Message Notes for December 19, 2021
Series: The Gifts of Christmas
Title: The language of Christmas is love


God’s love for us

Our Love for others

Language is powerful – towards God but also towards each other
I Love You! I believe in you!

Christmas can be hard –losing a loved one, being older, being shut in, dealing with depression, having no family…

Luke 1:46-48 “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

Luke 2:29-32 “Lord, now you are letting your servant[e] depart in peace,
according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Our Response to what the LORD has done

The language of Christmas is love – in word and deed


Family/Group Study Notes for December 19, 2021
Series: The Gifts of Christmas
Title: The Language of Christmas is Love


* What is your favorite Christmas song/carol and why? What does it express about Christmas to you?
* What hinders us from expressing our love and appreciation to God for what he has done for us? We often turn to him in prayer when we are struggling or desire something but what about in gratitude? How do you express love to the LORD?
* What separates us from others this time of the year? What has drawn us away from community? Why is Christmas with all its joy and family time hard for some people?
* Read Luke 1:46-55. This is Mary’s response to being impregnated as a teenager with the savior of the world. What is Mary expressing in this song? How does it express love for the Lord during a trial?
* Read Luke 2:22-35. What does Simeon say in his song about Jesus? Why do both Simeon and Mary say they are blessed? How do they use language to express their love of God but also their love of Jesus?
* How is the language of Christmas love? How do you express that? How are you going to express that to God? Who do you need to express that to here on earth? What are you going to say or how else are you going to do that?
* It is easy to think someone knows we love them or believe in them but often that is not enough. How do we express that care and love for others throughout the year and not just around Christmas? How should we be expressing our lives as a love letter to God? But why do we first need to acknowledge our love to God before we can love others?
* Pray about how you can grow deeper in your expression of love to God through word and deed but also how you then can carry that to those around you.