Life Groups // Winter 2023 // Week 10

Posted March 17, 2023 — Lincoln Berean

We Shall Not Be Shaken // 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

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Introduction

We live in a time when relative truth seems to have the strongest influence. But just as Paul encouraged the Thessalonian church, we are responsible to measure what we hear only by the Truth of the Gospel and the character of God. As you wrap up this session of Life Group together, make it a point to encourage each other to love and pursue the Truth.

To think through the main ideas in the sermon and prepare for your discussion together, we invite you to look over all the questions on the following pages and write your thoughts down before you meet with your group. Due to preferences over a wide range of groups, we do not expect you will cover every question each week.

Warm Up (Suggested time: 30 min)

We’ve heard and learned much about what it means to be a people of hope throughout this session. Give each person a chance to share something they are more hopeful about after going through this study in 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

Getting Started

Transition into group discussion.  

1) Open group discussion with prayer. Here are a few potential prayer items: 

a. For the Spirit of God to lead you in truth 

b. For the fruit of the Spirit to be cultivated in your lives 

c. For grace to hear and apply what the Spirit says to you

2) Choose someone to read the passage aloud for the group.

Study Questions (Suggested time: 40 min)

1) What example or encouragement from the sermon this week has stirred your thinking since you heard it?

2) In writing 2 Thessalonians, Paul is clearly concerned that these young believers are being deceived and led away from the truth of the gospel and the mission they were given to share it. If Paul were to write a letter to us today, what are some deceptions and lies he might pinpoint as distracting us from the truth?

        What are the biblical truths to counteract those lies?

        How can you support each other to walk in the truth and stay on mission to share the gospel with those around you?

3) Given that Paul spent only a few weeks teaching and grounding this church in the gospel, why do you suppose he devoted so much time reminding them that Jesus is returning and He wins?

         What did Pastor Bryan remind us of concerning the importance of Jesus’s return for living today?

4) Consider how you responded recently to a news report or theory about our uncertain future (culturally, politically, financially). Share your response, if you’re willing.

        As you consider your response, what does it say about your belief that God is still in control?

       In general, when you face times of crisis, what value system rises to the surface in the way you respond?

       How can the members of your Life Group help you to stay steadily committed to the Truth when times of crisis arise?

Personal Spiritual Exercises

Just like physical exercises help strengthen and stretch our bodies for healthy living, these spiritual exercises are meant to move us spiritually in ways that may be new so we might experience inner growth. Since God longs for us to experience Him with our whole selves—mind, body, spirit—we invite you along each week to strengthen your souls with suggestions and prompts.

Prayer Focus: 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3 reminded us that we are not to be shaken in our faith or deceived by lies. You are responsible for the way you handle truth so make that a matter of prayer this week.

1. Pray a simple prayer of openness like, “teach me Your ways, O God”.
2. Ask God to reveal the times you resist the truth of His Word.
3. Confess your resistance and need for God to train your heart to do His will.

Scripture Focus: Read and reflect on Paul’s prayer for the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 each day this week. You may like to change it up each time by reading in a different version or listening on audio. Notice the words and phrases that teach you about the sovereignty of God and the truth of the gospel.

Prayer (Suggested time: 20 min)

A significant part of “coming together” is being open and honest with our lives. Sitting in a group of people for prayer may be new or it may be familiar to you. If you would rather not pray aloud when it is your turn, feel free to pray silently and then say “Amen” aloud signaling the next person in the group to pray. Whether or not you choose to verbalize your prayer, everyone is a participant in sharing this time before God together.

Take a few moments to prepare a prayer request. What did the message, working through the above questions or the discussion cause you to notice about your own relationship with Jesus? Would you be willing to share your prayer request with the group?