Matthew 13:44-46

What is the most valuable thing you own? Is value measured in money or in what it means to you?

What is your first impression of the parables of the found treasure and the pearl? There are two scenarios described here--one in which the person is planning for great gain in the future and the other which has an immediate return on his investment.

What can we assume about the merchant? How will he gain from purchasing the pearl? He doesn't know how long it will be until he sees this great gain, but he *knows he will* see it. He doesn't enter into this foolishly. How is that like the Kingdom of Heaven?

What do we gain with Heaven--what's Heaven like? Is it possible to get bored living forever? What about the places we can visit? What new things will we be able to hear and see? What about all the other people who will be there? How will we know them? And moreover, what is missing from Heaven? Grief, sickness, loneliness, jealousy, regret... Imagine life without any regrets. The greatness of Heaven is far more valuable than anything we could have now.

The man who bought the field had an immediate return on his investment. How is pursing a relationship with God beneficial for us right now?

If the treasure and pearl are symbols of salvation, then why did the people in both parables have to sell everything to buy them? God has things in store for us that are greater than we can comprehend--we should faithfully pursue God, regardless of the cost. Our rewards are abundant!

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Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-12

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Warm-up question: What kind of travel difficulties have you endured?

Mary and Joseph just could not catch a break. How do you think they felt about the timing of the census? How difficult was the journey to Bethlehem? Was there even a donkey?

Why was there no place to stay? What would you do if you couldn't find a room? What is a manger? Where would the mangers be located? Was there even a barn?

What must have been going through the shepherds' minds when the angel appeared? Why did the shepherds get the birth announcement? Did shepherds have any significant social standing? The truth is, Jesus came for everybody and anybody is allowed to approach Him.

Do you think Mary and Joseph were pleased when the shepherds came looking for them? Were they still scared and wondering what to do? Their situation was very difficult.

Who are the magi? Why is it unusual that they were coming to honor the new king? They probably practiced sorcery and astrology.

Why was Herod "disturbed" to hear the news of the new king. Why did he tell the magi to come back and get him when they found him? Herod ordered the killing of all children 2 and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem, trying to eliminate his political foe. Mary and Joseph were warned in a dream to escape to Egypt. Our savior and his parents were refugees from political persecution.

Other interesting stuff: the magi entered the "house" and saw the "child." How many magi does the Bible say there were? What were their names? Do they belong in the nativity scene?

Why were the gifts so appropriate? Gold: royalty; Jesus is the King of kings. Frankincense: used in the Temple; Jesus is God in the flesh. Myrrh: perfume, often used for burial; Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice.

Program note: The next episode will release the first Sunday in January. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38

Why is the genealogy of Jesus at the beginning of Matthew so important?

What do you suppose Joseph assumed when he heard of Mary's pregnancy? If they we only engaged, why would he need to seek a divorce?

Joseph is visited by an angel in his dream. What would that be like? Joseph decides to listen to God's messenger and becomes the adoptive father of Jesus. We celebrate all adoptive parents!

Matthew points out all this happens to fulfill prophecies. Why is the fulfillment of prophecies so important? Matthew also records that the couple did not consummate their marriage until after Jesus was born. Why is that important? Why is it important for Jesus to be born of a woman by the Holy Spirit?

In Luke...Mary get a visit from an angel. She was likely around 14-years-old at the time.

If you had been Mary, what would have been the hardest thing about all this to comprehend...how this would happen?...what would you tell Joseph...Why did God choose you? What do you suppose is Mary's most prominent emotion?

How is Mary's question, "How will this be?" different from Zechariah's question, "How can I be sure of this?"

Mary ultimately answers, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Do you think she knew what she was signing up for? What can you say about her blind faith? Do you think she was fearful? What can you say about being faithfully fearful?

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Malachi 4:5-6, Luke 1:5-25,57-66

What was the deal with the prophets...what was their job? How do prophecies work? Malachi mentions Elijah, perhaps the greatest of God's prophets. This was written 400 years before Jesus was born. It is the last prophecy recorded on the Old Testament.

Zechariah and Elizabeth, John's parents, were old--well past child-bearing years. They had waited a long time for a child--had probably given up all hope. The people of Israel had waited a long time for their Messiah. Was hope gone there, too? What happens to hope when you have to wait a long time?

How does the angel's message to Zechariah bring hope? Where does this encounter take place. What was Zechariah's response? Here was a priest who was serving God in the Temple, but never expected to experience God's presence? Do we have an expectation of experiencing God while we serve God?

Why was the angel angry with Zechariah? What was the result of Zechariah's doubt?

Elizabeth said, "The Lord has done this for me." She was good at giving credit where credit was due. Are we sometimes guilty of chalking up God's work to being "lucky?"

When John was born and named, Zechariah gained his voice again. Everybody saw this amazing thing and declared that "the hand of the Lord" was with John. What evidence do we have today that God's hand is still with us?

John came to prepare the way for the Messiah--a great study as we are preparing ourselves to celebrate Christmas.

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Mark 2:1-12, Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man.

-What do we know about the men who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus? Not too much. Anybody in the crowd saw their actions, but Jesus saw their faith.

-What did the men think when Jesus' first reaction was to forgive the man's sin? Did they have a crisis of faith because Jesus didn't do what they were expecting him to do?

-What is blasphemy?

-Why did Jesus forgive the man's sins?

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Mark 1:40-45, Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

-What is leprosy?

-What does "indignant" mean?

-Why did Jesus touch the guy?

-Why did the man do exactly the opposite of what Jesus asked him to do?

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