christmas tree

Advent at Living Stones

contents

Introduction

Recommended Resources

Upcoming Events

Bible Reading Plan

Sermon Text Commentary & Community Group Guide

Living Stones Family Devotions

introduction
With the mention of the word Christmas you no doubt are filled with sounds, smells, images, and
memories of past holidays. Some good, some bad, but all strongly present in your mind.

This Advent season will no doubt be filled with more of these memories and our hope is to partner
together as a church and connect the dots between the images of Christmas and the theology of
Christmas.

Many of us have a Christmas tree sitting in the center of our homes, adorned with lights, and
carrying with it gifts and presents for everyone in family.

So too, the true Christmas tree, the cross of Jesus Christ, is the center of our faith, adorned with
Jesus, the light of the world. This tree also bears gifts, not of toys or socks, but the gift of peace with
God and reconciliation with each other. Around the tree, a new family is formed as we gather around
the Cross.

It is my hope that over the next few weeks, through the gathered celebrations with your families,
friends, community groups, and our gathered worship as the church, we might all move closer to the
true purpose and direction of Christmas: a tree on a hill in Jerusalem.

Over this series all of Living Stones will partner together in a collaborative social media project by
tagging their posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with #LSChristmasTree. Were looking for
pictures of Christmas trees, crosses, and Christmas traditions.

Grace & Peace,

Nathan Hornback and LS Elders

recommended resources
Sing
ADVENT PLAYLIST
Available on Spotify & Apple Music

Read
TIM KELLER: HIDDEN CHRISTMAS bit.ly/HiddenChristmas

In his new book Timothy Keller takes readers on an illuminating journey into the surprising
background of the nativity. By understanding the message of hope and salvation within the Bibles
account of Jesus birth, readers will experience the redeeming power of Gods grace in a deeper and
more meaningful way.

JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE: bit.ly/StorybookBible

This Childrens Bible is one of our most recommended resources at Living Stones. Its chapter on the
birth of Christ is especially powerful in telling the Christmas story to your family in a simple and
engaging way.

upcoming events
STARTING POINT - Sunday, December 4th
New to Living Stones or know someone who is? This short meeting is the opportunity for those new
to Living Stones to hear about the story and mission of Living Stones church. For more info email
pastor nathan@lschurches.com!

Baptism Class
Baptism is a command of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, given to Christians, as a
sign and public proclamation of faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Baptism class is a requirement before being baptized. Anyone interested in being baptized is
invited to meet with a pastor and hear more about what baptism signifies and your next steps as a
Christian. To sign up for the baptism class email pastor seth@lschurches.com!

Christmas Service - Sunday, December 18th - 11am - Elko Convention Center

We cannot wait to celebrate Christmas with you, your family, and friends!

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES - 4pm - 515pm - 630pm at our building!

(Childrens ministry at 4pm and 515pm services only. )

Year End Gift - Month of December

Every year Living Stones Church partners together to support the work of Living Water International
and the mission of Living Stones Reno. This year we set our sights on reaching a milestone weve
been working towards over the years: 100 wells and $1,000,000 raised. Be praying about what you
will give on Dec 18th!

bible reading plan

The 2016 Bible Reading plan is about experiencing the Scriptures through a daily commitment to
opening your heart and mind to God. This is a discipline essential to all disciples of Jesus.

The Bible Project has created a unique and powerful experience, called Read Scripture, to help us
engage with the text throughout the year.

This plan includes an average of four chapters of Scripture a day and one Psalm for prayer. Along
with the plan are animated videos providing insight on the book we are currently studying and
occasional videos covering the major themes of Scripture.

With the start of Advent, well be just arriving at the book of Hebrews and coming into the last books
of the Bible.

In order to start the reading plan, head to the iOS App Store or Google Play Store and search Read
Scripture, download the app, and thats it. You can also download the app through tapping the
following link:

Apple Device

Android Device

Note: If youd like a paper version of the reading plan a .pdf version is available for printing here.
Along with that, the reading plan is available under the name Eat This Book on the Life.Church
Bible App.

sermon commentary & community group guide

Week 1

gods revelation
Hebrews 1:1-4
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these
last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom
also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,
and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Hebrews 1:1-3)
Christmas is about God revealing himself in the person and work of his son, Jesus Christ. Everything
Jesus does and says is the exact imprint of Gods nature.

Gods wisdom is revealed in the teachings of Jesus. His love is shown in the death of Jesus. His
salvation is seen through Jesus resurrection. Gods sovereignty is seen when we see Jesus on the
throne.

This week well be talking about how God has revealed himself to humanity through Jesus Christ.

ICEBREAKER:
Looking back on your life, what was one of the best Christmases you celebrated? What traditions?
What meals? Who did you spend it with?

DISCUSS:
1. Any reflections, questions, or comments from the worship gathering this weekend?

2. Between the times of the prophets and birth of Jesus around 400 years of silence from God
occurred. Have your group sit silently for two minuteswhich will feel like forever. Afterward
discuss: How did you feel during that time of silence? How did you react? What would it have felt
like to hear a promise of salvation but only hear silence for decades?

3. Read over Hebrews 1:1-4 together and discuss what this text is saying, specifically in regards to
Jesus; who he is, what he had done, and where he is now.

4. How does God reveal himself to humanity?

5. Theologians discuss Gods two ways of revelation as common and special, what are some
examples of both of these and why do we need both to lead us to Jesus Christ and salvation?

6. Tim Keller writes, At Christmas God moved into very bad neighborhood and began rehabilitating
it. During this Christmas season, how can we as a community group follow Jesus example and
reveal God by serving our neighborhood?

PRAYER:
Gracious, loving and merciful God, as the light of your Word opens our hearts, we open ourselves up
to your Spirit and give you thanks.
We are grateful, Lord Jesus, that your story has become our story, and we celebrate your birth.
Continue, we pray, to instill in us a sense of your abiding presence, and help us to take to heart the
wonder of your love, that we may walk in your ways and delight in your will.
Help us to be the faithful, gracious, loving, giving and forgiving people you would have us be.

Week 2

gods generosity
2 Corinthians 8 & 9

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce
thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but
is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify
God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the
generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, (2 Corinthians 8:9)
As Christmas celebrations and traditions have evolved over the past 2000 years, one of the primary
traditions that have remained is generosity to the poor. This was inspired by the incarnation as a
cosmic giving to the poor. Those of us who are poor in righteousness need someone who is rich in
righteousness to provide for us. It was this reality that lead Saint Nicholas to lead a life of radical
generosity which lead to the tradition of Santa Claus bringing gifts each year.

For discussion this week, have your community group read (either during group or before) the story
of Saint Nicholas.

2 Corinthians 8 and 9 are about the generosity of these early churches to the poor, historically we
know that generosity to the poor has been one of the great means that God has used to bring
positive impact to the world.

Each year Living Stones partners with Living Water in our Year End Gift as we partner together in
radical generosity as we provide the gift of clean drinking water to those around the world.

Christmas is about generosity, will your Christmas be about generosity?

ICEBREAKER:
What was the most memorable Christmas present you ever received? Who was it from?

DISCUSS:
1. Any reflections, questions, or comments from the worship gathering this weekend?

2. Read 2 Corinthians 8:9. In what ways Jesus generous to us?

3. Discuss the story of Saint Nicholas, what are some of the examples of his generosity?

4. Who is in our lives that we can be generous to during this season in new and radical ways?

5. How can we as a group partner together to be radically generous through the Year End Gift?

PRAYER:
Take time this week in groups of 2-3 praying for one another.

Week 3

gods righteousness
Romans 8:1-4
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of
life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law,
weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for
sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be
fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
The Cross is the ultimate Christmas tree, the apostle Peter calls it a Tree (1 Peter 2:24). At this tree
we receive pardon for our sin and all of Gods righteousness. And because of this, there will never be
any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is what Christmas is all about, that God
sent forth his Son, in the likeness of human flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law
might be fulfilled in us.

This week well be discussing the justification of faith alone. This doctrine is central to the gospel
because it proclaims that we obtain salvation not through our good deeds or actions, but through
the imputed righteousness of Christ.

ICEBREAKER:
Have your group look at this modern artistic interpretation of the Christmas story. Specifically, talk about
what it must have felt like for Joseph and Mary on their journey to Bethlehem. And look for the
hidden references throughout the painting, see how many you can find.
DISCUSS:
1. Any reflections, questions, or comments from the worship gathering this weekend?

2. Begin by reading Romans 8:1-4 and discussing anything that stood out to you or left you with
questions.

3. In 8:1, Paul says, there is therefore no condemnation What is the therefore there for? Whats
Paul referring to?

4. What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus?

5. This passage refers to the idea of law multiple times. What is the law of the Spirit? The law of
Sin and Death?
6. How is the requirement of Gods law fulfilled in us? And how do we walk according to the Spirit
and not the flesh?

PRAYER:
Break up into smaller groups (possibly by gender for co-ed groups). In these small groups discuss
the diculties you have in trusting in Gods grace or hardship in walking according to the Spirit. After
this time, pray for one another that God would make is grace known and through the Spirit empower
us to walk in the Spirit.

Week 4

gods son
1 John 1:1-4; 2:1-2
In AD 325, a collection of pastors and church leaders gathered to create a creed that would combat
the false teaching of their day. At this time, many were being led astray by the heresy of arianism,
which taught that Jesus was not God, but was created by God. It was at this council that tradition
holds that Saint Nicholas, while listening to the creator of this heresy, Arian, ramble on about the
lower status of Jesus as only a created being, became overtaken with anger and frustration and
slapped Arian in the face!

Although we would not recommend a reenactment of this council in your groups, we are going to
spend time studying the Nicene creed as we arm the doctrine of the Hypostatic Union, that is, that
Jesus Christ is 100% man and 100% God. Not created by God, but eternally existing as and with
God the Father and the Holy Spirit. As you begin this week, please read the Nicene Creed
together (posted below in prayer section).
DISCUSS:
1. Any reflections, questions, or comments from the worship gathering this weekend?

2. What were the big ideas and doctrines Nicene Creed? What stood out to you?

3. Place yourself in the shoes of the authors of the Creed, why do they prioritize certain things like
the virgin birth or Christ suering under Pontius Pilate? What are some other things that seem
odd in the creed, why were they seen as a part of the creed?

4. Jesus being fully God is central to the Gospel. Why did Jesus have to be fully God in order to
save us from our sins?

5. Jesus being fully human is central to the Gospel. Why did Jesus have to be fully human in order
for Gods plan of salvation to work?

6. There are some who deny Christs divinity, Jehovahs Witnesses being one of them, how would
you show someone that Jesus is God in the Bible? (hint: John 1:1-4; 2:1-2, 1 Cor 8:6, Phil 2:5-8,
etc.)

PRAYER: (End your discussion on the Nicene creed praying through the creed together)
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and
invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all
worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one
substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy
Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He
suered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended
into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge
the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the
Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the
prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the
remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Week 5

gods family
Galatians 4:4-7
Because most of our community groups will not be meeting this weekend, weve posted a Christmas
liturgy. Feel free to use these with your families, friends, or in personal meditation during your
Christmas festivities.

ls kids discussion guide

This Advent season we will be making the connection between the trees that we place inside our
houses at Christmas time and the tree that Jesus died on. Each week we will look at a dierent part
of the Christmas tree and how it should point us to the cross. For example, the lights on the tree
should remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. Or the gifts at the base of the tree should
remind us of the free gift of Gods grace.

If you ask kids what they like about Christmas most of them will say presents. Our hope in talking to
our kids about the Christmas tree is that kids would be reminded that Christmas in not about the
presents we open under the tree and its not about whether weve been naughty or nice. Christmas
is about the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Our hope is that through this discussion guide, youll not only see an overview of what your children
are learning each week at LS Kids but have questions to open discussion with your students around
the dinner table each week as we move towards Christmas.

Week 1

jesus is the light!

John 8:12
LESSON SUMMARY:
This week in LS Kids we will be talking about how, God once spoke to his people through prophets
but now he has spoken to us through the the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Today Jesus
speaks to us in two dierent ways. One way is through his word. We can open the bible and read
words that Jesus actually said to people while he walked the earth. The second way Jesus speaks to
us his through the Holy Spirit.

As part of this weeks lesson we will use lights from the Christmas tree to show how we were in
darkness before God revealed himself to us. We can now see our sin and need for a savior because
Jesus is the light!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. How did God used to speak to his people? How has God spoken to us now?

2. Today we learned that Jesus is the light. Is Jesus just like a light bulb? What does that mean?
What does Jesus light do?

3. Jesus is the light that made the world, holds up the universe, washes our sins away and sits at
the right hand of the father. Read Hebrews 1:2-4 and talk about how Jesus does these things as
the light.

4. In our lesson we talked about how our sin is like darkness. Read John 8:12. What do you think
the light of life is?

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for sending us light while we were in darkness.

Jesus, YOU ARE THE LIGHT!

Holy Spirit, please dont ever let us stay in darkness.

Please always call us into the light.

Amen.

Week 2

jesus is our advocate!

1 John 2:1
LESSON SUMMARY:
This week in LS Kids well be learning about the the gift of Gods grace. As we continue to look at
the Christmas tree we will focus on the presents or gifts at the base of the tree. These Christmas
presents should remind us of the best gift we could ever receive, the gift of Gods grace.

As we talk about Gods grace we will learn the word advocate and what it means to have Jesus as
our advocate.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does it mean to have an advocate?

2. Why do we need an advocate? Take some time to discuss what Jesus does for us as our
advocate.

3. Why is the gift of Gods grace a better gift than anything we might receive from under the
Christmas tree?

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for the gift of grace!

Jesus, thank you for being our advocate!

Holy Spirit, when sin please remind that Jesus is our advocate when we sin.

Week 3

jesus is the most generous!

2 Corinthians 8:9
LESSON SUMMARY:
This week in LS Kids we will be learning about Gods generosity and how it was perfectly
demonstrated in Jesus. We will spend most of our time discussing Gods generosity demonstrated in
sending his Son. As we talk about Jesus coming earth to live as a man we hope to unpack how big
the sacrifice was that Jesus made by leaving heaven.

We will also be using the roots of the Christmas tree as an illustration for the importance of Jesus
generosity. If Jesus was not generous with the giving of his life then our faith would have nothing to
stand on. The generosity of God sending his only Son is what our faith is founded upon.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Read 2 Corinthians 8:9 and discuss the following questions. How was Jesus rich? How did Jesus
become poor? How have we become rich through the poverty of Jesus?

2. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of generosity. How can we be generous with others during
this Christmas season?

3. Have kids pick 3 people. One person from home. One person from school. One person from
anywhere in the world. Then have kids think of one way they can be generous with each one of
these people this week.

4. The bible call us to be generous but can we ever be as generous as Jesus was?

Week 4

jesus makes us white as snow!

Romans 8:1
LESSON SUMMARY:
This week in LS Kids we will be using the illustration of snow to learn about the righteousness that
has been given to us through Jesus. We will discuss the importance of Jesus being perfectly without
sin and obedient to the law. And we will also be reminded that we are sinners who could not obey
the law. But Jesus gave us his obedience and paid for our disobedience at the cross.

Therefore, when we look at snow we can think of how clean and pure it is and be reminded of the
purity Jesus that has been given to us.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Romans 8:1 says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. What does it mean
to be in Christ Jesus?

2. Why do we need to be made white as snow? What kept us from being white as snow?

3. Read Romans 8:4 and discuss the following questions. What does it mean to walk in the flesh?
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for seeing us clothed in Jesus righteousness.

Jesus, thank you for being without sin. And thank you for taking the punishment for our sin.

Holy Spirit, remind us we are clean! Remind us we righteous!

Week 5

we are invited to be a part of gods family!

Galatians 4:7
LESSON SUMMARY:
This week in LS Kids we will learn about how God has invited us to be a part of his family. In our
lesson we will talk about how, on Christmas morning, we gather around the Christmas tree as a
family. We give each other gifts and celebrate as a family.

As we continue to make connections to the cross we will show our kids that the cross is the place
where Jesus made it possible to be a part of Gods family. Before Jesus died on the cross we were
slaves to sin which kept us from being a part of Gods family. God himself cannot be in the presence
of sin. This means we can now look at the cross as a family and remember how God invited us to be
a part of his family.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Why cant we be full of sin and be a part of Gods family?

2. Why is the cross so important if we want to be a part of Gods family?

3. In Galatians 4:5 it says we are adopted into Gods family. Take some time to discuss what it
means to be adopted into Gods family.

4. Galatians 4:7 says that we are heirs in Gods family. What does it mean to be an heir in Gods
family?