1. He will save his people from sin (Mt. 1:18-21)

2. Fig leaves cover nothing! God made garments of skin. (Gen. 3:7, 21)

3. Abraham found a ram, not a lamb. In the skit, “Where is the Lamb?”

4. Israeal’s history:

a. In the Exodus; take a lamb…blood will be a sign for you on the houses… (Ex. 12:1-3,13)

In the Tabernacle, then the Temple, year after year they sacrificed.

b. Then they were conquered, taken from their land, just like in the Garden. They needed sacrifices, but had no Temple. Now the Prophets spoke of a new Lamb. (Is.53:5,7)

c. Advent - Entrance. “Save the people from their sins. (Mt.1:21)

Look…the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn.1:29)

5. Jesus removes the curse. (Lk.24:25-27, 32)

6. The real Christmas Tree is a Cross. (1 Cor.2:7-8) Mystery has been hidden.

7. When we sin it is more than a ‘fall’. We minimize sin. Sin is a debt we CANNOT pay.

8. Forgiveness is nice, but not enough because it cannot provide restoration.

9. Jesus offers forgiveness and restoration. (Rev. 5:6-10)

10. There is someting yet to come! The Kingdom will come, not go!

Aim:

Hope enables us to press on, gives us something to live for! Hope is the restoration of grief and regret!

Application Questions:

1. How is it possible that forgivness is not the same as restoration?

2. “When we sin, it is more than a fall”. What are the ripple effects of sin?

3. What is the difference in the perspectives of “Thy Kingdom come” vs “Thy Kingdom go”?

4. How does Hope enable us to press on?

1. This story (in Luke) begins differently than many stories. It talks about real people and places and things that have been going on for years.

2. Entering a story already in progress can put us at a disadvantage. We can miss details, and questions we have might not be addressed.

3. This story is a part of much larger story and until we realize how it fits together, we can’t appreciate or understand all that’s happening here and why it’s being told the way it is.

4. The passage from Genesis helps us start close to the beginning.

5. What happened in this account in Genesis robbed people of God’s favor and presence and plunged them in a world that’s now cursed instead of blessed.

6. Here is a Promised Victor theme for humanity who’s been in a struggle with evil ever since Eden.

7. God gave Adam and Eve a chance to own up to their responsibility, but they looked for someone else to blame. Curses were the result.

8. The world God created was good, but because of Adam and Eve’s choices, peace turned to conflict.

9. Genesis 3:15 is referred to as protoevangelium, or the first gospel because of the mention of good news and a promise of redemption — he will crush your heel.

10. Evil is in humanity’s blood, but there’s also an evil being who has animosity toward us.

11. We need a victor because only light can destroy the enemy.

12. Satan is prevalent in the gospels, tempting and testing and trying to thwart Jesus. But Christ’s cross and empty tomb dismantled his work.

13. We choose sin because we don’t trust God and believe He’s good. But the cross shows us how much God loves us and what lengths He’ll go to on our behalf.

14. The devil is defeated but we still struggle. The word that can cause him to fall is: faith.

15. We who are in Christ can be overcomers. Don’t be ignorant of his schemes or intimidated by his threats.

Other scripture passages referenced that you can look up: Matt. 1:18, 22-23, Heb. 2:14-15, 1 John 3:8, Rev. 12:9-11

Aim

Our faith in Christ’s victory on the cross and His promise of hope at the empty tomb is the victory that overcomes the enemy and the world.

Application Questions

1. Has there been a time you’ve been responsible for something but you blamed someone else? Describe. A time when you took responsibility? A time when someone else blamed you?

2. Why do you think Satan hates us and wants to harm us?

3. Have you experienced a time when you couldn’t have something you wanted, but you worked hard to prevent others from having it, too? Describe.

4. Describe a time you thought God was holding out on you and didn’t give you what was best.

5. Think of some times you chose to sin. How did your actions show that you didn’t trust God?

6. Describe your faith. How strong is it? How does it overcome the enemy in your life?

I. More thankfulness comes from more giving.

A. When we get more, we are more thankful.

1. 7% raise vs. 2% raise; 40% off vs. 20% off

2. We are to be the prompt for others’ thanksgiving. (2 Cor. 9:11)

B. God’s indescribable gift makes this thankfulness possible. (2 Cor. 9:15)

1. Who do we thank for health, family, etc.? Our gifts always start with God.

2. God prompts others to give! (2 Cor. 8:1)

3. Macedonians’ generosity stems from experiencing more grace. (2 Cor. 8:2)

a. gave beyond ability, pleaded for the privilege (2 Cor. 8:3)

b. gave selves first to the Lord, then to us (2 Cor. 8:5)

c. see that you also excel in this grace of giving (2 Cor. 8:7)

d. this reflects Christ in a powerful way (2 Cor. 8:9)

G od’s

R iches

A t

C hrist’s

E xpense

4. The cross prompts giving, so more and more receive and then they give; others receive; others

give…creates a cycle.

C. Grow in Grace!

1. Amount is a Return Issue. (2 Cor. 9:6)

a. The correlation is what you give, you get back.

b. Law of the harvest; you reap what you sow.

2. Attitude is a Heart Issue. (2 Cor. 9:7)

a. God loves a cheerful giver.

b. Gospel offers a changed heart.

3. Ability is a Faith Issue. (2 Cor. 9:8)

a. God is able to make all grace abound to you…

b. …You will abound in every good work.

II. More thanks, more giving.

A. Real needs are being met. (2 Cor. 9:12)

B. Gospel is demonstrated, others will praise God. (2 Cor. 9:13)

C. Relationships are strengthened; in their prayers, their hearts go out to you. (2 Cor. 9:14)

Aim:

God’s indescribable gift to us and His continual giving prompt us to not only give thanksgiving to Him, but also prompt others to do the same through us because of our giving to them through His giving to us!

Application Questions:

1. Discusss the cycle of giving that you have witnessed God blessing.

2. When have you experienced faith showing itself, “so that in all things at all times, having all that you need” you were able to abound in every good work?

3. Is it difficult for you to accredit blessings and gifts you receive from others as blessings and gifts coming from God? Why or why not?

4. How have you seen relationships be built, or bridged, because of the generosity of others, or yourself?

1. What stands in our way of following Jesus? In life we run into all kinds of obstacles, barriers, biases, and discrimination that keep us out. With Jesus, there are no more barriers to God.

2. Acts 8:26-40—a Bible story of a man, an Ethiopian and eunuch, who would always be permanently kept on the fringes of what he longed to be a part of and know. One who against the odds, thanks to Philip finds what he is looking for, Jesus Christ.

3. The Lord sends an angel to move Philip from one place to another in order to tell this one man about Jesus and bring him into His kingdom.

4. Weird, wonderful, mysterious, magnificent, and strange things happen in the Bible—burning bushes that don’t burn, people walking out of blazing furnaces not even smelling of smoke, talking donkeys, the blind seeing again, the lame walking, water turning into wine, people raised from the dead and Philip whisked away.

5. Philip is faithful and obedient to God’s commands in encountering the Ethiopian eunuch.

6. We see that God’s timing is perfect and Philip’s faithful surrendered steps, one after another, puts Philip in the right place at the right time. One of those only-God-could-do-it moments!

7. The eunuch experienced rejection and disappointment, a perfect place for him to un-follow, yet he did not give up searching in the Word for God. Deuteronomy 23:1

8. When you surrender your life to Jesus, put your faith in Him, He removes the “not-allow” circle and destroys it. If Jesus removes that from you, no one can put it back on you.

9. God reaches out to us and loves us. His Word is living, timeless and timely. Even when it seems God is absent in our life, He is not.

10. Baptism signifies that we are embracing the gospel, the good news of Jesus and the new way of believing and living—that we are citizens in God’s kingdom under His reign.jesus is the key to our relationship with God.

11. “Thou (God) hast made us for thyself, and our heart is restless until if finds its rest in thee.” Saint Augustine

12. Isaiah 53: 4-8 looks ahead to a Suffering Servant—Jesus—who will accomplish God’s work or redemption, saving God’s people and the world from separation with God. Jesus is the lamb of God who suffered and died to take away the sin of the world. It is Jesus who kept silent before His accusers, who was denied justice and bore our sin and shame in His body upon the cross. Jesus whose punishment bought our peace with God. Jesus whose life was taken from the earth … But who rose again conquering sin and death!

13. If you are not sure about this Jesus, keep on seeking Him. Keep coming to worship, keep oberving, open a Bible and ask questions. God is faithful. When you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him.

Aim:

What stands in our way to follow Jesus? The good news is that in Jesus, all, everyone, and anyone can come to God. There are no more barriers, laws, gender, race, status, sickness or disease to keep people on the outside. No sin too great, no separation too wide that the blood of Jesus cannot cover.

Application Questions:

1. If Jesus has spread His arms open upon the cross, canceling your sin and clearing everything that would keep you separated from God…then what stands in your way?

2. Have you ever felt rejected based on your size, sex, intelligence, race, nationality, or some limitation or basis for discrimination? Explain.

3. How often do we resist or reason away God’s commands or the move of His Spirit in us?

4. Have we allowed ourselves or someone else placed a “not-allowed” circle on us? Who has removed it from you?

5. In reading the Word and reflecting on your life, have you had the sense that God sees you and knows you, and it is Jesus that knows and understands our pain?

1. Jesus asks us to trust Him.

2. When our expectations aren’t met

3. Why keep following?

4. “To whom shall we go?”

Content

Jesus’ teachings and actions have been spreading far and wide, resulting in many wanting to follow Him. He taught about a new Kingdom coming, He healed people, and He fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and fish and had leftovers.

Jesus tried to be away from the people, but they found Him, wanting more, but Jesus knew why they followed Him. (John 6:26)

The people wanted something tangible to see/touch/taste. (John 6:30-31)

Jesus offers true bread from heaven (v.32) and the people want it (v.34), but it is not what they expected. (v.35)

What happens when Jesus doesn’t meet our expectations? (v. 41-42)

Many of Jesus’ disciples could not understand or accept what He was offering, so they left. (v. 60-61, 66)

Why keep following?

Jesus made some pretty bold claims. (John 14:6, Matthew 18:35, Luke 14:26)

How can we follow Jesus when He asks so much from us?

It’s not just His teachings that give us trouble; there are the troubles that come when we do follow Him.

We encounter circumstances that make us want to be liked and accepted by everyone else. We don’t stop believing, but we stop following.

“To whom shall we go?” (v. 67-68)

Jesus knows following Him is not easy, but if you don’t follow Jesus, you’ll follow something/someone else, even if it’s yourself that you follow.

Application Questions

1. In what areas of your life is Jesus asking you to trust Him?

2. What times in your life have you stopped following Jesus? What were the circumstances? Who/What did you follow instead?

3. Do any of Jesus’ teachings offend you?

4. When you chose to trust Jesus in the difficulties and troubles, what was the result?

1. What should distinguish us as followers of Christ? Jesus’ love.

2. How did Jesus love?

3. What does that mean for us?

Content

What should distinguish us as followers of Christ?

John 13: 34 – 35: Love one another, as I have loved you.

How did Jesus love?

1 John 3:16: For sinners and enemies

John 13: By washing feet; By doing things and serving in ways that no one else wants to do.

He is our example.

What does that mean for us?

Serve even when you’re nearly out the door: John 13:1 – It was time for Jesus to leave them, but He still had the motivation to go the extra mile.

Serve even when nobody really cares: Jesus knew that the people he served were enemies and fair-weather friends; Their attitude didn’t limit his action toward them.

Serve even when you have nothing to gain: Jesus already had power over all things, He had nothing to gain from this service.

Don’t lose the profoundness of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet.

Muslim man concluded Jesus must be God because he was willing to do this. No one else would.

We struggle to serve in easy but inconvenient ways. No wonder the world doesn’t see Christ!

Why else should you serve? (John 13:15-17)

No servant is greater than their Master.

You will be blessed.

Where are you serving?

What next step can you take?

Start at home or at work!

Serve in the children’s ministry ONCE this year.

Aim

For the world to see Christ in us, we must follow him by serving as He would.

Application Questions

1. What does it look like to be a follower of Jesus?

2. Have you ever seen someone do something that made you think they were a Jesus follower? If so, what was it and what made you think that?

3. Give some examples when you have chosen not to serve or give sacrificially because you were either (1) on your way out, (2) knew you wouldn’t be appreciated, or (3) thought you had nothing to gain.

4. What are some ways you feel you have served and given sacrificially? Did you feel blessed by God after those moments?

5. What next step can you take to better love and serve others, like Jesus would?

1. He speaks … I listen.

2. He asked … I respond.

3. He moves … I discover.

4. He calls … I surrender.

Content

1. We don’t have to admit our needs before Jesus calls us.

2. There is a tendency to raise the standard to where we are rather than where we started. We forget how hard it is to start out with no experience and we often expect high performance. We expect people to be ‘here’ and forget what it takes to get here.

3. When we forget the process it takes, we stop being patient.

4. Peter went along with what Jesus said because He asked him to do it (let down the nets).

5. This experience changed Peter’s perspective about Jesus and about himself; he saw himself as a sinner and he saw that there was more to Jesus than he had realized.

6. Jesus’ point wasn’t to catch fish, but to catch Peter for something more, to be a true follower.

7. Our walk with Jesus is a journey, a process. We focus on progress we should make and then we make progress.

8. God often uses gentle promptings or insistent poundings to guide us to adjust our behavior and thinking.

9. If it’s Jesus asking, we can be certain it will be good if we choose for Him. Give Him a crack in our lives and watch the difference He makes — things that wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t responded.

10. Much of this path is discovery. When we see God answer prayer, change circumstances and change us, our faith grows and we see that God is real.

11. Jesus wants to reveal more of Himself to us.

12. Jesus still wants us despite our shortcomings.

13. When Jesus calls us to something bigger, it’s more than security on earth; it has eternal significance.

14. Following implies that someone is leading. Jesus is taking this relationship somewhere. He has a purpose and plan for our lives.

15. We shouldn’t think of the whole distance we need to go, but just the next step.

16. It’s OK to doubt and struggle, but let Jesus speak and you respond.

Aim

We need to listen to hear Jesus’ voice, then respond, discover and surrender. We need to give over more and more of who we are to Him and He involves us more in the things that are on His heart — people.

Application Questions

1. What does it mean to be a Jesus follower?

2. What are some factors that have happened in your life, or choices that you’ve made, that affected where you ended up? Some things that might not have happened if you had said “no” to the opportunity?

3. Peter’s response and focus are about self, not the fish. Why do you think this is so?

4. The disciples left everything and followed Jesus. What did that mean? How would you react if God asked you to leave everything to follow Him?

5. Where are you on this journey of following Jesus?

6. What do you think would have happened if Peter had said “no” to Jesus’ request? Have you ever said “no” to God?

7. What’s your next step on your journey with Jesus?

Outline: Are we following Jesus’ Call? Are we following Jesus’ example?

Content: 1. The four Gospels are full of accounts of the life of Jesus and His language of following, this invitation by Jesus to do life with Him.

2. Jesus invited the tax collector, Matthew, to follow Him. Jesus does not call the righteous but the sinners.

3. Jesus hangs out with sinners. What kind of person can be comfortable around folks who are the complete opposite? What kind of person can make those folks who are the complete opposite comfortable?

4. Do not let the people in church who might not welcome you, as in shun, dismiss, or judge you, get in the way of you reaching Jesus.

5. Jesus calls the sinner, the sick, the people with “stuff.”

6. Jesus points out sin to people but does not make us feel we are less because of it.

7. A prerequisite to receiving Jesus’ invitation to follow is to acknowledge you are a sinner and need Jesus.

8. The religious world’s view is that you first change and then you can join. Jesus’ approach is to first join us and then you will change.

9. Nothing—no sin, no failure, habit, or addiction, as well as no doubt or skepticism, question or struggle about faith or what the Bible says—stops Jesus from calling you.

10. Jesus’ focus is not on where you are not, but it is on where you can be when He says, “Follow me.”

11. Jesus quotes the Old Testament Hosea, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Imagine what our church would be like if we learned what this phrase really meant and practiced it.

12. Extend grace, embrace people where they are, welcome them, show them we have more in common than they thought; give someone another chance, show compassion and understanding.

Aim: Who are you following? Jesus’ approach to following His call: join Him and then you will change.

Application Questions:

1. How do we react to diversity at HCC? Do we welcome and include those different than us?

2. How closely are we as a church following Jesus’ example of welcoming and including everyone?

3. Do you hear Jesus’ call—no conditions, just an invitation to you to follow Him?

4. How difficult is it to acknowledge you are a sinner? Why?

1. According to Matt. 12:34, the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

2. The essence of the Christian life is experiencing and responding to God’s love by loving Him and others sacrificially.

3. Jesus had a perfect heart of love and modeled it. His greatest demonstration of love was sacrificing Himself for our sins.

4. God became visible in Jesus; He is the true picture of what God is like.

5. God’s love didn’t occur only 2,000 years ago, but can be seen in our love.

6. God’s people should be a true reflection of God’s nature.

7. It’s one thing for us to have the Holy Spirit but it’s another thing for the Holy Spirit to have us. He wants all of us. He wants to consume us with His presence and permeate our entire being.

8. We need to receive God’s love in all its fullness and in response, love God and take practical steps to love others.

9. Paul emphasized the way of love to the church in Corinth in 1 Cor. 13:4-8. Read that passage and substitute your name for the word ‘love’.

10. Agape love is a willingness to sacrifice for others even when we get nothing in return. It refers to the commitment to do what is best for others, even if there’s a personal cost for us.

11. The real test of love is how we react when things aren’t going well. We need to tap into the Spirit’s strength.

12. People sometimes fail us and hurt us, and it’s easy to want to withhold love when that happens. But it’s never an option to quit loving. We’re always called to walk in sacrificial love as Christ loved us. When we do that, it will please God and bring honor and glory to Him.

13. Loving others in tough times requires us to grow in our dependence on God. We don’t have what it takes on our own, so we need to ask God to love others through us.

14. In John 13:34-35 Jesus commanded us to love others.

15. True love always involves a giving of one’s self.

16. People who feel neglected are waiting for someone to show them God’s love.

17. Don’t wait for warm fuzzy feelings to motivate you to act. Make yourself available and act with deeds of kindness even if you don’t have loving feelings.

Aim

God’s love in our heart should never be contained.

Application Questions

1. What is your heart full of today? What are some topics you talk about a lot or hear about a lot?

2. What are some ways God shows His love or that you experience God’s love?

3. Who is Lord of your life — you or God? How do you show that?

4. Give examples of when you experienced God’s love through someone being kind to you, encouraging you, etc. Give examples of when you’ve done that for someone else.

5. What are some practical steps you can take to love others?

6. Give some specific examples of how you can model the traits in 1 Cor. 13:4-8.

7. Describe a time when you were hurt or wronged but you reacted in love.

8. What are some ways you can start a conversation about God, topics you can use?

9. Do you love Jesus more than anyone or anything else? Have you allowed Him to be Lord of your life?

10. Who will you reach out to this week to show God’s love?