Series Resources
sermon-based study guide
This guide is designed to guide a group discussion around the weekend sermon. You can also use this as an individual, but we highly recommend finding a friend and inviting them to discuss with you. Menlo Church has Life Groups meeting in-person and online using these guides. We’d love to help you find a group.
What you will find in this guide: A discussion guide for groups and individuals. If you are using this as an individual be sure to engage with each question in a journal or simply in your mind as you prayerfully consider what you heard in the sermon and seek to discover what God is inviting you to know and do.
Study Guide: A Christmas Carol
Connect
- What are you anticipating this Christmas season?
Engage
Read Isaiah 43:1-4
- In what ways do you find hope and comfort in God's words to Israel in Isaiah 43:1-4?
- How can these words bring you peace in your life?
- What do we learn about God within these verses?
Apply
- In what ways can you relate to or see parallels between Scrooge's journey and your own spiritual journey?
- Reflect on your past. How have past experiences, both positive and negative, shaped your understanding of love, relationships, and what is important to you?
- In the present, what does success look like to you, and what brings you joy without any material cost?
- Considering the future, how does the sermon challenge you to think about the legacy you will leave behind?
- In what ways can we use our power, influence, and resources to work for those who are marginalized and threatened?
- How does the sermon encourage you to perceive and experience God's love in your everyday life?
Prayer
As a way of gving praise and gratitude, have a few people share a personal experience where love, whether human or God's love, transformed you or someone you know. Then close the time with a prayer of thanksgiving for these stories.
Going Deeper
Menlo Midweek Podcast:
Tune in every Wednesday for a conversation with the previous week’s speaker. It’s a deeper dive into the message and an engaging time to learn, reflect, grow—and have fun.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/menlo-church-sermon-podcast/id129950807