This summer (technically May 30–Memorial Day through September 5–Labor Day) we will read through the entire book of Psalms.
Join us here each week as we not only list the Psalms we will be reading, but will also include thought questions for your study each day.
Psalm 1
How do you think the world we live in would define those who are “blessed” and those who are not (what the Psalmist calls “wicked”)?
Do you think people today would argue that delighting in the law of the Lord makes you more blessed? In what ways might even the actions of Christian people seem to indicate we do not value meditating on the law of the Lord?
What practical suggestions do you have for your group that would help each one of you meditate on God’s law “day and night?”
Psalm 2
How have you seen the “nations” today set themselves against the Lord and his anointed?
Why do the nation’s plots result in the Lord laughing at their plans? In what ways might the Lord also laugh at our own plans and schemes?
What are ways in which we might be able to encourage the leaders of the nations—our nation—serve the Lord more? Do we seem to want leaders who serve God or leaders who create an environment that benefits us? Why do you think this is the case?
Psalm 3
Tell of a time when you felt as if your foes were many and they tried to convince you God would not be there to rescue you? What was your response to this?
Would you say you were or were not afraid of “many thousands of people” set against you? Why would you say this is the case?
How has God been your salvation? Tell the others in your group the ways he was been this for you, especially during challenging themes.
Psalm 4
Do you agree with the Psalmist that humans “love vain words and seek after lies”? Why do you think this is the case?
What does it mean to be set apart for God?
Can you say that you lie down in peace? Is so, how did you get to this point? If not, what might you be able to do to help move yourself to a place of more peace and trust?
Psalm 5
What are reasons you might cry out to God and seek his attention to you?
Why does the Psalmist say it is through the abundance of the God’s steadfast love that he enters the house of the Lord, versus the morning sacrifices he made or some other act of righteousness?
How can we rely more on God’s righteousness than our own attempts at good works?
Psalm 6
What causes your soul to be troubled? Are the things that trouble you things that you deserve or are even a natural consequence of life, or do these things come about due to the evil of others?
How have you seen the wicked around you renounce the Lord?
Have you ever been at a place where you were ready to give up? Did God rescue and if so, how did he do it?
Psalm 7
So, being pursued by “lions” seems sort of out there, perhaps beyond our typical experiences. Have you ever felt this way? Why? Why would you say people might be in a situation where this would be the description of their lives?
How confident are you in suggesting the Lord check to see if you have done any wrong? What sort of lives should we be living in order to be able to say this?
How often do you thank the Lord for his righteousness? Spend some time doing so now.
Psalm 8
What reasons can you give to affirm that the Lord is majestic in all the earth?
The Psalmist describes the beauty of God’s creation when describing his majestic nature. If you were going to do the same, in what parts of creation do you most see the glory of God?
Why do you think God thought so highly of humankind, including you?
Psalm 9
Spend some time recounting the “wonderful deeds” of God to your group.
How is your life changed knowing that the Lord “sits enthroned forever?” In what ways does this give you confidence to withstand those who might oppose you and your faith?
How is the Lord the stronghold of the oppressed? How can your group be a part of what God is doing to care for those who are oppressed or marginalized?
Psalm 10
Describe a time in your life when the opening of Psalm 10 was your “favorite verse,” or at least the verse that best described the status of your life.
How would you counsel someone who claimed that the Lord had hid himself in times of trouble? The Psalmist writes this, but would you say this is an accurate statement? Why or why not?
How well does this psalm describe your day-in-day-out thinking about God? Is he a God who is near and takes care of those in need, or do we more often think he is far away and does not help us? Why would you say this is the case in your life? What might change this thinking for the better?
Psalm 11
How does your view of your life change if you know that the Lord is in his holy temple?
In this psalm it seems as if God testing the righteous is a good thing, something to be commended. What do we typically think about “testing” and in what ways is it a good thing?
Does it seem like the wicked of our day are hated by God? What examples can you give that help make your point?
Psalm 12
Why would the psalmist say, “everyone utters lies to his neighbor?” In what ways do our own times seem like an affirmation of this statement?
What are the things we often think cause God to act or react? How does your list compare to what the psalmist says here causes God to arise?
How do you allow God to guard you from this generation?
Psalm 13
Describe a time when you were certain God had forgotten you.
Describe a time when God has answered you when you have called out to him.
How do you sing to the Lord for the bountiful things he has done for you because of your crying out to him?
Psalm 14
In what ways do people of the world declare there is no God? Why do they believe such a statement?
What are some specific ways you can share with others as to how you go about seeking God?
Would it be accurate to say today that there is none who does good? Why or why not?
1 Corinthians 1
In what ways might Paul’s thanksgiving be a back-handed compliment: I thank God that he gives you grace … you need it! Do you think such a view is justified? Why or why not?
Given this introductory thanksgiving, what do you think we will find as we read through this letter?
In what ways are divisions still an issue for the church today? How do the divisions we face compare to those Paul describes?
What reasons do you have to boast in the Lord?
1 Corinthians 2
In what ways are simple messages more important for God’s kingdom than messages of “lofty speech?”
Why is “Jesus Christ and him crucified” the most important message you can know?
What does it mean to have the mind of Christ?
1 Corinthians 3
What does it take for each of us to be ready for “solid food” teaching, versus milk?
Paul says that multiple people work together to bring individuals to a place where God gives spiritual growth? How does this help affirm the part of ministry you are performing as having a much bigger scope than you working all be yourself?
Do you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s spirit dwells in you? How does this knowledge impact the way you live your life?
1 Corinthians 4
What does Paul mean when he says he is a fool for Christ’s sake?
In what ways have you had similar experiences to Paul: hungry, thirsty, poorly dressed, buffeted, homeless, reviled, persecuted, slandered, and the scum of the earth? Do you think people will sign up for this sort of discipleship? Why or why not?
Are you able to tell someone to imitate your life? If not, what do you need to do to get to that place?
1 Corinthians 5
How do you think the church today would react if they heard of a situation like Paul describes with a man and his father’s wife? Why do you think the Corinthian church tolerated this?
How does boasting within the church affect the entire church?
In what ways should we purge evil doers from the church today? Do you think doing so is a popular opinion? Why or why not?
Acts 24
Why were the Jewish leaders so adamant to slander Paul, even when their accusations made little sense and were basically unsubstantiated?
What sort of actions do you take or safeguards do you have in place to ensure you have a clear conscience before God and man?
What do you think caused Felix to be alarmed while listening to Paul? To what degree do you think Felix was affected by his repeated conversations with Paul?
Acts 25
In what ways was Festus used to save the life of Paul?
Why is it that Felix in the previous chapter and Festus in the current one wanted to do the Jews a favor? Was this a successful political move? How else might we evaluate their actions?
What does it say about Paul’s actions that despite all the accusations Festus heard about Paul, Festus still is at a loss about what charges to bring against Paul?
Acts 26
How would you summarize Paul’s defense to King Agrippa?
How does Paul’s conversion story here compare to the previous stories we have read about Paul in Acts?
Why would it have been important for Paul to be obedient to the vision he faced while on the road to Damascus?
Acts 27
What would make Paul think the centurion guarding him would listen to Paul’s advice about sailing more than he would listen to the owner and pilot of the ship? What might this tell us about the rapport Paul had with those he was around?
Do you think perceptions changed about safe sailing times after the storm hit? Why do you think this is the case?
In what ways does Paul’s sharing food with the crew resemble a sharing of the Lord’s supper? Is this significant and if so, why?
Acts 28
Why do you think the Christians in Rome had heard nothing negative about Paul? What sort of credibility does this give Paul’s message and ministry?
How significant is Paul’s statement that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles?
What do you think happened to Paul beyond what we have recorded in the book of Acts?
Acts 19
Once again, we have a story about the Holy Spirit coming upon those who have turned their lives to God. What role or purpose does the Holy Spirit play in this story?
Why would someone try to use the name of Jesus to satisfy their own desires or dreams? In what ways might we do the same thing today?
How do people turning to faith impact the nonbelievers they are around? Would you say this is similar or different to what happened here in Ephesus? What reasons do you have for your answer?
Acts 20
Some have said in a tongue-in-cheek way that the story of Eutychus teaches us not to fall asleep in church. Why do you think the story IS included in Acts?
How do you think people would respond to the power of being able to raise people from the dead? Do you think this would help of hinder people coming to faith? In what ways?
How difficult would it have been for Paul to continue his journey knowing that imprisonment or affliction awaited him? Are there ways we face these challenges today and how do we handle them?
Acts 21
Why do you think Paul continues his journey even though other disciples—through the Spirit—were telling Paul not to go? Why would the Spirit tell one person one thing, but someone else something different?
What would it take for you to say you are willing to die for the name of Jesus … and mean it?
In your own words, describe the reception Paul received when he arrived in Jerusalem.
Acts 22
Paul tells his conversion story to the people in Jerusalem. What similarities and/or differences do you find between this telling and what we read in Acts 9?
How do you think you would have responded if God told you to do something completely outside of Christian faith or tradition, such as Paul was told to go to the Gentiles?
What advantages did being a Roman citizen bring Paul?
Acts 23
In what ways did Paul play his accusers against each other when he faced them in the Council?
To us, Paul’s overall message probably seems legitimate and worthwhile. Why would religious people vow not to eat until Paul had been murdered?
What does Claudius Lysias’ letter to Felix tell us about the way Roman authorities viewed Paul? Do you think their view was appropriate? Accurate? Why or why not?
Acts 14
We see here a pattern that is repeated throughout the entire book of Acts: Jewish opposition against the message of Christ and those who preach it. How do you think you would have reacted to this opposition if you had been Paul?
In what ways do you see the church today facing opposition to the message of Jesus and what should or what can we do about it?
Should the miracles the disciples were able to perform have been able to convince the Jews that the disciples and their message were legitimate? Why do you think they did not do so?
Acts 15
In what ways does our past and our desire to continue in the ways things have always been shape the way we move forward toward new faith? In what ways should it affect the future?
How do you think you would have responded to the requirements given by the Jerusalem Council? Is there anything you would have had a problem with? Why or why not?
What lessons can we learn about dealing with conflict from this episode with Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and Silas?
Acts 16
Who are the people you are encouraging to continue to grow in their faith, including people who may be younger than you? Who can you develop a relationship with in order to work on seeing this happen?
Does it seem odd that the Holy Spirit would tell the disciples NOT to go to Bithynia? Why or why not? In what ways has the Holy Spirit told you “No” to some of the ways you thought you might use to help share the message of Christ?
What are some ways you have seen God act miraculously in the lives of his faithful followers? What was the result of these actions?
Acts 17
What does it say about Paul that he regularly went to the synagogues to preach Jesus, especially given all that had happened to him at the hands of the Jews?
How can we receive the word of God “with eagerness?” What are some specific practices that might demonstrate this earnestness?
In what ways can we use the attitudes or values we see in the people around us as conversation starters when it comes to sharing our faith with them?
Acts 18
In what ways are you ministering to others through the vocation you hold?
How important are people who can travel from place-to-place encouraging followers of Jesus to grow in their faith? How can we support people who do this more?
Apollos represents a “2nd generation” disciple of Paul’s, that is, someone who was taught by someone who was taught by Paul. How are you developing relationships with people with the idea that your strengthening them will help them strengthen or disciple others?
Acts 9
Having someone breath “murderous threats” against us as Christians is not something we are typically accustomed to or something that happens to us often. How do you think you or other followers of Jesus would react to these circumstances?
The shift from preaching to Jews to preaching to Gentiles was a huge change, unheard of up to this point in the history of God’s people. What other shifts of similar magnitude are you aware of in Christianity? Do you know of anything similar that has happened in your own day and age?
What would it be like to have the kind of power Peter did? What would you do if you had that sort of power? How would you use it?
Acts 10
What does the fact that Cornelius—a Roman soldier—believed in God prior to hearing from Peter tell us about the spread of the gospel?
What laws, rules, or traditions might we hold that God wants us to change in order for people to come to know him better?
What purpose did the Holy Spirit serve in coming down on those who were hearing Peter’s message? What might this tell us about the ways God brings people to him?
Acts 11
Why might the Jewish Christians have had a legitimate concern about the Gentiles hearing—and following—the good news of Jesus?
Is the scattering of the church, as described in this chapter, a good thing, or a bad thing? Why do you say this is the case?
What does it mean to be called a Christian?
Acts 12
How do you think the church today would have responded to church leaders being imprisoned or even killed because of their faith?
How does the church collectively respond to hardships faced by members of our own body? Is earnest prayer one of those responses and in what ways?
Why do you think we are told about the death of Herod, especially the details, here in the book of Acts?
Acts 13
What does this chapter tell us about the importance of prayer and fasting as we seek to be God’s church today? How can we incorporate prayer and fasting more in our regular practices?
In what ways does the Spirit enable you and me to identify and call out evil when we see it?
Summarize Paul’s sermon found in this chapter in a sentence or two.
Acts 4
Why was it Peter and John’s preaching that Jesus was raised from the dead that was so problematic for the priests and other Jewish leaders? How effective was their stand against the preaching of these two?
How is it that ordinary people can speak powerful messages about Jesus? What does this tell you about that message?
Who do you choose to listen to: God or man? How is this choice demonstrated in your daily life?
What is your response when people oppose or challenge your message about Jesus? In what ways is prayer a part of your response?
Acts 5
What do you think was going through Ananias’ (and Sapphira’s) mind as they said they had done one thing when in reality, they had done another? What are some examples of ways we are tempted to do similar things today?
Can you imagine the surprise of the Sadducee’s when they found out that the men they had arrested and put into prison for preaching were miraculously freed and instead of hiding, they were back in the temple continuing to preach?
Why do you think it was so hard for the Jewish leaders to stop trying to squelch the preaching of the apostles, as outmaneuvered as they often seemed to be?
What would it take for you to celebrate suffering dishonor and to consider that suffering as something worthwhile?
Acts 6
What does the way the apostles solved the problem of food distribution tell us about the importance of preaching the word of God? Do we have similar responses today? Why or why not?
Who are individuals you know of whom it can be said often: they are full of the Holy Spirit? What is it in their lives that demonstrate the Spirit in them? Or stated another way: How can you tell they have the Spirit?
How would wisdom and the Spirit help you talk about Jesus more effectively? What sort of things are you doing to get both more wisdom and to be more Spirit filled?
Acts 7
Do you think the high priest regretted giving Stephen the floor to speak? What are some reasons he might have?
What ideas or thoughts in Stephen’s sermon strike you as important for you to remember as you share about Jesus today?
How do you think you would have reacted to being called “stiff-necked” and “uncircumcised?” Given this, why might the Jewish reaction against Stephen not have been so strange after all?
Acts 8
Was the persecution against the church a good thing or a bad thing? Why do you think this to be the case? In what ways might it be good for the church today to face a little persecution?
How does Saul’s back story give credibility to the person he became later in life? Do you think we would accept someone like Saul (pre “Paul”) gladly or with some hesitancy? Why do you say this?
In what ways might God through his Spirit place us in the presence of those who need to hear God’s message or perhaps place them in our presence? In what ways would you say you have seen this in your life? Any examples you can give?
Luke 23
Why do you think Jesus did not just come right out and answer all of Pilate’s (and other’s) questions, explaining what all was really going on?
Although Pilate wants to release Jesus, the crowd demanded him to be crucified. What was it that made the crowd so against Jesus?
If you knew nothing about Jesus, but ended up at his crucifixion, how do you think you would have responded?
Luke 24
Even after all Jesus told his disciples about his being crucified and rising again, they still seemed unaware of any of those conversations. Why do you think the disciples had such a hard time remembering and believing what Jesus said to them?
Why was it necessary for Jesus to “suffer these things?”
When Jesus appears to his disciples, in the closed room, he asks them: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” Had we heard their responses, what do you think they would have said?
What troubles and doubts do you have in your own life? How does Jesus’ resurrection change those doubts?
Acts 1
What connections do you find between Luke 24 and Acts 1?
Why was it important for the disciples to remain in Jerusalem? What would have happened if those had chosen not to do so?
Acts 2
How do you think you would have responded if you had been with the disciples at Pentecost? How do you think you would have responded if you just happened upon the event and witnessed what was going on?
Why was it so difficult for the people at Pentecost—disciples included—to understand the full significance of what was going on?
When you think about God giving his Spirit to us today, what sort of things come to mind? How does this compare to what we read about in Acts 2?
Is your experience of church community similar or different than the description of community we find in Acts 2.42-47? What from this list is most like your community? What is most different? How can we work to ensure our community looks more like what we see here?
Acts 3
Why might a beggar be looking for silver and gold more than they might be looking for what Peter and John were handing out?
In what ways have you seen God do amazing things that astound people and result in people giving him praise?
How often do we take these moments for granted? How often do we take them as an opportunity to share the story of Jesus with others?
Luke 18
Why is it at times easier for us to act more like the Pharisee than the tax collector when it comes to reflecting on our faith?
In what ways might we hinder people from coming to faith—people who most need God or perhaps are most like him?
What are some things that are impossible for you, but happen because of the power of God?
How have you asked God to show you mercy today?
Luke 19
How has your faith in God or at least your desire to know him better caused you to do some things that might be seen as shocking or socially unacceptable?
How do you think you would have reacted to Jesus as he was walking into Jerusalem? How do you think the people seeing this event knew to react?
In what ways is your response to unbelieving people similar to Jesus’ reaction to Jerusalem? In what ways can you respond like this more?
Luke 20
If someone came into our time of worship and began disrupting things, how do you think we would react? Why would you say this is the case? Would you say our response is similar or different than the response of the Jewish leaders?
If Jesus offers salvation to people, why do they spend so much time trying to trap him in “wrong doings” or even kill him?
Luke 21
Why do we tie the importance of gifts to the amount given instead of the value of the gift?
In what ways have you had to demonstrate endurance in your faith, doing so even while facing hardships and persecution?
Why do you think people show more concern about when Jesus is returning than they do about the fact that he is returning?
Luke 22
Why were the Jewish leaders so afraid of the crowds?
How do you think your participation in the Lord’s Supper would be different if you had been in the upper room with him during the Last Supper? How can we remember this event more when we take the Lord’s Supper?
Knowing what you know about Jesus’ disciples, are you surprised that immediately following the Lord’s Supper they are arguing about who is the greatest? Why or why not? In what ways are we also (inappropriately) focused on how great we are?
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