Sunday 23rd October, 2008

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JOY TO THE WORLD!

• Have you always thought of joy and happiness as the same thing? What do you think now? How would you explain the difference? Could you imagine suffering but still feeling joyous, or does it seem ridiculous? What does this tell you about the source of joy?

• What encourages you when you are feeling discouraged, depressed or exhausted? Have people ever told you, “Come on, buck up!” or, “I’m sure it will all be fine, stop worrying!” How does the Bible encourage us? Read Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:16-39 and 2 Corinthians 4:6-18. If you really want to get as much as possible out of the passage try reading it slowly, out-loud or writing it out in your own words as if you were explaining it to a friend who wasn’t a Christian.

• What does the Bible tell us about how and why we should rejoice? Read Philippians 4:4-9, Luke 10:20-21 and Matthew 5:11-12. Are these things that cause you to rejoice? If not, how can you change your perspective so that you do rejoice at these things?

• We have been given the privilege of showing joy to the joyless and inviting them to experience joy for themselves. Do you think your life shows joy to others? Remember, joy and happiness aren’t the same thing. How do you think you could demonstrate joy while you are struggling and feeling unhappy?

• Read Matthew 25:31-46. If joy is found because God is near, then this passage shows us how to be around Jesus. How do you feel about this? How difficult is it to pay a cost that is very obvious, for a benefit that is unseen? (Read the righteous’ response in verses 37-39.) What could you do to help yourself grasp the difference in significance between the seen-but-temporary and the unseen-but-eternal?

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