Advent JOY!

Hey!

Does joy come easily to you at Christmas time? Why or why not?

What steals your joy at Christmas?

Is that different from other times of the year?

What traditions or habits have worked for you in stirring your joy in the Advent of Christ?

Read Luke 1:11-17 (the angel announcing the birth of John the Baptizer)

* Note that joy (v 14) is the anticipated result of John’s ministry

• Is this how you would summarize his ministry? If not, why not?

• Why is it true that his ministry was one of joy?

  • He will initiate the Messianic age - a joyful reunion of God and man

  • it will reverse the curse at the end of the OT – read the last two verses of the OT (Malachi 4:5-6) and then re-read Luke 1:17

  • He will prepare the people for Christ – a time for joy! (end of V17)

Read Luke 2:44-55 (Elizabeth receives Mary)

V44: What was the unborn John’s response to the arrival of Mary and the unborn Jesus?

V46-55: How did Mary respond in v46-47?

How would you summarize in your own words the reasons Mary gives in V48-55 for her joy?

• Mary sees in the birth of Jesus some kind of fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (See Gen 12:2-3). This is a time to rejoice.

How could Mary be joyful when she herself would face so much sorrow? 

Would Mary’s joy somehow be a denial of her own sorrow or that in the world?

• Read Luke 2:34-35  “Why are these verses here?” Perhaps to prepare us for the fact that not all will enter the joy of redemption. And that the world’s response to the offered joy of God with God will include much tragedy and sorrow.

Read Isaiah 9:2-7 (Isaiah speaks of the coming Messiah)

• What does Isaiah 9 teach should be the proper response to the Advent of Christ?

• Is this our response? Why or why not?

Closing

What do you hope for yourself this Christmas? How can friends help you in this? 

How can we help each other stir up our joy this Christmas?