Small Group Discussion May 1 2024

### Bible Reading:
1. **1 Samuel 3:1-10 (ESV)** - "Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, 'Here I am!' and ran to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' But he said, 'I did not call; lie down again.' So he went and lay down. And the Lord called again, 'Samuel!' And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' But he said, 'I did not call, my son; lie down again.' Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, 'Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears."' So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!' And Samuel said, 'Speak, for your servant hears.'"
2. **Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV)** - "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?'"
3. **Galatians 6:2 (ESV)** - "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

### Observation Questions:
1. In 1 Samuel 3:1-10, how many times did God call Samuel before he realized it was God speaking to him? What role did Eli play in helping Samuel recognize God's voice?
2. What does the phrase "the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision" suggest about the spiritual climate during the time of Samuel?
3. In Matthew 16:24-26, what does Jesus say about the cost of following Him? What does He mean by "taking up your cross"?
4. According to Galatians 6:2, what are believers encouraged to do for one another? How does this action fulfill the law of Christ?

### Interpretation Questions:
1. Considering Samuel's initial confusion in recognizing God's voice, what might this tell us about the importance of spiritual mentors in our lives?
2. How might the rarity of God's word in Samuel's time compare to people's experience with spiritual dryness today? What can we learn from Eli's guidance to Samuel during such times?
3. Reflecting on Jesus' words in Matthew 16:24-26, what are the implications of truly following Christ in terms of personal sacrifice and priorities?
4. How does bearing one another's burdens, as mentioned in Galatians 6:2, strengthen a community of believers?

### Application Questions:
1. Think of a time when you struggled to discern whether something was truly from God. What steps can you take to improve your spiritual discernment based on Samuel's experience?
2. Identify a specific area of your life where you need to "deny yourself" to follow Jesus more closely. What practical change will you make this week to align with this commitment?
3. Consider a burden that someone in your community is carrying. What specific action will you take this week to help ease this burden?
4. Reflect on your current spiritual practices. What is one way you can cultivate a more receptive heart to God's voice, similar to Samuel's response, "Speak, for your servant is listening"?