Connect How do you typically get ready for Christmas? How can you get ready in light of Jesus’ return?

Warm-Up

1. What are the common portrayals of love that you witness in popular culture? 
2. Outside of the Bible, do you have a favourite love story? Does it have any shortcomings?
3. How is God’s love different? Why is God’s love such better news?

Read John 3:16-17

4. According to John, what is the driving motivation of God to send his Son?
5. What reminds you of God’s love on a regular basis in your life?
6. Who is the ultimate giver? What is the significance of God’s love being given and not earnt?
7. What does it mean to you to know that God is the one who has taken the initiative?
8. When John says “gave” what is the decisive and definitive act that he is pointing to? Why is it so important that God’s love is not a future promise but a present reality based on a past victory?
9. How is it good news that God’s love is not dependent on us? If God’s love was dependent on us, how would it spell disaster for us? How has the security of God’s love spurred you on in life?
10. What amazes you about God’s love? What gives you confidence in God’s love?
11. Who has God given to us? What is the significance of Jesus being God’s one and only Son?
12. How have you ever been given something unique? How unique is God’s gift for us?
13. When John refers to ‘the world’, what is he referring to? What condition is this world in?
14. Why is it counterintuitive that Jesus would die for a world in rebellion? What do we deserve?
15. Apart from Jesus, what is our destiny according to John? In him, what are we saved to?
16. Who are we saved through? How is that possible? In what way does it involve judgement for sin?
17. Even when we severely love someone, how is our love limited? What is the limit of God’s love?

Read John 3:18-19

18. What is the way that we receive God’s gift of saving love to us? What does it mean to ‘believe’?
19. For those who love Jesus (believe and trust in him), how are we called to express that love?
20. How does God help us to express his love in the world? What also helps you to do that?
21. As we’ve considered the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus brings, how might that shape your celebration of Christmas this year?

Apply In the coming year, how do you long to grow as a disciple of Jesus? What will help you to do that?

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On Your Front Line this Week

Pray for the people you will celebrate Christmas with, and for the people you will interact with in your preparations in the shops and at the supermarket.

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen (sermon): “Christmas Peace” by Tim Keller:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/christmas-peace/ 
• Listen (sermon): “Heaven Comes to Earth” by Tim Sheppard:
  https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/58761/ 
• Listen (sermon): “The Gift of Peace” by Johnny Dyer:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/206375/H009_Christmas_Peace.aspx?show_media=99601&show_file=109304 
• Listen (sermon): “Peace on Earth” by Glenn Nesbitt:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/peace-on-earth/#sermons 
• Watch (video): “Shalom - Peace” by the Bible Project:
  https://bibleproject.com/videos/shalom-peace/ 

Series Resources

• Read: “Advent (Fullness of Time Series)” by Tish Harrison Warren. 📚 
• Devotional: “Sing in Exultation”” by Jonanthan Landry Cruse. 📚
• Devotional: “The One True Gift” by Tim Chester. 📚
• Devotional: “Advent for Everyone: Luke” by Tom Wright. 📚
• Read: “What Christians Ought to Believe” by Michael Bird. 📚 
• Read: “Is Christmas Unbelievable” by Rebecca McLaughlin. 📚 
• Read: “The God who Became Human” by Graham Cole. https://bit.ly/3g68RBj  
• Read: “On the Incarnation” by Athanasius. https://bit.ly/3E5gLmB  
• Watch: “The Incarnation (Spoken Word)” by Humble Word. https://bit.ly/3OhgPUP  
• Listen: A Carols Playlist (curated by the St Bart’s staff team): https://spoti.fi/3OaJsTK 

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