12.16.07

Small Group Plan - December 16, 2007

Posted in Small Group Plans at 8:00 am by Bob

“An Act of Courage”
Breath of Heaven
Small Group Plan
December 16, 2007

Dear Small Group Leader,

At a men’s devotional, a brother asked this question:

What’s the difference between a man with ten years of experience and a man with one year of experience ten times?

The difference?  One has a plan and is growing every year.  The other has no plan for growth and is simply repeating a casual faith over and over.  One is astonished by Jesus, the other is indifferent to Jesus.

OPEN IT / INTRODUCE IT …
· Why do we give gifts at Christmas?
· What is the most significant gift you have received?
· Why is it so special?

LOOK AT IT / STUDY IT …

    Threatened

Matthew 2:3
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Matthew 2:7-8
⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

Matthew 2:13
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

Matthew 2:16
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.

· How would you describe Herod’s character?
· Why was Herod the king so threatened by Jesus the child?

    Indifferent

Matthew 2:4-6
⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.  ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:  ⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”

· How could the Priests know the scripture and the details about “the Christ” but have no plans to discover and follow Him?
· What causes faith to plateau and become apathetic?

    Astonished

Matthew 2:1-2
¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2:9-12
⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.  ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

· What was driving the search of the wise men?
· How is the response of the Magi to the baby Jesus similar to the response of the Christian to the risen Jesus?

    Blessed

Luke 2:8-10
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 of great joy that will be for all the people.

Luke 2:13-17
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.

· Why did the shepherds immediately and without reservation look for Jesus?

USE IT / APPLY IT …
· Describe the person who lives as if everyone is a “rival.”
· How can a Christian go the through the motions of faith and worship without allowing any real growth or change?
· How can we keep our faith fresh and growing?
· What is the connection between fearing God and trusting God?

Close by asking God for a spirit of astonishment, joy, trust and submission?

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