Conquers Discord
1 Corinthians 1:10-18  
The act of Gospel repentance overcomes the cacophony of dissent, discord, disunity, & the like  

Current Series:
What's Up with Baptism?
What? So what? Now what? Do What?

Study & Share Insert
...#1  St. Paul repeats his point in v11 later in 11:18 (cf. 11:17-34); what purpose does he see coming from the division? How does Paul envision a resolution in 12:1--13:13? See also Philippians 2:1-11 
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Tell About It
John 1:29-42
Judge Ziglar wrote, “Timid salesmen have skinny kids.”

Current Series:
What's Up with Baptism?
What? So what? Now what? Do What?

Study & Share Insert
...#5  Somewhere in your everyday life someone told you about Jesus & Holy Baptism. Think back & name the 5 most important “tellers” about the subjects in your life. What did they teach you & how? What made their words matter to you so much? Give thanks to God for them in prayer. Note: focus specifically on verbal aspects of their witness to you, on what was said to you about Jesus & about Baptism. 
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For All
Acts 10:34-43
What would it look like if more people got baptized here?

Current Series:
What's Up with Baptism?
What? So what? Now what? Do What?

Study & Share Insert
...#1  First, brush on Holy Baptism by reading about it in the Small Catechism, available bookofconcord.org . What three things stand out the most to you? How come? 
Download the rest (*.pdf) SS_2023-01-08_Epi01BaptismJesus  

Today is the eighth day of Christmas, just like the old song goes. Christmas is such good news that it takes 12 days to celebrate it fully. No sermon this week as we celebrate our annual Lessons & Carols service, hearing the story of our Savior's birth from its promise in the Old Testament to its fulfillment in the New. 

Today we'll observe our celebration of the Festival of Our Lord's Epiphany, comemorating the historical day that the Wise Men, or Magi, brought the infant Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myhrr. During coffee time we'll have a king cake, and according to the south Texas tradition, whoever finds the baby in their piece of cake gets to bring tamales next week for coffee time. Good luck!
(Yes, we know Epiphany is properly January 6, 13 days after Christmas.)

Current Series:
Guest List
Who’s coming to the holiday party?

Study & Share Insert
...#4 How did you become a child of God (vv12-13)? Who has helped you grow & how? Praise God right now for those people who showed & told you about Jesus’ birth. See Small Catechism: Apostles’ Creed II, Holy Baptism; available bookofconcord.org; John 3:1-8; Romans 6:1-11, 8:14-17, 9:8; 1 Corinthians, 4:14-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16b-18; Galatians 3:26, 4:4-7 Ephesians 1:5-14; 2 Timothy 1:5-7

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Grateful Men
Luke 2:8-20
What an amazing time they got to have

Current Series:
Guest List
Who’s coming to the holiday party?

Study & Share Insert
...#3 Sketch how you imagine the nativity scene (stick figures are OK; make sure you stick to the Bible story). Which character (not Jesus) do you identify with in the story & how? Add yourself to your picture. Show & tell about your illustration to someone else. This might be a fun & interesting activity for that after-Christmas-dinner “Now what?” time.
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A New Man
Luke 2:1-20
His life brings the gift of life

Current Series:
Guest List
Who’s coming to the holiday party?

Study & Share Insert
...#3 Sketch how you imagine the nativity scene (stick figures are OK; make sure you stick to the Bible story). Which character (not Jesus) do you identify with in the story & how? Add yourself to your picture. Show & tell about your illustration to someone else. This might be a fun & interesting activity for that after-Christmas-dinner “Now what?” time.

Download the rest (*.pdf) SS_2022-12-24_ChristmasEve  

A Righteous Man
Matthew 1:18-25
He brings his gift of “doing the right thing” even if it means reappraising his principles & other’s opprobrium
 

Current Series:
Guest List
Who’s coming to the holiday party?

Study & Share Insert
...#6 As a righteous/just man St. Joseph intended to do what was right by God’s Old Testament law, yet with mercy, compassion, gentleness, humility, even kindness (v19; cf. Deuteronomy 22:23-24). How does your following Joseph’s example make your community a better place? See Proverbs 21:3; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:8; Matthew 9:13, 12:3

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A Wild Man
Matthew 3:1-12
He brings his gift of full-throttle, full-throated, two-fisted faithfulness

Current Series:
Guest List
Who’s coming to the holiday party?

Study & Share Insert
...#2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near…Bear fruit worthy of repentance!” (vv2, 8). What might these fruits look like? See Matthew 7:15-20, 21:28-46; John 15:1-8-, 16; Romans 7:4-5; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 5:6-11; Colossians 1:4-14; Hebrews 12:11, 13:15; James 3:17; 2 Peter 1:3-11

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With Me
Psalm 46
Today you will be with me in Paradise.

Current Series:
Come Down Here
Called down from our attempts to get a leg up on others, we serve them instead

Study & Share Insert
...#2 The Festival of Christ the King celebrates Jesus’ promised return to bring his Kingdom in its fullness. (It’s the completion of annual our Advent expectant waiting.) What do we learn about this kingdom from Luke 23:33-43? See John 5:18-24, 37-42, 8:21-24, 16:4-11, 18:33-38; Romans 5:6-11; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9
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Sitting Down
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
I already did my share, now I’m putting my feet up.

Current Series:
Come Down Here
Called down from our attempts to get a leg up on others, we serve them instead

Study & Share Insert
...#2 How can St. Paul set himself up as an example to be followed? See 1 Corinthians 11:1; Galatians 5:1-21, 6:17; Philippians 1:20, 2:5-13
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