Advent is a season celebrated by the Church as a time of waiting for and ANTICIPATING the celebration of Jesus’ birth as well as His promise to come again. As everyone (gathering with family and friends) and everything (malls, shopping, restaurants, decorations) around us begins to grab our attention for Christmas, advent helps us to focus on those areas of great importance.
Advent is a season of the year leading up to Christmas. It usually begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas eve. The word advent means “arrival” and its purpose is to help us focus on the impending arrival of Jesus’ birth that we CELEBRATE at Christmas time. Advent also reminds us to look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus and to ask if we are indeed ready for His return. During this season our sermon series will guide you to experience the tension of this ANTICIPATION.
Discussion and Questions
1. Time – how much value do you put on the time you have at hand? Is it something you overvalue or undervalue?
2. Reflect carefully and examine how time impacts your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being?
3. Jesus calls us to a state of “alertness” (v36), God is always at work around us – Do we even care that He is working around us? Do we even understand what this means?
4. FOMO – “Fear Of Missing Out”, we FOMO on current events, the latest gadgets, and/or popular people – do we FOMO God’s presence and God’s works around us?
Prayer Ideas
If you are physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually exhausted it’s time to bring it to Jesus.
Let us pray that we will be “ALERT” to God’s work around us and to be ready with ACTIVE OBEDIENCE.
Pray for a family member or friend who needs the presence of Jesus in their life during this holiday season.
Take a moment to consider: Aside from Jesus – if you had the opportunity to invite anyone in history or the present, to your home for dinner who would it be? How would you prepare yourself, your home and your family for that special dinner?
Advent is a season of preparation. This week we see the story of John the Baptist instructing people to get ready because someone of great importance is coming. He describes the preparations that need to be made and those preparations have spiritual implications for us today. Are we ready? The ANTICIPATION is building.
Discussion and Questions
Valleys filled in – we all have parts in our lives that do not reach God’s standards, what are those areas we are willing to share with others for prayer and accountability?
High places lowered – we all have areas that are overinflated in our lives, what are those areas we are willing to share with others for prayer and accountability?
Crooked paths straightened – keeping focused on God’s call in your life – what has God called you to? What is God’s purpose for you?
Rough places smoothed – the Spirit is trying to make you more like Jesus – what personal areas do you need to Spirit to smooth out? What areas is the Spirit asking you to treat others the way Jesus did?
Prayer Ideas
Pray over the areas of your life that God wants to bring His presence and power. Pray over areas in your life that require humility and submission to God.
Pray over God’s purposes for you. Pray for an active obedience to the Holy Spirit as He works in your life?
Pray for a family member or friend who needs the presence of Jesus in their life during this holiday season.
