Great Expectations: LIFEgroup Questions for December 13

How do you (and your family) prepare for Christmas each year? Have your preparations been different this year than in the past? Why or why not?

If you could describe the "perfect" Christmas moment, what would it look like? What kinds of things do you do in order to try to make a moment like this happen?

Read Luke 3:1-6. What was John preparing for? What do you think it means to "prepare the way?"

Christmas is a time when we celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. Share with the group about when Christ first came into your personal world. How were you first introduced to Jesus?

Look at verses 5-6. According to John, a lot of work needed to be done on the "roads" to make them ready for the Messiah. What kind of work often needs to be done in people's lives to make them ready for Jesus? What kind of work needed to be done in your life to make you ready for Jesus?

Look at verse 3. "Repentance" was at the heart of John's message. What does it mean to repent? How does repenting of our sins help us prepare our lives for Christ?

Verse 8 says to produce fruit that is consistent with repentance. What kind of fruit in someone's life shows that they have repented? Is repentance a one time thing or must it be repeated? Why and how?

What part of your life's path needs to be prepared for Jesus? How can you accomplish this? How can this group help and/or pray for you?

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