Small Groups and Bible Studies

1. What does it mean to be faithful to each
other? Can you think of a time when someone
showed faithfulness to you? How did that make
you feel?

2. Read Exodus 4:22; Hosea 1:11; and Malachi
2:10. How does God’s describe his relationship
to Israel? How would that relationship motivate
them to faithfulness towards each other? How
does God’s relationship with us motivate
faithfulness to each other?

3. Read Malachi 2:10-12. According to these
verses the men were divorcing their wives to
marry foreign ones. Read Deuteronomy 7:1-4
then explain why God did not want this to
happen. Why does God want spouses to be
faithful to each other in marriage?

4. Read Malachi 2:13-16. Why did God no longer
accept their offerings? How serious does God
take the marriage covenant? How does
unfaithfulness in marriage effect our
relationship with God?

5. Apathy is defined as a lack of interest,
enthusiasm, or concern. How can we prevent
apathy from entering our relationships with
each other? If you are married what is one thing
you can do to demonstrate commitment to your
spouse? If you’re not married is there someone
God is laying on your heart that you can
encourage or help out? What is one way to
show that you are committed to them?

1. According to a survey done by Pew Research in
2022, 55% of American’s believe Jesus will return to
earth. Why do you think people are so interested in
this topic? In what ways do you think Christ’s coming
impacts how we live?

2. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. Not only was it
reported that this church was now serving God but
also that they were waiting for Jesus’ return. In what
ways does serving God and waiting for Jesus’ return
go together? How does serving God prepare us for
the Lord ‘s return?

3. Read Acts 17:1-9. What did Paul do that made the
Thessalonian Jews so jealous? How did the Jews
react to what Paul was doing? Read 2
Thessalonians 1:1-4. Just as Paul was persecuted,
so was the church. Have you ever felt persecuted for
your faith? How did it make you feel?

4. Read 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10. Here Jesus’ coming
is associated with judgment. According to verses 6-7
what did God say he would do for the believer’s and
their persecutors? How does this facet of Jesus’
coming encourage the believer to endure
persecution?

5. What are some ways we can encourage each
other as we wait for the Lord’s return? Is there any
you know who may be suffering for their faith? What
are some ways you can support them?

1. Has anyone ever told you they were thankful for you?
Or has someone ever told you they were proud of you for
something you did? Was it a parent, grandparent,
teacher, mentor, or a close friend? How did that make
you feel? Or have you ever been thankful for someone
else? Have you ever been proud of someone for
something they did? Was it a son or daughter, a friend, a
trainee at work?

2. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3. In verse 3 Paul was
thankful to God for three virtues he saw in the church.
How where these virtues evidenced in the church? How
do these virtues show up in our lives today?

3. Read 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10. According to verses 6-8
the church became imitators of Paul, Silas and Timothy
and a model to all the believers in the surrounding area.
This was the means through which the Lord’s message
“rang out” into the community. How can we live out our
faith in a way that influences others in our community for
Christ? How can we set an example of faith to those
even in our everyday relational worlds that have not
received the gospel?

4. What does verse 10 say about the Thessalonian
church’s hope and expectation? What does it mean to
wait for the return of Christ? How does this influence our
Christian example to others? How would this inspire us to
faith, love, and hope?

5. How can we encourage one another to live out our
faith, hope and love? Is there someone you know that
exhibits these virtues? How can you express your
gratitude for them as they live out their faith?

1. If a famous or important person came to your town,
how would people welcome them? What kind of
recognition would they receive? If Jesus entered your
town, how do you think people would react?

2. Read Matthew 21:1-6. Why do you think Jesus chose
to enter Jerusalem on a donkey instead of a horse? How
does the passage in Matthew 21:5 fulfill the prophecy in
Zechariah? (Look at verse 5, referencing Zechariah 9:9.)
How would this prophecy influence the disciple’s
response to Jesus' command? Why is obeying Jesus’
commands sometimes a struggle?

3. Read Matthew 21:6-11. What does the crowd’s
reaction reveal about their expectations of the
Messiah? How do you think their perception of Jesus
might have been different from the true nature of His
mission? What misunderstands can our culture have
about Jesus’ mission? Is there any confusion you might
have about Jesus’ mission?

4. According to verse 10 what was the city’s reaction
when Jesus arrived? Why do you think they reacted that
way? What did the crowd’s answer to the cities
question reveal about their perception of Jesus’
identity? What misunderstandings does our culture
have about Jesus’ identity? Is there any confusion you
might have about Jesus’ identity?

5. How do you respond to Jesus as King in your own
life? Do you recognize Him as the Messiah, or are there
ways you still struggle to understand or accept Him as
King? In what areas of your life do you need to better
align your expectations of Jesus with who He truly is,
rather than who you want Him to be?

1. If you could witness any moment in history what
would it be and why?

2 Read Matthew 28:1-8. Who went to the tomb, and
when did they go? Why does Matthew emphasize the
time of their arrival? What does that reveal about their
attitude towards Jesus? What do you think our culture’s
attitude towards Jesus is today? Are they curious?
Confused?

3 The angel said to the women in verse 5, “Do not be
afraid.” Why were they afraid? What were they
expecting to find? According to verse 8 how did they
react after they were told Jesus had risen from the
dead? Have you ever had a time when God did
something unexpected in your life? What was your
reaction?

4. Read Matthew 16:21; 17:22; 20:17-18. In verse 6 why
do you think the angel emphasized that Jesus had
“risen, just as he said” ? What does this reveal about
God’s faithfulness to His promises? How does God’s
faithfulness motivate us to share the good news of
Jesus’ resurrection?

5 The term oikos refers to those whom God has
strategically placed your world so that you can be and
effective witness to them. Who has God placed in your
world to be an effective witness to Jesus’ resurrection?
How can you live your life in a way that shows that
Jesus has risen from the grave?

1. Can you share a time when hope in Christ helped you
persevere through something difficult?

2. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:17:3-5. How would you describe
Paul’s feelings toward the Thessalonians in this passage? In
2:19 Paul said the church was his hope, joy, and crown that he
would glory in at Christ’s return. Who in your life would you
consider your “hope, joy or crown” in the faith—people you’ve
invested in spiritually as they endured difficulties?

3.Read Acts 17:1-5; Acts 18:5-6, 9-13. Describe the opposition
Paul was facing. Read 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10. Despite the
“distress and persecution” Paul was experiencing in verse 7 he
was encouraged to hear of the church’s faith and longed to see
them. Reflect on a time when you were deeply encouraged by
someone else’s spiritual growth and resilience. How did that
impact your own faith as you experience difficulties? What
does this reveal about the importance of mutual
encouragement in Christian relationships?

4. Read 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13. Why do you think Paul ties
together love and holiness in this prayer? How might love help
prepare us to be “blameless and holy” before God when Christ
returns?

5. In what area of your life are you currently struggling to hold
on to hope? Where are you struggling to hope or trust that
Jesus will return and make things right? What about others?
Are there relationships in your life where you could be more
intentional about encouraging someone’ to hold onto hope?