1. Overcoming Persecution 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

2. DISCUSSION GUIDE Craig Groeschel

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5. The Thessalonian Christians: 1.Received the word of God. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) 2.Became imitators of other believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:14) 3.Suffered for Christ. (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)

6. DISCUSSION GUIDE 1.For what was Paul thanking God continually? (1 Thessalonians 2:13) Paul thanked God continually that the Thessalonians received the message that he preached as a word from God and not from men.

7. DISCUSSION GUIDE 2.What is the difference in receiving the word of God and accepting the word of God?

8. DISCUSSION GUIDE 3.What is happening to those who believe? (1 Thessalonians 2:13) Paul said that the word of God is at work in those who believe.

9. DISCUSSION GUIDE 4.What does it mean for the word of God to be “at work” in someone? Is the word of God “at work” in you? What do you think must be true if the word of God is “at work” in a person?

10. DISCUSSION GUIDE 5.How does Paul describe the church at Thessalonica in the first part of verse 14? (1 Thessalonians 2:14) Paul describes the church in Thessalonica as imitators of the churches in Judea.

11. DISCUSSION GUIDE 6.What happened in Thessalonica that also happened in Judea? (1 Thessalonians 2:14) The believers at Thessalonica were persecuted by their own countrymen just as the believers in Judea had been.

12. DISCUSSION GUIDE 7.Who would you like to pattern your life after? Why?

13. DISCUSSION GUIDE 8.What opposition did Paul face? (1 Thessalonians 2:15-16) Those who opposed Paul drove him out of their cities in an attempt to keep him from speaking to Gentiles so that they might be saved.

14. DISCUSSION GUIDE 9.Do you think that all people who seek to share the good news about Jesus face some kind of opposition?

15. DISCUSSION GUIDE 10.What are some stands the believers take that cause non- believers to rise up in opposition?

16. DISCUSSION GUIDE 11.What did Paul do in the face of persecution?

17. DISCUSSION GUIDE 12.What encourages you to persevere?

18. DISCUSSION GUIDE 13.What is God’s response to people who oppose the preaching of the gospel? (1 Thessalonians 2:16) The wrath of God is upon those who oppose the preaching of the gospel.

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24. Artist rendition of Jesus

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