Description
Advent is a season of anticipating the birth of Jesus and the beginning of the church calendar. In this 4-week series, we reflect on moments where realities do not live up to expectations. Your group will explore how God disrupts expectations through Jesus’ birth in the manger, provides a new possibility when Joseph’s expectations of life get disrupted, is with Mary as she is confronted with large expectations, and provides hope when the community does not live up to expectations.
Week 1- Preparing the Way
The season of Advent is one of waiting. Waiting often comes with expectations of what is to come. Sometimes, while waiting, we build up expectations and are surprised or disappointed by reality. In this week’s lesson, your group will play a game about waiting and discuss the challenges that come with it. At the end of this lesson, students and leaders should discover that waiting and preparing aren’t hopeless. It’s quite the opposite! They’ll read about how God came to us as a baby, born in a manger, in an unexpected way that shattered expectations and changed the world.
Scripture- Mark 13:32-37
Week 2- Joseph
We all have our own expectations of how our life will go and sometimes reality doesn’t align with that picture. The opening activity in this lesson launches students into this tension by building a puzzle representing our expectations and how life actually looks. Throughout this session, your group will examine how they can become the agents God uses to create a new picture of life, one that is transformed by the power of hope rather than despair. Students and leaders should leave this lesson inspired and optimistic, knowing that while their expectations may not always be met, God is always bringing new life to the surface.
Scripture- Matthew 1:18-25
Week 3- Mary
In this lesson, your group will explore Mary’s journey of discernment and courageous action. The lesson starts by highlighting the stress of conflicting expectations. To illustrate this, students will observe a skit designed to show them that some tasks and decisions are incredibly difficult when you have a lot on your plate – or in this instance, in your arms. This comical situation will mirror real-life moments when demands become overwhelming and conflicting, requiring careful discernment to navigate. This lesson helps students reflect on their daily expectations and provides practical tools for using discernment to make choices.
Scripture- Luke 1:26-55
Week 4- The Holy Family
This lesson challenges your group to think differently about the place of Jesus’ birth. Students will consider how this space and its cultural significance might look today. Through these reflections, your group will gain an understanding of how they see people based on their circumstances rather than their inherent worth. This provides leaders with a new language to talk about Jesus, offering a fresh perspective and renewed hope in following someone who not only understands but also shares in our human experiences.
Scripture- Luke 2:1-12
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