O Come Let Us Adore Him – Worship Through Celebration & Joy – 12.26.21

CONNECT
Share one or two of the most joyful moments you have experienced in your lifetime.

ENGAGE
Read the Christmas story in Luke 1-2 and discuss how joy is seen throughout with Zacharius, Mary, Elizabeth, the shepherds, the angels, Simeon, and Anna.

Discuss how we can make room for joy in our hearts through these statements:

1. Say yes to the Gospel. (Psalm 13:5-6, Luke 15:7)
2. Be curious as to what God is up to around us. (Psalm 16:11)
3. Make space to ponder and treasure (Luke 2:19)
4. Worship through suffering (Acts 5:41, Romans 5:1-5, James 1:2-4)
5. Join in the joy of heaven (Luke 2:8-14)

Discuss this quote by Thomas Aquinas: “Man cannot live without joy; therefore, when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures.”

APPLY
Meditate on this post by Anna Bearss (Facebook Blog 12/26/21) and ask these questions: Do you choose to be with Jesus on a daily basis and say yes to Him when He calls? How does this allow you to enter into His joy and enrich your spiritual walk with Him? What is one thing you can do in the new year to draw closer to Him?

“There is something that happens when we release our own expectations, we come to the thrown room with open hearts of expectancy and wait to see where the Lord MOVES. Constant heart of reflecting…we serve a God that Loves to reveal himself to us. The discovery of that is enough to count it all Joy! To live in his timing & follow his heart…Praise God that He, our creator allows us to know him.  And when we know him we are able to step into the adaptability & constant response to say yes to him. In that we get to rejoice because he is doing something Good! May our song be everlasting Joy, giving glory to his name because in all things he is good and worthy of it. Call me anywhere, I just want to be in his presence!”

PRAY
Pray that the Lord would give us each a steadfast heart filled with everlasting joy, despite our circumstances and whatever comes our way, praising His name forevermore.