Abigail say the Lord was doing through her in the life of David? What did she say would still become of his enemies? What then did Abigail assert, even prophesy, of David? How did David respond to her?
6.     Read 1 Samuel 25:36-44. What was Nabal doing upon Abigail’s return? When did she tell him of David and why? How did he respond and what did the Lord do?
7.   How did David respond to Nabal’s death? Why did David take Abigail as his wife? What had happened to his current wife, Michal? Why did David also take to himself another wife, Ahinoam of Jezreel? Where was Jezreel?
8.  How has the Lord worked in your life to restrain you from sin? What does this teach you about the faithfulness of God and the certainty of the gospel? What can we do before the fact so that God won’t have to restrain us from sinning? 

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