Heart Over Hype: Faith Over Fear

Use this curriculum to help you further engage with the sermon, the scriptures, and each other. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring things up to encourage and guide you so that you are always growing in your faith. If the Spirit leads you away from these questions and into conversation and prayer that encourages and points you to Jesus, go for it.

scripture

Read the following scriptures together: 1 Samuel 17.

overview

Much to our surprise, the real action of this chapter takes place away from the battlefield. While David was tending to his father’s flocks, his older brothers were on the battlefield as soldiers in Saul’s army – an army that was frozen in fear and lacking in courage. The deepest lessons of courage could only be learned in the quiet and unexpected places where no one was watching. And David learned these lessons by trusting in the love of God, believing that God would help save any of his precious sheep who were attacked by enemies.

question 1

Where have you encountered the love of God in the quiet places of your life? How have those hidden lessons formed you into the person you are today?

discussion

After 40 long days of Goliath’s boasting, mocking, and slandering of the Israelites, the giant warrior is quickly toppled over by the slingshot of a shepherd boy who trusted in God. And “when the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.” The very next moment after their hero had died, the first thing they did was to turn and run away. This verse is a perfect description of the inevitable ending for any of the false heroes that we idolize in our hearts; eventually they will all come crashing down. And the sooner we turn and run away from these false heroes, the better.

question 2

Who or what is your hero?

This week, Andrew explained that “faith becomes the window into which we behold God.” In the heat of the battle, while everyone was afraid of the outward appearance of Goliath’s imposing strength, David’s eyes were fixed on the Almighty God whom he already knew full well. Rather than comparing himself to Goliath, David compared Goliath to God. Andrew connected this to the story of Elisha in 2 Kings 6, when the prophet Elisha was able to see what no one else could: legions of angels who were standing ready to overcome any obstacle that might come between God and his people.

question 3

Is there an area of your life where you are currently unable to see God’s presence? How can you begin to move from fear to faith in this particular circumstance?

weekly application

This week as you pray through the daily burdens and stresses that you carry and help carry for others, take a moment to imagine yourself looking at God’s throne. May this heavenly perspective reorient your heart and give you confidence and faith for what God can do – big or small.