Life Group Announcement
- This would be a great week to eat together and have a Christmas meal together, and pray at the end. Coordinate a $10 gift secret Santa if you will. Make it fun, and be there for the people who are sad that they will not be going home this Christmas.
- We will be bringing a special offering to Jesus on Christmas eve service to sponsor the following 3 projects:
- Buy land in Uganda Africa so that our missionary Darren would be able to build his own orphanage. Right now he rents.
- Continue to explore the church plant opportunity in Istanbul, Turkey. The leadership is praying and planning to go and scout the land (Istanbul) and continue to pray to find out what would the partnership with Istanbul would look like.
- Continue to improve our kids church.
Life group questions for Picking up where Jesus left off.
1. How did the Holy Spirit speak to you during the sermon?
2. The word Christmas literally means “Christ’s mission.” What is that mission and how do we prepare for Christ’s mission today?
3. Read John 17:18, Matthew 28:18-20, and Acts 1:8. According to these verses we are called to pick up where Christ left off. So how do we practically do that? What does that look like in your life today?
4. Read Philippians 2:1-8. In this passage we read that we are to have the same attitude/mindset as Christ who “took on a body” (that is was born) to humble Himself unto death for our benefit. What does it mean to humble ourselves and consider others better than yourself? Remember…humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.
5. We read in 2 Corinthians 8:9 that Christ laid down His “rights and privilege for our benefit. So what does that practically look like for you today? How are you laying down your agenda or rights/privileges to pick up where Christ left off? Is that really necessary? Can’t you do both (your agenda and Christ’s agenda?
6. Read 1 Peter 3:15 and Romans 10:12-14. Saint Francis of Assisi is credited to have said go out and preach to the whole world and if you have to use words. Does that saying match up to scripture? Why is specifically testifying (using our words to the truth of Christ) absolutely essential in our Christmas mission?
7. In 1 Peter 3:15 we are told to testify or give a defense for what we believe but with grace and truth. How can grace and truth work together?