ICEBREAKERS
Make sure to start off with prayer. Then choose one or more questions to open up with.
- What is your favorite Christmas movie or play?
- Are you ready for Christmas, or do you feel unprepared?
- Who was your hero when you were growing up?
Message Review
Main points and scriptures from this week's message.
This weekend, Pastor Kevin taught about how important our thinking is when it comes to being able to trust in God. In Christmas Edition of the message series, Trust in God, we learned about the story of Mary and Joseph, and how they had to trust in God.
Matthew 1:19–24 (NIV)
Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
POINT 1: HE HAD IN MIND TO DIVORCE HER QUIETLY.
Due to what Joseph was facing, his plan was to divorce Mary quietly and avoid the criticism of those around him.
POINT 2: JOSEPH’S MIND WAS GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF HEAVEN’S PLAN.
Your current levels of thinking have to change before you can advance to greater things. However, only a hungry mind, a receptive mind will grasp the new thought and integrate it into their life.
POINT 3: THE SOONER YOU UPGRADE YOUR THINKING THE SOONER YOU WILL UPGRADE YOUR LIFE.
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NIV)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
POINT 4: THE ANGEL SAID DO NOT BE AFRAID. TAKE MARY HOME TO BE YOUR WIFE, BECAUSE WHAT IS CONCEIVED IN HER IS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
POINT 5: GOD DOESN’T CHANGE HIS PLANS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR FEARS.
POINT 6: WHEN JOSEPH WOKE UP, HE DID WHAT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD HAD COMMANDED HIM.
Joseph was able to upgrade his thinking in order to receive what God was telling him to do, but then he made the CHOICE to trust God and carry out His plan, and because of that, a Savior was born.
TALK-IT-OUT
The following questions will help guide your discussions and give your group some opportunities to open up and share.
- Tell about a time where you felt like God was asking you to do something that was "inconvenient."
- What do you do when you feel your mind going opposite of God's direction?
- In what situations do you find yourself holding onto your opinions rather than hungrily seeking after God's ways?
- The angel said, "do not be afraid." In what situation might God be telling you the same thing?
- Have you been hesitating to make a choice that you know you need to make?
WRITE-It-Out
Encourage your group to starting writing things down. In a journal or on paper, do the following exercises.
- Write down 3 fears that you have, and find 3 promises in the Bible to combat those fears. Then write in the scripture right next to each fear.
- Write a prayer down asking God to help you elevate your thinking to a new level.
Live-It-Out
Encourage your group to start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
- Inconvenience yourself this week by helping a friend or coworker.
- The Bible says in Romans 12 that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. Every time you feel your thoughts drifting away from God's ways, do one or all of the following: pray, worship, or read out of Romans 12.
- Complete Growth Track. There is no Growth Track during December, but starting again January 8, we will have Growth Track every Sunday at 11:30 at all of our campuses.
- Serve together as a group. To view serving opportunities with Champions Foundation, click HERE.
Closing Thoughts
- Finish group with prayer requests and praise reports.
- More resources always available here: Group Resources