Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the core of our faith hinges on the astonishingly bold claim that the Creator of the Cosmos invites each of us into a personal relationship with himself.
That fact should make us wonder–how merciful must our God be to welcome me (with all my shortcomings, sins, and weaknesses) into his life?! Just as important, however, is to ponder what it means for us to invite his life into ours.

This week in 1 Samuel 4-6, we will hear again how the God of Hannah’s reversal and the God who spoke to the boy Samuel is nonetheless the God of sovereign freedom who simply will not be manipulated, controlled, or coerced by human intentions.

And, as we shall see, that is very good news.

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SEE IT // BE IT

(WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE)

DATE: August 27, 2017:  Rise and Reign: What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1-7:2

ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes

Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to
catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.

SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes

What should you do with the presence of God in your midst? As we continue to journey through the book of I Samuel together, this is the question that frames our conversation this week. In I Samuel 4-7, we see the three different postures that three different pockets of people take when the Ark of God (the presence of God) is in their midst. First, the Israelites “disrespect it” by trying to manage and manipulate God—carrying the ark into battle with presumption. Second, the Philistines “reject it” when God will not fit nicely and neatly into the trophy case of other gods. Finally, the people at Beth Shemesh “neglect it” by simply letting it fall out of use for 20 years. Each of these postures demonstrates how we sometimes treat God’s presence in our own lives. Too often we place God in a box—disrespecting, rejecting, or neglecting His presence if or when He doesn’t do what we want Him to. God, however, will not be controlled or manipulated. Instead, He invites us to respond to His presence with respect, acceptance, and love.

THE MAIN THOUGHT
We need to hear. God wants to speak. So, why not learn to be the kind of person who listens to His words?

SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes
Picture (What is the story saying?): What is the Ark of the Covenant? Why was the Ark of the Covenant special? What three things did the Ark of the Covenant have inside it? (10 Commandments, Manna, Aaron’s rod) What did these three things symbolize about God’s relationship with Israel? (Law, Provision, Deliverance) What is the difference between the Ark and an idol?
Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What were the three postures the different pockets of people in I Samuel 4-7 took toward the Ark of God (presence of God)? (Disrespect it, Reject it, Neglect it) How do we disrespect, reject, or neglect the presence of God in our own lives? Which of these three postures do you struggle with most in your relationship with God? Why?
Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How should we posture ourselves to the presence of God in our lives? How do spiritual disciplines like: prayer, meditation, Scripture reading, and study help you practice the presence of God in your life? How do we sometimes use these disciplines to try to manage or manipulate God instead of using them to allow God to form and mold us?

BE IT – Practice
Change UP // Boxed Up
Place a box in the center of your room. Ask the group to think about and name out loud the many different things boxes do. Then take some time to talk about the different things you put into boxes. Transition the conversation to talk about how we often want to put God in a box when we try to control, manage, or manipulate Him. Invite the group to go through I Samuel 4-7 and identify the way God resists the different boxes people try to put Him in.
Change IN // Box Seat 
Every athletic stadium or concert venue has box seats. These seats are usually known as the best seats in the house and come with special access and privileges. Use this metaphor to talk about moments or times when you have had a special encounter with the presence of God in your life (you sat in the box seat with God so to speak). Invite your group to share one moment in their lives when they sensed the presence of God in a special way. Take time to process together the commonalities and differences people bring out in their stories. Write down the different descriptors of the presence of God that come out in each person’s story. Invite the group to reflect on what they have learned about the presence of God in each other’s stories.
Change OUT // Out of the Box
Have you ever heard someone talk about “getting out of the box” with their thinking or their approach to life? This week we want to take some time to get out of the box in our relationship with God. Encourage your group to identify one way they can do something different, this week, to practice the presence of God in their life. Invite the group to share what they each are going to do differently and finish the time praying for each other together.

CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes

Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.