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: Elf
Connect
- What traditions, movies, songs, etc. bring you joy in the Christmas season?
Engage
Read Isaiah 12:1-6
- How does the writer describe God in this passage?
- What actions is the writer taking in this passage?
- What descriptions of God stand out to you? What meaning do they currently have for you in your life circumstances?
Apply
- How would you define joy?
- What is a story of joy that you have experienced this year?
- How can we cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude during the holiday season?
- What practical steps can you take, based on the sermon's suggestions, to center your holiday around the joy of salvation and God's goodness?
Prayer
Pray together, asking God to reveal new ways to find joy during the Christmas season.
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