Many small groups have taken this week off, or if they are meeting, they’re having their group party as they bring the year to a close. Christmas is only a week away!
If your group meets and you’re utilizing today’s discussion guide, we will concentrate on John 1 and Luke 2 for an Advent reflection. Advent is a time to remember Jesus’s birth and anticipate his return. It’s also a time to reflect on Jesus’s humble birth and to re-center one’s life around his example of love, compassion, and humility.
Read: Begin with John 1:1-14. Read it aloud while your group members follow along. As you read, tell them to keep this question in your mind: Do we really believe what we say we believe?
John Q1: What facts does John state? Have your members review the passages and list them.
John Q2: If the Word (the Son of God, Jesus) has indeed become flesh and dwelt among us, how does it change everything?
Discuss the following statement: “Christian, the Word indeed became flesh. Believe it and live like you believe it. Don’t let this season pass you by without letting the truth that God’s Son came into the world to save you and fill you with an unconquerable joy.”
(Albert Mohler) Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the reason for our joy this season. Don’t miss it.
With our minds focused on the truth John proclaims about Jesus, let’s now read Luke chapter 2:1-40 aloud. Please don’t read it too quickly; read at a pace that allows you to grasp the words and their meaning. Let the scriptures create a vivid picture of what is happening.
Luke Q1: Have your group share their thoughts on the passage. What stood out to them? What might they have missed before or forgotten? Regarding the different characters in the narrative, what insights does it provide about Jesus’ birth? How does this chapter inspire you, and why?
Pray: Thank God for the incarnation of the Son of God, who took on flesh to dwell among humanity. Thank Him for the redemption found in this little child. Like Simeon, Anna, the shepherds, and the angels, let us praise God for Jesus’ arrival and the promise of His return.