Archive for November 29th, 2008
Angels Long to Look
12/14 – Angels Long to Look – CTT for planners and LIFE group leaders
Background reading for planning teams 1 Peter 1:10-12 and Luke 1 & 2 and Matthew 1 & 2.
The coming of Jesus is something long anticipated. Prophets had spoken of the Messiah. God’s people had anticipated a Savior. Even the angels of Heaven yearned to know about His coming.
The whole Christ birth event is amazing – God enters human flesh in Jesus, the Creator comes to the world as mortal. And the way he chose to do it defies human imagination. In such a world and such a story, we must not lose our sense of wonder and amazement. The fact that we hear about angels all over Luke 1 & 2 are our clue something amazing is up! We sometimes mistakenly think angels appear all over the place in the Bible story. In reality, they show up only occasionally, and often they signal that God is about to do something amazing! Luke tells the story of Jesus’ birth, a story he has researched carefully, intentionally connecting Jesus’ birth to the Old Testament story of God and the fulfillment of God’s promises through the prophets. And to make sure we catch the significance, he reminds of the presence of angels everywhere!
Many folks are amazed at the book of Revelation because of its fantastic images and its view into heaven with the angels and the elders before the thrown of God and the living creatures and the wild prophecies. Luke is making sure we see the amazing nature of Jesus’ birth – there are angels all around and we are invited to join the story and worship Jesus, now, in our time and our world and our lives. We are invited to join the angel chorus in praise of Jesus.
I know we have used “Are You Amazed Video” before, but this might be a good time to bring it back – we have a version with “Amazing Love” a cappella behind it – I have found the video.
Possible Songs:
“Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this Place” (Brush of angel wings verse) and especially “Holy Ground” (#101). Otherwise, “Amazing Love” is a song that captures some of this sense of wonder if we don’t use the video. Another song, an old one, could be “I Stand Amazed in the Presence of Jesus the Nazarene” (aka “O How Marvelous”).
Focus Ideas:
Only God could come up with such a plan – 1 Corinthians 1 & 2 emphasize the “foolishness” of God’s plan and how it confounds the people who think they are brilliant. And this plan, this person, Christ Jesus, is the center of all of God’s work and all that Scripture proclaims – Hebrews 1:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Corinthians 1:18-20.
But think of what this says to us – a poor young couple, from a dumpy forgotten place, facing the challenges of being unmarried, pregnant, having no place to stay, hated by their religious leaders in an empire so big and unfeeling to their plight they have to go to Egypt and hide to protect their child. Can there be anything much more amazing than that?
That God can bring such great things out their circumstances with such ordinary people?
Hymnic passages:
These would be used in song set. Luke 2:8-14 is the classic passage with the angelic hymn. Philippians 2:5-8 might be used to lead into communion and Philippians 2:9-11 to lead out of communion – Philippians 2:5-10 is based on an early Christian hymn probably sung at Philippi in Paul’s day.
Key Scriptures:
1 Peter 1:10-12 and Luke 2:8-14.
Kernel Overview (Heartlight article) of the possible message:
Do the birth stories of Jesus still amaze you?
What is amazing to you about these stories?
Do you have trouble believing these stories?
Why do you think angels are mentioned so frequently in Luke’s first two chapters, the telling of the events that surround Jesus’ birth?
What all do angels do in these first two chapters?
Being witnesses of God’s glory in heaven, why do you think they were so excited with the birth of Jesus?
How can you keep from losing your amazement of what God did in sending Jesus?
John 1:1-18 talks about the coming of Jesus in a different way: what are John’s major areas of focus?
Hebrews 1:1-3 talks about the coming of Jesus as God’s greatest message. What do you think that message really is?
Season of Joy
Last Updated 12.01.2008
For Sunday 12/7 – Season of Joy – CTT for worship & LIFE planning teams
Background reading for planning teams Luke 1-2 with possible reading from Matthew 1-2.
Zechariah and Elizabeth, the Shepherds, angels, and simple folk are all are caught up in the wonder and joy of God’s coming. Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth reminds us that the coming of Jesus brought a season of joy to good people living hard lives in a hard time. In tough times like we face, we need that season of joy. But we must know, we will find it only by finding Jesus and recognizing Him as God’s gift to us of incredible joy. Stuff won’t fill it. Things won’t fix it. Family won’t secure it. Only in finding Jesus in the middle of all the mess, mayhem, and stress of this time will we truly find joy. Let’s pray for open eyes to see God’s gifts given us in Jesus.
A key way to see some of these gifts is to look at the description of what God brings through Jesus form Zechariah’s song in Luke 1:67-79: redeemed, raised up, salvation, shown mercy, remembered, rescued, enabled, without fear, forgiveness of sins, rising sun, peace.
A song to consider might be, “Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord.” Let’s seek after Jesus! Let’s hear His invitation to follow Him! Let’s learn to recognize His voice and to be molded into His likeness.
Hymnic passages to possibly include with our song sets: Luke 1:35-37 or Luke 1:76-79.
We will use a video of Zechariah’s song along with a reading of that same passage from The Message.
Kernel of the message can be found here:
Heartlight Article: Season of Joy
Scripture Video Combination:
We will use the following video, Zechariah’s song, immediately following the reading out of The Message version of Luke 1:67-79. The reading of the Scripture gives us the message of Zechariah’s song in today’s language, the video that follows it is the Hebrew of the song sung by a cantor. Beautiful, powerful, and a reminder of the long history of our source of joy!
LIFE Questions:
We find ourselves in two situations that challenge our openness to joy: the current difficult economic conditions and also the “busy-ness” of the season. How do we reconnect to the joy of God during these times?
The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, as well as the story of Abraham and Sarah that it reflects (Genesis 18), both are told with irony and a touch of humor. Yet frequently we do not notice humor in the great stories of God. Why do think that is so?
Why are awe at the work of God and also the ability to laugh with God both important in our lives and our worship?
Reading Luke 1, how do you think Zechariah and Elizabeth felt about life and it’s disappointments before Zechariah’s experience in the Temple?
What disappointments had they faced?
How does Luke make clear that their own mistakes and sinfulness were the cause of these disappointments?
Do you think they ever anticipated being caught up in God’s story in such a dramatic way?
What does their experience have to say to us about being caught up in God’s story?
Why do you think Zechariah was made where he could not speak after he was told he and Elizabeth would have a son?
Zechariah’s song sounds very much like a quotation of Scripture or an ancient song, why do you think these were the first words out of his mouth?
What is the greatest disappointment you face in your life right now?
What does this story say to you about the work of God in your life?