I Wish to Experience the Wonder of Christmas Like a Child | My Grown Up Christmas Wish | Week 1

I Wish to Experience the Wonder of Christmas Like a Child | My Grown Up Christmas Wish | Week 1 
Pastor Dave Pretlove, Lead Pastor 

John 1:1-14 

1.  Christmas as a child, the world feels a little more beautiful. 
John 1:1-5 

2.  Christmas as a child, you receive things you could never get for yourself. 
John 1:9-13 

3. Christmas as a child, the impossible feels possible. 
John 1:14 
Hebrews 1:1-3 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-14 NIV

1. What was your biggest takeaway from Pastor Dave’s message on Sunday?

2. Read John 1:1-14. In Pastor Dave’s message, he talked about how Jesus, the true light that gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. When Jesus came into the world, He gave us all a gift we could never give ourselves. Talk about the wonder of the incarnation.
 
3. Is it hard to wrap your mind around the incarnation? Why or why not?

4. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”. Have you ever prayed to see the Glory of God? Why do you think that is an important prayer? Can you think of people in the Bible that have prayed this prayer?

5. Read Something to Think About and discuss. Is having childlike faith something you pray to have? Do you think this is something you are just born with or a gift God can give you? Discuss.

Pastor Dave talked about seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child and the wonder of the incarnation. When I was writing Digging Deeper this week, I thought about this concept of childlike faith. Children are full of faith and wonder and awe.

Dusty and I were with Pastor Jericho this week at a pastor’s conference in Chicago and we went to a Natural History Museum while we were there. We walked into the dinosaur exhibit and Jericho immediately pulled out his phone to Facetime with his three kids so they could see the dinosaurs too. He showed them a dinosaur skull and I could hear his daughter, Jerney, ask with shock and concern, and purity, “Oh Daddy! Why did they cut off that dinosaur's head?” He could have told her any story and she would have believed him with her childhood innocence and faith.

That is my Christmas wish for all of us. I want the wonder and awe of the Creator of the Universe becoming man and being born as a baby, to light a very dark world, to overtake us. That light is still the light that shines in our darkness and is the Hope of the World. I pray that this reality sinks so deeply into our souls. I am cheering for you guys.

Blessings,
Christie Braun