Life Group - Study Guides

Our world is full of noise, of choices, and information. We seldom do “nothing.” We do not sit, think, or listen. Instead, we listen to music, podcasts, play games, or talk. Elijah, overwhelmed by his life and circumstances, finds that God is found in the silence.

In this series, we’ve seen so many ways the Old Testament predicts Jesus’ coming. This weekend we focus on Jacob, who is given a dream from God that will impact the generations to come. We can find hope in his story, as Jacob meets the Living God.

After God had fulfilled His promise to Abraham of giving him a son in his old age, God asks him to sacrifice this child of promise. Through this story we learn that, though testing is difficult and does not make sense, we can trust God. In this study, let’s learn how to be faithful when tested.

Christmas can be a time of frustration. Everyone has a plan. Everyone has their own expectations or traditions. Our lives can be lived in a cycle of what I want, deserve, expect...and anger at what did not go as planned. Ego says we should be treated a certain way, and when we’re not, problems arise. Humility is forgiving those who have wronged us and offering them help and healing – like the servant girl, like Jesus. This Christmas season, let’s follow the example of the Servant King who, even though He was above everything, made Himself above nothing for us.

The time between the last book of the Old Testament and the New Testament is referred to as “the 400 years of silence.” Just from the time that Isaiah prophesied the virgin birth as a sign of the coming Messiah until the birth of Jesus was approximately 700 years. In contemplating this timeline, we find reassurance and hope in the consistency of God's character and His promises. He is steadfast in being who He claims to be and fulfilling what He declares. This week, let's fix our gaze on Jesus and allow the power of His peace to govern our hearts and minds.