Christmas Re-examined – Part 2 – God understands us! Sermon by Greg MacRobbie – Sunday, December 12, 2021

Christmas is a wonderful season for so many reasons! We decorate trees, light up the house, bake cookies, and so much more. Those who follow Jesus know that there is something far deeper at play in Christmas, but it’s easy to gloss over what that really means, and let it get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season.

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Life Group content SERIES THEME
The original reasons to celebrate

THIS WEEK’S MAIN IDEA A lot of people struggle today with a nagging sense that no one else really understands what they are going through, or that no one can fully relate. This feeling of separation is often intensified when it comes to God and his care for us. “Does he really get what my life is like?” “Does he really care?” This sense of separation can make celebrating Christmas a pretty empty experience. How great to realize that the coming of Jesus proves God understands us! He’s faced what we face, He’s walked more than a mile in our shoes, and rather than condemning us for our failures, He came to bear the consequences of them so we could be truly set free! SCRIPTURE Luke 2:12; Mark 1:11-13; John 2:15-16; John 4:5-7; Luke 13:34; Hebrews 2:16-18; Matthew 26:38; Matthew 8:20; 2 Corinthians 8:9; John 6:66-69; Luke 22:48; Mark 15:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-15; Isaiah 53:1-6; Hebrews 4:14-16 CONNECT

What comes to mind as the best gift you’ve ever received? How about the gift you were the happiest to give? Why do you think these gifts come to mind?

EXPLORE

1. On a scale of 1 (not at all) to 10 (completely), how strongly do you feel God identifies with you personally and understands what you go through day to day? Why?
2. Read Luke 2:12. What do you make of the idea that Jesus came as a baby, in part, to identify with and understand our weaknesses and struggles?
3. We are told in Scripture that when Jesus came, he set aside his divine powers and limited himself to the capacities of every human (see Philippians 2). In Sunday’s teaching, Greg touched on just a few of the many examples of Jesus sharing in our brokenness – he knows what its like to be tired, hungry, in pain, tempted, frustrated, and disappointed by others. Does knowing these things make Jesus more approachable to you? Why?
4. Read Hebrews 2:14-18. Jesus willingly experienced all the troubles we face so that he could genuinely represent us before God and take our place by suffering and dying to satisfy the justice of God. Rather than judge us for our failures, he stepped up and assumed responsibility for them… how can we best respond to this?
5. Read Isaiah 53:1-6. This is a beautiful prophetic description of why Jesus came as a baby rather than some full grown all-powerful, invincible god-like being. He did this for you! How can this truth change the way you celebrate Christmas and/or live your life?

STRETCH
What is God calling you to do? What will you do about it this week?