1. What would it look like for JPBC to reflect the aroma of Heaven?
2. What is the difference between being a servant and a consumer?
3. What personal opinions and preferences do you have about our church that may not primarily reflect the aroma of Christ and his gospel?
4. What’s a way you could reach outside and serve in a sacrificial way?
5. What does it look like to teach and warn others in a gospel focused way?
6. Who has permission to warn you and teach you?
7. What are the practical differences between treasuring Christ and treasuring the things of this world and the dreams of life?

1. Share about how you applied God’s general principles of guidance to a specific decision in your life.
2. Describe the difference between knowledge and spiritual understanding.
3. Recall a recent trial. Did you find yourself praying more for instant relief or illumination on what God is teaching you through the suffering?
4. How can you remain joyful, and long for joy, in the midst of trials and suffering?
5. What are some ways your can encourage your church family in their fruitfulness?
6. What sin are you afraid of losing? How can others pray with you as you fight for godliness?
7. What is God’s will for your life?

1. Why did Jesus wish to be baptized if he was sinless? What does it foreshadow?
2. Why must we also see ourselves as sinners when looking at who Jesus is and what he did?
3. Even in being a follower of Jesus, how have we still not earned the right to be his follower?
4. How are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit written about within Matthew 3:13-17?
5. What does it mean to be a faithful servant?
6. Why is it sinful to think God owes you something?
7. What does it mean to have a goal of pointing others to Christ? How can you practically do this?

1. How can you emulate and magnify Christ through your evangelism and and encounters with your friends, family, and neighbors?

2. What does it mean to be offensive to other people with your proclamation of the God’s gospel?

3. How might you be seeking the world’s acceptance rather than their salvation?

4. Why is evangelizing to our neighbors just as important and necessary to sending and supporting missionaries?

5. How can you intentionally worship God for his gift of Christ during this Christmas season and on Christmas day? What do other people and families do to celebrate Christ during Christmas?

6. Why is it dangerous to expect mercy from God when persisting in sin?

7. What does the following phrase mean: “We’re ready for Christmas not when we have all of the gifts, but when we are ready for Christ – when we’re ready to give all of ourselves to Christ.”

8. The difference between cheap grace and true grace is that true grace is wanting forgiveness & forgiveness, being baptized in the Holy Spirit and hoping for loving discipline, and taking communion with hopeful confession of sin. How can you establish watch over your soul to desire true grace rather than cheap grace?

Below is a highlighted country helping JPBC members actively pray for the nations. We as a church wish for the people of our world to hear the gospel and we pray they receive it, believe in Jesus, and live for him as a disciple.

Quick Facts

Ethnic Groups: 4; 11 million people

Major vernacular languages: Greek

Income/person: $32,105 (68% of USA)

Religion: Christian (91.46%); Muslim (5.8%); Non-religious (2.7%)

Challenges for Prayer:

1. Economic and Social Unrest – Massive economic unrest has led to authoritative distrust and violent protests. Please pray that this unrest drives the nation to cry out to God rather than to trust in the obviously flawed financial solutions offered by economists and politicians.
2. Continual Proclamation – Greece was the first European country to be evangelized, but Christianity is now mostly a cultural expression. Pray that churches would be built up to disciple believers and proclaim the good news to non-believers.
3. The Orthodox Church – Formally a rallying point of the country, Orthodoxy has led to an attitude of xenophobia. Pray for tremendous renewal and reformation, gospel relationships within the Christian church, and a calling back to the Scriptures.
4. Literature – Gospel literature has proven useful in the past, but greater variety and more supply would aid the missionaries and church alike. Pray for the seed-sowing work of the Greek Bible Society and the Gideons in disseminating Bibles and Bible reading aids. And pray that souls would be reached by the Spirit through the reading of His Word.

Answered Prayers

1. Increased Openness – God has greatly opened this society on a legal level, allowing religious institutions and groups to embark on unprecedented territory.
2. Continental Relations – Greece and Turkey’s relations continue to improve after centuries of hostility. This helps reduce tensions in this volatile region and offers possible solutions to other problems such as the reunification of Cyprus.

1. What do you think about in your “down time?” Is this what you delight in?

2. What does your choice of friends and influences say about your delight?

3. How can you be more disciplined in Scripture and fellowship to delight more?

4. What are the things in this world that you tend to try to find happiness in?

1. What defines you more – guilt or freedom?

2. How can you pray more boldly and specifically to God as your welcoming Father?

3. How can you long for conversations about sin and the gospel?

4. How can you remind yourself (and others) of God’s forgiveness so that you do not carry around guilt?

5. How can you refrain from bitterness towards others (and yourself) and enjoy the peace and fellowship you’re given through God’s gospel?

6. What are some ways you can call on God to change you, reminding yourself of his perfect promise sure hope in Jesus?

It’s a joy to celebrate Christmas and reminding ourselves that Jesus Christ came for us, to save us. To stay up to date on JPBC’s Christmas activities, please click over to jpbc.org/christmas to view the current date and times.

1. How often do you think of Heaven? How can you be more heavenly minded?
2. How do you respond to the thought of death? How do you think about death in light of the Gospel?
3. How have you experienced disappointments in this life because of unhealthy, sinful expectations?
4. How should Christians mourn differently because of the hope we have?
5. Who do you encourage others by pointing out fruits in their faith and evidences of grace in their life?