How can we all be people after God’s own heart?

18 July 2021 - 7pm Service

The Heart of David Series: Worship

In the Bible, King David is called ‘a man after God’s own heart’. This July, we will be looking at how David’s heart is revealed as much in the Psalms as in the amazing narratives of his life in 1 & 2 Samuel.

The sermon series aims to invite us to examine our own hearts and ask how we can cultivate and guard a heart of worship.

Also - remember our others services today also looked at the same topic. Check it out!

DISCUSSION NOTES

INTRODUCTION

Read 1 Samuel 20 and Psalm 55

One of the most iconic friendships in Scripture is the friendship of David & Jonathan. (1 Sam 20).

There is a covenantal love that goes beyond self-interest, or the grave. Yet David who was clearly capable of great loyalty and great love, also experienced and practiced betrayal in relationships. Psalm 55 expresses his sense of pain at broken relationship (v 14).

Friendship is extremely powerful in our lives, and Jesus himself said to his disciples ‘I no longer call you servants, but friends’. How can our friendships sustain us and enrich us including in our discipleship? How do we handle the pain of loneliness or betrayal?

In marriage we make solemn covenantal promises to one another. Is there a place for that kind of covenant in other relationships? What are the relational loyalties in your life right now? How do they affect your faith?
How did Jonathan & David handle the ‘comparison trap’, and their own personal ambitions, in walking out their friendship?
Jonathan’s friendship with David angered his father, Saul. Have you ever experienced conflict when your friendship (and faith) loyalties have angered your family? How have you navigated those tensions?
What does ‘betrayal’ in friendship look like? How can Church handle breakdown in relationship between two people in community? What happens when a dating couple in a small group split up for example?
How can great friendships avoid becoming cliques?

It’s worth thinking in our small groups how we can build deep and trusting friendships, but also make room in those communities for new people. How do we make that work in practice?

C.S. Lewis writes brilliantly on friendship and relationships in his book ‘The Four Loves’.