About This Guide: This weekly groups guide, “Do Not Be Afraid,” is designed as a companion to our Advent 2021 teaching series, fostering discussion, study, and prayer, especially in a group setting. Join a group for a meaningful way to connect to our community.
a thrill of hope
Teaching Text: Luke 1:5-60
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
Themes
Consider these themes and ask your group what else they see in the passage:
Hope in a time of darkness
Presence
Meditate on and pray this prayer of longing together:
“Oh God, grant that we may desire you. And desiring you, seek you. And seeking you, find you. And finding you, be satisfied in your forever.” (Francis Xavier)
Formation
Thoughts and notes you can use for discussion:
Advent begins in waiting. It is first a season of waiting. Of longing.
We put ourselves in the story and feel the tension of needing God to show up. This was first century tension. But we also need God to set things right in our world. So we look and long for Christ’s return bring Advent as well.
Luke's Advent Guide
You can live the story of God no matter the times (vs 5-10)
Do not be afraid - God keeps promises that are very old (vs 11-17)
Doubt is often overvalued (vs 18 -20) *differences in doubt
Misunderstanding is real but not everything (vs 21-25)
Let God speak your identity (vs 26-31)
God has a dream and God shares it (31-33)
No word from God will ever fail (vs 34-37)
May your word to me be fulfilled (vs. 38)
Hope is stronger together (vs. 39-45)
Some songs topple empires (vs. 46-56)
Get your theology from what happens (in Scripture) (vs 46-56)
Obey God's word and God word's to you ( vs 57-60)
What is guiding your life?
Can you believe no word from God will ever fail?
Can you say may your Word to me be fulfilled?
Love
Read these notes and discuss the questions below:
God’s love was made known. It was most perfectly displayed in the incarnation of Jesus.
We are now his body and hands to reveal him to the nations, to the neigborhood we live in. Think about how you can make God’s love tangible this week to your neigbors, co workers, and loved ones.
Some ideas:
Invite your neighbors for a meal.
Plan out by yourself, with your group or family one intentional act of kindness for each week of advent.
Momathon: help single moms this season and email Genevieve to get involved.
Share in God’s nature generosity and learn about The Rebuilders Initiative.
Pray for one another in the group.
