Kernan Community Groups
Sermon Discussion Guide
October 4, 2026
[4] Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah [5] and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” [6] But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. [7] And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
The desire for a king in and of itself was not wrong, so why was God displeased with Israel’s request for a king?
[19] But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, [20] that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” [21] And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. [22] And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
[1] There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. [2] And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
[1] Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.
[24] And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
What is a good working definition for the word idol?
What kinds of things can be idols?
Whatever we put in those blanks has become an idol to us. Would anyone like to share how you would have filled in those blanks at an earlier point in your life?
Would anyone like to share how you might be filling those blanks right now?
Idolatry is fueled by comparing ourselves to others. This is what sparked Israel’s kingship idolatry. Why is it so hard to avoid the comparison game?
If you have turned success into an idol, how might that take from you?
If you have turned acceptance and approval into an idol, how might that take from you?
[28] even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
How is Jesus different from other kings?
[10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
There is an over-correction we must avoid. For example, if we become too afraid of making success an idol, we may think that mediocrity is the only safe option for a Christian. Why is that not true? Why should Christians strive for excellence in their work, home life, and other pursuits?
