To help you study the book of Daniel in a group setting, each week we will post small group questions based on that week’s sermon on the markdriscoll.org blog.
Daniel Chapter 1
LEARNING: Talk it out
- What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
- From chapter 1, what are some of the ways that the spirit of Babylon is trying topple, train, and tempt Daniel? Do you see any similar examples in our culture today?
- In chapter 1, how did the Spirit of God help Daniel navigate his early days in Babylon?
LIVING: Walk it out
- What is one area of your life that you experience the spirit of Babylon, and how can you push back against it this week?
- To fight against the spirit of Babylon you need the Spirit of God in you and godly friends around you. How can you practically pursue both of those in your life?
- Is there anyone that you should pray for and invite to church next week?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 2
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. What is the difference between open-handed issues and close-handed issues, and why is it so important not to confuse the two?
*** Daniel is bringing up some complex topics, so it would be a good week to open a discussion on the difference between open-handed issues and close-handed issues. Close-handed issues are primary issues that are not up for debate, and they are what all Christians unite around. Open-handed issues are secondary issues that we can discuss, debate, and disagree on, but ultimately not divide over.
3. In chapter 2, where do you see prayer and praise in Daniel’s life? (when, where, with whom…)
4. If “God is in control of who is in control,” how does that influence your view of nations and governments?
5. What did Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:34-35) and Daniel’s interpretation (Daniel 2:44-45) reveal about God’s Kingdom? Contrast that to earthly kingdoms.
LIVING: Walk it out
6. Daniel heard from God in the midst of prayer and praise. What is one thing you would like to start doing to increase prayer and praise in your daily life?
7. For parents (and especially for fathers), what are you doing to pass your faith in God to your children?
8. Is your faith more public or private? How can you be more public with your faith in your daily life?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 3
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. What are all of the counterfeits that you see in Daniel Chapter 3?
3. Why did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego continue to worship God despite being threatened with death?
4. Just as Jesus was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, he will be with you too. How does knowing this change how you view the struggles in your life?
LIVING: Walk it out
5. Are there areas in your life that you struggle with living for comfort versus living for Christ? Name one change you can make this week to move toward worshipping God instead of comfort.
6. Are there people in your life that are pressuring you to “bow down” to them or to something other than God? How should you respond?
7. Are you currently in a fire? How can the Life Group pray for you?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 4
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. One joy of being a Christian is sharing your testimony. Briefly, how is Jesus the hero of your story?
3. For a fun discussion, do you think that Nebuchadnezzar was saved or not? What evidence is do you see in the Book of Daniel for either side?
*** Ultimately Pastor Mark did encourage everyone to be more concerned with their own salvation and leave the rest up to Jesus, but it is an interesting discussion.
4. Was there anything that surprised you about how Daniel treated King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4? (examples: his humility, loyalty, spirit-filled nature, forgiveness, tender heart toward King Nebuchadnezzar)
LIVING: Walk it out
5. How would you describe the disposition of your heart toward those who have wronged you? Without naming names, is there someone that you’d rather see humiliated than saved?
6. Why is it important to always look up at God instead of down on others? What is one change you can make in your life to look up more?
7. Daniel ultimately wanted King Nebuchadnezzar to repent of his sin and turn to God. Is there someone in your life like Nebuchadnezzar? How can you be like Daniel and talk to them about God?
PRAYER:
My encouragement would be to break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 5
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. Look at Daniel 5 and find all the examples of Belshazzar’s pride?
3. What are some ways that Daniel showed humility?
4. What did you learn about God from this chapter? (Examples: His power, patience, justice, holiness, faithfulness to Daniel, etc…)
LIVING: Walk it out
5. In what area(s) of your life are you proud? (“I’m the exception, the rules don’t apply to me, I have a valid excuse, I can handle it”, etc.) What would it look like to humble yourself?
6. Big or small, is there anything unholy in your life that you need to move on from or put an end to?
7. What are some ways you want to become more like Daniel?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 6
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. What is something new that you learned about this classic Bible story?
3. Which of the following attributes of God from this story stood out to you the most and why?
God is…
- Global – “all the peoples, nations, and languages…in all the earth”
- Personal – “the living God” (vs gods that cannot speak & relate)
- Eternal – “enduring forever”
- King – “his kingdom shall never be destroyed”
- Good – “he delivers and rescues”
- Transcendent & Immanent– “he works signs and wonders in heaven & earth”
- Savior – “saved Daniel” – did not get him around but through it
- Generous “Daniel prospered”
4. What observations can you make about Daniel’s character from this chapter?
LIVING: Walk it out
5. If you were in the same situation as Daniel, would your prayer life get you in trouble the way his did? What are some practical ways you can make prayer a bigger part of your daily life?
6. Are there any areas in your life that you would like more courage to demonstrate your faith publicly?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 7
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. What is your reaction to the supernatural scene that God revealed to Daniel in chapter 7? Is it hard to understand? Does it awaken your imagination of what eternity will be like?
3. Where do you see the demonic spirit of antichrist at work in our culture today?
4. Given the chaos and trouble on the earth, how does knowing that Jesus rules the past, present, and future change how you view life on earth now?
LIVING: Walk it out
5. Our ultimate hope is in Jesus and His second coming. What does the world put its hope in instead of Jesus? What are you tempted to put hope in instead of Jesus?
6. The enemy has declared war against the saints. How are you preparing yourself for war? Bible reading, prayer, healthy relationships…
7. Where in your life do you feel worn out? How can the life group pray for you?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 8
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. How is Jesus the key that unlocks our understanding of the book of Daniel, the Bible. human history, and the future?
3. Visions can seem hard to understand, but God reveals the future to lift our fears. How does knowing our ultimate future – that Jesus is coming back in victory – lift your fears?
4. Daniel needed God’s help interpreting God’s message for him. What are some ways we can seek to better understand God’s Word?
LIVING: Walk it out
5. What is one change you can make to “live backward” with boldness and walk into your destiny as a member of God’s family and His everlasting Kingdom?
6. God went to great lengths in shaping history to further the Good News about His Son. What lengths are you willing to go to to share that news? Who can you invite to Easter to hear the Good News of Jesus?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 9
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. Looking at Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9, what are some things that Daniel says God is like? What does Daniel have to say about the people of Israel and how they have behaved?
3. Why do Bible study and prayer go together?
4. As Christians, why do we not need to be afraid of a “fuzzy” future?
LIVING: Walk it out
5. How is your Bible study? What do you want your Bible study to look like?
6. How is your prayer life? What are some practical times/ways that you can talk with God more during your day?
7. We can be like Jesus and intercede (pray on behalf of someone else) for those you love. Who do you want to begin to intercede for? Would you like the Life Group to pray with you?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 10
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon?
2. Anxiety often comes from forgetting how God has been faithful in the past. What are some examples of God’s faithfulness in the history of the world and in your own life/family?
3. Why is it so important the we always remember that we are GREATLY loved and don’t have to be afraid?
4. How did Daniel deal with a difficult reality in a godly way?
LIVING: Walk it out
5. Are you feeling complex grief? What are some healthy ways you can work through that grief with God?
6. Our soul was built for Good News. How can you limit your intake of bad news and increase your intake of Good News?
7. What are some practical ways you can focus on God and others during uncertain times?
8. What is God teaching you during the difficult season facing our world? If you aren’t sure, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to use this time to help you grow in Him.
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 11
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. The Bible is for you, but it is not about you. It is about Jesus. How does that change how you read this passage? How does that change how you read the Bible as a whole?
3. How does knowing that God controls the future impact how you live in the present?
4. Jesus said that one day He will come “on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” to bring us home to be with Him. Try to envision this in your mind’s eye. What do you think it will be like? What are you looking forward to when Jesus comes back?
LIVING: Walk it out
5. How would your life look different if you focused less the uncertain times we are experiencing now, and focused more on the certain future God has for His children?
6. How is this crisis purifying you as a believer?
7. How can you use this season to prepare for the next season when the church reopens and we are together again?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.
Daniel Chapter 12
LEARNING: Talk it out
1. What is your primary takeaway from the sermon or passage?
2. In your own words, why is death no longer the enemy for the Christian?
3. Why is it important to understand that Jesus not only saves us, but makes us clean from all unrighteousness?
4. One major themes for entire book of Daniel is God controls the past, present, and future. How does this truth affect how a Christian lives their life, especially in the midst of an uncertain world?
Living: Walk it out
5. We can’t control all the circumstances around us, but what are some things that we can control, and how can we be faithful in those things?
6. What is one thing that you learned from the entire book of Daniel that you already have or want to put into practice?
7. If you believe in Jesus, you are on the greatest and most important guest list of all time, eternity in heaven with Jesus. Who can you invite to celebrate Easter in hopes they will join the eternal party with Jesus?
PRAYER:
Encouraged: break up into groups of men and women separately, and take some time to pray for one another.