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WEEK 3 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

December 15, 2024

Holy Moments: A moment to remember

Introduction:

Life has moments when we ask, “Why me?” or move forward with “What now.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, had that choice. Before Gabriel spoke his prophetic words announcing that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and that she would be the mother of the Messiah, she was well on her way to marrying the man of her dreams. You could picture her setting up her house, being a good carpenter’s wife, and raising Joseph’s children. But Gabriel’s news changed everything. It was a moment that changed everything.

Something To Talk About:

God often chooses the unlikely to do the extraordinary:

  1. Remember God’s promises from the past: “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel  and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever” (Luke 1:46-55). What a beautiful example of how having Scripture embedded deep within our hearts will help us to keep a Biblical perspective in the twists and turns of life. Her knowledge of Scripture helped her accept Gabriel’s message. Her understanding of Scripture gave her assurance of God’s promises. Her saturation in Scripture gave her the faith to rejoice at God’s call on her life. She is also an example of how knowing and believing God’s Word and His promises gives us the faith to praise Him when life doesn’t turn out the way we thought it would.
  2. Remember God’s Peace in the Present: We live in stressful times that make peace improbable, if not impossible. If so, remember this: God’s peace is available to you this very moment if you place absolute trust in Him. Today, let go of your concerns by turning them over to God. Trust Him in the present moment, and accept His peace…..in the present moment. The Lord says, “Peace I leave with you. my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful”– John 14:27 (HCSB). Mary had peace. Some say that Mary’s peace resulted from her faith, belief in the Lord, and following her Son’s teachings. Christ alone can bring lasting peace with God, peace among men, and peace within our hearts. God does not dwell in our past or future. He only relates to you in the present. When your thoughts and feelings dwell in the past or future, they do so apart from God’s presence. Draw near to Jesus: The more you draw near to Jesus, the more you will experience God’s peace in your daily life. Remember that God’s peace is permanent: God’s peace is a permanent solution, unlike worldly peace, which is temporary and dependent on circumstances.
  3. Remember God’s Power in the Future: Remembering God’s power in the future means actively recalling and trusting in God’s ability to work in your life, even when facing uncertainties ahead, drawing strength from the knowledge that He is in control and can bring about good outcomes, regardless of what challenges may arise; essentially, holding onto faith that God’s power will continue to be present in your future life. The Bible is filled with stories about people forgetting what God had done for them. In Deuteronomy 6:12 the Lord tells the Israelites “be careful not to forget the LORD, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt.” God gave this warning because He knew just how easy it is to forget God, the one that brought them into the promised land. Looking back at times when God has demonstrated His power in your life can strengthen your confidence in His ability to act in the future. Holding onto the Bible verses that speak of God’s faithfulness and provision as a source of hope for the future. Remembering God’s strength can provide comfort and motivation during challenging times. His power is endless.


Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel about Christmas this year? Are you already weary? Or are you full of hope and joy?
  2. What are some of the different things people mean when they use the phrase “peace on earth” or put a bumper sticker on their car that says “peace?”  What kind of peace do you think this world is seeking most?
  3. What progression do you see in Mary’s responses in Luke 1:29, 34, 38? Have you ever experienced going from confusion to questioning to faith? What was the situation? 
  4. What are some characteristics of biblical peace? What does it look like practically in your life?
  5. In your own experience, what has God shown you from His word or through spiritual disciplines that give you peace? Where does peace seem to leak out of your life? 
  6. How does the Advent season remind us that Jesus is our peace?
  7. God is bigger than you. Everything around us is made, including us, and it was made by someone other than us, and that someone is God, who must be bigger than us. The logic here is basic, but how does it affect us at the level of our hearts? When you think about God’s bigness about yourself, how does that make you feel? Or how has it made you feel in the past? 
  8. How has the power of God given you peace?
  9. What will you do? How will you or your group put into practice what you’ve learned today?
  10. How can you start to apply this message this week? What do you plan to do?

Take one thing home with you:

The Christmas season is in full swing. Houses are decorated with festive lights, gifts are under the tree, and Christmas music seems to play wherever you go. With all of the hustle and bustle that comes with Christmas, society makes it difficult for us to have peace. Everything and everyone is moving so fast. We often wonder, is finding peace amid all this even possible? Jesus promised that each one of us can experience true peace. John 14: 27  says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Without knowing God’s peace in this frenetic, what’s next world, we will continue struggling to gain control, always finding ourselves fighting stress and anxiety within. Yet focusing on God can bring us peace, no matter what swirls around us on any given day. He’s the answer to our place of refuge. He is our safe room for peace. We can never fully escape all the mess this world may bring. But amid what life offers us, we can remain steadfast and strong.

Often, living a peace-filled life comes down to a choice. Choosing to rely on Him, choosing to trust Him no matter what, choosing to pray in all that we face, choosing not to be anxious, choosing to believe that He’s always with us and in control, and choosing to set our thoughts on the peace that only He can give.