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I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: Faith Followers


Icebreakers:

How did you test the boundaries set by your parents?
Where did you travel when celebrating Christmas with family?

Overview:

In the hysterically funny, Christmas movie, “Elf,” Buddy realizes he is not like the other elves and leaves the North Pole and Papa Elf in search of his real father. His father tries to turn Buddy into a corporate businessman like himself. In return, Buddy teaches his father how to love.

“I planned out our whole day. First, we make snow angels for two hours, and then we’ll go ice skating, and then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookie Dough as fast as we can, and then to finish, we’ll snuggle.” – Buddy

Jesus left Heaven and His Father to come to earth as a human baby to learn from Joseph, His earthly father. The story of the adolescent Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem to remain in the temple shows us that Jesus had to learn how to be a human boy through obedience to his earthly parents.

The balancing act we parents attempt is convincing our children: 1. You are loved more than you can imagine. 2. The world does not revolve around you.” ― John Eldredge

Discussion:

Read Luke 2:39-52, Ephesians 6:1-4 and Matthew 22:37-40.

What kind of parents were Mary and Joseph?
How would you have reacted to Jesus’ disappearance?
Why is it important to learn discipline as a child?
What is our responsibility to help others learn to love and serve God?
What are the two greatest commandments?
How do we celebrate those principles especially during Christmas?
Why are they foundational for a healthy life?

“I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite.” – Buddy

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