Key Passages: Psalm 130:5-7, 39:7, Isaiah 7:14, Acts 1:9-11

The 2-fold nature of Advent:
• Reliving and rejoicing in the __________ of Jesus.
• Looking for and longing for the ___________ of Jesus.

We live in the ____-______________; the ______ but not ______. _______ - we anticipate a ___________ that is better than the ___________.
• Outside of our faith in God hope is only a ________.
• Because of our faith in God our hope is a _____________.

Our waiting is ________-filled - not because we know ________ will happen, but because we know _______ will make it happen.

It is God’s _______ faithfulness that fuels our _______ for the ____________.
We look ___________ by looking ______________, trusting in nothing less than the ______________ and _______________ of a loving God.

While you wait:
________ God - it’s hard to _________ someone you don’t ________.
Choose ________ - believe that because He _______, He _______.
Stay _________ - engage in the _______________ of the ____________.

Community Group Study Questions:
Spend some time prayerfully answering the following questions in preparation for this week’s Community Group discussion.

1. Do you have any favorite Christmas traditions?

2. What do you do to keep the focus of the Christmas season more on Jesus and less on commercialism?

3. How has God ’s past faithfulness fueled your faith and hope for the future? Examples?

4. How do you get to know God better? What are the ways this happens?

5. Jesus is coming again (Acts 1:11). What are some ways we should occupy ourselves until He returns?

6. How can we pray for you?



Suggested Reading Plan:
Dec 1 – Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
Dec 2 – Mark 1:2-3
Dec 3 – Isaiah 11:1-2
Dec 4 – Isaiah 61:1-2
Dec 5 – Matthew 24: 36-44
Dec 6 – Jeremiah 33:14-15
Dec 7 – Zechariah 6:12-13
Dec 8 – Micah 5:2
Dec 9 – Matthew 2:1-2
Dec 10 – Matthew 2:3-6