Simply Christmas - Week 3 Discussion Guide

CoreGroup Guide | Simply Christmas - Week 3
Guide written by Denee Bowers and Jenny Huffman


Welcome

A simple truth about Christmas…it almost never goes exactly as planned. Things go off the rails and we are forced to deal with things we didn’t see coming. We can respond to these interruptions with stress and frustration, or we can take them as an opportunity to open ourselves up to God and those around us. This week we are going to look at one of the biggest interruptions of all time, when Mary learns she is going to give birth to the Son of God.


Ice Breaker

Mid-December Check-in: How is the holiday season going for you so far? Frantic? Hectic? Stressful? Sorrowful? Peaceful? Hopeful? Joyful? There is so much wrapped up in this one season. How are you doing today, and how can this group be praying for you this week?


Opening Prayer

Immanuel, God with us. You go before us, lighting the way. You follow behind us, nudging, protecting. You find us in our darkest moments, during our longest nights. You wait with us in joyful expectation. In all that the holiday season holds, you are with us. Thank you for your presence here today, Lord, and for all of the unexpected ways you show up for us. Amen.



The Head

Luke’s gospel tells us the story of how Mary found out she was going to become Jesus’ mom. For an unmarried teenager, this was a major interruption to her life. It was unexpected, inconvenient, and something Mary never saw coming.

“When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. When the angel came to her, he said, ‘Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!’ She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.’

Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?’
The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son. Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. Nothing is impossible for God.’
Then Mary said, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.

Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands. She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. With a loud voice she blurted out, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry. Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her.’”  [Luke 1:26-45]

• Based on this news from the angel, in what ways was Mary’s life about to change? 
• One of Mary’s questions for the angel is recorded in scripture (Luke 1:34). What other questions would you have had if you were in her situation? 
• What role does Elizabeth play for Mary in the story? Who are the trusted people in your life you turn to when facing big life changes?

The Heart

One of the challenging things about interruptions is that they are, by definition, out of our control. We don’t know when or how they will show up. The only thing we can control is our response to them. With Mary as our example, consider how you might open yourself to God showing up in the unexpected moments to come.

• Do you think of yourself as a flexible person, or as a person who wants to make a plan and stick to it?
• The story recorded in scripture seems to show Mary receiving this interruption from God exceptionally well. How do you usually feel when you are interrupted? What emotions come up for you? 
• What are the regular interruptions in your life that, if viewed differently, could be an opportunity for you to connect with God? 

The Hands

• As Christmas approaches, what is one area where you can let go of control in order to leave room for the unexpected? 
• After her encounter with the angel Mary says, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” What practices can help you cultivate a similar spirit of submission?

Going Deeper

Mary’s song, also known as the Magnificat, is one of the most famous prayers in scripture. Somehow, in the face of enormous change and uncertainty, Mary manages to praise God with eloquence and grace. 

Read through Mary’s song each day this week. Pay attention to the words and phrases that stick out to you. Make this your prayer as you approach Christmas.

“Mary said,
‘With all my heart I glorify the Lord!
In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.
He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant.
Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
He shows mercy to everyone,
        from one generation to the next,
        who honors him as God.
He has shown strength with his arm.
    He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.
He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones
        and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty-handed.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
        remembering his mercy,
 just as he promised to our ancestors,
        to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.’
- Luke 1:46-55