Our Prayer

Our Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned against You and that my sins separate me from You. I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my sinful past and turn to You for forgiveness. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, that He was raised from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become my Savior and the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You and to convict me when I sin. I pledge to grow in grace and knowledge of You. My greatest purpose in life is to follow Your example and do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Class Lesson December 20, 2020

 


Question 1:

What are some traditions that bring you joy

at Christmas?


THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
The Christmas season is evident in so many ways: trees and lights, choirs and carols, and adorable kids acting out the Nativity story. Alongside these cherished old traditions have come new ones like ugly Christmas sweaters and non-stop Hallmark® movies. 

So many of us relish these traditions because they take us back to our childhood. Christmas is also a reason for families to gather together. We find joy in these moments. Yet, many of us struggle to find joy in these same traditions since they only serve as reminders of the ones we used to celebrate with, such as deceased parents, spouses, or other family members. Or the broken family that used to be together.

Our joy should not be tied to the outward trappings of Christmas. When family goes home and we take down the decorations, we often put away our joy too. But our true joy should rise out of the reason behind Christmas, a purpose often lost in the array of Christmas trimmings and lights. We can embrace a joy year-round—even when life is hard. It’s a joy that rises out of life in Christ.


WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Psalm 95:1-3

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.

Who doesn’t want to be happy and joyful?! Those feelings are often the driving force behind what we do. Parents may give their kids certain gifts that are good for them, but kids want gifts that are fun and will fill them with happiness. Adults are no different. We may need a new vacuum cleaner, but a new 65-inch TV would really make us happy! 

There is a distinction between happiness and joy. Our English word “happiness” is rooted in coincidence, chance, and good luck. In this sense, happiness is based on our outward circumstances. Happiness comes and goes depending on whether or not the sun is shining, we hit several green lights, or our team is headed for the playoffs. Most people see little distinction between happiness and joy; they feel joyful when they’re happy. But from a biblical perspective, joy is independent of outside events. It can be raining hard as you sit at one red light after another listening to sports radio talk about how poorly your team did, but you can still experience joy.

The difference comes in where we look for joy and happiness. Joy is wrapped up in God. Circumstances change—and change often—but God never changes. When we look to God and consider all He has done for us, we are drawn to trust Him; that leads to joy. In Psalm 95, we see the character and work of God.

  • The rock of our salvation. While a rock makes us think of God as immovable, it’s also a reminder of when the Israelites were in the wilderness and desperate for water. At God’s command, Moses struck a rock and life-giving water gushed out (Ex. 17:1-7). The rock is God Himself, and He has repeatedly proven that He will provide what we desperately need.

Question 2: 

What are some ways salvation from God brings joy to your life?

  • The great God. He is almighty and all-knowing. Nothing is beyond His knowledge or power.                                                                                                                                           
  • A great King above all gods. No other “gods” come close to the One true sovereign Lord of the universe. Because our God reigns over these “gods,” they are proven to be frauds and no gods at all.

This psalmist called for us to “sing for joy” and “shout aloud” to the almighty God because He works His might and salvation on our behalf. The psalmist repeatedly referred to God as “the Lord,” which in Hebrew was the name Yahweh, the name by which God revealed Himself and entered into a covenant relationship with His people (Ex. 3:14-15). Those who trust God and enter into a relationship with Him are recipients of His salvation, His care, and His provision.

When we focus on ourselves, joy is absent. But when we look to God, we see the One who carries us through regardless of outward circumstances or our own internal deficiencies. He saves us from our troubles. He saves us from our sin. He saves us from ourselves. Then we find true joy.

When we reflect on the goodness and greatness of God, we’re compelled to thank Him and joyfully praise Him. Joyful praise is something believers should do in private as well as with others. Notice that the psalmist repeatedly called to the people: “Let us come before him with thanksgiving” and “extol him with music and song” (v. 2). Joyful praise is contagious.

We turn our attention to the events of Jesus’ birth to see the way He truly was “the Rock of our salvation.”


Luke 2:4-7

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Jesus wasn’t born just anywhere; He was born in “Bethlehem the town of David” (v. 4), a fact foretold by the prophet Micah eight hundred years earlier. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Mic. 5:2).

Joseph traveled with Mary 85-90 miles south of their hometown of Nazareth. Such a trip would take anywhere from four to seven days of hard travel during that time, but God orchestrated events through an empire-wide census that would require Joseph to be in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-3). This census affirms another important fact about Jesus: He “belonged to the house and line of David.”



JOY TO THE WORLD
Use the template below to write your own psalm of praise to God.


Lord, You are great and mighty!


I see Your greatness in

______________________________________________ .


I feel Your power when I

______________________________________________ .


You have proven Your faithfulness by

______________________________________________ .


You are worthy of praise because

_______________________________________________ .


Help me, God, to share my joy with

_______________________________________________ .


“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but
I will see you again and you will rejoice,
and no one will take away your joy.”
JOHN 16:22


Men were required to participate in the census, but nothing indicates women had to go. Mary could’ve stayed in Nazareth for the rest of her pregnancy! Perhaps she wanted to get away from the gossip that likely was continually circulating about her in Nazareth. Although Mary and Joseph were betrothed and considered husband and wife, they were not yet living together in a consummated marriage (Matt. 1:18,25).

Once Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, we don’t know if they were there two hours or two weeks before Jesus was born, but we should note that His birth took place in the most humble conditions because “there was no guest room available for them” (v. 7). His first crib was a feeding trough.

In his novel titled The Prince and the Pauper, Mark Twain told the story of a prince who met a poor boy his age who bore an uncanny resemblance to him. They decided to change places temporarily to see how the other half lives. This made for an interesting plot device in a novel, but Jesus didn’t come to earth out of curiosity, to see how the other half lives.

Jesus came to earth with a set purpose: to bring us salvation.


Question 3:

How would you sum up the good news of Jesus’ birth?


Luke 2:8-14

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 


For a group of shepherds, a quiet evening watching out for the sheep was interrupted by the sudden appearance of an angel standing in front of them. They certainly would not have mistaken the angel for someone who just walked up, because “the glory of the Lord shone around them” (v. 9). The shepherds “were terrified”—as I’m sure we would be too.

The angel proclaimed “good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (v. 10). The impact of that announcement may be lost on those of us who are so familiar with the Christmas story, but these were breathtaking words for these shepherds. Scholars believe that, by this point in history, shepherding had lost the noble status it once held when Abraham, Moses, and David kept sheep. These shepherds were outcasts because others saw them as dirty and dishonest. These were the “down and outs” who couldn’t catch a break. They were overlooked by others, but not by God. This “good news of great joy” was for them too! 


Question 4: 

How does Jesus’ birth mean joy to the world?

The good news proclaimed the birth of the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus was acknowledged even at His birth as Savior and Lord. Such a joy-filled promise of hope and salvation could not be contained. After the angel’s announcement, he was joined by a great chorus of other angels proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Can we do any less?

Question 5: 

What are some ways we can share Christ in a way 

that reflects the good news of great joy? 







LIVE IT OUT

How will you embrace and express joy during the season of Christmas? Choose one of the following activities:

  • Accept. Christ came to forgive you, restore you, and give you hope and a future. If you have never trusted Christ for salvation, do so now. Talk to your group leader or read the inside cover of this book.                                                                                                     
  • Praise. Make praise a regular part of your prayer time. Don’t let your joy in Christ fade; instead, continually praise Him and remember all He has done.                                                                                   
  • Share. The greatest gift you can give someone this Christmas is the good news of why Jesus came to earth. Tell someone else about the salvation and joy you experience because of Christ. 

Christmas is a time of great joy and celebration. But it’s important to remember the reason for our joy is one based not on a holiday season but on an eternal hope. Take joy in your relationship with Christ and share that joy with others! 


Merry Christmas and we hope to see you this Sunday!

David & Susan

Teacher Notes:



Embracing Joy

In “Surprised by Joy” C. S. Lewis describes the moment his older brother “Warnie” brought into the nursery an old biscuit tin which he had filled with moss and decorated with twigs and flowers. For some reason, presented with this simple toy garden, the young Lewis found himself overwhelmed for the very first time with a deep sense of longing for something he could neither name nor trace; a feeling he would later describe as a “stab of joy”. For Lewis, the search for the source of this longing became a lifelong quest. He said himself that the central story of his life was about nothing else.

 

He would later recognize these sudden aches of longing: a deep spiritual hunger for God ─ not just for an intellectual knowledge of God, but for a real relationship with Him. These deep longings in Lewis’ life ─ these stabs of Joy ─ worked as flashing sign-markers pointing him down the path toward Christ.

 

True Joy, as Lewis presents it to us, is the ache for something beyond this world. The Holy Spirit uses this restlessness to awaken our spiritual hunger. When little moments of life ─ like the way the light falls on a summer evening ─ stir you with a deep longing that’s hard to define, don’t look to earthly pursuits to fill the void. Instead, allow the ache to push you deeper into your relationship with God. Pursue Him. Allow that longing for Him to become the hottest fire in your heart.

 

Ok...

Stabs of Joy this Christmas?

 

 

Like Lewis, I have found my life punctuated by these stabs of joy, the ebb and flow of longing shaping the landscape of my story. Sometimes it comes like an old friend on a perfect summer’s day, invited in by sunshine, friendship and the pink clouds of cherry blossom. For just a moment the joy is bigger than I am and I know without doubt that it comes from somewhere deeper than picnics and good conversation.

Sometimes it comes apparently out of nowhere, an unexpected gift on a grey Thursday in February when my head is bent and my heart is ready for anything but joy.

Sometimes it’s in the small things. Laughter that makes your eyes water and hangs in the air between good friends, even when the moment has passed. The silence that comes after snow. Watching the sunrise while the rest of the world sleeps. The moment you first read a poem or hear a piece of music that cuts through your defenses and leaves your soul bare. Waking up to the sound of the sea. Undeserved forgiveness.

Over the years the list has grown. The first time I held my baby daughters. The moment they took their first steps. The nights I have watched them reach for God through tears, finding Him more than worthy of their trust.

 

Most recently of all, and this one is new for me, there are the stabs of joy that are found in the presence of grief. The moment when all around is thick and dark and then, like a splash of color on an empty canvas, comes the realization that this is not how it will always be. That God is present in our pain and moved by our tears. That grief is so deep because it is foreign to souls that were created for joy. Sometimes just knowing this is enough to kindle fires of hope in the midst of darkness.

These, and many more, are the stabs of joy that keep me longing for a home I haven’t yet known. They are whispers in the language of my soul reminding me that what we see now is just a shadow of all that is to come.

 

The Christmas season can bring about many joy-filled moments. Many of us relish our Christmas traditions because they take us back to our childhood.

 

Our joy should not be tied so much to the season of Christmas as it should be to the reason behind Christmas, a purpose often lost in season’s display. We can embrace a joy year-round—even when life is hard.

 

 

It’s a joy that rises out of life in Christ.

 

The Point: We can experience great joy because Jesus saves.

 

PRAY: asking God to help the group understand the importance of embracing the great joy Jesus gives through salvation. Thank Him for the joy He brings to the world and to us as individuals.

 

Psalm 95:1-3

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.

 

What are some ways salvation from God brings joy to your life?

 

When we reflect on the goodness and greatness of God, we’re compelled to thank Him and joyfully praise Him. Joyful praise is something believers should do in private as well as with others. Notice that the psalmist repeatedly called to the people: “Let us come before him with thanksgiving” and “Extol him with music and song” (v. 2). Joyful praise is contagious. We turn our attention to the events of Jesus’ birth to see the way He truly was “the Rock of our salvation.”

 

We can experience joy because God is our salvation. In the next verses, we see that Jesus, the Son of God, was born to bring us salvation.

 

 

Luke 2:4-7

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 

What a Stab of Joy this moment must have been for Mary and Joseph.

 

Why it was so significant that Jesus be born in Bethlehem?

 

Jesus wasn’t born just anywhere; He was born in “Bethlehem the town of David” (v. 4), a fact foretold by the prophet Micah eight hundred years earlier. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Mic. 5:2).

 

Joseph traveled with Mary 85-90 miles south of their hometown of Nazareth. Such a trip would take anywhere from four to seven days of hard travel during that time, but God orchestrated events through an empire-wide census that would require Joseph to be in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-3). This census affirms another important fact about Jesus: He would be “of the house and family line of David.”

 

How do you keep the Christmas story fresh each year?

In his novel titled The Prince and the Pauper, Mark Twain told the story of a prince who met a poor boy his age who bore an uncanny resemblance to him. They decided to change places temporarily to see how the other half lives.

 

This made for an interesting plot device in a novel, but Jesus didn’t come to earth out of curiosity, to see how the other half lives. Jesus came to earth with a set purpose: to bring us salvation.

 

In the next verses, we see the birth of Jesus is cause for great joy.

 

Luke 2:8-14

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 

For a group of shepherds, a quiet evening watching out for the sheep was interrupted by the sudden appearance of an angel standing in front of them. They certainly would not have mistaken the angel for someone who just walked up, because “the glory of the Lord shone around them” (v. 9). The shepherds “were terrified”—as I’m sure we would be too.

 

 How does Jesus’ birth mean joy to the world?

 

 The JOY of SALVATION

Christmas is when we joyfully celebrate God’s gift of Christ Jesus to the world. READ

 

Thinks about this:

Good news of great joy – a message of hope that brings joy

For all people – for every person on earth

Savior – the exact need for sinful humanity

Messiah, the Lord – the One sent from God to save humanity from sin

 

Close: Christmas is a time of great joy and celebration. But it’s important to remember the reason for our joy is one based not on a holiday season but on an eternal hope. Take joy in your relationship with Christ and share that joy with others!