December 14 – 20

Weekly Reading for December 14 – 20

Preparing for Next Week’s Message

Sermon Series: The Return of the King
Sermon Title: The King Was, Is, and Will Ever Be Worthy of Praise

This reading plan will get your heart and mind set for the next message on December 21, 2014:


Reflecting on the Most Recent Sermon

Sermon Series: The Return of the King
Sermon Title: The King Was, Is, and Will Ever Be the Giver of Grace
Delivered On: December 14, 2014

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Memorize and Reflect

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 )


Prayer Direction

Ask God to help you understand, receive, and share His grace with greater intensity. Thank Jesus for His greatest gift of grace, His own life given on the cross.


“Live It!” Challenge

Amazing Grace Extended: Think about one person in your life who does not understand the grace of God and the gift of Jesus. Identify one way you can extend grace to this person in the Christmas season…one unexpected action of kindness, a surprising gesture of love, or an undeserved act of compassion. Pray for God to speak through this act of grace and offer it freely! If they ask why you did what you did, be ready to tell them it is because God has freely given you grace and you are seeking to pass it on. If they ask to know more, tell them the story of Jesus.


Small Group Discussion

  1. When you think of words like grace, graceful, or gracious, what kind of images come to your mind? Why do you think words like grace and gracious are used less in our conversation these days?

  2. Read: John 1:1-5 and John 1:14 . What do you learn about Jesus in this passage?

  3. What are ways you see the light of Jesus shining in our dark world today? How can we help let His light shine brighter?

  4. What are some of the ways you see darkness seeking to overcome the light of Jesus? How can we fight against and resist the darkness in partnership with Jesus?

  5. What does it mean to say that Jesus came with both grace and truth? What does the truth of God, revealed in Jesus do for us? What does grace do for us? Why is it essential for us to embrace both of these?

  6. Read: Ephesians 2:1-10 . Describe the contrast of who we were without Christ and who we are (and who we are becoming) through faith in Jesus.

  7. How is the grace of God revealed in Jesus central and essential for our salvation? How is the grace of Jesus like a gift?

  8. At the end of this passage we are told that we were created for good works. Describe the difference between these two radically different perspectives on grace, works, and the life of a Christian:
    • What will a person’s life look like if they believe they must work hard to get God’s love, forgiveness, and friendship?
    • What will a person’s life look like if they are confident that they are loved and forgiven only through the free gift and grace of Jesus? And, their desire to do good works for God and serve others comes out of a natural response to the friendship and grace God has freely given them?

  9. What can we do to walk more and more in the grace of Jesus and less with a sense that we must earn God’s love and friendship?

  10. When you think of words like grace, graceful, or gracious, what kind of images come to your mind? Why do you think words like grace and gracious are used less in our conversation these days?

  11. Read: John 1:1-5 and John 1:14 . What do you learn about Jesus in this passage?

  12. What are ways you see the light of Jesus shining in our dark world today? How can we help let His light shine brighter?

  13. What are some of the ways you see darkness seeking to overcome the light of Jesus? How can we fight against and resist the darkness in partnership with Jesus?

  14. What does it mean to say that Jesus came with both grace and truth? What does the truth of God, revealed in Jesus do for us? What does grace do for us? Why is it essential for us to embrace both of these?

  15. Read: Ephesians 2:1-10 . Describe the contrast of who we were without Christ and who we are (and who we are becoming) through faith in Jesus.

  16. How is the grace of God revealed in Jesus central and essential for our salvation? How is the grace of Jesus like a gift?

  17. At the end of this passage we are told that we were created for good works. Describe the difference between these two radically different perspectives on grace, works, and the life of a Christian:
    • What will a person’s life look like if they believe they must work hard to get God’s love, forgiveness, and friendship?
    • What will a person’s life look like if they are confident that they are loved and forgiven only through the free gift and grace of Jesus? And, their desire to do good works for God and serve others comes out of a natural response to the friendship and grace God has freely given them?

  18. What can we do to walk more and more in the grace of Jesus and less with a sense that we must earn God’s love and friendship?