Joy in Unity

Main Thought

Things happen that can rob our joy. Sometimes, people rob our joy! God calls us to walk in unity with others - especially with others in His Body, the Church. Is that truly possible? According to the Apostle Paul, unity is possible because of our shared experiences in Christ. We need to focus on our internal similarities with each other: Christ has encouraged us, comforted us in love, fellowshipped with us and given us compassion. But unity still requires humility! Jesus Christ stands as the ultimate example of humility. Jesus emptied Himself of His divine nature and privileges when He became flesh. He served people, without a need for applause. These things are seen in His death on the Cross. God exalted Jesus after He humbled himself; we can also find joy if we’re willing to humble ourselves before God too.

Main Passages

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

- Philippians 2:1-4

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place…

- Philippians 2:6-9

Discussion Questions

1. What are some “opponents” you face that seek to steal your joy from you?

2. What keeps us from humbling ourselves before God and others?

3. Paul encourages us to have the same mind or attitude of Jesus. The goal is not merely to do the actions of Jesus, but to possess his mind and attitude in us. How does having the mind of Christ and putting the needs of others first impact our daily lives?

Family Questions

1. How can you put others first and help them this week?

Unexpected Joy

Main Thought

Have you ever been in a situation that didn’t meet your expectations? How do you react when things don’t go your way? Paul found himself in this type of situation. Yet he responded with joy! Paul learned that true joy isn’t centered on us; it’s centered around God. Paul’s joy came from the fact that God used difficult circumstances to work in Paul, and through him to advance the gospel. This kind of joy is a witness to unbelievers. It empowers other believers. It also inspires others who are also facing difficulty.

Main Passages

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

- Philippians 1:6

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word fearlessly. 15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.

- Philippians 1:12-18

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. 

- Galatians 5:22

Discussion Questions

1. How does Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:6 bring hope to you for your life and others? What is a particular area of your life right now that this truth about God can bring hope and joy to?

2. Despite challenging circumstances and his prison chains, Paul rejoices that God has used evil things for the good of the gospel. When we encounter the troubles of everyday life, how can we choose joy?

3. How can you encourage, inspire, or be a witness to those around you as you choose joy?

Family Questions

1. How do you react when things don’t go your way? What do you think it means to be joyful?

Before the Relationship

Warm-Up Question

If you watched this week’s online service, what stood out to you? (Perhaps those who watched the sermon can try to recap for those who missed it.)

Main Thought

Whenever we enter into any kind of partnership, we need to make sure that it’s with the right person. It doesn’t matter if it’s a business relationship, a friendship, or a romantic relationship. God wants us to be with the right people! But God wants us to be the right people before we start looking for the right person or people to partner with. God prepares us to “be the right person” in any relationship by establishing a few key things. “Before the relationship,” God:

• God desires to give you a “place.”

• God desires to give you a purpose.

• God’s purpose will lead to provision.

• God wants to define your identity.

• God desires to give you parameters.

Main Passages

8 The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

- Genesis 2:8-9

15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”

- Genesis 2:15-18

Discussion Questions

1. Think about the five things God wants to do in us “before the relationship” in order to prepare us. Which is most relevant for you?

2. What changes can you make in order to participate with God’s process of preparation in your life?

Family Questions

1. Have you ever partnered with someone for things like school or sports? What makes a good partner?

Love Your Enemy

Main Thought

Loving our enemy is a totally foreign concept. The words “Love” and “enemy” are so far apart. But Jesus did. So what did Jesus mean when he said “love your enemy”? Jesus is calling us to demonstrate the highest standard of love: the Greek word for this is “agape” love. It’s the kind of love Jesus demonstrated for us on the Cross. Agape love expresses itself when we choose to live by a higher standard of conduct. We don;t retaliate, and we respond to cursing with blessing. This sounds impossible. How can we do this? For Christians, this is possible when we trust in God’s higher judgement and purpose. God works on our behalf, and He will bring judgement one day. But He also works through us when we love our enemies. Loving our enemies serves as a radical testimony of God’s grace.

Main Passages

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

-Luke 6:27-30

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.

- Romans 12:20

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Discussion Questions

1. Why is loving our enemies so hard?

2. How does knowing that we were once enemies of God change your perspective on loving your enemies?

3. What steps can you take to love an enemy this week?

Family Questions

1. Why might it be important to be nice to people, even if they’re mean to us?

Contract vs. Covenant

Main Thought

The modern definition and standard of friendship in our world can leave us wanting more. This is largely due to the fact that our society often teaches us to treat friendship as a contract: a conditional exchange of value. If someone doesn’t give or receive the “value” they expect , then the “friendship contract” is terminated. In contrast, the Bible presents the idea of friendship as a covenant. Covenants carry more spiritual and moral weight than contracts. We can learn a lot about covenant friendship in the Book of 1 Samuel’s account of the friendship between Jonathan and David. Covenant friendships are unique because they’re built on a shared mission and a shared standard. Covenant friendship is committed. It is intentional, and it is sacrificial. Jesus Christ embodied those three standards! As Christians, we should strive to do the same.

Main Passages

18 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.

- 1 Samuel 18: 1, 3

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

- 1 Samuel 18:4

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

- Philippians 2:4-8

Discussion Questions

1. What kind of “value” do people expect in a contract friendship? Have you ever experienced the fallout of that kind of friendship?

2. Do you think you have any “covenant friends” in your life right now? What makes you say that?

3. Covenant friendships are committed, intentional, and sacrificial. Which of those three qualities can you improve on in order to grow as a covenant friend for others?

Family Questions

1. What makes a good friend? Are you a good friend to others?

Close, But Not Close Enough

Main Thought

Everyone wants love. According to Jesus, the greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. That’s a lot of love! These two commands alone require a great deal of effort on our part. They impact our priorities and our activities. How do we muster up all this love? It all starts with experiencing God’s love for ourselves. Finding it in God’s Word, and in times of prayer and worship whether it be privately or publicly. We need to receive it; then, we can reciprocate it! We love God back. We then demonstrate God’s love to our “neighbors” (which includes anyone and everyone) by treating them with care.

Main Passages

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

- Mark 12:28-34

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us…

- 1 John 4: 15-17a

Discussion Questions

1. How do you typically experience God’s love? How often do you do it?

2. How do you typically reciprocate your love to God?

3. How can you begin to love the neighbors around you, or in your immediate sphere of influence?

Family Question

1. Did you know that God loves you? How does God show his love to you?

Yeshua - God's Salvation

Main Thought

What do you do when you try an amazing new dish or restaurant? A lot of us share our experience with friends; in person, through text, or on social media. Experiencing Jesus is very similar. The name Jesus is translated from the Hebrew Yeshua, or Yehoshua, which means “God saves” or “God’s salvation.” We experience God’s salvation because of His grace. It’s extended to us freely, even though we could never earn it. Experiencing this great gift moves us to share it with others. God promises to empower us as we do so. He wants to do amazing things in us and through us that we could never do on our own.

Main Passages

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

- Luke 1:26–35

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! 

- Psalm 90:17

Discussion Questions

1. Has God saved you? What has God saved you from?

2. What’s one aspect of your life that reveals God’s grace working in you or around you?

3. What’s one thing you’d like to believe God to do through your life? Share with your group, and ask God to empower you in your personal prayer time.

Main Thought

1. What’s one good thing God has done for you? What’s one good thing you can do for someone else?

El Shaddai: God Almighty

Main Thought

Life can be messy sometimes. Our choices can make a mess. We can find ourselves in a mess because of someone else’s decisions, or because we live in a world broken by sin. Regardless, God wants to meet us in our mess! As God walks with us through the messy situations of our lives, we learn to recognize and remove our idols. An idol (in a functional sense) is anything other than God that we trust to meet our deepest needs. Idols like power, approval, comfort, and control fail to meet our spiritual needs - but God does not! God is El Shaddai: a Hebrew phrase that can be translated to God Almighty, or the All-Sufficient One. God is sufficient for our personal needs, and He is sufficient for us to fulfill our purpose. If we’ll remove the idols from our lives, then we’ll be able to truly rely on God.

Main Passages

God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.

- Genesis 35:1-2

9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty. be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.

- Genesis 35:9-11

Discussion Questions

Reflect on the four functional “idols” listed below, and the characteristics that might help us identify them.

• If your idol is Power: your greatest nightmare is humiliation, your problem emotion is anger, and the people around you can feel used.

• If your idol is Approval: your greatest nightmare is rejection, your problem emotion is cowardice (for fear of being rejected), and the people around you can feel smothered.

• If your idol is Comfort: your greatest nightmare is stress or demands, your problem emotion is boredom, and the people around you can feel neglected.

• If your idol is Control: your greatest nightmare is uncertainty, your problem emotion is worry, and the people around you can feel condemned.

1. Which, if any, do you think you might be a struggle for you in this season of your life? Why?

2. Think about some God-given purpose you feel called to fulfill. How might one of these idols interfere with your ability to fulfill that purpose for God’s glory?

3. How can God replace that idol in your life?

This is Only a Test Discussion Guide

Main Thought

Trials are tests to determine whether something is suitable or prepared. God will sometimes allow adverse circumstances to test if we’re prepared for the things he has in store for us. No one enjoys being tested! Life’s trials often reveal what we trust and value most. But we can be confident in knowing that God sees what we really need. He already saw our greatest need (the forgiveness of sin), and He provided the solution (Jesus). We can be at peace when we ask for our God’s provision in our day-to-day lives.

Main Passages

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 

- Genesis 22:9-14

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 

- John 8:56-58

23 Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. 

- John 14:23

Discussion Questions

1. Think about a trial you’ve faced. What did you turn to, or trust, to bring you through that trial?

2. On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being not confident and 5 being very confident), how confident are you that God can provide for all of your needs? What makes you feel that way?

3. God is called “Jehovah Jireh” because it is His nature to provide for his children’s needs. What’s one practical way you can respond in faith, knowing that God provides for our needs?

Family Questions

1. What are some things that you want right now? What are some things that you need?

Jehovah El Roi - The God who Sees

Main Thought

Have you ever felt unnoticed or insignificant? It’s easy to feel that way sometimes. When we feel that way, we can turn to “the God who sees,” Jehovah El Roi. This name reveals a lot about God. God sees us when no one else does. He sees our struggles. But He also sees ahead, into promise and purpose that He’s prepared for our lives. That’s how God can bring redemption from the midst of suffering. He knows how to get us there! Every time we obey God, we take steps in God’s path of promise and purpose for us. 

Main Passages

7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the Lord said to her,  “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”   13 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

- Genesis 16:7-13

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?

- Psalm 56:8

Discussion Questions

1. Has there ever been a time that you felt you suffered or struggled in silence, and no one else could see or understand? What happened?

2. God “turns our mess into a message, and our tests into a testimony.” In other words, God redeems our suffering. Have you ever seen God do that in your life?

3. Is there a place of struggle or suffering that you want “Jehovah El Roi,” the God who Sees, to redeem right now? Is there anything you can do to walk with God in obedience and faith?

Family Questions

1. Who can you turn to or talk to when something is hard for you?

Finding Peace Discussion Guide

Warm-Up Question

What was one highlight from your Christmas or New Year celebrations?

Main Thought

God wants to bring peace to a world that lacks it, because the peace in our world is broken. We’re in a pandemic that has affected everyone. Other bad things happen that destroy our peace as well. When our peace is broken, the broken pieces inside us - our flaws - can be revealed. But we can still learn to press into God’s peace! Pressing into peace starts when we decide to keep on doing the right thing. We need to look and listen for God along the way. These things prepare us to act in faith and encounter God. Peace comes from God; as we draw close to Him, we’ll experience His peace. It’s the peace of God that calms our inner turmoil and enables us to answer God’s call.

Main Passages

14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” 17 And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.”
- Judges 6:14-18

23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
- Judges 6:23-24

The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:5-7

Discussion Questions

1. Do you have peace around you? Do you have peace inside you?

2. What, if anything, makes it difficult for you to “press into peace”? Why?

Family Questions

1. What does it feel like when you have peace? How can God help you find peace?

"What's in a Name Anyway?"

Main Thought

A “brand” is whatever someone thinks of when they hear a name. For example, when someone says the name “Apple, you might think of a smartphone. When someone says “Amazon,” you might think of packages. What comes to mind when someone says God? One of the names God uses to describe Himself, and communicate his “brand,” is “Jehovah.” (Jehovah is one of the ways to translate this self-given name of God in the Old Testament; only the consonants were recorded in writing, so there are slight variations.) Jehovah refers to God’s self-existence: He is the Eternal Creator; the “uncaused Cause” of all things. Yet this name also communicates God’s nearness. He cares for us personally, and has a personal plan for our lives.

Main Passages

10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”  13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ THIS IS MY NAME FOREVER and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 

- Exodus 3:10-15

Discussion Questions

1. Why was it important for God to communicate His Name to Moses and the Israelites?

2. How does God reveal Himself to us?

3. What does the name Jehovah communicate to you? What aspect of God’s nature, communicated by His name, resonates with you most?

Family Questions

1. When someone says “God,” what do you think of?

"What Christmas is All About" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is a time of great joy. We often find this joy in bright lights, food, and presents. These things can be great. They can also distract us from the true meaning of Christmas. We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to earth and revealed Himself humbly as an infant. If we want to experience His love and joy, then we need to seek Him with humble hearts.

Main Passages

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 
- Luke 2:1-7

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 
- Luke 2:10-14

Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think we often miss the real meaning of celebrating Christmas?

2. Why do you think God often works in smaller, humbler ways than we expect?

3. What’s one practical thing you can do to humbly seek God?

Family Questions

1. What can we do to think about Jesus on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Christ and A Christmas Carol

Main Thought

Christmas can signal the appearance of great things! We might put up our decorations, see family and friends, or get the gifts we want. But that doesn’t mean our troubles disappear. Trials and tribulations continue through the holidays. Regardless of what’s happening around us, Christmas should always remind us of God’s love for us. Jesus came to earth so that we could be in relationship with Him on earth and for eternity. Remembering this “good news” gives us an opportunity to reflect on that state of our hearts, and realign them with God’s heart.

Main Passages

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

- Luke 1:46-55

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

- John 3:16

Discussion Questions

1. Does anything stand out to you in The Magnificat, Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55?

2. From the Magnificat , we can observe three things that are on God’s heart. 

   1. God wants us to be in relationship with Him.

   2. God wants us to connect with others (in whatever way possible, given the constraints of this season).

   3. God wants us to demonstrate care for others practically.

Which of these three things are easiest for you? Which, if any, are hardest for you?

3. How can you take action to align yourself with God’s heart this Christmas?

Family Questions

1. What makes God happy? What can you do to make God happy?

"For All Who Truly Believe" Discussion Guide

Warm-Up

How have you seen God working in and through your life this past week? Please share your “God Moments” or testimonies!

Main Thought

On Christmas Eve, hopeful children across the world scan the sky and their living rooms for a glimpse of Santa. That is a reminder of the importance of believing in the unseen. God calls us to have that same kind of childlike innocence and faith as we believe in the unseen. He is at work even when we can’t see Him doing it. The appearance of Jesus is an example of this. Prior to the coming of Christ, God was preparing the world for Him. We can live and act in faith, knowing that God is at work behind the scenes.

Main Passages

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. - Isaiah 9:2

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:3

Discussion Questions

1. Which one of the descriptors for Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 resonates with you most? 

2. Why do you think we have lost a sense of God working in our everyday lives?

3. Is there an action you feel called to take in faith based on the idea that God is working even when we can’t see Him doing it?

Family Questions

1. What kind of things are real, even though we can’t see them?

"The Miracle of the Incarnation" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

God wants to reveal Himself to the world! He’s the source of life, light, and love. He wants us to experience those things in Him. But the world we live in is a dark place. We get lost or hurt, and it can be hard to accept God’s light when we’re accustomed to darkness. That’s why Jesus, who is God the Son, took on flesh and entered into the world He created. This is called “the Incarnation.” By becoming flesh, Jesus was able to perfectly fulfill God’s law and become the perfect sacrifice for sin in our place. Jesus also teaches us to relate to God through grace and truth. Grace refers to God’s unearned favor toward us. Truth compels us to be honest about our failures, repent, and come to God with nothing hidden. We experience grace and truth from God; then, we can extend grace and truth to others as well.

Main Passages

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome (or understood) it. 
- John 1:1-5

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- John 1:14

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
- John 1:17-18

Discussion Questions

1. How would you explain “the Incarnation?” Why do you think it’s important?

2. Do you see grace and truth at work in your relationship with God? How can you experience more of it?

3. Who can you extend grace and truth to in this holiday season? (Example: Maybe you can find a way to help someone practically, then share your faith or an invitation to Church with them.)

Family Question

1. Did you know that we celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus? What can we do to think of Jesus this Christmas?

"Who's Eating at Your Table?" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a time of feasting and spending time with family and friends. Jesus told a parable about a man who hosted a magnificent feast. This banquet reveals God’s great love for us! We are all invited to experience God’s love through Christ. Yet, some of the people in the story refused the invitation and made excuses. In context, their excuses would have been understood as materialistic, the result of poor planning, or a simple unwillingness to come. Our hearts can be shallow. But God’s heart isn’t shallow! He relentlessly seeks to show kindness. When we are moved by God’s heart, we are also moved to show kindness.

Main Passages

16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” 
- Luke 14:16-24

6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 
- 2 Samuel 9:6-7

Discussion Questions

1. God invites us to experience His love. What keeps you from experiencing God’s love?

2. How does kindness help us experience God’s love?

3. What can you do to be kind to someone near you this holiday season? How can you help them experience God’s love through that?

Family Questions

1. Were you kind to anyone this past week? What did you do?

2. How can you be kind to someone this week?

"The Parable of the Mustard Seed" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

We often come to God with something in mind. We might want answered prayer, a good feeling, or validation. But we’ll miss the main point if we only think about ourselves. Our personal agendas have an expiration date, but God’s Kingdom doesn’t. God’s Kingdom should be our focus because it will never fall. Ironically, when we focus on God, we often find some of our deepest needs are met - like the need for personal purpose. A “calling.” We’re all called to help grow God’s Kingdom. We can grow God’s Kingdom when we grow closer to God, grow our character, and go to make disciples. We might not start out looking for God’s Kingdom, but when we embrace our place in it, then we’ll find something even greater.

Main Passages

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
- Matthew 13:31-32

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
- Matthew 6:33

You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:5

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever discovered something great or unexpected after deciding to serve God? What happened?

2. Do you see any alignment between your greatest personal priorities and God’s Kingdom in this season of your life? Why or why not?

3. Most of us are challenged in at least one way when it comes to growing closer to God, growing in character, or going to make disciples. Which one of those three things are most difficult for you? How can you grow in this area?

Family Question

1. How can you help solve a problem around you?

"How to change the World" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

The condition of our world is alarming. We’re searching for answers to some of the greatest problems we have ever faced. Does God have a plan to change things? The answer is yes! God’s plan to change the world starts when God changes us. Then, He can use an upgraded version of us to change the world around us. Change happens over time when we love people and endure evil. Positive change might feel like it takes a long time, but this kind of change is long-lasting.

Main Passages

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty fold!
- Matthew 13:23

24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
- 2 Timothy 2:24-26

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
- Matthew 13:24-30

Discussion Questions

1. What’s one thing in the world or personal life that’s alarming you right now? 

2. What can you learn in this situation? Is there a way for you to grow or improve through this situation?

3. Is there someone (or a group of people) you can love, or a way in which you can endure evil in order to create change?

Family Question

1. How can you help solve a problem around you?

"The Parable of the Sower" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

Jesus told The Parable of the Sower to describe the condition of our hearts and four potential responses to God’s Word. Three of those responses are problematic. The Enemy might blind us to God’s Word, we can forget the Word when life gets hard, or we might get distracted from God’s Word by life’s problems and pursuits. Sometimes, our hearts prove to be “good soil” and the Word bears fruit in our lives. But is there anything we can do to be “good soil?” How do we prevent the problems described by this parable?

Our hearts become “good soil” when we hear and understand God’s Word. These things don’t happen naturally - they take effort. We truly hear God’s Word when we consciously choose to listen and turn down distractions. We work to understand the Word by reviewing it, digging deeper into the text, and processing it with others. These two habits transform our hearts into good soil! They even prevent the three bad responses described by this parable. We choose to become good soil when we make an effort to hear and understand the Word.

Main Passages

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

- Matthew 13:18-23

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

- Romans 10:17

Discussion Questions

1. Have you experienced any of the three negative outcomes described by this parable? Do you think you might be experiencing any of them in this season of your life?

2. Describe a time in which God;s Word bore fruit - or made a genuine change - in your life.

3. What’s one thing you can do to hear or understand God’s Word a little better?

Family Questions

1. What’s one thing you learned about God over the last month? How did you learn that about Him?