December 29-January 5
Arrival Part 4: Peace
Proverbs 16:7
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it describes a deep sense of well-being that comes through the presence of completion, reconciliation, and justice.
Isaiah 9:6-7
The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the arrival of a future king who would make a covenant of shalom with his people. His reign would right all wrongs and undo all harm.
Luke 2:9-15, Isaiah 9:6-7
The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the arrival of the Prince of Peace, whose reign would lead to eternal shalom. Isaiah’s words were fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus. This is why it is so significant that the angels described Jesus’ birth as one that would bring “peace on earth.”
Colossians 1:19-23
The biblical story shows how humanity often chooses a way of life apart from God and suffers as a result. God knows how painful it is to be separated from him. He wants to be close to humanity, so he sends Jesus to make peace. Through Jesus, all things are being restored to harmony with God again.
Ephesians 2:11-15; 4:1-3, 29-32
The apostle Paul says Jesus himself is our peace. Jesus removed all the things that separate humanity from one another and from God and now offers his peace to others as a gift. Jesus’ followers are called to receive, keep, and cultivate this gift of peace, which requires humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
Philippians 4:1-9
The apostle Paul writes his letter to the Philippians from prison. He knows hardship, but he also knows the peace of God. This is because biblical peace, like hope, is based on a person and not on circumstances. Paul calls followers to rejoice in God at all times, to pray, to give thanks, and to think on what is good and true. Paul shows how these habits can lead to experiencing the peace of God even in the midst of great difficulty.
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it describes a deep sense of well-being that comes through the presence of completion, reconciliation, and justice.
- Considering what you have learned about God in the Bible, name three ways (thoughts, actions, or words) people can bring pleasure to God.
- How do you imagine these three ways could bring peace, even between enemies?
Isaiah 9:6-7
The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the arrival of a future king who would make a covenant of shalom with his people. His reign would right all wrongs and undo all harm.
- What words or phrases stand out to you as you observe this passage?
- Based on this passage, how does the Prince of Peace govern his Kingdom?
- How can you cooperate with God to expand his peaceful rule in the places where you live?
Luke 2:9-15, Isaiah 9:6-7
The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the arrival of the Prince of Peace, whose reign would lead to eternal shalom. Isaiah’s words were fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus. This is why it is so significant that the angels described Jesus’ birth as one that would bring “peace on earth.”
- Why do you think God announced the arrival of the King to no-name shepherds? What does this tell you about the nature of God and his Kingdom?
- Notice the words “highest” and “earth” in the angel’s worshipful announcement. What came from the heights of Heaven to Earth when Jesus was born? How is this good news?
Colossians 1:19-23
The biblical story shows how humanity often chooses a way of life apart from God and suffers as a result. God knows how painful it is to be separated from him. He wants to be close to humanity, so he sends Jesus to make peace. Through Jesus, all things are being restored to harmony with God again.
- According to this passage, what did God want to do, and how did he accomplish his desire through Jesus?
Ephesians 2:11-15; 4:1-3, 29-32
The apostle Paul says Jesus himself is our peace. Jesus removed all the things that separate humanity from one another and from God and now offers his peace to others as a gift. Jesus’ followers are called to receive, keep, and cultivate this gift of peace, which requires humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
- How did Jesus make peace between two sharply divided people groups (Jews and Gentiles), and why did he do it (see Ephesians 2:16)?
- Review Ephesians 4:1-3 carefully. How can humility, gentleness, patience, and love help to maintain the unity Jesus made for his followers? What happens to unity when one of these virtues is missing?
Philippians 4:1-9
The apostle Paul writes his letter to the Philippians from prison. He knows hardship, but he also knows the peace of God. This is because biblical peace, like hope, is based on a person and not on circumstances. Paul calls followers to rejoice in God at all times, to pray, to give thanks, and to think on what is good and true. Paul shows how these habits can lead to experiencing the peace of God even in the midst of great difficulty.
- Review verses 7 and 9. What does God’s peace protect?
- Make a list of the instructions Paul gives in Philippians 4:1-9 (e.g. “stand firm in the Lord,” “live in harmony,” etc).
- Observe your list and imagine making one into a habit. What would that habit practically look like in your daily life? How do you think it could lead to a renewed experience of God’s protective peace?
December 22-29
Arrival Part 3: Love
Mark 12:29-31
When people ask Jesus about the most important command he answers by quoting from the Hebrew Bible: “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” But that’s not all. Jesus quickly follows up by saying that another command is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” For Jesus, no other command is greater than these.
John 13:34, Mark 12:29-31, 1 John 4:9-11
The Hebrew Bible records the history of the ancient Israelites repeatedly neglecting the commandment to love God and others. How can we hope to do any better? Jesus helps us when he adds a new commandment to accompany the greatest commandment. His new command shows how his sacrificial love can empower his followers to love others.
1 John 4:16, John 15:9-13
The God of the Bible doesn’t just express love; he is love. As a triune God⏤Father, Son, and Spirit⏤he has always been and will always be an others-centered, self-giving, communal being. Jesus, the Son, fully embodies the love of God and demonstrates it most clearly when he gives his life on behalf of humanity. When people learn to trust Jesus’ love for them, they join in God’s community of love, and their very nature is transformed to love others with him.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
Agape love is not primarily a feeling that happens to people. Love is a choice to act in a way that brings well-being to others. Love is more important than having spiritual knowledge or special abilities, and nothing matters without it. So how does love impact our thoughts and actions?
Luke 6:27-36
Jesus says that the ultimate standard of authentic love is how well you treat the person you can’t stand, or in his words, “You should love your enemy and do good to them, expecting nothing in return.” Jesus says this kind of love imitates the very character of God himself.
Ephesians 3:14-21, Romans 8:38-39
In his letters, Paul says that God’s love extends beyond the Jews to include the Gentiles. Jesus’ love is so massive and relentless that people need unique help from God to begin to understand and live according to it, so Paul prays for his readers to be strengthened with God’s Spirit.
When people ask Jesus about the most important command he answers by quoting from the Hebrew Bible: “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” But that’s not all. Jesus quickly follows up by saying that another command is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” For Jesus, no other command is greater than these.
- How does loving God relate to loving other people?
John 13:34, Mark 12:29-31, 1 John 4:9-11
The Hebrew Bible records the history of the ancient Israelites repeatedly neglecting the commandment to love God and others. How can we hope to do any better? Jesus helps us when he adds a new commandment to accompany the greatest commandment. His new command shows how his sacrificial love can empower his followers to love others.
- Compare John 13:34 with Mark 12:29-31. What is the difference between these two commands? How does Jesus' example show us what it looks like to follow the greatest command?
- Review 1 John 4:9-11 carefully. According to this passage, why did Jesus give his life, and what should motivate our love for others?
1 John 4:16, John 15:9-13
The God of the Bible doesn’t just express love; he is love. As a triune God⏤Father, Son, and Spirit⏤he has always been and will always be an others-centered, self-giving, communal being. Jesus, the Son, fully embodies the love of God and demonstrates it most clearly when he gives his life on behalf of humanity. When people learn to trust Jesus’ love for them, they join in God’s community of love, and their very nature is transformed to love others with him.
- Take note of the phrase “come to know and believe.” How is knowing and believing God’s love for us a process?
- Jesus and his disciples compared his love to a place where you can live or “abide.” To truly live somewhere, we first have to move in, unpack, and learn the space and how to operate in it. What else do people do when they live somewhere? How can this compare to what it’s like to trust in Jesus’ love?
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
Agape love is not primarily a feeling that happens to people. Love is a choice to act in a way that brings well-being to others. Love is more important than having spiritual knowledge or special abilities, and nothing matters without it. So how does love impact our thoughts and actions?
- Using Paul’s definition of love, consider how Jesus loves us. How is Jesus patient, kind, humble, and selfless toward us?
Luke 6:27-36
Jesus says that the ultimate standard of authentic love is how well you treat the person you can’t stand, or in his words, “You should love your enemy and do good to them, expecting nothing in return.” Jesus says this kind of love imitates the very character of God himself.
- What does Jesus promise for those who love their enemies (see verse 35)?
- Note how God himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. What does this say about God’s character?
- Note how verse 36 describes God. What is the relationship between love and mercy?
Ephesians 3:14-21, Romans 8:38-39
In his letters, Paul says that God’s love extends beyond the Jews to include the Gentiles. Jesus’ love is so massive and relentless that people need unique help from God to begin to understand and live according to it, so Paul prays for his readers to be strengthened with God’s Spirit.
- What metaphors does Paul use in today’s passages?
- How do these metaphors help us understand the nature of God’s love?
December 15-22
Arrival Part 2: Joy
Philippians 1:3-6
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
As Paul prays for these believers from his prison cell, he does so with joy in his heart because they have shared and labored in the same love for the gospel as Paul. Right from the start, they had partnered with him not only in sharing the gospel with others but also in allowing it to work in their own lives.
Philippians 1:25-26
“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”
As Paul talks about his own inward struggle of wanting to go and be with Christ on one hand and to stay alive to be a help to the believers on the other, he settles on the need to hang around here on earth. He is convinced that if God allows him to live a little longer, he will see growth in the believers and witness their “joy in the faith.”
Philippians 2:2-3
“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Pride will rob us of true joy. Yet as we allow the attitude of Christ - which is humility - to control our minds, our joy, like that of Paul’s, will be made complete. How you think about your brothers and sisters in Christ will greatly affect your level of joy.
James 1:2-4
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
As Paul prays for these believers from his prison cell, he does so with joy in his heart because they have shared and labored in the same love for the gospel as Paul. Right from the start, they had partnered with him not only in sharing the gospel with others but also in allowing it to work in their own lives.
- How does knowing Paul wrote this letter from prison impact your view of Joy?
- Why is partnering with other Christians hard?
Philippians 1:25-26
“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”
As Paul talks about his own inward struggle of wanting to go and be with Christ on one hand and to stay alive to be a help to the believers on the other, he settles on the need to hang around here on earth. He is convinced that if God allows him to live a little longer, he will see growth in the believers and witness their “joy in the faith.”
- How does watching other people grow in their faith impact your personal walk?
Philippians 2:2-3
“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Pride will rob us of true joy. Yet as we allow the attitude of Christ - which is humility - to control our minds, our joy, like that of Paul’s, will be made complete. How you think about your brothers and sisters in Christ will greatly affect your level of joy.
- How are we “on the same page” at pea ridge? in what ways are we not of “One Mind”?
- How do you personally struggle with pride, and what strategies do you use to combat it?
James 1:2-4
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
- Why would James write such a demanding thing to suffering people?
- How does knowing that trials impact our faith change how we as Christians should view them?
- Additional Discussion Questions:
Are you currently experiencing Joy? If not, what keeps you from having Christian joy? - Now that we have a better understanding of Christian joy through this week's readings, how can we be more joyful during this Christmas season?
- How did this week's readings help illustrate a joyful disposition?
- How can we promote Joy in our lives?
December 8-15
The Arrival Part 1: Hope
Psalms 130:1-8
Biblical hope relies on God’s character as a basis for trusting that the future will be better than the present. The more we get to know God’s character, the more hope we can have.
Micah 7:6-8
Optimism chooses to see how circumstances could work out for the best. Biblical hope, however, is not based on circumstances. Hopeful people in the Bible often face difficult times with no evidence that things will get better, but they choose to hope because they trust God’s words of promise and his good character. For example, Israel’s prophet Micah lived amid injustice and evil. He grieved and protested against the injustice while still looking to God for hope.
Psalm 39:6-7
God’s past faithfulness motivates hope for the future because we can remember God is consistent and trustworthy. Hope can exist in the darkest seasons when we look to him.
1 Peter 1:3-5
Biblical hope depends on Jesus because he gives “living hope” through his resurrection. Our mortal lives fade and die, as he also died, but the life of Jesus is indestructible. He is alive and always offering unending, incorruptible life with him. We begin entering this hopeful way of life when we stop trusting in the world's fear-based advice about how to survive, and start trusting in Jesus' love-based invitation to come alive in him.
Colossians 1:25-29
Jesus’ Spirit can live within us. The Holy Spirit empowers Jesus’ followers with God’s presence and promises. The apostle Paul called this mystery “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Romans 8:18-39
Biblical hope is not just for humanity; it’s for all of creation. Jesus’ resurrection provided a glimpse of how the whole universe will one day be restored.
Biblical hope relies on God’s character as a basis for trusting that the future will be better than the present. The more we get to know God’s character, the more hope we can have.
- What does the psalmist say about God’s character?
- What does the psalmist believe God will do for Israel?
- As you review today’s Psalm, consider the relationship between forgiveness and hope. What comes to mind? How do you want to see God’s forgiving work in your life and your community this week?
Micah 7:6-8
Optimism chooses to see how circumstances could work out for the best. Biblical hope, however, is not based on circumstances. Hopeful people in the Bible often face difficult times with no evidence that things will get better, but they choose to hope because they trust God’s words of promise and his good character. For example, Israel’s prophet Micah lived amid injustice and evil. He grieved and protested against the injustice while still looking to God for hope.
- What specific troubles does Micah list in verse 6, and how does he respond in verses 7 and 8?
- What are some of the troubles around you right now? How does Micah’s response encourage or challenge you today?
Psalm 39:6-7
God’s past faithfulness motivates hope for the future because we can remember God is consistent and trustworthy. Hope can exist in the darkest seasons when we look to him.
- When the Psalmist looks at the world around him what does he notice?
- How does the Psalmist look to God and express his hope?
1 Peter 1:3-5
Biblical hope depends on Jesus because he gives “living hope” through his resurrection. Our mortal lives fade and die, as he also died, but the life of Jesus is indestructible. He is alive and always offering unending, incorruptible life with him. We begin entering this hopeful way of life when we stop trusting in the world's fear-based advice about how to survive, and start trusting in Jesus' love-based invitation to come alive in him.
- What stands out to you as you read this passage?
- Do you notice how this passage is an expression of praise addressed to God? How can this passage help us understand what it practically means to praise God?
Colossians 1:25-29
Jesus’ Spirit can live within us. The Holy Spirit empowers Jesus’ followers with God’s presence and promises. The apostle Paul called this mystery “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
- According to this passage, who and what is needed to become mature in Jesus?
- What did Christ’s Spirit powerfully work through Paul? What is one way that power work continues to impact our lives, even today?
Romans 8:18-39
Biblical hope is not just for humanity; it’s for all of creation. Jesus’ resurrection provided a glimpse of how the whole universe will one day be restored.
- In this passage, what do the children of God and creation groan to experience?
- What do you imagine creation will be like when this hope is finally realized?