Category: Comfort And Joy

Luke 2:8-15 // Comfort And Joy Wk 3

 

Date:  December 8-9, 2012

Series:  Comfort and Joy

Message: True Joy

Passage:  Luke 2:8-15

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

 

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CHRISTMAS?

 Leader note:  Just have fun with this question – but move quickly as there is a lot to get to!

    • You can’t escape Jesus — the whole world is proclaiming Jesus in Christmas, making things beautiful…
    • Celebration
    • Being with family
    • Family traditions
    • childlike excitement

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

 

READ LUKE 2:8-15.  WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE FIRST CHRISTMAS?

 

Leader note:  When someone gives an observation, ask them “where do you see that?” and then ask the group, “what does that mean – in our own words?”  This will help as you move through the question.

Commentary:

Some observations your group may find.  There are others however, do not limit it to this list, and don’t give your group this list.  Let them “observe and discover” on their own. 

  • Good news for all people
  • no fear – reassurance
  • peace
  • joy
  • comfort
  • Savior
  • glory of God
  • mystery – how is it possible
  • awe and wonder
  • ironic – hope of the world shows up as a baby
  • favor

 

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES

 

THINK OF 3 OR 4 PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE THAT MIGHT FEEL EXCLUDED FROM THIS MESSAGE?

Leader note:  Think of those in your life, or people you know, that may feel like they either aren’t welcomed in by the message, or by those who proclaim the message (church, groups of friends, etc).

Commentary:

Some things that might make people feel excluded –

    • If sins they engage in are known by others.
    • Gay community
    • Other religions, or people raised in religions they shun or  left a bad taste for Jesus or people who believe in Jesus
    • Those who are sad, bad memories from Christmas
    • Those who you have a fractured relationship with you or God

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

 

How do I exclude or not aggressive include those people in this good news?

 

Leader note:  This may be a way for you to think about the exclusion – place yourself on the spectrum, how can you move to the left, toward direct inclusion?

 

the SPECTRUM:

← DIRECT INCLUSION — PASSIVE INCLUSION — PASSIVE EXCLUSION — DIRECT EXCLUSION →

 

Examples: 

Friend who has had affairs – I act superior, like he probably shouldn’t be in church – help enforce the idea that Christmas really isn’t for him.

I am not aggressively including a gay friend of mine.  While I want to make sure no one intentionally hurts him but I’m not pursuing him with the good news of Jesus.

I exclude my parents, I don’t invite or go to their house – we have a bad relationship and I don’t want to have them around.

I passively exclude some neighbors at different times – I’m selfish of my time I have with my family, don’t want to share it so I don’t engage them.

Friend who grew up Jewish, now she will celebrate Christmas with me but don’t talk about Jesus, now I exclude her from that part of my life.

 

WHAT COULD I DO TO HELP THEM SEE THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THEM?

Leader note:  In the passage it said the good news was for all people, how can you include those in your life you, even passively, exclude? 

 

PRAY:  As you end your time together, especially if you will be on break until after the Holidays, take time to pray.  Thank God for the awesome gift of Christmas, for lovingly providing a way for us to know Him, his all-sufficient grace, inclusive heart and motivation, and the path of righteousness set before us.  Pray for ways to embody the message, the good news of Christmas this year, and to include all Jesus would if He were walking alongside of you – as you shop, as you attend parties, as you make final plans for visits with family and friends.  Pray for the Lord’s provision of protection, healing, restored relationships and the embracing of joy, joy in its fullness, throughout the season and into the New Year.

 

LIVE IT OUT

What would it be like to bring good news to the excluded in our neighborhood or community?

 

How would people see the church differently if we truly included?

 

 

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 // Comfort And Joy Wk 4

Date:  December 1-2, 2012
Series:  Comfort and Joy
Message: Take Comfort
Passage:  2 Corinthians 1:3-7

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

What is one of your favorite comfort foods and when do you tend to want it most?

Leader note:  This should just be a fun and easy question to talk about.  This week we will be talking about “comfort”, so this will just be an easy way to get your group focused for the upcoming discussion.

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.  What do you learn about comfort?

Commentary:

  • Meant to be shared (just as we share in suffering so our comfort…)
  • God is the source of comfort
  • Comfort is not the opposite of suffering – not protection against suffering
  • Comfort is experienced during suffering, in the midst of suffering
  • Suffering is a given, but comfort is not (choose comfort but can’t choose suffering)
  • If (we-Paul) are distressed it is for (your) comfort and salvation – it can be overcome, example to them, if we can endure this you can endure this – which should bring comfort.
  • A person who goes through something harder than you are and you are comforted from the endurance they have – lets you know you can go through it too.
  • Comfort in spite of distress produces endurance (getting comforted in distress) – the sense God is with me, I’m not alone, gives me ability to endure.

 

Leader note:  You may want to come up with a working definition for the term comfort for the next questions.

               

UNDERSTANDING – 25 MINUTES

What does suffering look like? 

Leader note:  Come up with as many situations you can think of, make a list similar to the one below:

  • Pain
  • Sadness
  • Grief
  • Hurt
  • Divorce
  • Loss
    • Relationship
    • Innocence
    • Health
    • Stability
    • Opportunity
    • Dreams
    • Stuff and thing
  • Not feeling valued
  • Isolated
  • Feeling like you’re not loved
  • Feeling defeated

 

What is comfort “not”?

  • Not created – Can’t be manufactured
  • Not a solution
  • Not a quick fix
  • Not a replacement
  • Not a guarantee the suffering will end
  • Not revenge
  • Not removal of whatever the suffering is
  • Not having the answers to “why” the suffering

 

What does false comfort look like? 

Leader note:  People try to comfort themselves with food, drink, drugs – lots of different ways to “console” themselves, but they don’t bring real comfort.   

 

Where have you seen people bring real comfort to others? 

Leader note:  Another way to ask this would be, “What does real comfort look like?  Where have you seen that in life? 

Commentary:  Some examples of real comfort would be:

  • People coming around them, relationship, identifying with them
  • Offering hope, encouragement, empathy, compassion, relationship, peace, rest, strength

 

How was that used in other’s lives?

Leader note:  In the passage it says that we are comforted so that we can comfort – how have you seen that in your life? 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

When was a time in your life you needed comfort?  What did you pursue? 

Were you open to being comforted?

Leader note:  It may be that you have those who are in a place of suffering now and are either being comforted, or need you and your group to bring comfort.  What would that look like?  Have they tried  to “console” themselves?  How open are they to comfort – are they saying things like “No, I’ll be fine”, “I can handle it”, that closes them off to comfort.  Be gentle, but reassure them that it is one of God’s greatest gifts to have His family bring comfort to others.

Examples: 

During divorce, felt alone – afraid-unlovable- found comfort in friendship, he connected, he was loved, people reached out – especially holidays, didn’t have to look for it but people reached out. 

During a cancer scare – people prayed boldly for healing, surrounded family so they knew we were cared for.

 

How could your suffering bring comfort to someone else?

 

PRAY:  Before you end your time together, thank God for His ultimate comfort.  Pray for opportunities to bring comfort to those suffering in your family and those you come in contact with this Christmas season.  Ask for God’s prompting and guidance for how best to comfort others, and how you might uniquely bring the gift needed most – comfort and joy.

 

LIVE IT OUT

Since all comfort comes from God through his people…What would it look like for us to live as agents of God’s comfort?