Matthew 5:13-20  (HCSB)Believers Are Salt and Light13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men.14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives ...  Read More

Matthew 5:1-12  (HCSB)The Sermon on the Mount5 When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He began to teach them, saying:The Beatitudes3 “The poor in spirit are blessed,for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.4 Those who mourn are blessed,for they will be comforted.5 The gentle are blessed,for they will inherit the earth.6 Those who hun...  Read More

WORSHIP THE KINGWe can recognize Jesus as the one, true King.We can know that Jesus is King because His birth fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.We acknowledge Jesus as King through our worship.This is a time of year when it is easy to focus on anything but Jesus. There is one thing worthy of our attention: Jesus. How can your group help each other to keep your focus on Him during this season?Make a...  Read More

The wise men brought fitting gifts. Joseph brought faithful obedience; and Jesus’ family tree shows that everyone can be part of His story. How can you offer Jesus something genuine this week—not perfection, but your honest devotionJoseph, the wise men, and even your own journey show that trust requires action. What is one area of your life right now where God might be asking you to obey before yo...  Read More

Matthew 2:13-23 (HCSB)The Flight into Egypt13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Her...  Read More

Matthew 2:7-12  (HCSB)7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen in the east! It led them until it came an...  Read More

Matthew 2:1-6  (HCSB)Wise Men Seek the King2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”           3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he asse...  Read More

Matthew 1:18-25  (HCSB)The Nativity of the Messiah18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.20 But after he had considered these thin...  Read More

JESUS THE SAVIOR IS WORTHY OF WORSHIPMatthew 1:1-17  (HCSB)The Genealogy of Jesus Christ1 The historical record of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:From Abraham to David2 Abraham fathered Isaac,Isaac fathered Jacob,Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers,3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar,Perez fathered Hezron,Hezron fathered Aram,4 Aram fathered Amminadab,Amminadab fathered...  Read More

INVITATIONApply the TextPeople must repent to enter the kingdom of God.Following Jesus will require personal sacrifice.Jesus’s call means following His example and ministering to others.There is strength in numbers as followers of Jesus. How can your group encourage and hold one another accountable as you seek to follow Jesus as His disciple?Jesus calls us to follow Him. Following Jesus as a disci...  Read More

In what area of ministry is God calling you to? How is God letting you know to help there? In what ways can you improve your ability to serve thereIsaiah the prophet wrote 700 years before Jesus but it came true exactly the way it was prophesied. What do you think about that? Is there any natural explanation for that?What would the odds be for just a few prophecies to randomly come true?In what wa...  Read More

Isaiah 9:4-7  (HCSB)4 For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor,just as You did on the day of Midian.5 For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us,and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderfu...  Read More