Kernan Community Groups
Sermon Discussion Guide
October 25, 2026
What are some popular examples of a “David and Goliath” story?
What is so captivating about a good underdog story?
[3] And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. [4] And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
[8] He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. [9] If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.”
[16] For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.
[26] And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
[38] Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, [39] and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. [40] Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.
[44] The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” [45] Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
[49] And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
[50] So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. [51] Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
It’s natural for us to see ourselves as David in this story. We want to be the heroic underdog who takes down the giants in our lives. But how are we more like the soldiers of Israel?
If Israel represents us and if Goliath points us to evil and death, then who does David point us to?
[1] Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. [3] And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” [4] But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
How does this scene remind you of David and Goliath?
[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
How does Jesus crush the head of Satan?
Christian author, Eugene Peterson, says: “The only person fully in touch with reality that day was David.” How was Goliath out of touch with reality? What about Israel?
How is David different?
True courage is not bravado or bravery, it’s joyful obedience — doing the right thing in spite of our fears. What’s an area of life where you need to exercise courage (obedience) in spite of your fear?
