Advent Week Four: Love
If there is one thing that we all know deep down, it is that we are made for love. We all spend our lives searching for it. We want to find another person who will love us for who we truly are. Yet we are also terrified of the opposite. What if that other person will see us as we truly are and reject us?
Advent 2024 Week 3: Joy
What is joy? Is it an emotion? A decision? An attitude? Joy is hard to define, but Joy is even harder to have. Most of us struggle to consistently find joy in our lives. It is much easier to focus on our circumstances. Are they good or bad? Are you too busy? Is your mental health struggling? Is work going well? Do you have enough money? Hows your marriage? If things are well, we’re happy. If they’re not, we’re sad.
Finding Joy in the Unexpected
Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope, only to find hope in the most unexpected place? Imagine being a shepherd on a cold night, just doing your job, when suddenly the sky lights up with angels proclaiming the birth of a Savior. This is the heart of the Christmas story—a story of unexpected joy and hope.
Discussion Questions for 12/15/24
In what ways does the message from the angels, 'Do not be afraid,' impact your understanding of joy during difficult times?
Advent 2024 Week Two Reading: Faith
The culture has changed over the last few generations. We now live in a world where faith is something to shake your head at. It’s something only fools hold. It is seen as the opposite of reason, the delusion that religions use to control their followers. People with faith are those who bury their heads in the sand and refuse to acknowledge that science and technology have advanced past the need for any sort of God.
Advent 2024 Week One Reading: Hope
From the moment sin entered the world, from the moment that our evil choices broke our relationship with God, humanity has struggled to find meaning and purpose. We look around ourselves every day at the crooked and bent lifestyles of violence, greed, and hatred that are so prevalent in our world and it is difficult to figure out what can be done about any of it.
Discussion Questions for 12/01/24
How are you doing spiritually right now? How might you like to see God move in your heart this Advent season? Write down some specific spiritual goals.
Forgiving with Your Whole Heart: A Journey of True Reconciliation
Have you ever found yourself struggling to forgive someone who has wronged you repeatedly? You’re not alone. Forgiveness is one of the hardest commands Jesus gives us, yet it’s also one of the most transformative. In Matthew 18, Jesus challenges us to forgive not just seven times, but seventy times seven. This isn’t about keeping count of a specific number. It’s about cultivating a heart that seeks reconciliation over retribution.
Discussion Questions for 11/24/25
Look at verses 21-22. When Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who wrongs him, what is Jesus' response and what does this teach us about the nature of forgiveness?
Why Is Matthew 18:11 Missing in Most Bibles?
If you’ve ever opened your Bible to Matthew 18, you might have noticed something strange: verse 11 is missing. If you’re using a modern translation like the NIV, ESV, or NASB, you simply won’t find it. But if you’re using a King James Version (KJV) you’ll see that Matthew 18:11 is still included.
Embracing Discipline as an Act of Love
In Matthew 18, Jesus gives us a roadmap for dealing with sin in the church. He uses the image of "little ones" to describe us—weak, needy, and prone to conflict. We need Jesus, and we need each other. The main point of this teaching is clear: The church disciplines sin because it is an act of love that Christ has empowered us to enact.
Discussion Questions for 11/17/24
What are some specific ways we can be proactive about addressing sin within our community? How can you do this individually?
Chasing After the Wanderers
Have you ever felt like you're just not good at being a Christian? Like you're stumbling through your spiritual journey, unsure of your footing? You're not alone. In fact, Jesus himself described his followers as "little ones," vulnerable and needy, much like children. This isn't a criticism but a profound truth about our spiritual lives. We are all weak and in need of guidance, and that's exactly where Jesus meets us.
Discussion Questions for 11/10/24
Part of Jesus’ comparison of his followers to little children is a child’s propensity to struggle and stumble in life. How do you see this working out in your own faith journey? How does this effect the way you consider other’s weaknesses and failures in faith?
Discussion Questions for 11/03/24
Take a moment to consider some examples of pride in your own life and write them down. How can a child-like humility help you build stronger relationships in your church community?
Navigating the Election with a Christ-Like Heart
In Matthew 22:17-21, Jesus masterfully navigates a political trap set by the Pharisees. His response to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's," provides a profound insight into how we can balance our earthly responsibilities with our heavenly citizenship. This isn't just about paying taxes; it's about understanding that our ultimate allegiance is to God. Jesus makes the surprising statement that Alignment with God and some form of participation in corrupt earthly societies are not inherently at odds.