Knowing Jesus,
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making Jesus known
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Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End.”
Rev 22.13
the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End.”
Rev 22.13
FELLOWSHIP GROUP NOTES AUTUMN 2006 Oct 31/Nov 2nd
'GOD'S PEOPLE AT PRAYER'
Extra Personal Study notes - click here
(4) 1 SAMUEL 1 and 2: HANNAH AT PRAYER
'THE PRAYER OF PAIN’
BACKGROUND: This is the compelling story of a Iittle family living in the beautiful hill country north of Jerusalem, 1000 years before Jesus. In those spiritually leaderless days, the faith of Israel burned low. The Tabernacle was situated at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1; 1Sam 3:21), 15 miles north of Hannah's home, and the people were supposed to travel there 3 times each year to present their offerings and share together in God's glad feasts. OUR STORY IS OF ONE WOMAN'S PAIN AND PRAYER AND PRAISE - AND OF A GOD WHO HEARD, CARED, AND ANSWERED BY BRINGING SOMETHING VERY GOOD OUT OF IT ALL - the birth of a son for Hannah and a great spiritual leader for God's people!
I. HANNAH'S PAIN: 1.1-8
> HANNAH'S HOME:
* What is your assessment of Hannah's home and marriage? Were they happy?
- What sort of people were they in the home? - How would you evaluate their spiritual lives?
> HANNAH'S HURT:
* Can you understand the degree of Hannah's heart-ache?
- Where did she feel it most acutely? And why? Did Elkanah suffer too?
* Are there comparable 'life-pains' that some Christians have to daily struggle with?
- How can being at Church sometimes be painful, and how can it help?
- Do we sometimes make it harder, inadvertently, - as Penninah did, deliberately?
II. HANNAH'S PRAYER: 1.9-20
> HANNAH'S HEART-CRY:
* What impresses you about Hannah's praying?
- How is her praying described? 1.10; 15-16. - How long did she pray?
- Is it right to pray about our own personal needs as Hannah did?
- Is it right and reverent to pour out our bitterness, doubt and frustrated pain to God?
(See Psalm 62.8 1 Peter 5.7)
* Do we gain insight into Hannah's spiritual life and faith through her prayer? 1.1 o-n, 17-18, 20
* Does Hannah encourage you to pray?
> HANNAH HEARD: (- overheard by Eli! - heard and answered by the Lord!)
* What do you make of Eli and his dealings with Hannah?
* What do you make of Hannah's response to Eli's words?
III. HANNAH'S PRAISE: 1.20-2.11
> HANNAH'S HONOURING OF GOD:
By keeping her promise: 1. 20-28
* What do you feel about Hannah's vow to God and about her keeping it??
- How hard do you suppose it was? - What did Hannah lose, and what gain, by keeping it?
- Can a deep personal love for God bring a real joy to our 'sacrifices' for Him?
By expressing her praise: 2.1-11
* Sum up in a sentence Hannah's prayer of praise? - How did she feel about God?
* Is there a hymn or song that seems to sum up how you feel about the Lord?
(- Why not sing or say it together??)
IV. HANNAH'S PROFIT:
Hannah has moved from 'How hard life is!' to 'How great God is!'
* What great gains does God bring out of Hannah's years of pain? - for Hannah? - for Israel?
* Can we, in our painful days, trust him to do the same for us one day?