2018 December Sermons

• 12/02/18
• 12/09/18
• 12/16/18
• 12/23/18
• 12/30/18

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Prophecy
Luke 1:26-38

• What’s the significance of God sending Gabriel to an out of the way place like Nazareth?​
• Why would Gabriel’s greeting be troubling to Mary?
• What evidence from this story do we have that Jesus is unique, or God in the flesh?
• Why can’t anyone else, besides Mary, describe her baby as holy?
• How does this story help us understand about what it means to have Jesus as our King?
• What’s the difference between Zechariah’s response to Gabriel’s announcement that he would have a son, and how Mary responded?
• What was so great about Mary?
• What difference does the virgin birth make to you this Christmas? 

 
The Next Step Life Group Follow-Up

• What’s your favorite Christmas carol or song? 
• What part of Luke 1:26-38 resonates with you? 
• What’s something that distracts you from Christ at Christmas? 
• Why do you think Gabriel told Mary a couple of times that she was favored or that God was with her? What does his message help you understand about God’s grace in our lives? 
• How is Jesus, as King, different from our elected officials? 
• How can we respond to God’s Word the way Mary did?

• If you were to describe the importance of virgin birth to someone, what would you say? 

• Whose Christmas can you ruin, in a good way, by sharing Jesus with them in word or actions? Pray for them, and one another.  

AUDIO not available

Bethlehem
Micah 5:2-5; Luke 2:1-7

• What do we learn about the way God works from verses 1-3?
• Why Bethlehem?
• Why did Joseph take Mary with him to register for the census?
• What does the detail that there was no guest room available for Joseph and Mary teach us?
• How did Luke know these details about where and how Jesus was born?
• What does Christ’s coming into our world(s) offer us that we need more than anything?
• How can we respond to Luke 2:1-7?

Advent Challenge: 
I encourage you, if you’ve never done it before, to try to memorize the Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-20. The best way to do this, firstly, is to not get nervous. Then, don’t try to memorize it word for word – but focus on remembering the story. Read it once out loud. Then try to retell it out loud without looking. If you miss a part, who cares. Then read it again, considering the parts you forgot. Then try to recall it from memory again. If you read and recite it three times a day in one sitting (actually, standing or walking works best) – before you know it, you’ll discover details you never noticed or considered before. And eventually, you’ll have the story, or more importantly, it will have you.

AUDIO  not available

Shepherds    
Luke 2:8-15

• Why would the shepherds be terrified by the angel and God’s glory?
• What changed the shepherd’s fear into joy?
• How can we know if God’s favor rests on us?
• What does this story show us about what God values?
• How do we know the shepherd’s faith was genuine?
• How might the shepherd’s next Monday at work been different?

AUdio not available

Angels 
Luke 2:8-15

• Why do we miss seeing God’s glory?
• Why do people think God is against them?
• What keeps people from receiving God’s salvation/grace?
• What’s the significance of Jesus being lain in a manger?
• How can we know God is for us not against us?
• How can we see Jesus this Christmas?

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​Imitating Christ
Phil. 2;1-11,,,12-30-18

NOVEMBER
2018
​SERMONS

JANUARY
2019
​SERMONS