Life Group - Leader Guides

Zacchaeus wasn’t the man anyone expected Jesus to pursue. His reputation was damaged, his choices had hurt others, and the crowd believed he didn’t deserve kindness. Yet, Jesus called him by name, stepped into his home, and changed his life. Grace came where no one expected it — and that’s exactly how Jesus still works.

It’s that time of year—Christmas at the Cove! Over the next few weeks, we’ll turn our hearts toward our Savior and explore key moments from His life and ministry to help us stay focused on Him this Christmas season. Jesus surprised everyone by the way He came into the world. Many expected Him to arrive with force—judging the wicked and rewarding the righteous. They wanted a conqueror on a war horse, but instead He arrived humbly. He came not to crush but to call, not to condemn but to offer repentance. And like we see in the story of Balaam’s donkey, Jesus often sees what we cannot and protects us in ways we often fail to recognize. Let’s explore why these things matter so much.

As we close our American Scheme series, we’re looking at one of the most subtle schemes of the enemy and our culture today: comfort, especially the kind that comes from distraction, digital noise, and endless entertainment. From social media scrolling to binge watching, to constant notifications, to always having something to fill silence. Our culture has created a comfort that numbs us spiritually rather than feeding our faith. Comfort isn't the problem, however if comfort becomes our goal, then that's a problem. When comfort leads, it slowly produces apathy, distractions, and spiritual self-reliance. But Jesus doesn't expose this to shame us—He exposes it to love us, discipline us, and call us back. Let’s discuss this idea.

As we chase after the “American Dream,” it’s easy—almost natural—to drift into pursuing comfort, success, and status more than more than we pursue God Himself. None of those things are wrong in and of themselves. In fact, living in America brings incredible blessings, opportunities, and freedoms that we can truly thank God for. But blessings can quietly become idols when they take primary place in our hearts. If you have ever been on a mission trip, you’ve probably noticed that believers who have far less than we do often carry far more joy, peace, and contentment in the Lord. Why? Because their treasure is rooted in God alone. So how do we, in a culture filled with abundance, keep our focus on the “main thing”, God’s purpose, God’s kingdom, and God’s calling for our lives?

We are beginning a series called the American Scheme! What some may see as an ideal (the American Dream) is instead a nicely packaged, destructive scheme that prevents us from achieving God’s best. This week we consider what happens when we allow comparison, jealousy, and envy to steal our contentment and gratitude. What an appropriate season to refocus from a scarcity mindset to how we can generously support and celebrate with others!