Advent, the practice of waiting: Week 1 (Dec 2022)
Advent, The Practice of Waiting: Week #1 | December 2022
Communities @ Grace
40 minutes: Welcome, Pray, Eat + Mingle
What is one thing you are looking forward to this Christmas season?
What is one thing that is challenging or hard this season?
15 Minutes : Discuss Advent Conspiracy practices;
Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All.
How have the themes of Advent Conspiracy influenced the way you are planning to celebrate Christmas this year?
How are you intentionally spending time with God?
What challenges do you face?
35 Minutes : Introduction of Practice + Discussion Questions
Read:
Advent by definition is:
“The arrival of a notable person or event.”
“the first season of the Christian church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.”
“The coming or second coming of Christ.”
Advent is a season full of hope, expectation and longing. For the next couple weeks, we will be considering what it was like to wait for the first coming of Jesus, how we wait well for His return, and what it is like to wait on God in our daily lives.
Read:
Genesis 3:14-15
Numbers 24:15-19
Psalm 110
Isaiah 9:2-7
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
The readings today are prophecies looking forward to the coming of a savior and
future king.
What were the people waiting for? What were they longing for?
How did the coming of Jesus fulfill those longings?
In what ways did the first coming of Jesus not fulfill the longs of the people?
How long did the people wait for the Messiah to come?
25 Minutes : Group Practice and prayer:
Break up into groups of 3-4 or discuss as a whole group
What are you longing for God to do in your life or circumstances?
Are you waiting for God to move or answer a prayer?
How long have you been waiting?
How do you feel about the waiting?
Are you tempted toward any unhealthy ways of coping with your waiting?
Read 1 Peter 1:3-12
Pray for one another in regard to the previous discussion and encouragement from
1 Peter.
5 Minutes : Practices for Week Ahead
Spend some time thinking about what your spiritual longings are.
Write a prayer expressing your longings to God
Express to God those things you are waiting for. Ask Him to help you wait with hope and full surrender to his care and goodness.