Messages

#4 and final in our ‘At the Movies’ theme for January – Avengers: Endgame – 2 Cor 12:9 – Life After Failure – Hope

There are no movie clips in this video so that we do not violate copyright online.

#3 in our ‘At the Movies’ theme for January – Star Wars – John 8:44 – God’s Story is the Greatest Story of All

#2 in our ‘At the Movies’ theme for January – Pixar – 1 John 4:19 – The Love that Changes the World

The Cost of the Gospel: Becoming an Instrument of Righteousness

Christmas is Good News for everyone.

Mary found peace in chaos when the angel came and told her, an unmarried virgin, that she was about to have a baby. Luke 1:26 – 38. We too can find that peace when we surrender our lives to God. It doesn’t mean that life will be easy, in fact life got a lot harder for Mary, but it does mean that God is with us.

Joseph, the Forgotten Hero

Look Like Good News – Colossians 3:11-17

Reflection Questions
This week we looked at how to be good news in our relationships. Below are several practical steps you can use to help you stay healthy in the way you relate with family (or friends) this Christmas:

Be aware of the role you play in your family. Our family role is the behavior(s) we often acted out during our upbringing which can appear again when back with family. What role are you tempted to play when around your family? (eg. rescuer, enabler etc.)

Be aware of which people or situations test you the most. What people or situations come to mind?

Decide what healthy (and unhealthy) boundaries look like. Are there any boundaries you need to tighten to have healthier interactions with friends or family? Are there any boundaries you need to loosen?

Remember we cannot change others, we can only change ourselves. What can you change in how you approach or respond to challenging, toxic or negative interactions with friends and family? Are there any actions or attitudes you want to start practicing now?

Don’t ride the emotional roller coaster. When someone close to us has mood swings or gets angry, we get to choose whether we get tossed around by their roller coaster of emotion or not. How often do you get pulled into someone else’s emotion? How might you best model a calm demeanor to an overly emotional person?

Self-Reflection

Read Galatians 5:22-23. As you go through these verses, how might each of the fruits of the spirit look in you as you put on the “new me” vs. the “old me”?

What advice does Romans 12:19-21 give you for how we can respond to challenging people and situations in a loving way?

Are you ready to pray “Lord, treat me the way I treat others” now that you have looked at these passages?

Being Good News – Philippians 2:1-18

Small Group Questions:
Every generation of Jesus followers is responsible to ensure the news of the Christian faith stays true to the original. So are you good news? What if you’re the only news someone gets?

Discussion Questions

1. Do you know anyone who left the church? Or de-converted from Christianity? What reason(s) did they give?

2. Have you been tempted to give up on church, or even faith, because of an encounter with a person of faith?

3. Read Philippians 1:1–8. What stands out to you? Have you ever met a Christian whose approach to relationships reflects Paul’s instructions in these verses? Describe that person to the group.

4. Is there anyone you’re aware of who needs to see and experience the good news through you? What’s one unexpected thing you could do for that person that would make your light shine a little brighter than usual? Any of these: Apologize immediately – Forgive quickly – Defer habitually – Give sacrificially