DOWN TO EARTH: Shepherds
December 20, 2020Down To Earth: Shepherds
Advent Sermon Series
Lombard Bible Church
December 20, 2020
YOUR OWN SERMON NOTES:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Have you ever felt like an outcast? Like you didn’t fit in? Describe your experience.
- In our Scripture today, we see God showing special favor to outcasts: the shepherds. Read Luke 2:1-20. What stuck out to you from the Scripture or the message this past Sunday?
- Read Luke 2:6-7. The birth story of Jesus is short (like–really short), especially compared to how much time Luke spends talking about the shepherds the night of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:8-20. Why do you think Luke spends so little time talking about how Jesus was born compared to the angelic message to the shepherds on Christmas night?
- Read Luke 2:10. The angel says that news of Jesus’ birth will cause “great joy for all people.” Why should the news of Jesus be the cause of great joy for all people?
- Can you think of a time you had “great joy” because of Jesus? Consider sharing your experience.
- Read Luke 2:8-11. Why, of all the people God could have chosen to first hear the news that Jesus was born, why did God choose shepherds?
- Shepherds were arguably one of the greater outcasts in Jesus’ day. Who are some of the outcasts in our community today? List them. How does God feel about these outcasts?
- Considering what God wanted the angels to say to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-14, what might God want to say to the modern-day outcasts in our community?
- What’s one thing you want to remember from this discussion?
- What’s one action step you want to take this week because of tonight’s discussion?
- Pair up: ask “how can I pray for you?” Follow up question: “How can I pray for you really?”