Gloria in excelsis deo
What would it be like to be a witness to the coming of Jesus Christ, the king?
The first two chapters of the Gospel according to Luke record the birth of Jesus, as well as the exciting details leading up to it. The appearance of Gabriel…Mary’s Magnificat…the birth of John the Baptist…the virgin birth…the shepherds in the fields. It’s a wonderful story that, alongside the first two chapters of Matthew, give us insight into how our Lord came in the flesh.
One fascinating feature of Luke’s account is how, at each step along the way, there are multiple witnesses to the coming of Jesus. These individuals, like us, are called into the glorious task of heralding the news of Jesus.
Join us for this advent sermon series learning from God’s word as it records what it means to be a witness of the coming king!
Schedule
| Dec 1 | Luke 1:6-38 | Gabriel and the Holy Spirit |
| Dec 8 | Luke 1:39-56 | Mary and Elizabeth |
| Dec 15 | Luke 1:57-80 | Zechariah and John the Baptist |
| Dec 22 | Luke 2:1-21 | Angels and Shepherds |
| Dec 29 | Luke 2:22-38 | Simeon and Anna |
Listen
Reflection Questions
The questions below are great to use in a small group or for personal application. Click on the arrow or heading to expand and show the questions.
Waiting on the Lord (Luke 2:22-40, December 29)
- Where do you struggle with waiting on the Lord? Where can you strive to be obedient to God’s word as you wait?
- Where do you need to be more apt to praise God for keeping his word?
- What are some ways you can bless others with the word of God, including the hard truths and not just the easy ones?
- How can you listen to and offer encouragement to the widows in our own midst?
Providence, Fulfillment, and Witness (Luke 2:1-21, December 22)
- God overrules history in order to accomplish his word: Where have you seen his providence work out in your life even if at the time you didn’t understand?
- God himself explains his acts in history: Where do you need to recalibrate how you view Christmas (as nothing less than God’s invasion of history in his son/king/savior/Christ/Lord)?
- God chooses witnesses to see his work in history and share his word: Think through ways you can speak to the true meaning of Christmas over the next few days … even if it is hard!
The Visitation of God (Luke 1:59-80, December 15)
- Where have you experienced the “visitation” of God in your own life, both in terms of bringing salvation but also bringing judgment (leading to repentance for your sins)?
- How can you get out of your comfort zone in sharing the true meaning of Christmas over the next two weeks (with family members, coworkers, neighbors, etc.)?
My Soul Magnifies (Luke 1:39-56, December 8)
- Where are some areas where you can grow in rejoicing in God himself this Christmas?
- Self diagnosis questions:
- Where do you find yourself thinking in worldly terms?
- Where do you need to rest in the truth that God knows what he’s doing in your life?
- Resources for growing in your understanding of the Triune God this Advent
- Desiring God blogs: 1, 2, 3
- Mark Jones, Knowing Christ and God Is
- J.I. Packer, Knowing God
- Michael Reeves, Delighting in the Trinity
The Favor of the Most High (Luke 1:26-38, December 1)
- Where do you pass through the Christmas season on autopilot? Where do you seek something “new” about it?
- Favor: Where do you need a greater appreciation for God’s favor already shown to you? Where do we expect more from him (“He’s supposed to bless me because I do X”)?
- Fulfillment: Where are you encouraged by how the coming of Jesus fulfills God’s promises in Scripture?
- Faithfulness: Discuss what it means to submit to God’s Word despite consequences. Where do struggle with submitting to God out of fear of the costs?
Preparing for the series
- Read Luke 1-2. What details are familiar? What had you forgotten since the last time you heard this account?
- Where are you sometimes at risk of letting the Christmas story grow stale? Or get drowned out by the busyness of the season?
- What strikes you about how each “witness” to the coming of Jesus responds?
Header graphic is “The Angels Appearing to the Shepherds,” by Thomas Cole (1834) (Public domain)
