We are entering the Christmas season where we sing songs about Immanuel “God with us”. We aren’t meant to be Home Alone at Christmas. (which of course is the greatest Christmas movie of all time). Specifically, God designed to be with us at Christmas. This is why we celebrate the baby born in a manger. However, it's easy to miss what matters most at Christmas. Author and counselor Paul David Tripp says, “The wonder and awe of the Christmas season can easily get overshadowed by lights, tinsel, bows, and wrapping paper—not to mention last minute trip to the mall and visits to the in-laws. In all the hustle and bustle, we often lose sigh of what’s most important.” God came to be “among us.” Don't miss it! Another way of saying this is that God came to be our neighbor.
Each week, as you take in the Bible, find some friends to talk it out. You can follow this simple guide to help. First, R.E.A.D. and P.R.A.Y. on your own. Then, meet with friends to share what you've learned.
R - Repeated words
E - Examine and mark
A - Ask what you learn about God
D - Do if there is anything to do
P - Praise
R - Repent
A - Ask
Y - Yield
Bible Plan Reading - Week 48
START IT.
We started a news teaching series Like a Good Neighbor, focused on "neighboring". From Sunday's message or the Meet Jesus Bible Reading Plan this week, what is impacting you the most? Was there a word, phrase, Bible verse, or theme that impacted you?
STUDY IT.
Jesus asks, "What is written" in Luke 10:26. Why does he say that? What does that communicate about what matters most to Jesus?
How are we to love in Luke 10:27? Who's involved? What are the details of that love?
What can we know about this person asking Jesus how to have eternal life in Luke 10:25? In what ways are you like this person or not?
What is the response of Jesus to this person in Luke 10:28? What is the simple and profound truth according to Jesus?
From Luke 10:28, by Jesus saying "do this", what seems to be missing from this person's life? What do we learn about the demeanor of Jesus in this interaction? How does Jesus apply what the person said matters most?
SHARE IT.
On a scale of 1-5, how important is loving your neighbor (neighboring) to God's Word? Jesus? You?
When you hear the words "love God with all...", what comes to mind?
When you hear the phrase "Love your neighbor", what comes to mind?
Do you agree that it is possible to serve the community and not love your neighbor? How? What's the difference between being a good neighbor and bad neighbor/no neighbor at all?
Draw a 9 box-square (3 rows of 3). Write "me" in the middle box. Now, you have 8 boxes remaining. Can you wrtie the names of your 8 closest neighbors? If not, extend to your co-workers. How did you do?
FINAL THOUGHT
What matters most to Jesus seems rather simple: love God, love your neighbor. We spend lots of time thinking and strategizing about how to make disciples and reach the community, while the answer is plain and clear. Out of the overflow of loving God, we love our neighbor. This is the beginning of impacting lives. We don't need another church program. We are the program. We don't need another plan. Love is the plan. This Christmas season, we will focus on what it means to be a good neighbor. That's what Jesus was for us: Immanual (God with us).
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