Christmas and the Queen City – Advent Conspiracy
We are in week 3 of our 4-week Advent Conspiracy series. This morning, Pastor Alex walked us through Philippians 2:1-11 in order to understand what it means to “GIVE MORE”.

Verses 1-4 says to, “complete my joy”. We should count others as more significant than ourselves. We should regard others by thinking deeply about them. Inspect them. Notice them. Remember, these people around us, from the office to the dinner table, are the IMAGO DEI (the image of God). God sings over them! (Zeph 3:17)

Verses 5-8 challenge us to ponder the deep truths of God so that we can think and act like Him. Watch what God does, and then do it! We also see that Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. He was, is, and always will be God, but He chose to empty Himself of His rights and prerogatives to become a human so that He could save us.

Verses 9-11 shows how God the Father is pleased with the Son and exalts Him to a place He is worthy of. He is the perfect sacrifice that we choose to celebrate at Christmas. Without His willingness to GIVE MORE, there is no Christmas.

God gave us life, hope, His son, the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, eternal life, and much more. He is the definition of generous. As a result, we should give love, kindness, grace, friendship, money, time, joy, and much more. Generosity has nothing to do with your wealth and everything to do with your heart.

It is not easy to be generous, but it is possible. Generosity can quickly change the world!

To discuss as a family today
1. Spend time worshipping Jesus as you think deeply about what He set aside in order to give us the possibility to have eternal life.

2. How does God want to use you to glorify Himself?

3. Jesus emptied Himself and sacrificed for you. How have you emptied yourself for others?

4. We are never done giving of our lives. What can you give this week? What is YOUR greatest resource to give? (time, money, love, grace, friendship, etc.

Prayer
Praise God for His perfect plan, and thank Jesus for giving Himself in the form of a baby born to a virgin in very humble circumstances. Worship Him for who He is and what He has done. Confess where you are stingy and me-focused in your life, and commit to look and act more like Christ as you share your life with others. Ask Him to give you creative ways to give more of yourself to those around you. Commit to be a light that will help change the world.