Faith & Life Discovery Journal

Transcription

1 Reflections on this week s message: Week of Dec. 6 th 2 nd Sunday of Advent What Will We Name The Baby? Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 When God came to Earth, He wore the name, Jesus, it is a name that means, Savior. I guess this week sort of unofficially extends the Names of God series. This name is significant because it is the name that is above all names, the name that we are invited to invoke in prayer, the name we claim in authority over the enemy. In biblical times people didn't have surnames as we do today, they were identified by their name; i.e. John, Peter, Samuel, etc. and then they might be differentiated from others with that name by relating them to their father (John and James the sons of Zebedee) or by what they did (Judas Iscariot or Judas the Zealot. ) Jesus came to be known by His hometown, Jesus of Nazareth, and later by His title Jesus the Christ. Christ is not His last name, it is who He is; the Christ, the Savior, the Messiah. His name was given by Joseph in obedience to God. I am thankful for Joseph's faith and obedience and the way he followed God's instructions, so that today I can call on the name of Jesus and I can wear the title Christian proudly. I choose to identify with the name, Jesus, the name above all names. Thank you God, for a Savior in whose name we are saved! Love, Pastor Joe 2nd Week of Advent: Peace often represents the 2 nd candle lit on an Advent wreath. The dictionary defines peace as freedom from war; a state of harmony, serenity, or quiet. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and it is only through Him that we will have true peace of heart, mind, & soul. Too often, our thoughts, distractions, & fears keep us from experiencing true serenity. We are too busy to be fully present & open to God & others. This week let the God of peace fill your heart. Spend some time each day embracing God s vision of peace. Seek time for rest & prayer. Immerse yourself in the arms of Jesus, your Prince of Peace, as you open your heart, mind, & spirit to God s powerful & gentle peace. Prayer Starter: Getting Started: Grab your bible & journal & find a quiet, comfortable spot to begin your daily Bible reading. During the season of Advent, you may want to play your favorite Advent or Christmas hymn softly in the background. Light a candle & spend a few minutes relaxing, quieting your mind. Keep a notebook nearby to jot down distractions that interfere with your focus to put them out of your mind to deal with later. To prepare to focus on God & His Word, try one of the prayer exercises found under Spiritual Growth Resources. Then pray the suggested prayer starter personalizing it to your needs & desire for God s guidance. This Week's Prayer Starter: Dear Jesus, You are the name above all names. I bow before you today & confess that you are my Lord. Thank you for lifting me from my darkness into your light. Thank you for saving me. Help me, Lord, to always remember that you are the Way, the Truth, & the Life. Thank you for the promise of peace that only comes from remaining in you. Open my eyes this Advent so that I might experience a fresh encounter with you in the quiet stillness of your birth. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me the name Christian. Help me to wear it proudly & share it with others. Amen.

2 day 1 week of December 6 Read Philippians 2:5-11 Why is Jesus the name above all names? What do you think it was like for Jesus to leave heaven, become human, & take on the sins of the world? What does it mean to you that Jesus set aside the privileges of his own life (As God s Son he has equal status with God, etc.) and lived a life that was dedicated to humbly serving others? What does the birth of Jesus mean for you today? Watch this video of the song Your Name by Paul Baloche ( Spend some time in prayer, reflecting on what the name of Jesus means to you. day 2 week of December 6 Read Matthew 1:18-25 What does the name Jesus mean? What does the name Jesus mean to you? What does Joseph learn from the angel in verses 20 23? Does the world still need Jesus? Do you? What do you learn about faith & obedience from Joseph? Whom do you know is obedient to God despite the cost, pursuing godliness at the risk of ridicule & misunderstanding from others? Where do you think their strength comes from? Pray for someone who has yet to know Jesus as their Savior.

3 day 3 week of December 6 Read John 8:12-30 How is Jesus the light of the world? What does Jesus mean by light & darkness? How have you experienced Jesus as the light of your world? Why is it important to understand who Jesus is & know who sent him? How is Jesus calling you to carry his light in the world? Today, tell someone how Jesus is the light of the world. day 4 week of December 6 Read John 14:1-14 Do you find comfort in the words Jesus is saying to his disciples in this passage? How? What does it mean to you to know that if you invoke Jesus name in prayer, God will answer? What does it mean that you have a personal relationship with Jesus? What are you doing today to nurture that relationship? Be Jesus to someone today!

4 day 5 week of December 6 Read Isaiah 9:6, John 14:27, & Philippians 4:7 What does it mean to know Jesus as the Prince of Peace? How do you need to experience the peace of Christ this Advent? How do you find comfort in the name of Jesus? What is the peace that passes all understanding? How might God want to use you as an instrument of peace? How can you show the world what God is like? Get on your knees today & worship your King, Name above all names! Dig Deeper: What does the nativity mean for us today? How can rediscovering Christmas change our lives & our world? The season of Advent is an opportunity for us to celebrate the wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is a season of worship. Every year we hear the Christmas story, but do we really get it? What does our response to the story of Jesus birth say about our hearts? Christmas changed the world the day Jesus was born in a cold, dark stable. Christmas will change the world again. Do you really believe this? Every character who encounters the infant King in the nativity story has the same response. They worship. Examine the characters in the Christmas story & look at their response to Jesus coming. How do they worship Jesus? How does what you learn about their response to the news of our Savior s birth move you to respond to the greatest gift God has ever given you? Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 1:26-56, Luke 2:1-20 Mary: Joseph: Shepherds: Wise men: Is Jesus truly the desire of your heart? Think about your actions & activities? What do you worship? Where does your worship drive your heart? What message does your worship send to those around you? Is your worship an outpouring of your heart? What changes do you need to make this Christmas season? Will you celebrate, sing, dance, pray, meditate, & love your way into the Advent story & experience the story that is of great joy for all people? Will you be like Mary & sing to God, like Joseph & obey without regard to cost, like the shepherds and drop everything to worship Jesus, or like the wise men and face anything that stands in the way of your worship? Will you be so filled with the love of Christ that you will stop at nothing to share Jesus message of love & hope with others? Do you take Jesus seriously & desire the same things that move His heart? Do you give like God has given to you? This Christmas season remember there are those who are shopping for more than just material gifts. We live in a world full of people looking for hope, acceptance and love. How is God calling you to move into the Christmas story & be Jesus to them? For further exploration read The Advent Conspiracy by Rick McKinley, Chris Seay, & Greg Holder

5 Family Connection: What s In a Name? Are there names with special significance in your family? Are there grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, or uncles with special nicknames that might help you learn something about their character? Spend some time sharing those stories with your family. Tell the stories of how you were named & then share with your chil- dren how their names came to be. Borrow a baby name book from the library or use an online resource & learn the meanings of your family's names. There is something special about being called by our name. Hearing our name spoken by someone else makes you feel special. It is a tender, caring expression that says you matter. Spend some time during Advent getting to know the people who serve you. Take the time to learn the names of your newspaper carrier, mail car- rier, waitress, store clerk, bank teller, bus driver, etc. Make someone s day by calling them by name & telling them how much you appreciate the ways they serve your community. Make a point of talking to your children about appreciating & respecting those who serve us in ways that we often take for granted. Involve children by having them make cards of appreciation for those special servants in their lives. As a family, deliver the cards & maybe even some special baked goods to some of the servants in your community. Then pray for them by name, thanking God for using them to make a difference in the world.