Angel Encounters: I had Given up on That!
Luke 1:5-25
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Discuss how resolutions made last week in “growing more like Jesus” worked themselves out – what God did in and through you (Phil. 2:13) Celebrate and thank God for those together and pray with those who experienced some “Lows” this week, for God’s encouragement for them.
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
We are launching into a new series looking at the angel encounters during Christmas Season of Jesus’ birth"! This week, we looked at Zechariah and Elizabeth…
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflect:
Talk about a time you prayed earnestly for something and it felt like God was silent, or that He told you “just wait”…
Read Luke 1: 5-11
o What does the Bible teach about angels? (Hebrews 1:13-14, Psalm 103:20-21, Revelations 22:8-9,)
o What are some Biblical truths about fallen angels who have chosen to follow Satan? (Revelation 12:7-12, Colossians 2:13-15, Matthew 8:14-17 and 25:41, )
o How can we be 'blameless' in God's sight,like Zechariah and Elizabeth, while acknowledging that all of us are sinners, saved by God's Grace? (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Hebrews 10:14, Psalm 19:12-13, and 130: 3-7)
o How does Scripture encourage us that even when we give up hoping that God will answer our prayers, (or even try to 'help Him out'!) His good purposes for us still stand? (Genesis 16:1-2 and 15, 17:15-21, and 18:9-15, Luke 1:20)
Read Luke 1:12-23
o What does it mean that John the Baptist would be 'in the spirit and power of Elijah' as prophesied in Malachi 4:5-6? (1 Kings 18:17-39, Luke 1:76-79, Matthew 11:7-15, )
o How does God's Word challenge us to keep on praying for what we know to be God;s Will? (Hebrews 10:35-36, 2 Peter 3:8-9, Job 42:1-2, Genesis 50:18-20)
o In what ways should we persevere in waiting upon God? (Psalm 27:13-14, Lamentations 3:22-26, Isaiah 30:18 and 64:4,)
Respond:
Scott closed the message this weekend with a call to ‘keep living in hope until the convergence of your faithfulness and God’s purposes.’ If there are persistent prayer requests that you are bringing to the Lord, share as you feel appropriate so that the group can join you in this time of waiting.
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