Experience the Nativity: "The Joy of the Shepherds"

Sunday, December 17, 2006 - Rev. Rurel Ausley, Jr.

Luke 2:8-20

1. What would be your prescription for a "joyful Christmas" to people? What do people mean when they refer to poorer people not having a very good Christmas? Do wealthier people have a "joyful Christmas"? Why or why not? What is the exact relationship between "goods purchased" and "happiness"? What might be some better ways to demonstrate our love besides just purchasing gifts? Let’s get some of our steps to having the joy of the shepherds this Christmas from the Bible…

2. Read our Scripture for today. For our first step: What did the shepherds decide to do after the angels had left them? (Luke 2:15,16) Were they commanded to go seek and find this new baby? What does this say about the shepherds? Why is it that God wants us to seek Him? (2 Chron. 7:14; Ps. 9:10; 10:4; 14:2; Is. 55:6; Matt. 6:33; 7:7; Acts 17:27) Why is this a journey that you must make yourself? What are you seeking and finding? How will this determine whether we have a good Christmas or not? I believe that a Merry Christmas depends on what we are seeking.

3. For our second step: What did the shepherds do after they had seen the baby Jesus? What happens to us when we share good news? To others? How is telling something good half the fun? What does it say about us if we withhold the good news from others? Once you've found Him, how can you be quiet? How convinced are you that there are people in our area that don't have a clue as to why we celebrate Christmas?

4. For our third step: What was the response of those who heard what the shepherds were saying about this child? How do you respond to the telling of the Christmas story each year? Do you still hear and wonder? How does the story capture and amaze you? Has the Christmas story lost some of its wonder for you? How can familiarity cause us to lose some of the wonder if we are not careful? What kind of Christmas would you have if you could recapture the wonder of it all?

5. For our fourth step: What was Mary's response to all of this? (Luke 2:19) What do you think her feelings were as she held her newborn baby? What were the other miraculous things that were taking place during this time? How do you think she pondered these things? What does it mean to "ponder"? How do we have the same duty to the truth to ponder these things in our heart? How have you experienced meditating on Scriptural truths? How does meditating on something help you to draw out the deeper spiritual truths there? What might be some spiritual truths about Christmas that you need to give some significant meditation time?

6. For our fifth step: What was the personal response of the shepherds? Though they went back to the same jobs, how were they different people? What kind of people had they become? How have you allowed Christmas to make a positive difference in your life? How will you return to work after the holidays, praising God for the gift of his Son and rejoicing in a merry Christmas? Or do you package your generosity and good will with the lights and the ornaments until this time next year?