Bible Reading
Luke 2:4-20 (ESV) — > 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
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> 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
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> 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
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> 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Luke 9:28-36 (ESV) – The Transfiguration — > 28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
Romans 3:23 (ESV) — > For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Observation Questions
- What was the reaction of the shepherds when the angel appeared and the glory of the Lord shone around them? (Luke 2:9-10) [[38:24]]
- According to the sermon, what made these shepherds unique compared to ordinary shepherds? [[39:33]]
- In the story of the transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36), what did the disciples see, and how did they respond? [[50:02]]
- How does the sermon describe the meaning of the word “glory” (kavod) in the Bible? [[45:03]]
Interpretation Questions
- Why do you think God chose to announce the birth of Jesus to shepherds, and what does this say about who the good news is for? [[39:33]]
- The sermon mentions that God’s glory is a standard we cannot reach on our own (Romans 3:23). How does Jesus make it possible for us to share in God’s glory? [[46:17]]
- The transfiguration was a dramatic moment where Jesus’ true identity was revealed. Why do you think even the disciples struggled to understand who Jesus really was, even after witnessing this event? [[51:15]]
- The sermon compares our lives to the faded Last Supper painting, saying we need restoration, not just decoration. What does it mean to be restored by God rather than just “decorated” on the outside? [[54:19]]
Application Questions
- The sermon talks about remembering God’s glory in everyday life, not just in big moments. What is one ordinary moment this week where you noticed God’s presence or beauty? How can you be more intentional about noticing and giving thanks for these moments? [[48:25]]
- Are there areas in your life where you feel like you’re just “decorating” rather than letting God truly restore you? What would it look like to invite God to restore you from the inside out? [[54:19]]
- The idea of “deferring” to Jesus means honoring Him in our daily routines. What is one practical way you can honor Jesus more openly in your words or actions this week? (For example, how you speak at work, at home, or with friends.) [[55:58]]
- The sermon encourages us to “deflect” praise back to God. When was the last time you received praise or recognition? How could you have redirected that moment to point to God’s goodness instead of just your own effort? [[57:54]]
- The shepherds responded to the good news by spreading the word. Who is someone in your life who needs to hear or see the good news of Jesus? What is one way you can share Christ’s love with them this Christmas season? [[58:40]]
- The sermon mentions that Christmas can lose its true meaning and become just another holiday. What is one tradition or activity you can add or change this year to help your family or friends focus more on Jesus? [[41:22]]
- The speaker gave out little images of Jesus as a reminder to point others to Him. Is there a physical object or daily habit you could use to remind yourself and others of Jesus’ presence and love? [[01:00:46]]
