Big Idea MapAdvent Conspiracy

SERIES BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let’s conspire to truly worship the Savior who is born.

SERIES OVERVIEWThe Christmas season is a whirlwind of activity. We rush to holiday gatherings.

We cram trips to the mall into our already busy schedule. Even while we sit in

church together for an hour, many of us are thinking about the gifts we still need

to buy, the travel arrangements we need to make, the debt we are accruing.

In the midst of all this craziness, how do we make sure we don’t miss the wonder

of the Christmas like almost everyone did that night Jesus was born? On that first

Christmas, only a handful of people were paying attention. The rest missed it.

Missing Christmas means missing the wonder of God-with-us, God beside us,

God becoming one of us.

What if we decided not to miss it this year? What if we conspired to approach this

Christmas different? What if, instead of rushing by the nativity, we entered into it

as participants in the Christmas story and truly worshipped the Savior who is

born?

The Advent Conspiracy is the story of the wondrous moment when God entered

our world to make things right. It is the greatest story ever told, and it changes

everything. The Advent Conspiracy isn’t about anger, disgust, or guilt about the

way we’ve celebrated Christmas in the past; it’s about entering the story of Jesus

more deeply with a desire to celebrate him more fully.

NOTE: Many concepts for this series are adapted from material found in Advent

Conspiracy: Can Christmas Still Change the Word? by Rick McKinley and Chris Seay as

well as resources provided by the Advent Conspiracy Movement.

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WEEK 1  |  NOV 27 | WORSHIP FULLYScripture: Luke 1:46-55 (Mary’s Song), Luke 2:8-20 (Shepherds), Matthew 2:1-12 (Wise Men)NOTE: Jumpstreet Kids on Stage this weekend. Giftmart Toy Collection is going on for those campuses that participate

MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Worship Fully and not miss the God who is

with us.

MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONEach year Advent brings an opportunity to worship Jesus in the miracle of his

Incarnation. But this time of year when worshiping Jesus should be the easiest is

often the hardest.

We are consumed with preparations...there is so much to get done!

We are consumed with work...regular life doesn’t stop just because it’s the

Christmas season!

We are consumed with stuff...the hunt for the perfect Christmas gifts is on!

What do we worship during Advent? “Jesus” is the right answer, of course, but is

it the truthful answer? We can become consumed with so many other things that

we actually miss Jesus.

The majority of people on that very first Christmas night missed Jesus. Only a

handful of people were paying attention. Let’s enter into the Christmas story and

experience it through them. For those who were paying attention, their

encounters with the infant King led to the same response: worship.

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Mary could have been consumed with preparations for a new baby.

Instead she breaks out in song pointing to God’s greatness and

celebrating the end of injustice.

The Shepherds could have been consumed with their work. Instead, they

drop everything to come see the infant King.

The Wise Men could have been consumed with their wealth. Instead, they

put their lives on the line to come bow before Jesus and shower him with

gifts.

Their eyes were opened to a reality that was so much greater than the lives they

were living, and their response...worship.

Like Mary, will we sing to our redeeming God?

Like the shepherds, will we leave our busyness to worship him?

Like the Magi, will we confront anything that stands in the way of our

worship and give our best to him?

As we enter this Advent season, I wonder how many of us will miss God, and

how many of us will pay attention. May we worship fully the one who has come to

save the world.

NOTE: We may consider planning this service as more of an “experience” in

three moves paralleling each story. Mary: Worship through song. Shepherds:

Worship through stopping, reflecting, Communion. Wise Men: Worship through

sacrifice and generosity.

Docent Notes:

Biblical background on the characters (Mary, Shepherds, Wise Men).

What would life have been like for each of them? For the shepherds, focus

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more on what their job actually was (not their place in society as we’ll look

at that in week 4).

Exegetical insights on “worship” in the passages.

Research showing the stress and chaos of the Christmas season for

Americans.

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WEEK 2  |  DEC 4 | SPEND LESSScripture: Matthew 1:18-25 (Joseph), Luke 12:13-21 (Parable of the Rich Fool)NOTE: Jumpstreet Kids on Stage this weekend. Giftmart Toy Collection is going on for those campuses that participate

MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Spend Less in order to gain more.

MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONThe very story of Jesus’ birth called people to live counter-culturally. Put yourself

in the shoes of Joseph in the nativity. He was asked to walk a road that was

extremely counter-cultural. Probably a lot of his family and friends didn’t

understand, even criticized him for it. But he moved forward trusting that how

God was leading him was the right way even if it seemed the crazy way.

How might the birth of Jesus call us to live counter-culturally today?

In America, Christmas is a season of excess. Many of us miss Christmas every

year because Christmas becomes a story of consumption and consumerism.

Jesus warned us: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life

does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Despite this

caution, many of us still seem eager to give it a try every December.

But the heart of what we’re truly searching for -- hope, peace, love, rest -- is only

found in Christ. Each time we try to meet our desire for fulfillment in another

place, we take another step away from the nativity. When we give our lives to

consumption and consumerism, our dissatisfaction is guaranteed.

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The authors of Advent Conspiracy warn: “Consumerism can also poison our

relationship with Christ. Jesus becomes a commodity we consume rather than a

King who reigns. We tried Jesus. We were satisfied for six months, but then

something about it just didn’t meet our needs, and now we’re ready to trade him

in like a leased car for something better. Because we’ve been so deeply formed

by a culture of consumerism, we cannot fathom the lasting value of Jesus.”

To spend less would be incredibly counter-cultural. Probably a lot of our family

and friends wouldn’t understand, might even criticize us for it. But in our hearts

we know that consumerism is not the Christ-following way to celebrate the birth

of Jesus. Could opting out of the excesses of our cultural Christmas give us the

chance to truly experience this season?

Some practical ideas to consider that could help us curb our consumerism:

Spend wisely. Set your budget. Know your limit. If it’s early enough, start

saving for a debt-free celebration.

Spend responsibly. (2 Corinthians 8:13-15) Evaluate what we support with

our spending and allow our spending to support products, people, and

causes that are worthy of being supported.

Spend purposefully. Balance our desires with the needs in our

communities and our world. Christmas in America is more about getting

what we want than giving what people need. Is this the tradition we want

to pass down to our children?

God desires Christmas to be a fundamentally relational event rather than a

consumer event. Spending less this Christmas could help us gain more...more

hope, more peace, more love, more rest...as we draw near to the God who is

with us.

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Docent Requests:

Biblical background on Joseph’s situation. What would the cultural norms

be for someone in his position?

Exegesis of the Parable of the Rich Fool.

Research on consumerism in America especially as it relates to

Christmas.

Resources for evaluating the products we buy...how do we know if

different manufacturers have responsible production methods?

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WEEK 3  |  DEC 11 | GIVE MOREScripture: John 1:1-18 (see The Voice translation), Philippians 2:5-8NOTE: Uptown and Club45 Kids on Stage this weekend. Last week of Giftmart Toy Collection for those campuses that participate

MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Give More and bless the ones we love.

MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONThink about the most memorable Christmas present you’ve ever received. What

was it that touched you? Why do you still remember it to this day? For most of

us, if we remember a gift it’s likely because it was a different kind of gift--a

relational gift. The best gifts celebrate a relationship.

In John 1 (The Voice translation), we’re reminded that “Before time itself was

measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God. This celestial

Voice remained ever present with the Creator; His speech shaped the entire

cosmos.” When we read a few verses later that “The Voice took on flesh and

became human and chose to live alongside us,” we understand that to be the

miracle of Christmas. Look intently into the manger of our nativity scene. God

gave himself by coming near!

The authors of Advent Conspiracy remind us: “Because of the Incarnation, the

infinite God becomes more tangible, more approachable, and more (though

never completely) comprehensible. It’s because of Jesus that we know who the

Eternal God of the universe is and what he’s really like. Apart from the

Incarnation, we would never fully know the depths to which we are loved or the

lengths to which God can be trusted.”

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That’s what we’ve been given at Christmas. Talk about a relational gift!

God’s answer for the world’s problem has never been material things. God did

not give us more stuff--even good stuff like food or health. He gave us himself.

But the fact that the first Christmas is characterized by God giving is why giving is

still a good way to celebrate the birth of Jesus...Our giving can actually reflect in

some small way the power and beauty of God coming into our world as one of

us. But this reflection is best seen when we, too, give relationally.

What do we see in God giving us his one and only Son that could shape our own

giving?

God’s gift was his presence. When we make time to be with someone,

it’s a gift -- a relational gift. The conscious giving of our time and presence

to another is not a new concept, but it is a neglected one. Consider how

you can creatively express to that friend or family member how much you

want to be with them. (i.e. Son buys his dad a pound of gourmet coffee

beans with one stipulation: Dad can only enjoy this gift with his grown

son).

God’s gift was personal. A Savior has been born for you! Generic

disposable gifts are not only a waste of money, they practically scream, “I

didn’t really want to take the time to give you something meaningful, but I

still felt obligated to give you something.” Relational giving means we pay

attention to the other person. We think about who they are and what they

care about. (i.e. Dad giving daughter 2 journals for her last Christmas

before graduating high school and leaving for college. She was to fill one,

he would fill the other. Next Christmas they would exchange them.)

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God’s gift was costly. In Philippians 2 we read that Jesus “emptied

himself” (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV). Relational giving costs us...more time,

more energy. It can also be risky. What if it isn’t appreciated? What if it

isn’t understood? (i.e. Friend who asked a woman’s friends and families to

write a note or send a picture that celebrated her life and took the time to

make them into a beautiful scrapbook.)

If we can resist the trap of giving easy gifts, and if we can reject the assumption

that giving expensive gifts or many gifts is the best way to express love,

something else might happen. We might experience moments of relational giving

that our friends and family will care about and remember. We will be able to give

more.

Docent Requests:

Exegetical insights on the passages.

Ideas for relational giving.

Origins of how we started celebrating Christmas by exchanging gifts.

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WEEK 4  |  DEC 18 | LOVE ALLScripture: Luke 2:8-20 (Shepherds), Matthew 25:34-40NOTE: This is a Benevolence weekend (Heads up -This does not follow our “normal” pattern of a 5th Sunday)

MESSAGE BIG IDEAThis Christmas, let us conspire to Love All and help people find their way back to

God.

MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONJesus came to LOVE ALL. Jesus brought good news to everyone. Everyone.

When the infant King was born in Bethlehem, God sent his angels to announce

the birth to those who were often overlooked, discounted, forgotten.

The authors of Advent Conspiracy remind us: “God came to the poor--in other

words, to each of us...Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to be born into a sin-

scarred world. That glorious night in Bethlehem, every day of his life, and in the

deadly pain of the cross, Jesus became poor for our sake. Jesus entered our

poverty so we would no longer be poor. The priceless gift of a restored

relationship with God and others is now offered to those who could never afford

it. The outrageous wealth of his righteousness is credited to those who don’t

deserve it. To those of us who are poor, this is very good news.”

The first part of this message will focus on the reality that we are all in need of a

Savior and can be an invitation for people to find their way back to the God who

came near.

Jesus sends us to LOVE ALL.

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After the shepherds saw the infant King, “...they spread the word concerning

what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at

what the shepherds said to them.”

Like the shepherds, we are being sent into this broken world to tell the story of

God’s great love and to live it. We are sent to our family and friends, our

neighbors and co-workers. Part of the challenge in this message is about inviting

people to celebrate Christmas with us next weekend.

And, like Jesus, we are also sent to the overlooked, discounted, forgotten. At

Christmas, one of the things that should distinguish a Christ-follower is a love

that reaches out to the hungry and thirsty and sick and imprisoned (Matthew

25:34-40). Who are the “forgotten” you could love this Christmas? Who are the

shepherds in your life? How could you and your family reach out to them?

God is still moving into the neighborhood! The Incarnation isn’t only about the

one glorious moment in history when Jesus walked this earth--it’s also about a

God who still wants to make an appearance in this world through his followers.

We are living in the nativity. The story of Christmas is still being written.

Docent Requests:

Biblical background on the shepherds focusing on their place in society.

Exegesis of Matthew 25.

Inspiring stories of Christ-followers reaching out to the hungry, thirsty, sick,

imprisoned.

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