Life Group Questions – December 19th & 20th 2020

This weekend Pastor Nathan shared our third advent message titled “A Gift is Given” from Luke 2:25-38.

Pastor Nathan made the point that no one ever deserved or earned the gift of salvation but that it was freely given.

1. Knowing that God sent His son as a gift, one that no one deserved but everyone desperately needed, how can this shift your behavior towards people the world would say “don’t deserve saving”?
   a. When was the last time you blessed, or gave grace to someone who didn’t deserve it but desperately needed it? What about someone who was ungrateful of the gift?

Pastor Nathan talks about Simeon and how long he has to wait for the promise of God to be fulfilled. Thank about if Simeon was promised to see the Messiah when he was a young adult, that would have been a long time to wait.

1. Simeon lived a life of faith. His promise was not the deliverance of a nation like Moses, but he continued to be faithful believing God would fulfil His promise. What are some ways we can live lives of faith even when God has not promised us to be used in a grand way?
   a. Are the less spectacular ways God uses us, really “less” spectacular? What “small” things can you remain faithful in to contribute to the body of Christ? See Luke 16:10

After Pastor Nathan read John 4:34-38, he talked about now being our time to be diligent and we will find our rest in Him in heaven.

1. Have you asked God to show you where you are made to serve Him? Are you serving? How can you glorify God in that and not seek any affirmation from man. How can you function more in God’s glory and less in pleasing man?

Pastor Nathan mentions how Simeon told Mary that, because of her son, a sword will pass through her soul.

1. Mary went through tremendous heartache because of her son but was restored through salvation and seeing her son resurrected, how can we relate to this? Has God put you through a hard situation but redeemed you, either through a lesson learned or a better outcome than you thought?
   a. Why do you think sometimes we need trials to learn?

Pastor Nathan talked about Anna having a lifestyle of prayer and fasting.

1. What are some differences between someone like Anna who has a lifestyle of prayer and fasting and someone who is saved but not continually living for Christ. What will their fruit look like?
   a. How can we work towards making our belief a lifestyle? How can we actively pray and dwell in His teaching daily and even hourly?