Love 
Luke 1:26-38

I. Intro                                                                                                                                         
Big Idea: God offers the burden of His love. 

II. Mary                                                                                                                                         
A. God broke into His broken creation. 
B. God trusted our salvation to a teenage girl. 

III. Favored                                                                                                                                           
A. God’s grace arrives in unexpected ways. 
B. God takes the initiative in revealing His love. 

IV. Conceive                                                                                                                                 
A. We need a perfect, infinite Savior. 
B. Jesus’ conception is unprecedented. 

V. Fulfilled                                                                                                                                         
A. Recognize you need a Savior. 
B. Respond to God’s work on your behalf. 
​
Follow-Up Questions

Why is the virgin conception of Jesus important?
How have you experienced God’s grace in an unexpected way?
How can God’s love be a burden?
In what way(s) does Mary’s example challenge or inspire you?
What’s a specific way you can respond to Luke 1:26-38 through a change of thinking, attitude, or action?

Hope
Luke 2:1-7

I. Intro Big Idea: The truth of Christmas is better than the image.

II. Providence
A. Christmas brings hope into focus. Isaiah 11:1-10; Luke 2:1
B. Christmas causes us to consider God’s timing. Luke 2:2; Romans 8:28; Hebrews 2:10

III. Bethlehem
A. Sometimes we wonder why we must do certain things. Luke 2:3
B. Sometimes we wonder why we’re in certain places. Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4

IV. A Child
A. Christmas can cause us to consider what matters most. Luke 2:5
B. In Christmas God gave us what we need most. Luke 2:6; Revelation 5:9; 13:8

V. Available
A. We can receive God’s gift to us. Luke 2:7a
B. We can make ourselves available for God’s purposes. Luke 2:7b

The Next Step Life Group Follow-Up

• What’s a holiday tradition that brings people closer together?
• What’s something from Sunday’s message on Luke 2:1-7 you hope we talk about as a group?
• How would you describe the difference between Biblical hope and wishful thinking?
• How has believing in Christ changed the way you celebrate Christmas?
• Read 1 Peter 3:15. What’s a way we can prepare to give the reason for the hope that we have in Christ?
• Read Galatians 6:10. How does this verse apply to us as we seek to live differently than those in Bethlehem who no room for Mary and Joseph?
• How can hope in Christ change your attitude and/or actions in a specific way this Christmas? Pray for one another.

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?

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.

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.  

Prodigal
Luke 15:11-32

Questions to consider:

• Vv. 11-12 What’s the younger son’s problem?
• Vv. 13-16 What were the consequences of the younger son’s decision to collect his stuff and head for a distant country?
• Vv. 17-19 What brought the younger son to his senses? When he came to his senses, what did he remember about his father?
• Vv. 20 What do we learn about God from verse twenty?
• Vv. 21-24 How do these verses help us understand repentance/what it means to turn to God?
• Vv. 25-27 Why didn’t the older brother go into the house and find out for himself what was going on?
• Vv. 28-30 In what ways was the older son just as lost as the younger son?
• Vv. 31-32 What did the father want the older son to focus on?

Application:

• Which son do you identify most with in this story? Why?
• How has God spoken to you through this story today?
• What changes in belief, attitude, or actions do you need to make based on what we’ve found in this story?
• Who’s someone you can share this story with?

Prepare
Luke 3:2-16

I. Intro
Big Idea: Preparing for Christmas means putting Christ first.
II. Wilderness
A. What John said matched what the people had been waiting for. Matthew 3:4
B. What set John apart was that he told the truth. Isaiah 40:3-5
III. The Coming Wrath
A. John wanted the crowd to realize who and what we are apart from God’s salvation – and to respond accordingly!
B. God doesn’t need us; we desperately need Him.
IV. What Should We Do?
A. Notice what you've been given, and pay attention to those around you.
B. Be content with what you have, and don't harm others.
V. Expectant
A. Wait expectantly on the Messiah.
B. Trust Christ with the results of your obedience.

Is the Bible True? 
Psalm 119:105; Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

• Big Idea: The Bible is God's personal message to us.
• Great Expectations                                                                                                                                              
  • The first of the six "Es" is expected testimonies. Psalm 22:16-18.
  • If the Bible promises something to us in Christ that promise will be fulfilled. Isaiah 53:4-6, 11
• Early On                                                                                                                                                     
  • The second "E" is early testimonies. Matthew 24:1-2
• Were You There?                                                                                                                                                        
  • The third "E": eyewitness testimony. Luke 24:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:6   
• The Truth Hurts                                                                                                                
  • Our fourth "E": embarrassing facts.  1 Timothy 1:15
• Out of the Cross                                                                                                                                    
  • Our fifth "E" is excruciating testimonies.                                                                                                                              
• Other Voices                                                                                                                                               
  • Our sixth and final "E": extra-biblical testimonies.                                                                             
• A Light                                                                                                                                    
  • Read the Bible! John 17:17; Romans 12:2
  • Tell the truth.  John 8:32