Desired Takeaway:
To help participants reflect on how modern culture has shaped their experience of Christmas and to invite them into a more intentional, peace-filled celebration of Christ’s birth—marked by worship, reflection, and meaningful simplicity.

Icebreaker:
If your December calendar had a “Do Not Disturb” day just for soul rest, how would you spend it?

1. Lean In

• The message talked about how the modern version of Christmas has been “reinvented” over the last two centuries.
Question:
What parts of today’s Christmas feel meaningful and life-giving to you, and which parts tend to feel more stressful or hollow?

2. Look Down
Read Philippians 2:5-11.

This passage is a powerful reflection on the downward path Jesus took—from divinity to servant to death.

• Question:
 How does this image of Jesus challenge the way we typically celebrate Christmas? How might humility be part of our celebrations?

3. Look Out

• The sermon mentioned how Christmas has become a time of “hustle, pressure, comparison, and debt.”
 Question: 
In what ways do you see our culture discipling people during the Christmas season? How is the story of consumerism shaping how people celebrate?

4. Look In

• Christmas is often pitched as the “most wonderful time of the year,” but many people end the season feeling depleted.
Question:
If you’re honest, what is your soul like by the end of Christmas? How might your current traditions be forming your heart—toward or away from peace, joy, and Jesus?
• If could you reinvent Christmas for your family, describe what you want it to look like.

5. Live It Out
At the end, a “Christmas Pledge” was offered with four simple commitments.
“Remember those who truly need care and support.

Show love in ways deeper than gifts.

Be a peacemaker with family and friends.

Pursue spiritual growth with renewed commitment.”

• Question:
 Which of these commitments stands out to you the most this year—and how might you live it out in these last days before Christmas?

Optional Exercises for the Week:

• Unplug One Thing – Choose one holiday activity or obligation you can say “no” to this week to make space for quiet, prayer, or reflection.
• Re-center the Table – At your next meal with family or friends, read Luke 2:8–20 aloud and share one response that inspired you: the angels, the shepherds, or Mary.
• Give Intentionally – Instead of one material gift, consider giving something relational: a letter, a shared experience, or intentional time together.

Prayer Prompt:
Invite God to re-center your heart this Christmas season.

“Jesus, we confess how easy it is to get caught in the noise and hustle of Christmas. We want to celebrate like the angels—proclaiming good news, like the shepherds—moving toward you, and like Mary—treasuring your presence in our hearts. Slow us down. Draw us near. Help us reclaim what is holy in these days. Amen.”

Suggested Resources for Further Study:

• Hundred Dollar Holiday by Bill McKibben – A short, thoughtful read on simplifying Christmas.
• Unplug the Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson & Jean Staeheli – A guide to refocusing holiday values.
• Scripture Reading Plan: The Advent Storyline – Daily readings from the gospels and prophets.