Christmas I - Small Group Questions

John 1:1-18
If you were unable to be with us on Sunday you can listen to this sermon here.

1. What was your favorite stage of childhood? Why?
2. Fr. Mike spoke of different stages of childhood, specifically our childhood to God. The first of these is birth/creation. In your own life, how do you understand being created? Being created in God's image? How do you relate to God as creator?
3. The second stage of our childhood is appreciation. In your own life, how are you living appreciatively of God as creator and provider? Do you have a relationship of gratitude with the Father?
4. The third stage is closeness and intimacy. Do you feel the presence of God throughout your days? Do you carry on a running dialogue with God? If you had to put a distance on it, how close are you and God...living in different buildings? at arm's length? in a warm embrace?
5. How might you help foster a closer more intimate relationship with God?

Week of December 12

1. Read Mark 1:1-8.
2. What kind of books do you enjoy reading?
3. Do you like to read a book that starts off slow and easy or jumps right in?
4. How would you describe the way Mark starts off his gospel story: Shocking? Grabbing? Intriguing? Boring?
5. What literary form does he use: Historical sketch? A tiny episode? A human interest story? Flash back?
6. Why is John (the Baptist) so important to the Jesus story? How would you describe John by his dress, diet and message in modern terms? Why was he so popular with the masses?
7. What do you learn about Jesus' background from this first paragraph?
8. If you wrote"the gospel according to you", how would you begin it and who would be the John the Baptist in your life?

Advent II - Small Group Questions

If you were unable to be with us on Sunday, you can listen to this sermon here.

Mt 3:1-12
1. How would you like to have John the Baptist as your pastor? How acceptable would his manner and dress code be in church?
2. Folks were coming out of town and traveling through the desert to hear John and be baptized. Why would anyone go to all of this effort to hear this radical preacher?
3. Mtr. Mary spoke of the 'dead wood' and 'chaff' that is in each of us. Can you name your dead wood and chaff? Have you been willing to confess it to God? Have you invited God to burn it or chop it away?
4. John is good at pointing to the gap between the life we profess and the life we live. Do you believe you have these kind of gaps in your life? How are you addressing these gaps, if at all?
5. How do John's and Jesus' ministries compare?
6. Refer to how you described Jesus' ministry. Jesus is God, so his ministry reflects the character of God. Does your image of God align with the attributes of Jesus' ministry? How does it differ? What might that say about a need to reconsider your image of God?