Coming out of Sunday Nov 29th’s teaching, “The Gifts of Advent: LOVE”, spend some time in prayerful reflection and dialogue with your Home Church/Friends/Family around any combination of these questions:
Read John 3:16, James 1:16-17 and Acts 20:35 before starting. Pray and ask God to speak.
- Jeff opened his sermon by talking about how unique and complex this Christmas season is due to the pandemic. How are (or aren’t) you experiencing that in your life? (Relationally? Emotionally? Spiritually? Physically?) How are you feeling about these things?
- Jeff talked about how we can make this Christmas great, despite the pandemic; it starts by knowing who God is and how he expressed his love that first Christmas (“He “GAVE”) – that “God is a giver, not a taker.” What is your reaction to this truth about God from Scripture (John 3:16)? What makes it hard, for some, to see God as a “giver” and not a “taker”?
- What is the connection between ‘love’ and ‘giving’? Can you truly love without ‘giving’?
- James 1:16-17 says that “every good and perfect gift comes from God.” Can you think of any specific moments from your life where have been moved by God’s generosity towards you in your life? What are some good and perfect gifts that you can see in your life this year, despite the pandemic?
- Jeff shared the story/legend of Martin Luther and the First Christmas Tree, connecting the image of the tree to a symbol of God’s love and generosity towards us in Christ. What was your reaction to this story? How might you now look at your Christmas tree differently?
- Jeff talked about what would make this Christmas great; It’s to choose to love like God by being givers instead of takers. What does this idea mean to you?
- In Acts 20:35, we see there that Jesus once said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” How are ‘givers’ “more blessed” when they give rather than receive? What can this look like in our lives?
- Jeff shared the story of “the monkey jar”, contrasting Zacchaeus with the Rich Young Ruler. What are some monkey jars in our culture that are hard for us to let go of? What can happen to us (and in us) if we don’t let go? What can happen to us (and is us) if we do?
- Jeff shared a few ways that we can live as ‘givers’ instead of ‘takers’ this Christmas:
- Contribute to the Ottawa Compassion Collective Fundraiser
- Give directly to another local ministry or charity in need (First Place Options, Jericho Rd, OIM)
- Give a year-end gift to the work God is doing through The Gathering
- Give to people in our community and church family
- PRAY! Ask God where (and how) he wants you to give this season.
- How do you sense God inviting you to share his love by being a giver instead of a taker this Christmas?
