Main Point: Those who are truly seeking God will find Him.

Questions:

1. What impacted you from the message this weekend? What challenged you or encouraged you? At the start of the new year, how would you like this year to be different?

2. What did you learn about the Magi from this passage? How is Matthew’s account of the Magi different from the way the Magi are traditionally depicted?

3. Read Matthew 2:1-12. How are the people mentioned in these verse? What do you know about each one of the different groups? What are the Magi seeking? What is King Herod seeking?

4. Read Matthew 2:1-8. Who are the Magi? Why have they traveled from the East? Who is King Herod? What prophecy do the priests and the teachers of the law quote about the Messiah? (See Micah 5:2,4)

5. Why would Herod and all Jerusalem be “disturbed” by the Magi? Does Herod truly want to worship the Messiah?

6. Read Matthew 2:9-12. How do the Magi react when they see Jesus? What gifts do they offer him? Why do you think they did not go back to Herod like he asked them to do?

7. Read Matthew 5:13-16. At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about being a witness in the world. What two analogies does Jesus use?

8. What does it mean to be salt and light in the world? List a few practical ways that our lives can point others to Jesus.

9. What would it look like for you to be salt and light to the people around you? What would have to change in your relationship with God to help you be salt and light? What holds you back from making these changes?

10. By God’s grace what are some specific things you can do this week to apply what you have learned? How has your understanding of God changed or deepened?

Main Point: As we trust in Jesus, we experience real peace.

 Questions:

What impacted you from the message this weekend? What challenged you or encouraged you? Did you learn anything new about God or about yourself?

What does it mean that Jesus is the “Prince of Peace”?

How much peace are you experiencing in your life right now? What thing in your life contribute to your peace? What things take away from your peace?

Start by Reading Luke 2:8-19. Describe the situation. What is did the angel of the Lord announce to the shepherds? What did the angelic host say? What does their message tell us about Jesus and the peace of God?

Read John 14:25-27. Before Jesus goes to the cross, He reassures them that He will send the Holy Spirit. Jesus also promises to give them His peace. How is Jesus’ peace different than peace the world provides? What does having God’s peace have to with not having a troubled heart and not being afraid?

Read Romans 5:1. What does it mean to be justified by faith? (Read Romans 4:22-25 for context.) How does the work of Jesus on the cross provide peace with God for all who believe?

What does it mean to have peace with God? How does this understanding shape the way we related to God and the world?

Read Philippians 4:6-7. Peace is very different than anxiety. How does Paul direct us to deal with anxiety? How does prayer provide peace? How does peace guard our hearts and minds?

By God’s grace what are some specific things you can do this week to apply what you have learned? How has your understanding of God changed or deepened?

Main Point: We are forgiven, known, and loved by God.

Questions:

1. What impacted you from the message this weekend? What challenged you or encouraged you? Did you learn anything new about God or about yourself?

2. What do you think of when you hear the description “Everlasting Father”? After hearing the message, what is does this description mean? How does understanding this truth affect the way you relate to Jesus?

3. Start by Reading Psalm 103. This is a very power Psalm about the character of God and how He relates to His people. What verses stuck out to you? What do you learn about God’s heart in this Psalm?

4. Read Psalm 103:13. How would you define compassion? What does it look like in practice? Can you think of a time when you were shown compassion?

5. How is the compassion a human father feels for his children like the compassion God feels for His people? How does this help us understand the way God feels about us?

6. Read Psalm 103:8-12. What words does the Psalmist use to describe God in these verses? How do these verses relate to God’s forgiveness? How does God relate to those He has forgiven?

7. Read Psalm 103:14-16. What does God know about us? What do these verses show about the brevity of life? How does knowing life is fragile and short provide perspective about what is important in life? How could remembering that life is short affect your priorities?

8. Read Psalm 103:17 and 1 John 3:1. What do these verses tell us about God’s love? Do you believe that God loves you? Why is it hard for people accept God loves them? How does His love change the way you live?

9. Read Luke 15:11-32. What does the story of the Prodigal Son reveal about God’s love? How does the father greet his son when he returns home? What does God desire that people do in response to His love?

10. By God’s grace what are some specific things you can do this week to apply what you have learned? How has your understanding of God changed or deepened

Main Point: Jesus is limitless in power and the only one worthy of our worship.

Questions:

What impacted you from the message this weekend? What challenged you or encouraged you? Did you learn anything new about God or about yourself?

What do you think of when you hear the description “Mighty God”? What does it mean for Jesus to be strong and powerful? How do you feel about this description of Jesus?

Read John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-17. What do these verses tell us about Jesus’ role in the creation of the universe? What do these verses tell us about Jesus’ power?

What does it mean that “in him all things hold together”? What does this reveal about Jesus’ active sustaining power in the world?

Read Matthew 8:23-27 and Matthew 9:35-36. What do these verses tell us about Jesus’ power over nature and diseases?

Read Luke 4:40-41 and John 11:38-44. What do these verses tell us about Jesus’ power over demons and death?

Read Romans 1:16-17 and Jude 24-25. What is the gospel? How does faith in Jesus’ work on the cross save people?

How does Jesus’ power provide confidence in the difficulties of life?

If Jesus is the mighty God of Scripture, how does this change the way you relate to Him? Does Jesus’ power help you to trust Him more?

By God’s grace what are some specific things you can do this week to apply what you have learned? How has your understanding of God’s love, grace, and salvation changed or deepened?