No Human Message | 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

Discussion Questions

  1. What is a time that you listened to a human message that you later regretted because it wasn’t true or it led you in a negative direction?

  2. Why is it important that God communicates with us, his people?

  3. How can we know who to trust when someone says they speak from God? What was a time that you had to do this?

  4. Retell the gospel message in your own words.

  5. How are the different parts of the Good News interconnected? Which aspect of this message first resonated with your heart as you were coming to faith?

  6. What are some reasons that you need to continually hear the gospel from yourself or others? How does this impact the believer’s life of faith?

  7. Describe how focusing on the gospel enhances your relationship with God?

  8. What are some ways that God might be leading you to join him in sharing this message?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that God would open your heart to the depth and power of his gospel message and that he would lead you to a continual faithful response to that message.

  2. Pray for those who have not yet heard the message of Jesus or have heard but not believed.

  3. Pray that God would work in their lives to bring them to know and embrace the saving message of Jesus.

  4. Pray for us as individuals and collectively as a church that we would passionately join with God in his mission to take this message of the Savior to all the world and make disciples among all nations. Pray for the boldness, courage, and conviction to be part of this mission.

Pleasing God, Not Humans | I Thessalonians 2:1-12

Discussion Questions

  1. Why are humans in general so prone to people-pleasing? In what specific ways does this show up in your life?

  2. What Bible verses have been personally meaningful to you to help you know that you are loved/accepted/justified/approved of by God because of the work of Christ?

  3. How is worldly “self-esteem” talk different from (and lesser than) biblical teaching of God’s approval and acceptance of us?

  4. How do spiritual disciplines like meditation, memorization, and community help us more deeply internalize truth? How can we help one another move past mere intellectual assent into deeper, heart-level experience of God’s acceptance of us in Christ?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that each person in your group, community, family would more deeply know the approval and acceptance of God through Jesus.

  2. Pray that our deep approval from God would result in bold proclamation of the gospel, just like we see in the lives of Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

Imitation of Christ | 1 Thessalonians 1:5b-10

Discussion Questions:

  1. Who is someone that you look up to as an imitator of Christ? A mentor.

  2. How do they exemplify Christ to you?

  3. Have you ever been in a discipleship relationship with someone, either formal or informal?

  4. Who is someone that you could mentor in their Christian walk?

Prayer Points:

  1. Pray that God will grow you in your faith.

  2. Pray that God will empower you to follow Him.

  3. Pray that God will use you to help someone else grow in their faith.

Reasons to be Thankful | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5a

Discussion Questions:

1. Where are you tempted to fall into ingratitude, entitlement, and a lack of thankfulness? What things might be too important in your heart (i.e. idols)?

2. Why is the good news of the gospel the only real foundation for true gratitude? Why are other foundations lacking?

3. Of the three heart-level qualities (faith, hope, love), which one is the Lord leading you to focus on in this current season?

4. Of the three practical actions (godly works, labors of service, endurance), which one is the Lord leading you to focus on in this current season?

Prayer Points

1. Take time to praise and thank God for his many blessings, both in creation and redemption. Thank him and praise him for as many different things as you can think of.

2. Pray that God would increase our “work produced by faith, labor motivated by love, and endurance inspired by hope in Jesus.” Ask God for endurance, for growth in godly character, and opportunities to serve those in need.

A Gospel-Birthed Church | Acts 17:1-9

Discussion Questions:

  1. Even though we are separated by historical distance, what things can we relate with the church in Thessalonica about? What things are significantly different?

  2. Can you think of other examples of things that a church can rally around that might be good things, but fall short of a gospel foundation? Why is it critically important for a church to make the gospel its deepest foundation?

  3. What does being gospel-centered look like in your life individually? What about your family or closest relationships?

  4. When you invite someone to consider Jesus, how can you make sure that you’re sharing THE gospel, not just telling them about something the church does?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that the gospel would be our deepest foundation as individuals, families, small groups, and a church.

  2. Pray that God would use us to share the good news in such a way that it would turn the north sound “upside down,” like Thessalonica.

The One Where Some Young Women are Smart, and Others are Dumb | Matthew 25:1-13

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non-Christians in your life?

The One About Bugging Your Neighbor in the Middle of the Night | Luke 11:5-13

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non-Christians in your life?

The One Where Nobody Shows Up | Luke 14:15-24

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non Christians in your life?

The One About a Farmer Planting Seeds | Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non Christians in your life?

The One With a Dead Fig Tree | Luke 13:6-9

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non Christians in your life?

The One Where a Guy is Not Very Forgiving | Matthew 18:23-35

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non Christians in your life?

The One Where Everything is Lost and Then Found | Luke 15

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non Christians in your life?

The One Where Two Guys Each Build a House | Matthew 7:24-29

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non Christians in your life?

The One About a Tiny Seed Growing into a Huge Tree | Mark 4:30-32

Discussion questions

  1. What specific need or issue is being addressed by Jesus in this parable?

  2. What truth does the parable reveal to a believer? What truth does the parable hide from an unbeliever?

  3. How does this parable help you imagine life in the Kingdom of God?

  4. What action steps do you need to take in light of this parable?

  5. How does this parable move you toward prayer: for yourself, your family, our church, and for non Christians in your life?