Text: Isaiah 60:1-3

Theme: Every Christian must reflect the light of Christ to a dark world.

Text: Luke 2:1-14

Theme: A portrait of the Savior

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• Read Luke 2:11 and try to remember how each word/ phrase adds to the beautiful portrait of the Savior.
• Remember what Micah said about the coming Messiah in chapter 5:2-5. What key words in the ancient text can speak truth into your life today?
• How is “Immanuel” still true today for the believer?
• In preparation for next week, read Isaiah 9:1-7 and Isaiah 60:1-3.

Text: Luke 2:1-8

Theme: Treasuring the gift of Christ in the context of shepherds

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• Consider the four groups of passages that correspond to the four main sermon points:
• Pt 1: Isaiah 61:1-3; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
• Pt 2: the extended ‘bread’ passage of John 6:1-58
• Pt 3: the Shepherd Psalm — Psalm 23
• Pt 4: Isaiah 53:3-11; John 10:11
• Consider how each passage points to Christ AND calls us to conform our lives to him.

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Text: Luke 1:5-25

Theme: God's Greatest Work: The Messiah

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“Saints before the altar bending, watching long in hope and fear. Suddenly the Lord descending, in his temple shall appear. Come and worship!”

Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Theme: Faith that fights with thanksgiving.

One: Faith in the midst of fear
Two: Faith anchored to God's faithfulness
Three: Faith in the face of the unknown
Four: Faith in God's kingdom agenda
Five: Faith in God's words
Six: Faith to fight with thanksgiving
Seven: Faith that produces triumphant joy

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Text: 1 Corinthians 7:8-24

Theme: Content with Christ

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• What circumstance in your life currently temps you to be discontent? Can you see how discontent can easily digress into a lack of faith in God’s goodness?
• What step of obedience can you take this week to be more godly in the situation God has put you in?
• Consider several contentment passages as we approach Thanksgiving Day:
  • 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
  • Philippians 2:4-20
  • 1 Timothy 6:6-12
  • Hebrews 13:5

“There should be a parallel between our supplications and our thanksgivings. We ought not to leap in prayer and limp in praise.”
— Charles Spurgeon, mid 1800’s

Singleness and Marriage

Text: 1 Corinthians 7:1-9

Theme: Singleness, Marriage, & Sex

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• What element of our hyper-sexualized culture has assaulted your Biblical sensibility this week? Is there a danger in becoming accustomed to the barrage of sexual advertising & innuendo in our society?
• How does the idea of modesty factor in to this discussion about sexual immorality? Modesty of words, dress, behavior?
• How will you in your stage of life obey 1 Corinthians 7:1-9?

Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Theme: Get away from sexual immorality

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• The Corinthian church clearly should have known better. So how will YOU know if you are thinking wrongly?
• Read 1 Corinthians 6:12. Can you remember the feeling of bondage to some particular sin? Where does this passage point us to the hope of deliverance?
• What are the implications of your body being a temple of the Holy Spirit? How have you applied this?

Text: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Theme: True salvation produces real change.

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• You are washed. Read Isaiah 1:1-8; then jump to v.18 — This is your story! This is the testimony of every believer!
• Regarding your sanctification — read 1 Corinthians 1:30 and Hebrews 10:10.
• You are justified: Galatians 2:16; Romans 5:1
• How might you clarify the boast “Once saved, always saved”?

Text: 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Theme: Godly wisdom must prevail in Christian conflict.

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• Do you have a church conflict “horror story”?
• Do you often have a mindset of getting what is yours? Are you defensive about being taken advantage of?
• In light of our text, how would you answer the question: “Should a Christian ever file a suit in court?”
• In what human relationship could you expect conflict this week? How can you prepare to handle it – to disarm it – to prevent it?

Text: 1 Corinthians 5

Theme: How the church can celebrate holiness.

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• What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “church discipline”?
• Read Luke 15:11-32 regarding the prodigal son.
• Read Exodus 12 for the story of the Passover mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.
• Read 1 Corinthians 5:11. Why do you think many people call themselves Christians, but seem to live in many ways like a non-christian?