Group Check-in

1. What was the best part of your week?
2. What was the most difficult part of your week?

What’s 1 Samuel 18–19:10 About?

These chapters trace two radically different responses to God’s work: Saul’s spiraling rebellion and Jonathan’s faithful surrender. After David’s victory over Goliath, Saul, who had already separated himself from God through disobedience, grows increasingly jealous and paranoid. Without God’s Spirit to guide him, Saul’s heart hardens, and fear, anger, and sin consume him.

In contrast, Jonathan, Saul’s son and Israel’s crown prince, recognizes God’s anointing on David. In a stunning act of humility, Jonathan gives David his royal robe and armor—symbolically surrendering his own claim to the throne in favor of God’s will. Their friendship is one of Scripture’s most beautiful pictures of covenant love and loyalty.

Jonathan points us to Jesus. Like Jonathan laid aside his royal garments to lift up David, Jesus laid aside His heavenly glory to lift us up. Jesus, the true King, gave up everything so that we could inherit everything.

When we separate ourselves from God like Saul, we lose ourselves. But when we trust and surrender like Jonathan, we find life in the One who gives us His robe of righteousness.

Key Verse

“Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.”— 1 Samuel 18:3–4 (NIV)

SOAP for the Week

Passage: 1 Samuel 18:1–5

Ice-Breakers

• If you had to trade places with a famous person for one day, who would you pick and why?
• What’s the best friendship you’ve ever had, and what made it so special?
• Has there been a time when you had to give something up for the good of someone else?

Group Discussion Questions

1. Saul allowed fear and jealousy to rule his heart. How do fear and insecurity sometimes show up in our lives when we aren’t trusting God fully?
2. Why do you think Jonathan was able to celebrate David’s calling even though it cost him his own future as king?
3. What do Jonathan’s gifts of his robe and armor represent? How does this point us to what Jesus has done for us?
4. What does it say about the nature of real friendship that Jonathan loved David as he loved himself?
5. Saul’s separation from God led him deeper into sin. What warning can we take from his example?
6. What’s one area where you feel God is calling you to surrender your own plans and trust His will, even if it costs you something?

Practical Takeaway

Two paths unfold in these chapters: Saul’s way of self-centered control leads to fear, anger, and destruction. Jonathan’s way of surrender leads to deep friendship, trust, and blessing.

Jesus calls us to follow the way of surrender. He laid aside everything for us—and now invites us to trust Him, love others sacrificially, and find life not by clinging to our own plans, but by letting Him clothe us with His righteousness.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the powerful friendship of Jonathan and David, and the even greater love You’ve shown us through Jesus. Help us lay down fear, pride, and jealousy. Teach us to trust Your will above our own. Make us people who love others selflessly, celebrate Your work in others, and walk in the righteousness You’ve given us through Christ. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.