Use these for group work, or to assist your personal reflection.
- Look through the words of this psalm for those great words which characterise the work of God, and discuss them in your group.
- How and why does God withdraw His anger from us?
- From reading this psalm, what do you think that salvation means, and how does God deliver it?
Use the programme which can be found on the link ‘discipleship challenges’. The ‘worksheet’ will help you follow through anything you feel is right to take up. The following notes are for your interest and consideration.
Personal comment:
The real joy of Christmas is to discover that God does indeed keep His promises. He has sent His son into the world to demonstrate His love for us and to do through Him what is necessary for all people to be reconciled to their God – if they so wish and choose. It is remarkable that at Christmas time, all those people who say they believe in God and yet find it hard to go to church throughout the year come to carol services. Those of us who are regular worshippers should not be cynical; whatever people’s motives, Christmas is something people intrinsically understand and want to believe. The church needs to learn how to receive people hospitably at Christmas and encourage them in faith.
Ideas for discipleship programme
- Ask yourself, what does Christmas mean to you, and how does it help you understand your faith, if at all? Or is it just another festival to celebrate in the Christian calendar? Pray that God will bless you with real faith this Christmas.
- Carols are often sung at Christmas time in schools, pubs, social clubs, hotels and places of work, for example. Try to find such a celebration and go to it providing it is open to the public. Sometimes the ‘non-church’ setting can give us a totally different perspective on the Christmas story.
Dear Lord Jesus, when You came into the world as a baby You had to grow into your surroundings, as any child does. We praise You for Your humility and graciousness in accepting the hospitality of a simple human family, and showing us that the Father trusts us with His great Word. May we not let You down, but rejoice in Your presence with us in the child at Bethlehem. AMEN
