Sovereignty

How would you like to be Mary or Joseph at about the time they are notified of the Roman census?

Mary is about nine months pregnant and no matter what Joseph tried to do to make her comfortable on that three day, 60 mile hike to Bethlehem over rugged terrain, it couldn’t have been very enjoyable. Then, to arrive and find that there is no place to stay and end up in the barn, surely must have added insult to injury. And to top it all off, give birth and lay your baby in a feeding trough to keep him away from the hooves of donkeys and goats.

Still feeling “highly favored,” Mary?

We often mistakenly think that only the right things, the comfortable things, the open doors and things that appear ripe for success, are a part of God’s design. When we encounter closed doors, inconveniences, and hardships we wonder what went wrong.

Maybe nothing has gone wrong. Maybe it’s just perfect.

Leader Guide Week of 12-16-07

Small Group Leaders Guide
December 16, 2007

Miracle
Miracles Come At Unexpected Times

Getting Started:

1. Can you tell your group about a miracle you experienced in your life? Have you ever witnessed a miracle?

Going Deeper:

2. Read Luke 1:1-4. Describe some of the ways you think Luke may have “carefully investigated” everything. (DNA testing, finger printing, GSR tests, etc.)

• According to the passage, eyewitnesses were available to interview.
• We learn from the book of Acts and Paul’s writings that Luke spent an extended period of time traveling with Paul. Luke certainly knew Paul, Silas, Timothy, Philip, James, the Jerusalem elders, and many others. He had first hand contact with people who had been discipled by Jesus Himself.
• It is said that the writings of Mark and Matthew were also being circulated at the time Luke was doing his research.

3. How do people normally find out they are going to become parents? In Luke 1:11, Zechariah finds out by divine messenger. What do you think it must have felt like for Zechariah and Elizabeth to have the birth of their son foretold in this way?

4. Do you think Zechariah and Elizabeth were prepared to become parents? After their son was born, how seriously do you think they took their parenting, considering what the angel told them? What might it have been like to grow up with parents like Zechariah and Elizabeth?

5. Read Isaiah 40:3-5 and Luke 1:76-77. Ultimately, John grew up and “prepared the way” for Jesus. John’s parents played a part in “preparing” him. If you are a parent, what are you doing to “prepare the way” for generations to come in your family?

6. Read Luke 1:11-20 and Luke 1:26-38. Contrast Zechariah’s response with Mary’s. What makes them different?

• Zechariah questions the truthfulness of the message, Mary questions the method for fulfilling the message.

7. Why didn’t Zechariah believe the angel? Is there a prayer that you have been lifting to God for a long time and not seen an answer to yet? What advice would Zechariah give you about this situation?

• I think Zechariah was frustrated by what appeared to be futility in his prayer life. There may not have been a more personally important prayer for him. In the culture of that day, if a family did not have children, it was thought that they were under God’s discipline. This would be pretty embarrassing for a priestly family.

8. Read Malachi 4:5-6. The Old Testament ends with this passage about Elijah returning. Compare the verse in Malachi to Luke 1:16-17. What connections do you see between this verse about Elijah and John the Baptist? Is John the Baptist the fulfillment of the prophesy in Malachi?

• Matthew 17:10 The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" 11 Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Putting it into practice:
1) Is there something in your life that you’ve given up praying for? Renew your prayers with your small group.

Quote Of The Day
The world is not lacking in wonders, but in a sense of wonder.
--G.K. Chesterton

Thankfulness

As you small group leaders know, I also oversee the children's ministry at our church and I love it when I see that a young child “gets it”.

A very proud mom gave this letter to me. Her 9 year old daughter had a school assignment over the Thanksgiving holiday to write a short paper about what she is thankful for.

Check it out!

This thanksgiving I am thankful for two wonderful things! The first thing I’m thankful for is my loving and caring family. Sometimes, my dad takes me and my sister to the park to play teeball. My mom lets me help her cook good things like cake, cookies, and maybe even pies. The second thing I’m thankful for is Jesus! Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. Jesus is the Son of God and I could never live without Him. All in all, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving and I hope you will be thankful for your things two.

Leader Guide Week of 12-9-07

Small Group Leaders Guide
December 9, 2007

It’s The End Of The World As We Know It And I Feel Fine
Heaven, Eternity, and other great stuff

Getting Started:

1. What do you look forward to most about experiencing heaven?

Going Deeper:

2. Read Matthew 6:19-21 and Mark 10:21. What is Jesus referring to when He uses the word, “treasure?”

• To provide context for this question, read Matthew 6:1-18. In this passage, Jesus refers to receiving some rewards in full and other rewards not being received.

3. What are some ways in which you have already stored up treasure in heaven rather than on earth? Are there more ways you could do that in your own life now?


4. Revelation 21:27 says that “nothing impure will ever enter it” and that only “those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” will enter it. What is the “it” that is referred to in that verse?

• Some would say that the “it” is heaven. Read the entire chapter 21. Notice how John describes the “it” in verses 9 through 25.

5. In Revelation 22:3 it says there will no longer be any curse. What curse do you think is being referred to?

• Zechariah 14:11 It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.
• Genesis 3:17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it.’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

6. How can Heaven be perfect if all of our loved ones are not there?

• When we arrive in Heaven, we will not have anything to complain about or be saddened by. Revelation 21:4 tells us, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Once we arrive in Heaven, we will be glorified and perfect. Our hearts, attitudes, and thoughts will be completely in agreement with God (1 John 3:2). If some of our loved ones are not in Heaven, we will be in 100% complete agreement that they do not belong there – that they are condemned by their own refusal to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior (John 3:16; John 14:6). It is hard to understand this, but we will not be saddened by the lack of their presence. Our focus should not be on how we can enjoy Heaven without all of our loved ones there, but rather on how we can point our loved ones to faith in Christ – so that they will be there.

7. Suppose you were standing before God right now and He asked you, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” What would you say?

• This is an important question. If asked on the street, many would reply; “because I have been a good person.”
• The only way to get into heaven is through Jesus Christ.
• See the blog post below for more thoughts on this question.

8. Will some people receive crowns on the Day of Judgment? Read Revelation 4:10-11 and discuss what it means to lay your crown before the throne.

• 2Timothy 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
• I can't help thinking that there is something special about the timing of their action. First they lay their crowns before the throne. Then they worship.
  

Putting it into practice:

1) In what way do you think you need to be better prepared for heaven? Pray about that in your groups.


Quote Of The Day
The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving. To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.
--Oliver Wendell Holmes

Question 7

Question #7 on the leader guide says:
Suppose you were standing before God right now and He asked you, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” What would you say?

One way to think about this question is to ask it the opposite way. Instead of asking, "Why should God let me into heaven?" you could ask, "What would keep me out of heaven?"

Scripture clearly answers this question:

1Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

1John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

If you have lied, you are a liar. If you have had hatred in your heart, you are a murderer. If you have ever taken anything that didn't belong to you, you are a thief.
These are all violations of God’s law. If you are guilty of breaking God’s law, a penalty must be imposed. The only way to be spared from the penalty is by divine pardon.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is that pardon. He suffered the penalty for the sins we have committed, thereby making the pardon possible.
If a person places his/her complete faith and trust in Jesus and accepts the pardon of God, that person will be welcomed into heaven.