Week 3 - Shepherds

READ

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? SHEPHERDS
WEEK 3: DISCUSSION GUIDE

This week Scott talked about the shepherds in the Christmas story. These were uncivilized country folk. They were not accepted, included, or trusted by the rest of society. In spite of this, God chose them to be the first recipients of the greatest birth announcement of all time. The outcasts became the guests of honor. The nobodies became the VIPs.

This is at the heart of what Christmas is all about. You matter to God. He doesn’t care about if you are on the inside, outside, upside, or downside. With Jesus there is no longer an in crown or an out crowd. Everybody is loved and accepted and invited to participate in what He is doing.

Scott contrasted this idea to the Roman way of life that serves as a backdrop for this story. In the ancient world that Jesus was born into, you had to be a free Roman citizen to be on the inside.
Today we can still feel like outsiders at times. And sadly, as Christ followers, we can often make others feel like outsiders.

DISCUSS

Tell us about a time when you felt like an outsider. It could be an instance when you weren’t invited, felt excluded, or just didn’t feel like you fit in.

What is your emotional response when you feel like you are on the outside?

Do you think that we do anything at church; intentionally or unintentionally, that can make visitors feel like outsiders? If so, can you think of an example?

Is there a place in your life where you presently feel like an outsider?

Is there someone in your life who may feel like an outsider? What can you do to make that person feel included?

PRAY

Thank God for the fact that Jesus includes everyone of us. Pray that we will understand that we matter to God and that to Him we are insiders, no matter how we may feel. Pray that we will reach out to marginalized people, and those who need to know that they matter to God. Pray that as a church, and as individuals, outsiders will matter to us.

Week 2 - Herod

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DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE HEROD
WEEK 2: DISCUSSION GUIDE

This week Scott talked about King Herod. Herod is traditionally viewed as the “bad guy” of the Christmas story, and for good reason. He unsuccessfully attempted to kill Jesus, and, in the process murdered an unknown number of innocent children. Herod is not a man with whom we typically want to associate ourselves. However, we all have one thing in common with Herod. We all have a deep-seated desire to protect what is ours. We all have our own “kingdoms” that are compiled of our possessions, our relationships, our goals, and our lifestyles. And as we follow Jesus, at some point we understand that He is a threat to our kingdoms. If he is in charge of our lives, we may not be able to have what we want, or do what we want. His lordship over our lives threatens our desire to decide what is best for ourselves.

DISCUSS

Tell us about a time when something precious to you was threatened. What was your gut reaction? What did you end up doing about it?

How does following Jesus threaten the status quo of your life?

What Biblical commands or teachings are most threatening to your own lifestyle and preferences?

Is there one area of your “kingdom” that you need to work on surrendering to God? What is an action you can take to begin to surrender this thing?

PRAY

Pray that we will be honest with ourselves, when we are protective of our own little “kingdoms”. Pray that as we grow in maturity, there will be nothing in our lives that is not surrendered to God.

Week 1 - DOUBT

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE DOUBT
WEEK 1: DISCUSSION GUIDE

This week Scott kicked off our Christmas series by talking about Joseph. Joseph was faithful to God, and obedient in taking Mary as his wife, but his obedience began with a struggle. He struggled to believe Mary. He struggled to trust what God was doing. In the end, we see that Joseph was a man of faith. Faith isn’t about blindly believing. We see a lot of people “of faith” throughout the Bible, who also struggle with God. In our current Christian culture, struggling with questions, or having doubts are often judged as being a sign of faithlessness.

Joseph was never judged for his struggles. Within the church, people often conceal their struggles and doubts. We can think that it is weak to doubt. We can feel like it is embarrassing to have questions.

DISCUSS

Just for fun...
Tell us about your favorite Christmas tradition.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were afraid to ask questions?

Do you often deal with doubt?

What are the things that can cause you to have doubts and struggles with God?

When you have doubts and struggles, do they make you feel like you are not faithful, or spiritual?

Struggles and doubts are not a sign of faithlessness. To the contrary, they are things that great leaders in the Bible endured as well. Knowing this, do you need to allow yourself to struggle with some things?

What do you need from other people when you are working through struggles and doubts?

How can you be there for others who are working through these kinds of things?

PRAY

Pray that we will be honest with each other, with God, and with ourselves when it comes to the struggles and doubts that we face. Pray that we will not pretend that these things don’t exist, but that we will learn to face them head-on.