AC Reflection Questions Session 1
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What Positive memories do you have of the Christmas Season?
How would you describe the best Christmas you ever had as a
Child?
What made it special for you?
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2.
Do you still look forward to the Christmas season?
Why or Why Not?
1. What Word would best describe what you want to experience this year during
Christmas season?
2. What are some obstacles that get in the way of that happening?
1. What practical choices do you need to make to ensure that the Christmas season
remains a time of focused worship?
2. How might you remind and encourage each other as friends, family, church to do
this?
Read Luke 2:8-20
The Shepherds and the Angels
The shepherds are wellknown participants in the
Christmas narrative. Think
about images you have
seen on traditional
Christmas Cards, nativity
scenes, or eve the way
shepherds are portrayed
in a typical church
Christmas program. How
have we been led to
picture these first visitors
to the manger?
8 And there were shepherds living out in the
fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at
night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to
them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of
great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today
in the town of David a Savior has been born to
you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to
you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and
lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company
of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his
favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them
and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has told us
about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary
and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the
manger. 17 When they had seen him, they
spread the word concerning what had been told
them about this child, 18 and all who heard it
were amazed at what the shepherds said to
them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things
and pondered them in her heart. 20 The
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all the things they had heard and seen, which
were just as they had been told.
AC Reflection Questions Session 1
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In this passage we are told that the shepherds were a socially despised
group (poor, criminal, outcast). Can you think of any parallels to this
group today?
The Shepherds are the first ones to whom the angels announced the
birth of Christ. What does that tell us about the heart of God toward
social outcasts? How does this relate to the message of Christmas?
In what ways does the worship of the shepherds differ from our
celebration of Christmas?
What are some specific ways in which our contemporary celebration of
Christmas moves us away from the worship the shepherds experienced?
What can we do to recapture that sense of wonder and gratitude.
We see the shepherds not only approaching the manger in a spirit of worship,
we see them moving into their world to proclaim the good news. The
announcement that Go has given us his Son changes everything.
1. Who still needs to hear this good news?
2. Think of some specific people and ways that your family, group, or church
can bring this announcement to the world. What might this look like at
Christmas?
AC Reflection Questions Session 1
God has drawn near. He was born as a baby that night in
Bethlehem. Through Jesus, he walked among us and the story
forever changed. This is what we celebrate each Christmas. This
is what the songs proclaim. This is the story we tell to the world
each year.
• What if the choices that we make this year about our
spending and the way we give gifts to one another were a
part of our worship?
The advent season is our chance to celebrate the wondrous
moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is a
season of worship. This is the foundation for our conspiracy.
• Close this session by praying as a group for a fresh encounter
with God during this season of Advent. Pray for a desire to
worship more fully and for opportunities to enter into the
ongoing story of Jesus and his work in the world.
From Chapter 1
“Understand what you’re doing and why you’re
doing it. This is not about anger, disgust, or
guilt—it is about entering the story of Jesus
more deeply with a desire to worship more fully.
It is not enough to say no to the way Christmas
is celebrated by many; we need to say yes to a
different way of celebrating.”
Optional reading: Chapters 1 and 3 of Advent Conspiracy.