Christmas is supposed to be a time filled with happiness and cheer, excitement and celebration. But at every Christmas season it seems that the significance gets lost among the insignificant. The frenetic activity, immense excess and extreme exhaustion only leaves us more emotionally spent and even depressed. But God came at Christmas to fill us with supernatural joy that springs forth from the good news of who Christ is and what He has done for us. ~ Pastor Dave
Open: Have you ever battled a season of depression? Share your story. What helped you get through this season?
Read: Luke 2:8-20; Psalm 34:18; 40:1-3; Jeremiah 8:18; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Revelation 21:4
Discuss:
1. Describe the difference between discouragement and depression. How can the Christmas season heighten depression? What factors do you attribute to the rise in depression at Christmas? Have you or someone you love experienced the “Christmas blues”? How were God’s people (namely the shepherds) experiencing their own form of depression during the first Christmas story?
2. Describe the shepherds of the first century. What makes the angel’s presence to these shepherds so surprising? Describe the “good news of great joy”? What makes joy seem so elusive? How do happiness and joy differ? What does it mean that joy is an audible emotion? Joy is a theme in the Christmas story (it is mentioned 8 times).
3. The “good news of great joy” in Luke 2:10 is for all people. How should that have comforted the shepherds and comfort us today? How does Luke 2:11 give us the source of great joy?
4. Describe Jesus as Savior; Christ; and Lord. Describe how each of these titles speak to our dark and depressing seasons. In what ways do these titles prove that God is not trying to keep us from joy but to stop the things in our lives that will kill our joy? Which one speaks to you most right now?
5. The shepherds returned to watching sheep, working hard, and smelling bad. But they returned praising God, even in the midst of the craziness of their lives. In fact, they returned proclaiming this “good news”. How should joy prepare our hearts to respond even in the midst of dark and depressing seasons? How should the “good news” of Jesus’ coming cause joy to increase in us?
Pray: Pray that the good news of your Savior, Christ the Lord, will so overwhelm you with great joy that any darkness and depression you might be experiencing will begin to fade. Pray that you would endure seasons of depression and remember that there is a blessed intimacy with Christ in the dark caverns.
Memorize/Meditate: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11
