1. AC Reflection Questions Session 1 • What Positive memories do you have of the Christmas Season? • How would you describe the best Christmas you ever had as a Child? • What made it special for you? Do you still look forward to the Christmas season? Why or Why Not? What Word would best describe what you want to experience this year during Christmas season? What are some obstacles that get in the way of that happening? What practical choices do you need to make to ensure that the Christmas season remains a time of focused worship? How might you remind and encourage each other as friends, family, church to do this?

2. Read Luke 2:8-20The Shepherds and the Angels The shepherds are well-known participants in the Christmas narrative. Think about images you have seen on traditional Christmas Cards, nativity scenes, or eve the way shepherds are portrayed in a typical church Christmas program. How have we been led to picture these first visitors to the manger? 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

3. AC Reflection Questions Session 1 • In this passage we are told that the shepherds were a socially despised group (poor, criminal, outcast). Can you think of any parallels to this group today? • The Shepherds are the first ones to whom the angels announced the birth of Christ. What does that tell us about the heart of God toward social outcasts? How does this relate to the message of Christmas? • In what ways does the worship of the shepherds differ from our celebration of Christmas? • What are some specific ways in which our contemporary celebration of Christmas moves us away from the worship the shepherds experienced? • What can we do to recapture that sense of wonder and gratitude. We see the shepherds not only approaching the manger in a spirit of worship, we see them moving into their world to proclaim the good news. The announcement that Go has given us his Son changes everything. Who still needs to hear this good news? Think of some specific people and ways that your family, group, or church can bring this announcement to the world. What might this look like at Christmas?

4. AC Reflection Questions Session 1 God has drawn near. He was born as a baby that night in Bethlehem. Through Jesus, he walked among us and the story forever changed. This is what we celebrate each Christmas. This is what the songs proclaim. This is the story we tell to the world each year. • What if the choices that we make this year about our spending and the way we give gifts to one another were a part of our worship? • The advent season is our chance to celebrate the wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is a season of worship. This is the foundation for our conspiracy. • Close this session by praying as a group for a fresh encounter with God during this season of Advent. Pray for a desire to worship more fully and for opportunities to enter into the ongoing story of Jesus and his work in the world.

5. From Chapter 1 “Understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. This is not about anger, disgust, or guilt—it is about entering the story of Jesus more deeply with a desire to worship more fully. It is not enough to say no to the way Christmas is celebrated by many; we need to say yes to a different way of celebrating.” Optional reading: Chapters 1 and 3 of Advent Conspiracy.