Tested

Small Groups

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In pairs or groups of three, have participants answer, “Are you a person who likes tests or dreads them? Why?”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). You may not get through all the questions in the time you have together. Consider inviting group members to work through any remaining questions on their own throughout the week.

• Read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. Invite participants to have the scripture in front of them, either in a Bible, on a phone app, or printed on paper. After reading it, ask the following questions:
  • Paul is addressing a community of believers with whom he has a relationship. What evidence of that relationship do you see in this passage?
  • What questions do you have about this relationship?
• Chapter 1 emphasizes that the people are “chosen” by God (1:4), visible by the “message of the gospel [that] came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” Chapter 2 builds on this foundation but notes that “just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel (chosen), even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts” (2:4).
  • What do you think about God “testing our hearts”? Does this have a positive, neutral, or negative association for you? What would help you decide which it is?
  • Have you ever felt that God was testing you? What was that experience like? What did you learn about God through that experience? About yourself?
• The image of the relationship between Paul (and Silvanus and Timothy, who are the “we” to whom Paul is referring in this passage—see 1:1) and the people in the church of the Thessalonians is a tender image, a nurse caring for her own children (v. 7). What foundation does this create when there is this kind of trusted relationship?
• The Preaching Notes for October 25 say, 
  “Testing…[by God] is not an arbitrary or extraneous challenge or burden laid upon those who decide to be believers. Rather, it is living out of one’s faith day by day. Our faith is tested because we use it. The testing is in acting as people of faith. It is not a hoop to jump through or even a job evaluation exercise. Our faith is tested whenever we step out in faith, whenever we stand up against injustice, whenever we act out of love for God or neighbor, whenever we swim against the cultural current and put ourselves at risk.”
  • How does this passage resonate or conflict with your understanding of testing by God?
  • How does it expand upon what you thought about testing by God?
• Read back through the scripture passage. Is there a word or a phrase that stands out? Write it down for consideration in the week ahead.
• Just One Thing: What is one action you might take because of our conversation/study today?
• Going Deeper on Your Own: This week, consider studying one of the other lectionary texts in the following pattern:
  • Prayerfully ask God to open your eyes to the scripture. (Psalm 119:18)
  • Read the selected text [Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18; Psalm 1; Matthew 22:34-46] out loud.
  • What do you notice about the text?
  • What questions arise?
  • What do you think God might be saying to you in this text?

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer:

God of all goodness, we give you thanks for entrusting us with your gospel and giving us the witness of your faithful followers across time. May we be people who are tested—and approved—by you as disciples who are full of your love for one another and for the world. Give us awareness of your invitations to be tangible expressions of your love in the world around us. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

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Rev. Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford, Director of Adult Discipleship, an elder in the Great Plains Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, served in campus ministry for twelve years and in leadership with the Great Plains Conference for over a decade. She has a passion for connecting people with resources and encouraging them to nurture their faith and walk in step with Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. She has a D.Min. in spiritual direction from Asbury Theological Seminary. Ashlee also has a Certificate in Discipleship Coaching through Discipleship Ministries.

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