Luke 3:10-18
Lead in: People from various walks of life came to John the Baptist, common folks, corporate professionals and military personal. After hearing him preach a baptism of repentance, they all asked the same question, “What should we do?” As we walk with Jesus, seeking to do what God wants of us, that is always the question, “What should I do?” Yet it’s easy to ask that question just of ourselves and not of God. Little wonder, that makes us in charge and not God in charge.
Prompt: Where is it in your life that you catch yourself asking, “What should I do?”, but with the question directed at yourself and not God?
Prompt: What do you need to do so the question is direct to God and not just yourself?
Lead in: When those who came to John the Baptist asked, “What should I do?”, he responded with words of challenge. To the crowds he said, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none.” To the tax collectors he said, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” To the soldiers he said, “Do not falsely accuse anyone.”
Prompt: If you were to go to John the Baptist and ask, “What should I do?”, what do you think would be his challenge to you?
Lead in: Throngs of people were coming to John the Baptist, but he was not caught up in the need to stay in the spotlight. When it was time to fade from the scene, he humbly stepped out of the spotlight so it could point to the one whose sandal strap he was he not worthy to loosen.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when you found it hard to step away from the spotlight so that it could shine on someone else. What did you learn from that?
Lead in: When John the Baptist came on the scene, there’s a sense of joyful expectation. It stirred the hope that perhaps the long-awaited messiah had finally arrived. In Philippians 4, Paul encourages the people to, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” And in Zephaniah 3, we hear, “Shout for joy… be glad and exalt with all your heart.”
Prompt: What is it in your life these days that brings you joy?
Prompt: How do you find joy even when things aren’t going well in your life?
Lead in: Paul tells us in Philippians 4, “The Lord is near… have no anxiety… in everything, by prayer and with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.”
Prompt: What is the anxiety in your life you wish weren’t there?
Prompt: In the midst of that anxiety, what can you still be thankful for?
Prompt: Reflect on a time in your life when the power of prayer helped you deal with an anxiety that, at the time, seemed overwhelming.
