The WORLD did.

Big Idea: The whole world would be blessed because the whole world needed blessing; it needed Christmas.

The Christmas story began in Genesis with God’s promise that through one man the entire world would be .

Genesis 12:1–3 (NLT) The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Abraham believed the .

• Blessed? Conquered + Enslaved + Plundered

Isaiah 49:6 "He says, “...I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Malachi 1:11 "But my name is honored by people of other nations ...from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

• All the nations would be blessed through Abraham.
• Israel would be a light to the Gentiles.
• The Jewish God would be worshipped throughout the world.

The whole world needed to be by God.

Galatians 4:4, Luke 1:26–33 (NLT) 4 But when the right time came, ...26 God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. 27 The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 30 You have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; 33 . . . his kingdom will never end.”

CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION

1. Is the Christmas season a positive or negative time for you?

   1. How would you typically describe the holidays?

   ◻︎ Stressful
   ◻︎ Delightful
   ◻︎ Joyful
   ◻︎ Nostalgic
   ◻︎ Lonely
   ◻︎ Dreadful
   ◻︎ Family-filled
   ◻︎ Frustrating
   ◻︎ Lighthearted
   ◻︎ Sad
   ◻︎ Other __________________

2. The message traced how the Christmas story unfolded over two thousand years until, as the apostle Paul said, “The set time had fully come”—until the conditions were exactly how God wanted them.

   1. When has God’s timing been different than the timing you hoped or even prayed for?
      1. How did you feel at the time?
      2. How does hindsight change your feelings?

3. Given their dire circumstances, the struggling nation of Israel had no reason to believe God’s promises. Could you describe a period of time when you’ve seen someone trust God despite challenging or seemingly hopeless circumstances?

4. The full Christmas story—from God’s promises to Abraham all the way to the birth of Jesus —is a reminder of God’s timing and his faithfulness. Which of those do you need to be reminded of this season? **