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Christmas at Home

Listen for God’s dream for your life in the middle of a nightmare

“Now the birth of Jesus Chris took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet.” MATTHEW 1:18-22 ESV

God usually does his best work in the middle of my worst moments.

Let God speak to you about what’s hurting your relationship with Jesus

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.’” MATTHEW 2:13-15 ESV

God’s dream is that you will stop fighting yesterday’s enemy

“But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.” MATTHEW 2:19-21 ESV

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…” PHILIPPIANS 3:13 ESV

God’s dream is for you to settle down and serve God wherever he has you

“But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.” MATTHEW 2:22-23 ESV

“Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’” JOHN 1:45 ESV

“And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.” MATTHEW 2:12 ESV

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Take a few moments to slow down, especially this week. As you reflect on your Christmas this year, what felt fulfilling? What was it about those moments that felt so rich and good? Were there any areas that did not meet your expectations? What messages did those moments carry for you? Give all of these to God right now, thanking him for the good, and inviting him into the bad. As you do this, what do you feel? Share these emotions with God, asking him to redeem any disappointments you may have experienced this season. Finally, invite God into the year ahead. Does he have a word or a phrase for you this coming year? Press into this question over the next week, asking God to share his dream for you for this next year. Close your time by thanking him for his love and care for you, perhaps even declaring your commitment to pursuing his dream for you this coming year.

Discussion Questions

  1. Personal Reflection: Begin group time with the Personal Reflection Guide, above. Journal any reflections in the space below, sharing with the group what God brought up, if you feel comfortable.
  2. Real with Self: When you reflect on the past year, what were some of the highlights? Were there any moments where you felt God’s presence in particular?
  3. Real with God: We all suffer from distractions that keep us from experiencing the fullness that Jesus offers. When you examine your current habits, practices, and rhythms, what things get in the way of your relationship with Jesus?
  4. Real with Others: When you consider your life, what kind of an impact do you want to have? What would you want said about you at your funeral?
  5. Take Action: What would you think God’s dream for your life might be? What steps can you take this coming year to work towards that? Invite members of your group to speak into this.