2025 Sunday School Discussion Guide

Together we will read through the New Testament in 2025!

Here are some helpful discussion questions for your Sunday School class or small group!

Download Discussion Questions through the New Testament

January Bible Reading Discussion Questions

January 5 – Week 52 – The Old Testament

Nehemiah 1-13

Family Life - Small Group Warm Up Question:

When was a time you made a courageous stand? What was that like? How do you want to be more courageous in the future?

Use these questions for personal prayer, reflection, study, journaling, or small group discussion.

1. Read Nehemiah 1:4. What dishonors the Lord in your community? State? Nation? Does it grieve you as it should? What causes us to become hardened by surrounding sin and brokenness? Why is confronting others on sin so challenging? Important? (Nehemiah 5:9)

2. How do you start your prayers with God? How did Nehemiah begin his prayer to God in Nehemiah 1:5-7? How is this different or similar to our own prayers? Is there a way in which Nehemiah’s example of prayer encourages you to add certain elements into your own prayer life?

3. How is your prayer life today? How would you like to see your prayer life improve? What is your practice of fasting? How has fasting impacted your prayer life? Are there certain verses or quotes that have inspired or guided your prayer life?

a. See also: “What does the Bible say about Prayer and Fasting?” www.trustworthyword.com/prayer-fasting

4. What goes through your mind when you have a decision to make? What steps do you take when making a decision? Read Nehemiah 2:4. How can we better integrate prayer into our decision-making process? What does it say about us when we make decisions without prayer? Do all decisions need prayer?

5. How have you experienced that “the good hand of my God was upon me” and seen that “the Lord granted me what I asked”? (Nehemiah 2:8)

6. Have you ever experienced an enemy like Sanballat (Nehemiah 4:1, 8-9) who acted against your faithfulness to God with anger, jealousy, and mocking? How did you respond? Were there any ways in which you wish you responded differently?

7. When was a time that you saw your church unite together with “a mind to work” like the Israelites rebuilding the wall? (Nehemiah 4:6) What united and motivated the Israelites? (Nehemiah 4:14) Your church? What sort of work would you love to see your church united to work towards? How might you help in leading or serving such a goal?

8. When enemies (Satan, the world, and our sin) attack, why do we need both prayer and action? (Nehemiah 4:8-9) What gives you courage in such battles? (Nehemiah 4:14) What battles do you anticipate facing in the year ahead? How can you better prepare for them now?

9. Spiritually speaking, what do you think it looks like to labor “on the work with one hand” and hold a “weapon with the other”? (Nehemiah 4:17-18)

10. Have you ever experienced someone who lies frequently? How is “inventing them out of your own mind” (Nehemiah 6:8) a good description of the practice of lying? Why is confronting a liar so challenging? What motivates a liar? When is it important to confront a liar? When might it be wise to avoid, bypass, or ignore a liar?

11. When have you perceived something to be done at your church, on mission, or in your personal life in such a dramatic manner that you knew “it had been accomplished with the help of our God”? (Nehemiah 6:16)

12. Read Nehemiah 8:1-8, 18. What stands out to you with how they read the Bible together? How does your church prioritize the reading of God’s word in your services and small groups? How does it encourage and equip personal Bible reading? Why is Bible reading so important to our personal spiritual health as well as the health of a small group and church?

13. What do you think makes someone to be described as “a more faithful and God-fearing man than many”? (Nehemiah 7:2) How do you want to grow in your fear of the Lord and faith? How does that sort of spiritual growth happen?

14. Read Nehemiah 9:1-5. What are some particular sins Christians today need to intentionally avoid and confess? Why do you think the Israelites first separated themselves, then confessed sins, next read the Bible at length, and finished with additional confession and worship? Is there anything we can learn from this sequence of steps?

15. Why is recounting and understanding God’s character and past works so important? (Nehemiah 9:6-38)

a. See also: “What does the Bible say about God’s Character?” www.trustworthyword.com/character-of-god and “What does the Bible say about God’s Miracles?” www.trustworthyword.com/miracles

16. How have you experienced challenges to give financially to your church? What are the difficulties of such messages and campaigns? What are the blessings that arise to the giver and the church? (Nehemiah 10:39)

a. See also: “What does the Bible say about Money?” www.trustworthyword.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-money

17. When was a time that God blessed you and gave you “great joy”? How did you rejoice? How do you hope to celebrate a God-given victory in the year ahead? (Nehemiah 12:43)

18. What stands out to you from the final chapter of Nehemiah? How does his example encourage your faith? Why is the final verse such a succinct summary prayer? (Nehemiah 13)

January 12

Week 1 – Questions to Consider

Fun Small Group Warm Up Question:

What is your favorite New Year’s memory?

New Testament

Matthew 1 ~ Matthew 2 ~ Luke 1 ~ Luke 2 ~ John 1

Why do you think God included the genealogies of Jesus (Matthew 1 and also Luke 3)? What is different between them? What names do you recognize? Do any names appear that surprise you? How does this matter to us today?
How does the name “Immanuel” of Jesus impact you?
What kind of faith do you think it took for the wise men to make the journey they made? How does that encourage your faith?
Why was Luke written (Luke 1:4)? How does that encourage you to be more diligent in Bible reading in the year ahead?
How does the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-25) challenge or encourage you?
Why do you think God sent angels alongside the sending of His Son?
Read Mary’s song (Luke 1:46-55). What do you love about this?
What do you think about Simeon and Anna’s appearance in Luke 2? How does their example inspire you?
Which is your favorite verse from John 1? Why?

General Discussion Questions

• What was something new you noticed this week? What impacted you the most? Why?

• Application Questions: How do you need to respond to and apply these truths to your life? (Is there a sin to avoid? A command to obey? An example to follow? A prayer to offer? A truth to remember or memorize? An attitude to change? A teaching to share?)

January 19

Week 2 – Questions to Consider

Fun Small Group Warm Up Question:

Who was your best friend growing up?

New Testament

Matthew 3 ~ Matthew 4 ~ Mark 1 ~ Luke 3 ~ Luke 4

How do you think John the Baptist’s message of repentance would go over today? What about his dialogue with the religious leaders? (Matthew 3:1- 12, Mark 1:1-8, Luke 3:1-22)
What stands out to you in Jesus’ baptism account (Matthew 3:12-17, Mark 1:9-11)? Why do you think God did this so publicly?
When Jesus is tempted by Satan, how does He respond (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12, Luke 4:1-12)? When Satan tempts Jesus, how does he do it? What can we learn for our battles against Satan’s deceptions and temptations? How can we better prepare for the battles that are ahead?
Like John, Jesus preaches for repentance (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:14). How should that affect our approach to evangelism and conversations with unbelievers?
What does it mean to be a fisher of men? (Mark 1:17) How does the example of the first disciples “immediately” responding to and following Jesus encourage your faithful obedience?
How is Jesus’ was teaching different then? (Mark 1:22, 27) How is Jesus’ teaching different than many false teachers today?
How does Jesus preach in his hometown of Nazareth? (Luke 4:16-30) How do they respond? How might we similarly expect opposition when declaring God’s truth? When was a time you faced opposition for being faithful to the Bible?
How does Jesus’ authority over the demonic (Luke 4:31-41) and diseases encourage your faith? Do you struggle with believing in any of Jesus’ miracles? Why or why not?
What does Jesus say is His purpose (Luke 4:43)? How does that connect with our purpose?
General Discussion Questions

• Context Questions: Who is writing this? Who is it being written to? When? Why? What type of writing is this? How does this matter to my understanding of the meaning of these chapters?

• Application Questions: How do you need to respond to and apply these truths to your life? (Is there a sin to avoid? A command to obey? An example to follow? A prayer to offer? A truth to remember or memorize? An attitude to change? A teaching to share?)

January 26

Week 3 – Questions to Consider

Fun Small Group Warm Up Question:

What was your first job?

New Testament

Mark 2 ~ John2 ~ John 3 ~ John 4 ~ John 5

Why did so many people gather to see and hear Jesus? (Mark 2:2) Where can we go to encounter Jesus today? What are obstacles we face in the disciplines of: bible reading, church attendance, Sunday school/small group participation, prayer, and fasting? What common excuses have we used or heard? How can we change our mindset to be more consistent and joyful in seeking Jesus personally?
What can we learn about fasting from Jesus in Mark 2:18-22? Does it mean we shouldn’t fast? What is the purpose of fasting? Where have you found helpful truths on fasting? How have you struggled or found success in fasting?
What is Jesus speaking against in Mark 2:23-27? Are there any modern day church “traditions” that we’ve seen or accepted that may not be biblical?
What did you notice in Jesus’ interactions with his mother in the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12)? Why do you think Jesus chose to do this miracle?
When you think of Jesus’ character, how would you describe Him? What about the story of Jesus in John 2:13-22)? How does this affirm or challenge your understanding of what Jesus is like?
What does it mean to be born again (John 3:1-15)? Why does Jesus not give a long list of rituals, rules, or traditions to obey to “see the kingdom of God”?
When were you born again? What did you experience when you were born again? How has God been growing you since you were born again?
Who is God’s salvation available to? How does salvation happen? What does saving belief in Jesus look like? What does false belief in Jesus look like? (John 3:16-21)
What do you love about Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well (John 4:1-45)? How does it encourage your faith? Overwhelm you with God’s love? Challenge you to be bolder in witnessing?
Why were the Jews trying to kill Jesus (John 5:18)? In what other ways do we see Jesus demonstrate and say that He is God?
General Discussion Questions

• What do these passages teach us about our enemies’ attacks (deceptions, distractions, discouragement, and temptations)? How can we better resist these attacks?

• Application Questions: How do you need to respond to and apply these truths to your life? (Is there a sin to avoid? A command to obey? An example to follow? A prayer to offer? A truth to remember or memorize? An attitude to change? A teaching to share?)

February 2

Week 4 – Questions to Consider

Warm Up Question:

What was your favorite pet growing up?

New Testament

Mark 3 ~ Luke 5 ~ Luke 6 ~ Matthew 5 ~ Matthew 6

In Mark 3:1-6 the religious leaders are looking to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong. When and where have you experienced people hardened against you? Trying to entrap you? What can we learn from Jesus’ example?
How is our mission similar to the twelve apostles (Mark 3:13-15)? Why is such a humbling task? How can we be encouraged and emboldened in this task?
With whom did Jesus encounter opposition in Mark 3:21? Why? How have you experienced, or should expect, similar opposition?
How do we know if are part of God’s family? (Mark 3:35) What does it look like to honor God with your lips but not with your life (Matthew 15:7-9)? What does it look like to confess with your mouth and believe in your heart (Romans 10:8-9)?
What kind of faith does it take to be made clean by Jesus (Luke 5:12-16)? How are we often tempted to make ourselves clean by our “good works”?
Who are the modern day outcasts that we might be tempted to avoid and not witness to? How does the example of Levi’s salvation convict and grow you
(Luke 5:27-32)? How can we be tempted to be self-righteous like the Pharisees?
Skim over “The Beatitudes” of Matthew 5:1-12.
How have you experienced God’s blessings in these areas? How do you want to grow in experiencing God’s blessings in these areas?
Skim over the areas Jesus speaks to in His sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-6). Which areas do you need to hear Jesus preach to you about? What section does our community need to hear? What temptations might we face to not preach or speak certain truths?
What aspects of prayer do you see in the example Jesus gives us in “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:5- 14)?
General Discussion Questions

• What did you learn about humanity or yourself in the readings this week? About your identity, character or purpose as a Christ-follower?

• Application Questions: How do you need to respond to and apply these truths to your life? (Is there a sin to avoid? A command to obey? An example to follow? A prayer to offer? A truth to remember or memorize? An attitude to change? A teaching to share?)