Celebrating the Advent season is a great way to focus on Jesus while being intentional during the holiday season. This is why we created our Advent Mini Series which focuses on four themes: hope, peace, joy, and love. Episodes 236-239 of the Witty & Gritty Podcast feature these specific themes.
Each episode in our Advent Mini Series walks through scripture using our classic Read, Pray, Talk, Tell method. We pray that as you listen to the episodes, you’ll find a way to share the hope, peace, joy, and love of Jesus with others this Christmas season. Each episode is briefly listed right here (clickable directly to the podcast), and you can scroll through this post to see all the episode details.
- Ep #236: The Hope of Jesus
- Ep #237: The Peace of Jesus
- Ep #238: The Joy of Jesus
- Ep #239: The Love of Jesus
Episode 236: The Hope of Jesus
Episode 236 of our Advent Mini Series focuses on the hope of Jesus featuring Luke 1:26-33. As we READ, we know that there are 400 years between the old testament and new testament. When the angel, Gabriel, visits Mary we can know that she has remained faithful since she found favor with God after all this time. The promised time has finally arrived; how could holy hope not play a role here? Hope implies that anticipation of something coming. The hope of Jesus is here!
“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Luke 1:26-33 NLT
Pray: Have you taken a moment to think about how Mary must have felt in this situation? Not knowing all the pieces, yet continued to focus on the hope that Jesus would bring in the coming months. When we find ourselves in moments where we must choose to trust, let’s remember to pray for sanctification through the unknown. What if we shifted our mindset from praying away challenges, and face them as they sanctify us? We may find ourselves trusting ourselves less, and leaning on God more. Maybe we’ll tap into a passion or skill we hadn’t unlocked yet. Whatever the case is, may we be the followers of Jesus who pray to trust and remain confident in the hope of Jesus.
TALK: Discussing times of hope sparks hope itself. When we struggle (or someone we know is), reflect and talk about times the hope of Jesus has carried you or someone you know through times of uncertainty (there are plenty of times this occurs in the Bible if you need examples). In Christian community, we can spur each other on, lean into hope, and challenge each other along the way. Let’s ask ourselves, “How can this circumstance sanctify us?”
TELL: As parents, we have the opportunity to teach our kids the hope of Jesus. How can we instill this hope in our kids based off of Luke 1:26-33? We cover several examples in episode 236 of our Advent Mini Series, so be sure to scroll up and press play. Here are a few ways we can encourage our children through having hope in uncertainty:
- Empathy & shared experiences
- Biblical references
- Focusing on an eternal mindset
Episode 237: The Peace of Jesus
Episode 237 focuses on peace of Jesus featuring Isaiah 9:6-7. As we READ: Look at all the descriptors of Jesus! If you’re ever wondering who God the Son is, check out the verse below to see some of His attributes and what He’s going to do. In the “Read” portion of our episode, we discuss cultural norms, government, and what God says about it. HINT: Peace in Jesus is the key.
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”
Isaiah 9:6-7
PRAY: Praying for peace can be across the board from the world, other countries, our government, and our households, and in our hearts. Pray for peace in difficult circumstances and that the peace of Jesus gives them comfort. Praying for the truth of Jesus’ characteristics to have a clear presence in challenging situations, is a fun way to be on the lookout for how God is working.
TALK: When you’re in a season of stress, pain, business, or anxiety, take it to Jesus for the best rest (Matt 11:28). Talk about ways God has been a wonderful counselor, mighty, everlasting, etc…Discuss with your home group ways you can build in margin for resting with Jesus. Schedules this holiday will be crazy, so what can we do to normalize your Bible routine? How do you intentionally build peace in your life? We go over several examples in the episode, so be sure to scroll up and press play.
TELL: As we work to share the peace of Jesus, what are ways to build peace in the lives of your children? How can you practice your “no” in order to schedule in times to focus on the peace of Jesus? There are plenty of right ways to purposely schedule in Jesus time with the kids. We provide several examples in this episode, so don’t miss out!
Episode 238: The Joy of Jesus
Episode 238 focuses on the joy of Jesus featuring Matthew 2:10-12. As we READ: We learn that there is a difference between happy and joy. We talk about the first actions of the wise men, their travel, their gifts, and the joy they felt meeting Jesus. There is much more context to the story, so we encourage you to take some time and read the full scripture for yourself.
“When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.”
Matthew 2:10-12 NLT
PRAY: Take some time to thank God for the gift of Joy. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you on how you can share the joy of Jesus with others. Pray for strength in the joy of Jesus for the journey through though seasons (like the traveling wise men).
TALK: We all can benefit from encouraging each other and bringing joy to others. Discuss ways to spread the joy of Jesus through your giftings and passions. What are your best gifts you’re bringing to Jesus? He has given you giftings, so how can you find ways together to serve others? What can you do to consistently share your giftings and passions to spread the joy of Jesus? If you are hurting or in a difficult season, we encourage you to reach out to your home groups, confide in fellow believers, and accept their support.
TELL: In this portion of the episode, we provide several thinking prompts: How can we teach about the joy of Jesus to our children? What ways can we intentionally model this and encourage them through growing pains? How can we pour into others whether we’re in a peak or valley? What can we do to guide others on reframing their thoughts? We go over several examples in the show, so be sure to scroll back up and press play. Speak life into your kids on their giftings and passions, and follow up with asking them to brainstorm ways to spread the joy of Jesus.
Episode 239: The Love of Jesus
Episode 239 focuses on the love of Jesus featuring John 3:16. As we READ: We can truly feel the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. His gift to us all year round is the opportunity to have eternal life with Him. His loving sacrifice for us surpasses the pain of the crucifixion and any sin we may do. Death is defeated! Be sure to tune into the entire Advent Mini Series beginning on episode 236.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NLT
PRAY: Use this time to work through this verse, and ask God to make it clear what you need to doin order to love others better. What sacrifice do you need to make? Ask God to highlight it and find a way to reduce or eliminate, so that you can love others well. If you’re in a season where you feel unloveable, pray and ask God to help you remember the truths of the Bible. You are truly loved, no matter what. Ask God to change your heart/emotions and have them align with what God says about you.
TALK: How is love displayed to each other in your group? There are different skill sets and strengths, so take some time to talk about them with your home group. Call it out, speak like into each other. How can you love others who are tough to love? How can you maintain healthy boundaries while still showing the love of Jesus. What actions can you take that help point them back to Jesus?
TELL: How can we help our kids serve in a loving way? As we teach our kids servant leadership, we can model as much as possible. Talk about ways that Jesus shows love to others, discuss those examples, and brainstorm ways that kids can take action.
We hope you enjoy our Advent Mini Series, and that it helps you focus on Jesus this Christmas season. If you’d like to know more about Advent and what it means, CLICK HERE for our “What is Advent?” episode.
Other Links From the Show
- What is Advent? (episode 130)
- The Bible Project Advent Guide
- Kid Classics Mini Series (episodes 209-218)
- David’s episode #25 Grit Mini Series
- Internal-Eternal Mindset episode 199
- Christmas Gift Guides
- Witty & Gritty on Apple Podcasts
- Isaiah Study by Melissa Spoelstra
- Tara-Leigh Cobble’s EP #81
- Anna Golden- Take it to Jesus
- The Lazy Genius Podcast
- Daring Greatly Mini Series (episodes 28-38)
- Galatians Mini Series (episodes 189-193)
- Authors 2023 Mini Series (episodes 229-235)
- Abide study by Jen Wilkin
- Love Languages Mini Series (episodes 141-150)
