Luke 1:26-37

I. When God changes your plans He’s trying to get your attention.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Proverbs 14:12

II. When God changes your plans it also means God has a better plan.

I know what I am planning for you, says the Lord. I have good plans for you. Not plans to hurt you. And I will give you hope and a good future.
Jeremiah 29:11

We know God’s plan is bigger than your plan.
We know God’s plan is more rewarding.
We know God’s plan is at times harder.

III. God wants you to trust Him.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Hebrews 11:6

Three warning signs of lack of trust: fatigue, frustration, fear.

The Lord will work out his plans for my life for his faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 138:8

John 3:16-21

I. A Spirit of giving.

At the very heart of a liberated, joyful, Spirit-filled Christianity is the nature and character of giving.

II. Giving in relationships.

III. The giving nature of God.

Ephesians 1
Vs. 3 “…God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing…”
Vs. 4 “ He chose us to be holy and blameless in his sight.”
Vs. 5 “In love he predestined us/chose us to be adopted as his sons and daughters.”
Vs. 7 “In him we have redemption through his blood.”
Vs. 9 “He made known to us the mystery of his will.”
Vs. 11-14 “you were chosen and included in Christ and marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…”

God says, “I want to spend eternity with you!”

The great announcement of Christianity is not that you have accepted God. The great announcement of Christianity is that God has accepted you!”

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

“Rising from the debris of our lost values is the new value on the individual. The ‘me’ generation has given way to a ‘me’ world. The question is, how will the church, the ultimate ‘WE’ organization, adjust?”
– Church Consultant, Lyle Schaller in The Connecting Church by Randy Frazee

A life without connection brings isolation.

Loneliness is a warning light on the dash board of your life that confirms that you are running low on the primary fuel you need: connection.

A life without connection brings exhaustion.

A life without connection brings frustration.

Godly and meaningful connection brings production.

Godly and meaningful connection brings provision.

Godly and meaningful connection brings protection.

Matthew 9:35-38

1. We must engage in rigorous biblical instruction.

2. Evangelism must be at the heart of the church’s life.  

Acts 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes…

3. We should plant churches.

Matthew 24:1-14

I. Take heed to yourself. (Do not be deceived.)
Vs. 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed (watch out) that no one deceives you.’

II. See that you are not troubled.
Vs. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

III. Guard your love for God.
Vs. 12 And because lawlessness (iniquity) will abound, the love of many will grow (wax) cold.

Guard your heart with all diligence for from it flow the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23

Above all guard the door of your mind with diligence, for out of it re the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23 A Faithful Version

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 New Living Translation

IV. Endure.
Vs. 13 but the one who stands firm (endures) to the end will be saved.

V. Preach the gospel!
Vs. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Like what you're hearing? Keep the conversation going. Find a few people to talk with about the things you've been learning. Here are a few questions that you can use to kickstart some conversation.

• Who sleeps with your phone? Who checks email on vacation? Who looks at social media first thing every
morning? Last thing of the day? While you’re driving? Posts from the bathroom?
• Describe your love/hate relationship with technology in a few phrases.
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how addicted are you to technology and why?
• Which app, game, or form of media is the biggest problem for you? What about it makes you admit it’s a problem?
• What are some signs that technology is your master?
• How has the amount of time you spend staring at your phone or computer affected your relationships with the
people around you in real life?
• How much time do you think is healthy for you to spend on your phone daily?
• How would you feel if you skipped all online media for a day? A week? A year?
• What are some signs that you aren’t experiencing the kind of rest God wants you to?
• Is “stillness” even something you want? What would you give up to get it? Why might you avoid being still?
• What is a good defensive plan for you and those you love to overcome or prevent an addiction to technology?
• What is a good offensive plan to seek God first in your life?

Choose a closing question to help each person identify their next steps.

• What actions will you take to seek true rest from Christ?
• What change will you make this week to get rest for your soul?
• What steps will you take to “do your best to enter into His rest”?

Like what you're hearing? Keep the conversation going. Find a few people to talk with about the things you've been learning. Here are a few questions that you can use to kickstart some conversation.

• What’s the most awkward overshare you’ve seen on social media? Take a few minutes to laugh about it!
• It’s time #TBH (to be honest). Everyone think of something you feel bad about not feeling bad about. Then, take turns finishing the sentence, “I couldn’t care less about _____.”
• In your own life or in the lives of others, how have you noticed that people don’t care as much?
• If someone followed you around, what evidence might they see that you’re obsessed with yourself? (Bonus for admitting you’d love it if someone watched your every move.)
• Share an example of something you would say you care about that you don’t do anything about. Try to identify what’s keeping you from turning those feelings into action.
• How has serving and caring for others impacted your life?
• Share a time when you showed compassion and it ended up changing you more than the person you were caring for.
• In real life, compassion interrupts our lives and has high costs. How can getting closer to Christ help you overcome those obstacles?
• Pastor Gregg said, “The closer I get to Jesus, the less I care about me, and the more I care about people.” How have you found this to be true for you?

End with a challenge to take action.

• What can we do to put action to our compassion this week? How can our group love people better?
• Who is someone you love who could really use some actual care this week? What will you do to reach out to them?
• How and where is God calling you to care? What action will you take this week?

Like what you're hearing? Keep the conversation going. Find a few people to talk with about the things you've been learning. Here are a few questions that you can use to kickstart some conversation.

• Share something silly that was a struggle for you this week that isn’t really a big deal compared to deeper #struggles.
• Share a time when you worked to create a social media moment instead of just engaging in the situation.
• Scroll through the things you’ve posted online. Share the real story that was going on that might not show in the carefully crafted photo or post.
• How many close friends do you have?. How far off is this number from what you think would be God’s best for you?
• Do you see any area of your life where you are starting to fear or avoid unfiltered communication?
• What’s something about you that you’d never reveal to your wider group of “friends” on your social media page?
• What veil are you wearing? What are some situations where you find yourself showing “the me I want you to see”?
• Who are the people who get to see the real you?
• What efforts do you take to pre-plan conversations? How do these filtered communications affect your ability to have authentic friendships in other settings?
• What does Christ need to do in you to help you to live a filter-free life?

End with a challenge to take action.

• What can our group do to be open, real, and authentic with each other? What would it take for us to really remove all filters between us?
• What step can you take to challenge yourself to be authentic this week? If all of your ideas are within social media and not in real life, what will you do to challenge yourself to open up in person?
• How can we help each other with our #struggles this week?

Like what you're hearing? Keep the conversation going. Find a few people to talk with about the things you've been learning. Here are a few questions that you can use to kickstart some conversation.

• Talk about any anxiety or compulsions you
experience being untethered to your device.
• What’s the dumbest thing you’re into online?
• From Pinterest to World of Warcraft, what’s your biggest technology distraction?
• What does the word “friend” mean to you? What are the different ways you use that term?
• In what ways might technology change how you connect in your relationships?
• Share a time when you got a text or saw a post that was exactly what you needed at that moment. How can you do a better job of using technology to engage with others?
• How have you used technology to connect to someone in a positive, meaningful way?
• What are some signs that you may be addicted to immediate affirmation?
• Would your online friends know you’re a disciple of Christ like John 13:35 describes? How can you show who Christ is to you besides just giving Jesus a shout-out in your profile?
• How can your church community be a better expression of Hebrews 10:24-25? What can we do to make that true of our relationships?

End with a challenge to take action. Choose a closing question to help each person identify their next steps.

• What will you do this week to practice the power of presence?
• Who do you need to “really love” this week? How will you live out what Romans 12:9-13 and John 13:34 describe?
• How can we help each other with our #struggles this week?

Like what you're hearing? Keep the conversation going. Find a few people to talk with about the things you've been learning. Here are a few questions that you can use to kickstart some conversation.

• Share the most ridiculous selfie you’ve seen recently.
• If you could switch lives with someone, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
• Between the weekend message and now, which areas of discontentment has God exposed in you?
• On a scale of 1-10 (1=not at all, 10=completely) how satisfied are you with your life? Why did you choose that number? What would it take to move that number up?
• What are some differences between comparing yourself to God’s standard and comparing yourself to the world’s standard?
• In what area do you feel most content? Why is that?
• In what area do you feel least content? Why do you think that is? What can you do about that to change it?
• What are some specific sources of envy you need to block from your life?
• Paul shares his secret to contentment in Philippians 4:12-13. Talk about what living through Christ’s strength looks like in daily life.
• What are some blessings of others that we can celebrate together? What changes could you notice about how you feel after taking time to do this?

End with a challenge to take action.

• How will you cultivate gratitude through Christ’s strength this week? Specifically what do you commit to do?
• What steps would you need to take to make Christ all you need? How can you increase that this week?