A Greater Christmas: A Greater Joy
These questions are written to be used during our house church meeting in Katy on Tuesday nights and in Sugar Land on Wednesday nights. If you find yourself unable or attend a gathering this week we encourage you to use these questions at home to sink more deeply into this vision series.
Background: We are now in the season of Advent. This is a season of time that lasts for the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Advent comes from the Latin word, adventus, which means coming or arrival. During a time of year that often becomes hectic, chaotic, and busy, Advent is meant to slow us down so that we can better reflect and cultivate a heart of longing for Jesus. It is a time of anticipation and waiting as we look back to the first advent, of Jesus in his birth, and look forward to his second advent where he returns. As we walk through these 4 weeks, take time to slow down and think about the meaning of Christmas that is made even greater when experienced through the preparation of Advent.
Introduction: Being in a good mood is really great, and most languages have lots of words to describe the experience like happy, cheerful, joyful, and so on. The same goes for the languages of the Bible. In ancient biblical Hebrew there’s a variety of words like simcha, sason, or giyl, and in the Greek New Testament there’s chara, euphrosune, or agalliasis. Each word has its own unique nuance, but they all basically refer to the feeling of joy and happiness. Now what makes these biblical joy words interesting is noticing the kinds of things that bring happiness and also seeing how joy is a key theme that runs through the whole story of the Bible.
Icebreaker: Describe a time or moment in your life were you were joyful? What made this a joyful occasion?
Read and Reflect: Read Psalm 146
Take a moment to get your bearings; look at the surrounding stories by reading the subtitles around this week’s passage. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or definitions for new words and ideas. Listening to other translations of the Bible can both clarify and enrich the meanings of these readings.
Discussion:
1. How would you describe what it means to have joy or be joyful?
2. How is this Psalm similar and/or different to your description?
3. How does Psalm 146 help our understanding of joy to not be tied circumstances?
4. What would it look like for you to experience a greater joy during this Christmas season?
Go Deeper:
5. When we see how Jesus’ loving way of life has overcome death itself, joy starts to become strangely reasonable. But this doesn’t mean it is wise to ignore or suppress sorrow. Read 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. How did Paul integrate both joy and sorrow?
Prayer:
Pray for the families in your house church and the people on your Top Five cards.
Announcements:
*Mark your calendars* Christmas Eve Service will be at 4:30 pm. Come early for hot chocolate and cookies. We will also have a "Pop Up Pageant" for all kids.
During the 4 weeks of Advent, we are joining with our ministry partners at @living_water to help provide water for a community in Guatemala. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by Christmas Day!! Go to our website, gatheringrichmond.org/giving and select “Ministry Partner” from the drop down to join us in sharing of God’s love by providing safe water for an entire community.
Explore the new app! It has great features! Just look up The Gathering Church wherever you get your apps and log in using the side menu so that we have your most current information!
Background: We are now in the season of Advent. This is a season of time that lasts for the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Advent comes from the Latin word, adventus, which means coming or arrival. During a time of year that often becomes hectic, chaotic, and busy, Advent is meant to slow us down so that we can better reflect and cultivate a heart of longing for Jesus. It is a time of anticipation and waiting as we look back to the first advent, of Jesus in his birth, and look forward to his second advent where he returns. As we walk through these 4 weeks, take time to slow down and think about the meaning of Christmas that is made even greater when experienced through the preparation of Advent.
Introduction: Being in a good mood is really great, and most languages have lots of words to describe the experience like happy, cheerful, joyful, and so on. The same goes for the languages of the Bible. In ancient biblical Hebrew there’s a variety of words like simcha, sason, or giyl, and in the Greek New Testament there’s chara, euphrosune, or agalliasis. Each word has its own unique nuance, but they all basically refer to the feeling of joy and happiness. Now what makes these biblical joy words interesting is noticing the kinds of things that bring happiness and also seeing how joy is a key theme that runs through the whole story of the Bible.
Icebreaker: Describe a time or moment in your life were you were joyful? What made this a joyful occasion?
Read and Reflect: Read Psalm 146
Take a moment to get your bearings; look at the surrounding stories by reading the subtitles around this week’s passage. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or definitions for new words and ideas. Listening to other translations of the Bible can both clarify and enrich the meanings of these readings.
Discussion:
1. How would you describe what it means to have joy or be joyful?
2. How is this Psalm similar and/or different to your description?
3. How does Psalm 146 help our understanding of joy to not be tied circumstances?
4. What would it look like for you to experience a greater joy during this Christmas season?
Go Deeper:
5. When we see how Jesus’ loving way of life has overcome death itself, joy starts to become strangely reasonable. But this doesn’t mean it is wise to ignore or suppress sorrow. Read 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. How did Paul integrate both joy and sorrow?
Prayer:
Pray for the families in your house church and the people on your Top Five cards.
Announcements:
*Mark your calendars* Christmas Eve Service will be at 4:30 pm. Come early for hot chocolate and cookies. We will also have a "Pop Up Pageant" for all kids.
During the 4 weeks of Advent, we are joining with our ministry partners at @living_water to help provide water for a community in Guatemala. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by Christmas Day!! Go to our website, gatheringrichmond.org/giving and select “Ministry Partner” from the drop down to join us in sharing of God’s love by providing safe water for an entire community.
Explore the new app! It has great features! Just look up The Gathering Church wherever you get your apps and log in using the side menu so that we have your most current information!
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