Enjoy this Christmas/Advent Season with your family and brothers and sisters in Christ. Unto us a Savior is born! Blessings.

1. How can we comfort one another, including ourselves, in the midst of the tragic elementary school shooting in Connecticut? Any Scripture passages come to mind?
2. How can we be a light to a dark nation during this dark time. Give realistic and practical examples.
3. Assume you are out in the public and are able to start up a conversation with a non believer. Assuming you are concerned for their salvation, how would you respond if the individual says to you “I have always been open to the idea of a God, but I just can’t allow myself to follow a God that would allow such a horrible tragedy”?
4. What is the biblical relationship between God and evil?
5. Do you trust that God will completely “work all things for good” (Rom 8:28) or does your heart struggle with this truth? Share.

1. What points does Matthew emphasize to confirm the Messiahship of Christ in Matt chapters 1 and 2? Discuss.

2. What was the background and cultural context in which Christ was born? Do a little background study of this time period. Why is it important to understand the cultural context in which Christ was born?

3. Who were the Wise Men? What did they do? What role did they play in the birth of Christ and why were they important?

4. Who was Herod and what was his response to Christ’s birth? Why would he respond this way?

5. The Lord came to earth in complete humility. Are you being humble in your walk or are you struggling with pride? Share.

1. Why was it so important that Jesus came from the “line of David”?
2. What does the name “Jesus” mean? What is the significance of this name?
3. What are some Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled by Christ’s birth? List and share.
4. Are you approaching this Advent Season with awe, reverence, and joy, or are you buying into the stress and anxiety of our culture? Share.
5. What does the title “Emmanuel” mean. Why is it important?

1. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being perfect) where are you with your daily practice of the spiritual disciplines? Why? How can you improve?
2. Which discipline do you do the best with? Why?
3. Which discipline do you struggle the most with? Why?
4. Where are you with your time management? Why is it so important as Christians to be diligent with our time? Explain.
5. If observing the sabbath is included in the 10 commandments, it is clearly a priority. What do you do weekly to make the observance of the sabbath a priority? Share.

1. What are the prominent “False Teachings” of todays culture?
2. What are the prominent “False Teachings” that threaten the Church? Why? Explain.
3. How would you feel if you knew that Christ were returning for His people tomorrow? Would you feel comfort, fear, anxiety, etc.? Why? Explain.
4. If a nonbeliever were to say to you the following statement, how would you respond? “The world seems to just be falling apart. If God were real, surely he would not allow such violence and chaos, especially in his supposed ‘Holy Land’ (Israel)”.
5. How can your group encourage one another to live as if the Lord could return any day. Share with and pray for one another.

1. What characteristics have you learned about Peter in studying the first part of his second letter? How can you relate to Peter?
2. Do you fear death? Why? What does Peter tell us in his second letter to give us hope and freedom from fear of death?
3. Are you putting too much hope and focus on this current life or are you focused on the spiritual and eternal? Share.
4. Is your devotion to Christ where you want it to be? Why or why not. Share.
5. What can we do as individuals and as a church to ensure we are preserving the truth of God’s word? Gives examples. Share.

1. How does one make their “calling and election sure”.
2. How would you respond to a brother or sister who came to you and said “I don’t know if I am a Christian anymore. How can I know for sure?”
3. What are gentle yet biblical was one can help explain the doctrine of election to someone who is struggling to understand it?
4. How has God made your calling and election sure? Give examples and share.
5. Pray for those who are currently struggling in their faith.