For our final episode of 2024, we want to connect you to a high point of the greatest story ever! Christmas is the point in our story where our Rescuer enters the plot-line to begin the battle to reclaim all we have lost – life, purpose, meaning, joy and peace. Enjoy soaking in the details of the birth of our Savior, Jesus. Use these discussion questions as prompts for your family and/or gathering to connect more personally and deeply to the greatest story ever.
1. The angel told the shepherds that the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord hadbeen born in Bethlehem – role play with your family or group, as if you had been the shepherds, the initial discussion they must have had after the angels left them, before they decided to go into Bethlehem to see it for themselves. See if you can really get into character and discuss everything they might have been processing, from the shock of seeing the angels to the content of the message and its ramifications, to the decision to finally go see it themselves.
2. In the broader story, Joseph is going to be communicated to by an angel as well, but for the specific story we’ve read he’s in the story but he’s having to rely on some second-hand communication through Mary and the shepherds. Discuss from Joseph’s perspective …
A. Would the details of the baby, his birth, and his identity/purpose have been easy for you to believe and accept, or difficult? Andwhy?
B. As men like to do, Joseph undoubtedly would have had his mind flooded with thoughts of the future, his future, the role he would be responsible to play, how his life was about to look radically different than he’d previously thought or dreamed – talk through together what you think this night, the event of Jesus’ birth would have been like to him/for him – including the struggles of faith he probably did or would experience. Are there any similarities to his faith journey and yours? If so, what?
And, finally – here is the link to Help the Persecuted, which Tom mentioned in this episode. https://htp.org/
We’ll see you in 2025 – Merry Christmas!