July 3 | Discovery

STUDY QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

By Micah Odor

1. We closed last week’s discussion by “calling on the name of the Lord.” Where did you see God at work over the past week? 

2. Everyone has certain jobs they dislike. If given the choice, what kind of labor would you avoid forevermore?  

Ask two people to read aloud 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then, as a group, quickly restate the passage in your own words. 

3. As a group, see how many observations you can make about the relationship between Paul and the church in Thessalonica. (It’s OK to skim the passage on your own. There’s no need to analyze your observations yet; just spend time looking at the passage.) 

4. What were Paul’s primary concerns in this passage? 

5. Look at verses 6-12. What three metaphors did Paul use for the way he, Silas, and Timothy behaved when they were in Thessalonica?  

• What do you think Paul was trying to accomplish by using those images? 

6. Look for every use of the word God in the passage. What does God “do”? (You may need to simplify or reorder words to answer this question. For example, “With the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition” might become “God helps us dare to tell the gospel in the face of strong opposition.”) What else can you find? 

7. What can we learn about humanity from this passage? 

8. Based on what we’ve discussed, what are you doing well?  

9. Based on what we’ve discussed, what will you do differently this week?  

• How will you obey what you’ve learned?  

10. Who needs to hear this story, and how will you tell them? 

11. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .” 

For Next Week: Read and reflect on 1 Thessalonians 2:17—3:13. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.