1) Was there anything from this week’s sermon that stood out to you?

2) What people are easy for you to love? What people are hard for you to love? Out of those two, who do you spend most of your time and effort giving love to?

3) Read Leviticus 19:18. What did Jesus add to this command to make it new? Looking at the world today, why do you think His addition was crucial?

4) Who are the people in your life that you have a difficult time loving? How can you love them better this week?

5) What can you do to make love for others a bigger part of your life?

Read Matthew 2:1-12

1) Do you have a favorite Christmas Carol whose message has brought you hope for the holidays? Is there a particular line or verse that has been especially impactful?

2) Did you get the opportunity to savor the season? How or where did you find that space in the busy time of Christmas?

3) The wise men passionately pursued Jesus. When you came to faith, were you pursuing him? Do you continue to passionately pursue your relationship with him?

4) When we think of the wise men, we often think of the gifts they brought. But before the gifts came worship. Sometimes as followers of Jesus we focus on “doing” instead of “worshiping”. How can we make worship the priority in our lives?

5) The gifts of the magi may have been given as a recognition of Jesus being King, being God, and being Savior. What are some attitudes or behaviors in our lives that show that show the world that he is our king, he is our God, and he is our savior?

1) Take a moment to read the genealogy of Jesus. Is there anything that jumps out at you?

2) This is a story that we’ve all heard many times. Are there any aspects of the birth of Jesus that you never knew or never considered?

3) Ben said that God used ordinary people in Joseph and Mary. How does He use ordinary people like us?

4) Spoiler alert: Jesus is our hope for the holidays. How can we remind ourselves of this when we face times that seem hopeless?

Read Matthew 1:18-24

1) Are you rushing through the Christmas season? Or have you taken some time to slow down and appreciate the joy and the celebration that this season brings? If so, how have you done it? If not, what can you give up or set aside in order to do so?

2) In the teaching, it was said that “God became one of us because he is for us!” Most people have, at some time or another, felt distant from God. How does knowing that he is for us help you to draw close to him?

3) God took extreme measures to restore our relationship with him. What can you be doing to strengthen your relationship with him?

4) Read Hebrews 4:15. When God became flesh he took on the full experience of humanity and he experienced every struggle, temptation, and frustration that we do. How does knowing that help you to face your problems?

5) In the teaching, it was said: “If God is with us there is nothing that any of us have done that he can not relate to or love us through. There is no pain in our lives that he is ill equipped to understand, no temptation that he has not wrestled with, and no hurt that he does not nor cannot meet us in.” Take a moment to thank him for being Immanuel, God with us.

1) Has there been a time when you really knew you were living God’s plans for you? If not, has there been a time when you realized that you were not living God’s plans for you? How did you know?

2) Throughout the book of Proverbs, we are urged to have wise advisers around us. Who are some of the wise advisers you have in your life? How have they proved themselves?

3) List examples from your life, or of other people whose plans failed because God had other plans.

4) Ben talked about how we have a tendency to want to control our own plans. What’s one tip that you can share that’s helped you surrender your plans to the Lord?

Read Proverbs 1:7

1) Read Matthew 23:12 “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” How should those words impact the conduct of Christians? How can we practically live them out?

2) Which do you tend to live in - the past, the present, or the future? Why?

3) In the teaching it was said, “Life rewards action”. How does that expression relate to us in our pursuit of wisdom?

4) Read Proverbs 30:24-28. From the teaching:

The ant teaches us that what you bring into winter is all you have.
The hyrax teaches us to know where our security lies.
The locust teaches us that there is strength in numbers.
The lizard teaches us the incongruity (absurdity) of God’s amazing grace.

The proverb said there are four things that are small but EXTREMELY WISE. How do the lessons taught by each of these creatures help us to live our lives wisely?

Read Proverbs 3:27-28

1) Give an example of how someone has done good to you.

2) Do you have a favorite proverb? What is it? Why?

3) Do you do as much good as you think you should? What is it that keeps you from doing good when you have the ability to act?

4) Why isn’t it enough to simply not “do bad” to others? Why should we actively “do good” to them?

5) Read Matthew 5:43-48. Are there any people you consider to be your enemies? Take some time to pray for them by name.

6) Read Luke 10:30-35. What are some ways that you can personally do good to the people you do not know?

Read Proverbs 1:1-7

1) (Just for fun) When was a time in your life that you were hopelessly lost? How did you find your way?

2) The path principle says that “Your direction determines your destination”. When it comes to living out your life, are you more prone to go to the wisdom of this world for direction, or the wisdom found in scripture? Why?

3) Read Matthew 7:13-14. What do these verses tell us about the importance of choosing our life direction wisely?

4) Read Proverbs 2:1-8. What are some ways these verses illustrate the importance of pursuing and obtaining wisdom?

5) Read Proverbs 3:5-6. Can you think of a time when you relied on your own understanding instead of God’s and it didn’t work out so well? What about a time where you clearly leaned on God’s understanding and you saw His direction clearly?

6) In the teaching, Mike said that that wisdom protects our path, directs our path, and perfects our path. How have you seen this played out in your own life?

1) Read John 15:18-19, 16:33. How did Jesus say the world would treat those who follow Him? When you recognize that Jesus has overcome the world, what is your response to Him?

2) With all the troubles that this world has to offer, it’s great to know that there are people that we stand with, pray with, serve with, and do life with who are overcomers in this world. Who are those people in your life? Why?

3) Have you ever worn the label or carried the identity of “Defeated”? What moment or situation caused you to feel that way? Has your identity changed to “Overcomer”? If so, how?

4) Read 1 John 5:1-5. In the teaching it was said, “When we see ourselves the way Jesus sees us, we have this promise that we can and do overcome the world.” What does that look like in the life of a believer? What specifically does it look like in your own life?

5) In the teaching, there were six practical steps for overcoming the world. Which one is the most difficult for you?

1. We need to recognize that Jesus has set the example for us.

2. We need to rest in God’s promises to us.

3. We need to renounce the sins that control us.

4. We need to reject the lies Satan tells us.

5. We need to rejoice that that in Christ we are made victorious.

6. We need to remain in His Love.

Read Galatians 5:1-6

1) In what ways or places in your life have you felt enslaved? (Sins/priorities/pursuits)? Even though Christ came to set us free from our sins, why do we find ourselves returning to the things that have previously enslaved us?

2) Perhaps you have heard or even said “this person or that person can’t be a Christian because of (fill in the blank)”. What are some rules or requirements that you have had put on yourself or that you have put on others?

3) Re-read Galatians 5:3. In the teaching, it was said: Legalism says, “Obey the rules and escape the penalty. Break the rules suffer the penalty.” Grace says, “Keep the law, suffer the penalty. Break the law and escape the penalty.” How does that impact the way you see what Jesus did for you on the cross?

4) Does grace replace the law with a license to do whatever we want? Why or why not?

5) In the teaching, it was said that “True freedom is not absolute freedom.” and that “Absolute freedom leads to absolute chaos!” How do you see true freedom and absolute freedom played out in the life of the believer? How does it play out in your life?