DAY NINE

Series

Prepare Him Room

Date

November 19, 2023

Written By The Chapel

Scripture

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
Luke 2:17 NLT

Day Nine

Have you ever gone to a really amazing restaurant? If you have, you know that one of the first things you do when you have the meal of a lifetime is tell everyone all about it.

When we experience something incredible, we naturally want others to experience it, too. We express our joy and excitement without thinking twice. As we share our excitement, others become excited, too – because our joy is contagious!

This is exactly what happened to the shepherds when they encountered the angels and met the newborn king. They had the experience of a lifetime and wanted everyone to know about it.

Did you hear? Angels appeared to us in the middle of the night. First, there was one.
Then there was a whole host! They were so big. And they glowed!
They told us the Messiah has been born. They said we could find him in Bethlehem
wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. And when we got to Bethlehem, we found him,
just like the angels said. Can you believe it? It’s incredible! God hears our cries!
He keeps his promises! Our Savior has come for us. God has not forgotten us!

Pause and remember what it felt like when you first encountered Jesus. What was your life like at the time? How did it feel to discover God’s love for you? Now think about all the good things he has done in your life since then. Nothing compares to his presence, right? His love transforms every aspect of our lives.

Whether you are glorying in something God did for you yesterday or what he did for you years ago, let your heart be impacted by how incredible Jesus’ presence in your life is.

There’s a whole world out there in desperate need of God’s love. Who can you share it with?

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. (Psalms 63:3 NIV)

Prayer

Jesus, my life is completely transformed because of you! Thank you for loving me the way you do. I want others to experience your love the way I have. Help me share my experiences with you with those around me.

1- What was your life like when you first encountered Jesus? How is his love transforming you?
2- Who can you tell about what Jesus has done for you?
Make a list of 3-4 friends, neighbors, or family members that you want to invite to church for Christmas. Pray for each person on the list, asking God to draw near to them and help them encounter his love and presence this Christmas. Make a plan for how you want to invite them. Dates and times for services can be found at chapel.org/christmas, and invitations to Christmas services are available in the lobby.
- The shepherds were so excited they couldn’t keep the news to themselves. Talk about something you have been so excited about you just had to share it with someone else.
- Inviting a friend or someone we know to church can sometimes make us nervous. Talk about this with each other. Share why you are sometimes nervous, and then encourage each other by sharing about the excitement you had when you first learned about Jesus.