To start off your small group, briefly share your response to the following question:

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1 3. GOLD

2 Start with an Icebreaker Question To start off your small group, briefly share your response to the following question: What is the greatest gift you ve ever received? Share with your group. Please Read What To Expect Let s get a big picture of what we ll be learning today Christmas time is a season of giving. The first Christmas started with God giving us his son, Jesus. God is a giver and he wants us to become more like Him. In this session, we will learn how we can honor God with a generous heart. 26

3 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS At this time, please break into smaller groups of 2-4 for the discussion question section. Have a great discussion! 1.) Is giving something that comes easy or is it a challenge for you? Share with your group. 2.) There s no doubt that God places high value on the act of giving. Words like believe, pray, and love are mentioned hundreds of times throughout the Bible. However, the word give is used thousands of times throughout the Word. Why? Because God is a giver. Read the scripture below: For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son (John 3:16) John 3:16 documents the greatest act of love in the history of the world in which God gave His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we could have an everlasting life with Him. It was a selfless act of love and generosity when He sent His Son. God wants us to become selfless and generous givers just like Him. Can you think of a time when you were really excited to give a gift to someone? What was it and how did it make you feel to give it? Share with your group. 3.) Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (Matthew 6:21) Some of the things most people hold nearest to their heart include their family, their career, their house, their business, etc. The Bible says that where we place our heart, that is where our treasure is. Every time we give to God, we are drawn a little closer to Him. God doesn t need our money. He owns everything. He is more interested in raising disciples than he is in raising money. What would you say you treasure most in life? Share with your group. 4.) When they heard of Jesus birth, 3 wisemen journeyed a far distance to present their finest gifts to the new born child that they knew to be the Savior of the world. Read the passage below: When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11) One important thing about these wisemen in the nativity story that we must pay close attention to was their desire and eagerness to bring baby Jesus their absolute best. What are some ways you can give God your very best? Share with your group. (i.e. Using your gifts and talents to serve Him, tithing and giving back to God financially, etc.) 27

4 WHAT WILL YOU DO? As Christmas draws nearer, the Christmas wish lists are beginning to grow. Before we get too busy shopping for gifts for everyone, let s begin thinking about how we d like to bless the Lord this Christmas. A great way to bless God this Christmas is to give toward the 2018 Christmas Offering. This Christmas Offering is a year-end giving initiative that focuses on expanding our reach to people who need Jesus in our church, our local community, and around the world. The Christmas Offering will go toward 3 primary initiatives: Expanding Youth Ministries: Purchasing equipment and other resources to launch a Jr.High & High School Service at New Hope Windward Kailua HS campus. Changing Lives Through Local & Global Outreach: Investing in transforming lives through local and international ministries. Updating NHW Locations: Providing much needed upgrades and renovations to our campuses and facilities This week commit to doing the following: i. Consider & Pray About Tithing: If you don't currently tithe (dedicate the first 10% of your income to God), pray about and consider doing so. Ask God for the courage to take this step of faith toward prioritizing Him first in your finances. ii. iii Christmas Offering: Take the time to pray and consider giving beyond your normal tithing toward the Christmas offering initiatives: Pray & Invite: Think and pray about at least ONE person to invite to the our New Hope Windward Christmas Service in a couple of weeks. CLOSE IN PRAYER Group Prayer Requests: Take a few minutes to close your time together with prayer and to pray for each other s prayer requests. Below is a sample prayer to read if you choose to. You can also choose to write down each other s prayer requests to remember throughout the week. Sample Prayer: Lord, we reflect on all the ways that You bless us. We think of the wisemen who brought lavish gifts to baby Jesus at His birth and we long to have that same heart. Just as they sacrificially brought their best to the new born Savior, we want to bring our best to You. You are more than worthy of our best. Our desire is to generously bless You with our lives, our hearts, and everything within. We pray this in Jesus name, Amen. Name Request 28

5 DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 1 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11) DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 2 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7) 29

6 DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 3 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 4 For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son (John 3:16) 30