Big Idea: Jesus is the reason for the season. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel [God Is With Us].” Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) What Does It Mean That “God Is With Us”? 1. God Understands Us “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT2) “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV) 2. God Will Forgive Us “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” 1 John 1:9 (NLT) “Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood.” Romans 3:24-25a (NLT2) “This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe in Jesus.” Romans 3:25b-26 (NLT2) 3. God Loves Us “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all–how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32 (NIV) “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Romans 8:35 (NIV) “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NIV) What does it mean that “God is with me”? This Christmas, I will embrace “God is with me” by: Trusting that He understands my pain Accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior [This is only a guide – select the points you want to discuss.] Icebreaker: When have you felt the presence of God? Big Idea: Jesus is the reason for the season. Read Isaiah 7:14 Why is the title of Immanuel so important? Read Philippians 2:5-8 What does it mean that Jesus didn’t feel the need to hold on to equality with God? Because Jesus put on flesh, what did He experience that He would not have had to? Today there seems to be a lack of common courtesy in our culture. People often do whatever they can get away with instead of thinking of the needs of others. What rights am I clinging to that I could set aside for the good of someone else? How far am I willing to humble myself to reach people for Christ? Read Philippians 2:9-11 How did Jesus prove to us that there is more to life than just the present? What Does It Mean That “God Is With Us”? 1. God Understands Us Read Hebrews 2:14-15 Why did Jesus have to put on flesh? Read Hebrews 4:15-16 Make a list of personal experiences that Jesus can relate to? What does it mean to be invited to the “throne of grace”? 2. God Will Forgive Us Read 1 John 1:8-9 What does it mean to confess? What is our responsibility to be forgiven? What does God promise to do for us? Read Romans 3:24-26 What does God provide for the penalty of our sins? How are we made right with God? Why did God wait to deal with the previous sins of people? How does this confirm that Jesus is the only way to heaven? 3. God Loves Us Read Romans 8:31-32 How has God proven that He is for you? Read Romans 8:38-39 What makes you feel as if God isn’t with you? What can separate us from the love of God? How do these verses confirm that God is with you and for you? What should be our response to the sacrifice Jesus made? Read Romans 10:9 What does God ask us to do? When was your moment in time when you placed your faith in Jesus? How can you express your faith this Christmas? Spend time praying together: