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Big Idea MapAdvent Conspiracy
SERIES BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let’s conspire to truly worship the Savior who is born.
SERIES OVERVIEWThe Christmas season is a whirlwind of activity. We rush to holiday gatherings.
We cram trips to the mall into our already busy schedule. Even while we sit in
church together for an hour, many of us are thinking about the gifts we still need
to buy, the travel arrangements we need to make, the debt we are accruing.
In the midst of all this craziness, how do we make sure we don’t miss the wonder
of the Christmas like almost everyone did that night Jesus was born? On that first
Christmas, only a handful of people were paying attention. The rest missed it.
Missing Christmas means missing the wonder of God-with-us, God beside us,
God becoming one of us.
What if we decided not to miss it this year? What if we conspired to approach this
Christmas different? What if, instead of rushing by the nativity, we entered into it
as participants in the Christmas story and truly worshipped the Savior who is
born?
The Advent Conspiracy is the story of the wondrous moment when God entered
our world to make things right. It is the greatest story ever told, and it changes
everything. The Advent Conspiracy isn’t about anger, disgust, or guilt about the
way we’ve celebrated Christmas in the past; it’s about entering the story of Jesus
more deeply with a desire to celebrate him more fully.
NOTE: Many concepts for this series are adapted from material found in Advent
Conspiracy: Can Christmas Still Change the Word? by Rick McKinley and Chris Seay as
well as resources provided by the Advent Conspiracy Movement.
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WEEK 1 | NOV 27 | WORSHIP FULLYScripture: Luke 1:46-55 (Mary’s Song), Luke 2:8-20 (Shepherds), Matthew 2:1-12 (Wise Men)NOTE: Jumpstreet Kids on Stage this weekend. Giftmart Toy Collection is going on for those campuses that participate
MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Worship Fully and not miss the God who is
with us.
MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONEach year Advent brings an opportunity to worship Jesus in the miracle of his
Incarnation. But this time of year when worshiping Jesus should be the easiest is
often the hardest.
We are consumed with preparations...there is so much to get done!
We are consumed with work...regular life doesn’t stop just because it’s the
Christmas season!
We are consumed with stuff...the hunt for the perfect Christmas gifts is on!
What do we worship during Advent? “Jesus” is the right answer, of course, but is
it the truthful answer? We can become consumed with so many other things that
we actually miss Jesus.
The majority of people on that very first Christmas night missed Jesus. Only a
handful of people were paying attention. Let’s enter into the Christmas story and
experience it through them. For those who were paying attention, their
encounters with the infant King led to the same response: worship.
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Mary could have been consumed with preparations for a new baby.
Instead she breaks out in song pointing to God’s greatness and
celebrating the end of injustice.
The Shepherds could have been consumed with their work. Instead, they
drop everything to come see the infant King.
The Wise Men could have been consumed with their wealth. Instead, they
put their lives on the line to come bow before Jesus and shower him with
gifts.
Their eyes were opened to a reality that was so much greater than the lives they
were living, and their response...worship.
Like Mary, will we sing to our redeeming God?
Like the shepherds, will we leave our busyness to worship him?
Like the Magi, will we confront anything that stands in the way of our
worship and give our best to him?
As we enter this Advent season, I wonder how many of us will miss God, and
how many of us will pay attention. May we worship fully the one who has come to
save the world.
NOTE: We may consider planning this service as more of an “experience” in
three moves paralleling each story. Mary: Worship through song. Shepherds:
Worship through stopping, reflecting, Communion. Wise Men: Worship through
sacrifice and generosity.
Docent Notes:
Biblical background on the characters (Mary, Shepherds, Wise Men).
What would life have been like for each of them? For the shepherds, focus
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more on what their job actually was (not their place in society as we’ll look
at that in week 4).
Exegetical insights on “worship” in the passages.
Research showing the stress and chaos of the Christmas season for
Americans.
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WEEK 2 | DEC 4 | SPEND LESSScripture: Matthew 1:18-25 (Joseph), Luke 12:13-21 (Parable of the Rich Fool)NOTE: Jumpstreet Kids on Stage this weekend. Giftmart Toy Collection is going on for those campuses that participate
MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Spend Less in order to gain more.
MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONThe very story of Jesus’ birth called people to live counter-culturally. Put yourself
in the shoes of Joseph in the nativity. He was asked to walk a road that was
extremely counter-cultural. Probably a lot of his family and friends didn’t
understand, even criticized him for it. But he moved forward trusting that how
God was leading him was the right way even if it seemed the crazy way.
How might the birth of Jesus call us to live counter-culturally today?
In America, Christmas is a season of excess. Many of us miss Christmas every
year because Christmas becomes a story of consumption and consumerism.
Jesus warned us: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life
does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Despite this
caution, many of us still seem eager to give it a try every December.
But the heart of what we’re truly searching for -- hope, peace, love, rest -- is only
found in Christ. Each time we try to meet our desire for fulfillment in another
place, we take another step away from the nativity. When we give our lives to
consumption and consumerism, our dissatisfaction is guaranteed.
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The authors of Advent Conspiracy warn: “Consumerism can also poison our
relationship with Christ. Jesus becomes a commodity we consume rather than a
King who reigns. We tried Jesus. We were satisfied for six months, but then
something about it just didn’t meet our needs, and now we’re ready to trade him
in like a leased car for something better. Because we’ve been so deeply formed
by a culture of consumerism, we cannot fathom the lasting value of Jesus.”
To spend less would be incredibly counter-cultural. Probably a lot of our family
and friends wouldn’t understand, might even criticize us for it. But in our hearts
we know that consumerism is not the Christ-following way to celebrate the birth
of Jesus. Could opting out of the excesses of our cultural Christmas give us the
chance to truly experience this season?
Some practical ideas to consider that could help us curb our consumerism:
Spend wisely. Set your budget. Know your limit. If it’s early enough, start
saving for a debt-free celebration.
Spend responsibly. (2 Corinthians 8:13-15) Evaluate what we support with
our spending and allow our spending to support products, people, and
causes that are worthy of being supported.
Spend purposefully. Balance our desires with the needs in our
communities and our world. Christmas in America is more about getting
what we want than giving what people need. Is this the tradition we want
to pass down to our children?
God desires Christmas to be a fundamentally relational event rather than a
consumer event. Spending less this Christmas could help us gain more...more
hope, more peace, more love, more rest...as we draw near to the God who is
with us.
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Docent Requests:
Biblical background on Joseph’s situation. What would the cultural norms
be for someone in his position?
Exegesis of the Parable of the Rich Fool.
Research on consumerism in America especially as it relates to
Christmas.
Resources for evaluating the products we buy...how do we know if
different manufacturers have responsible production methods?
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WEEK 3 | DEC 11 | GIVE MOREScripture: John 1:1-18 (see The Voice translation), Philippians 2:5-8NOTE: Uptown and Club45 Kids on Stage this weekend. Last week of Giftmart Toy Collection for those campuses that participate
MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Give More and bless the ones we love.
MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONThink about the most memorable Christmas present you’ve ever received. What
was it that touched you? Why do you still remember it to this day? For most of
us, if we remember a gift it’s likely because it was a different kind of gift--a
relational gift. The best gifts celebrate a relationship.
In John 1 (The Voice translation), we’re reminded that “Before time itself was
measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God. This celestial
Voice remained ever present with the Creator; His speech shaped the entire
cosmos.” When we read a few verses later that “The Voice took on flesh and
became human and chose to live alongside us,” we understand that to be the
miracle of Christmas. Look intently into the manger of our nativity scene. God
gave himself by coming near!
The authors of Advent Conspiracy remind us: “Because of the Incarnation, the
infinite God becomes more tangible, more approachable, and more (though
never completely) comprehensible. It’s because of Jesus that we know who the
Eternal God of the universe is and what he’s really like. Apart from the
Incarnation, we would never fully know the depths to which we are loved or the
lengths to which God can be trusted.”
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That’s what we’ve been given at Christmas. Talk about a relational gift!
God’s answer for the world’s problem has never been material things. God did
not give us more stuff--even good stuff like food or health. He gave us himself.
But the fact that the first Christmas is characterized by God giving is why giving is
still a good way to celebrate the birth of Jesus...Our giving can actually reflect in
some small way the power and beauty of God coming into our world as one of
us. But this reflection is best seen when we, too, give relationally.
What do we see in God giving us his one and only Son that could shape our own
giving?
God’s gift was his presence. When we make time to be with someone,
it’s a gift -- a relational gift. The conscious giving of our time and presence
to another is not a new concept, but it is a neglected one. Consider how
you can creatively express to that friend or family member how much you
want to be with them. (i.e. Son buys his dad a pound of gourmet coffee
beans with one stipulation: Dad can only enjoy this gift with his grown
son).
God’s gift was personal. A Savior has been born for you! Generic
disposable gifts are not only a waste of money, they practically scream, “I
didn’t really want to take the time to give you something meaningful, but I
still felt obligated to give you something.” Relational giving means we pay
attention to the other person. We think about who they are and what they
care about. (i.e. Dad giving daughter 2 journals for her last Christmas
before graduating high school and leaving for college. She was to fill one,
he would fill the other. Next Christmas they would exchange them.)
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God’s gift was costly. In Philippians 2 we read that Jesus “emptied
himself” (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV). Relational giving costs us...more time,
more energy. It can also be risky. What if it isn’t appreciated? What if it
isn’t understood? (i.e. Friend who asked a woman’s friends and families to
write a note or send a picture that celebrated her life and took the time to
make them into a beautiful scrapbook.)
If we can resist the trap of giving easy gifts, and if we can reject the assumption
that giving expensive gifts or many gifts is the best way to express love,
something else might happen. We might experience moments of relational giving
that our friends and family will care about and remember. We will be able to give
more.
Docent Requests:
Exegetical insights on the passages.
Ideas for relational giving.
Origins of how we started celebrating Christmas by exchanging gifts.
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WEEK 4 | DEC 18 | LOVE ALLScripture: Luke 2:8-20 (Shepherds), Matthew 25:34-40NOTE: This is a Benevolence weekend (Heads up -This does not follow our “normal” pattern of a 5th Sunday)
MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Love All and help people find their way back to
God.
MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONJesus came to LOVE ALL. Jesus brought good news to everyone. Everyone.
When the infant King was born in Bethlehem, God sent his angels to announce
the birth to those who were often overlooked, discounted, forgotten.
The authors of Advent Conspiracy remind us: “God came to the poor--in other
words, to each of us...Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to be born into a sin-
scarred world. That glorious night in Bethlehem, every day of his life, and in the
deadly pain of the cross, Jesus became poor for our sake. Jesus entered our
poverty so we would no longer be poor. The priceless gift of a restored
relationship with God and others is now offered to those who could never afford
it. The outrageous wealth of his righteousness is credited to those who don’t
deserve it. To those of us who are poor, this is very good news.”
The first part of this message will focus on the reality that we are all in need of a
Savior and can be an invitation for people to find their way back to the God who
came near.
Jesus sends us to LOVE ALL.
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After the shepherds saw the infant King, “...they spread the word concerning
what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at
what the shepherds said to them.”
Like the shepherds, we are being sent into this broken world to tell the story of
God’s great love and to live it. We are sent to our family and friends, our
neighbors and co-workers. Part of the challenge in this message is about inviting
people to celebrate Christmas with us next weekend.
And, like Jesus, we are also sent to the overlooked, discounted, forgotten. At
Christmas, one of the things that should distinguish a Christ-follower is a love
that reaches out to the hungry and thirsty and sick and imprisoned (Matthew
25:34-40). Who are the “forgotten” you could love this Christmas? Who are the
shepherds in your life? How could you and your family reach out to them?
God is still moving into the neighborhood! The Incarnation isn’t only about the
one glorious moment in history when Jesus walked this earth--it’s also about a
God who still wants to make an appearance in this world through his followers.
We are living in the nativity. The story of Christmas is still being written.
Docent Requests:
Biblical background on the shepherds focusing on their place in society.
Exegesis of Matthew 25.
Inspiring stories of Christ-followers reaching out to the hungry, thirsty, sick,
imprisoned.
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