Big idea
None of us like being deceived. Even well-intended, practical jokes do not often go over well. Why is this true? As human beings, we have a desire within us to know and want to hear the truth. Scripture teaches that we have an enemy, Satan, and he is a deceiver. He is constantly deceiving us, but Scripture teaches us that his deception with be even greater in the end times after Jesus returns. Because Satan is a deceiver, it is vital that we hold on to the truth that can be found in God’s word.
Break the ice
When is a time someone played a trick on you? What happened?
Small group questions
Bible study questions
- Why do you think the enemy works so hard to deceive us?
- Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. What warning does Paul give in these verses? Why?
Events prior to the Lord’s Second Coming
1Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. 4He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
3. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12. How will the “man of lawlessness” be deceptive?
5Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. 7For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.
9This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.
4. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14. How can we respond to the gift of salvation from these terrible times?
Believers Should Stand Firm
13As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first[1] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Translation notes (1)
- 2:13 Some manuscripts read chose you from the very beginning.
Application
- In what ways do you see Satan deceiving people in our world today?
- Are there any areas in your life where Satan might be deceiving you? What are they?
- What are ways that we can cling to truth?
Moving forward
Hopefully, everyone in the group has shared an area where they are being deceived or ways he has been deceptive in the past. As a group, talk about how each of you can cling to God’s truth in the middle of deception. Have each person share how they will fight for God’s truth daily. How is holding onto salvation so critical during these times? How can you share the gift with others this week?
Going deeper
From the beginning of time, Satan has been a deceiver. That is why we need to know the truth. After all, when we know the truth, it is much harder to be deceived, isn’t it? Today we are going to look at Satan’s history of deceiving in Scripture in the Old and New Testaments. Then, we will see how Scripture teaches us to know the truth and fight against Satan’s deception.
Deception in the Old Testament:
- Read Genesis 3:1-7.
- How is Satan, in the form of a serpent, described in these verses?
- How did Satan deceive Eve in these verses? (There are multiple answers to this question.)
- What was the immediate result of falling for Satan’s deception? (See verse 7.)
Deception in the New Testament:
- Read Luke 4:1-13.
- Name some of the different ways that Satan tried to deceive Jesus?
- How did Jesus fight against Satan’s deception?
- Looking back at 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10. Why did these people fall under deception?
Fighting against deception:
- Looking back at Jesus’ temptation, what is an important way to guard against the enemy’s deception?
- Read John 17:17, what do we learn about Scripture in this verse?
- Read Psalm 119:11. How do we guard against deception and sin, according to this verse?
- Read Ephesians 6:17. How is the Bible described in this verse? What does a sword do, and how does Scripture do the same thing when fighting the deceptions that Satan throws at us?
Reflect:
- Do you see any common themes or threads when looking at the different ways Satan deceives? What are they?
- What are ways to be rooted in truth so that we can stand firm against the enemy’s deception?
- We saw that the Bible is described as the sword of the Spirit. Take a moment to evaluate; how is your sword? Is it dull, rarely picked up and used, is it sharp, or is it somewhere in between? Why?
Whether our swords are sharp, dull, or somewhere in the middle, we all have room to grow in knowing the truth from God’s word. So take a moment to think about one way you can dive into the truth of Scripture this week. Maybe you want to memorize Scripture and read it consistently every day for the next week. Maybe you want to begin a new reading plan. Whatever you decide, share it with your group. Then, as you go throughout your week, share with each other the impact that diving into God’s truth is having in your lives.
MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
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