Christmas bible study for small group12/28/2023 ![]() Songs are very much at the centre of our celebrations of Advent and Christmas, and have been so for many since childhood. We can get over-familiar with our favourite hymns, carols and worship songs, to the point here we forget the real meaning of the words we are singing. So, it’s good to take time and look in a little more depth at the words we sing, and the picture they paint, relate them to Scripture and see where they might take us! This Bible study uses the verses of that popular Christmas carol, 'Angels, from the realms of glory' and its invitation to 'Come and worship Christ the new-born king' to explore such themes as our understanding of angels, the role of the shepherd in the church, wisdom and what it means to be a saint. On the way we’ll look at a God’s continuing relationship with humankind from the very beginning, angels and mothers, the reactions of those who first saw and recognised Jesus for who he was, and the big picture behind those wonderful words of Charles Wesley, ‘Our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made Man.’ By way of explanation I’d say journey with me through the words of these songs and those of Scripture as we take a broad look at the season of Advent, when we think about God’s relationship with us and celebrate the birth of our Saviour. ![]() There are so many popular carols and songs of Advent that could have been chosen for this study. It is still about our day-to-day existence and seeing hope within it, but it is also about a future hope for ‘salvation’, ‘resurrection’, ‘eternal life’ and how these strands intertwine and influence our relationship with God and the world. ![]() It can relate to the small world we inhabit as individuals or reach out to touch all people.įor those of us who call ourselves Christians, hope takes on a different dimension. At its simplest, hope can be the wish for something we desire to happen, and as diverse as hoping to see a long-lost friend later in the year, hoping the next bus will arrive on time, a dear friend who is ill will recover, the country votes for our choice of government, or that the police catch the thief who recently broke into our car. Our definition of ‘hope’ will depend on our situation, and whether we are in a stable place emotionally or facing difficulties and anguish. It's a journey through Scripture that spans the centuries and many a prophesy that would bring hope to a people in distress, and looks forward to a time yet to come, when Christ will return. Inspired by the words of the popular Wesley Advent hymn, 'Come thou long-expected Jesus' and the lectionary readings for Year C, and exploring the themes of Advent. The studies are designed to be printed on 4 sides of A4 paper, and you only need one copy of the study per group. ![]() ![]() It's a journey through Scripture that spans the centuries and many Old Testament prophesies, and looks at aspects of the birth and life of Jesus reflected in the words of this hymn, and how they speak into our faith journeys today.Īs with all these studies there is plenty of opportunity for engaging with the Bible, with starter discussion, pictures and questions. Inspired by the words of the popular Advent hymn, 'Hark the Glad Sound, the Saviour Comes' and exploring themes for Advent that reflect the words of each of the hymn's four verses. They are PDF files which most PCs and devices can easily open, and are written to be easily copied and distributed to group members - and economical to purchase at £2.99 ($3.99 US)! If using over several groups it would be lovely if you could consider buying more than a single study, but that's your decision! The Advent Studies available are on a variety of themes, but all have plenty of material to keep a group occupied, with lots of discussion questions. ![]()
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