1 Samuel 11
Leaders Prep Section
Watch this video, read these notes, and send the pre-written email (below) to your group 2-3 days before you meet.
Notes
Leadership is defending and fighting on behalf of others. This gives us the chance to ask ourselves the question, “Am I a leader?”
Group Guide Starts Here
Context of scripture
God’s people rejected him as their king and said they wanted to be ruled by a man. After asking if they’re really, really sure, God has allowed it and chosen Saul to be their ruler. God gave Saul a new heart and instilled his intentions and will (a.k.a. his “word”) into Saul. Saul is the best of them all and as ready as he can be.
Read 1 Samuel 11: 1-15
NOTE BEFORE READING: There is a missing paragraph in the Bible. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain the following paragraph at the very beginning of this part of the story in the Samuel Scrolls. This same paragraph was also found in other, earlier versions of Old Testament texts. So the leader should read the following paragraph and then have someone continue reading starting with 1 Samuel 11: 1.
Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls: Now Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely. He gouged out all their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out by Nahash king of the Ammonites, except that seven thousand men fled from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh Gilead. About a month later, (now begin reading 1 Samuel 11: 1). 1
Saul is the first king in a nation that has never had a human king before. There is no existing office to take and no pre-defined tasks to perform. So after he is named king, he goes back to farming.
An interesting definition of leadership is offered in this chapter:
• In chapters 9 and 10, Saul is named a leader (by God and Samuel, no less), but it means nothing – the nation is still afraid and burdened.
• But in chapter 11, God makes Saul a leader – and Saul becomes a leader in the eyes of others – once he defends and fights on behalf of others.
God, Saul, and the people unanimously view the path to leadership as defending and fighting on behalf of others.
Who should decide whether you are a leader: you, or other people around you?
Remember that we are working with this definition of leadership: defending and fighting on behalf of others.
Do you consider yourself a leader? (Let each person answer, but keep their answer to a single sentence – don’t allow them to elaborate and don’t let anyone react.)
What are the leadership qualities that you have seen among the guys in the group? What has impressed you about the others?
What is your goal as a group? – Do you want to be seen as individual leaders in each of your individual communities and families, or do you want the group as a whole to be seen as a single unit, leading as one in your community?
Note for leader: If the group wants to do more group leadership, there is an opportunity to talk about this further the following week. Let the group start talking about ideas, then recommend they take the full time next session to take these conversations further, develop plans, etc.
Everyone will read 1 Samuel 12 on his own.