Advent: Joy
Icebreaker – “Then vs. Now”
Invite everyone to briefly share:
A Christmas tradition or memory from their past that still carries meaning for them today
OR something about Christmas that has changed significantly over time
2. Key Reflection from the Sermon: Choose one person to read this excerpt aloud…
“Nostalgia is a feeling of waiting for a past joy that you can never experience again. Advent, on the other hand, is a feeling of waiting for a joy that you know you already have.”
3. Group Discussion
A. Nostalgia vs. Joy
Jeannette describes nostalgia as something that increasingly feels like loss rather than comfort.
Where do you notice nostalgia showing up most strongly in your life right now?
When does nostalgia feel life-giving, and when does it feel heavy?
Why do you think Christmas amplifies nostalgia so powerfully?
B. Joy Rooted in Jesus
Jeannette says, “For me, there is no nostalgia in Jesus.”
What do you think she means by that?
How is joy connected to Jesus different from joy connected to memories, traditions, or seasons of life?
Reflect on her story of reading Luke 2 in the barn with her family.
Why do you think that memory feels free of loss, even though the circumstances no longer exist?
C. Advent Joy: Then and Now
Mary and the people of Israel experienced joy in anticipation—trusting God’s promises before they were fulfilled.
What do you imagine that kind of joy felt like?
How is our Advent joy different, knowing Jesus has already come?
Jeannette suggests that Christian joy is not about waiting for an unknown future, but about living into a gift already given.
Where do you struggle to experience joy now, rather than someday?
4. Personal Application
What is one area of your life where you may be clinging to nostalgia rather than receiving joy as it is today?
What practice this Advent season could help you anchor your joy more deeply in Jesus rather than in circumstances? (Examples: prayer, gratitude, simplicity, service, reimagining traditions, reading the Christmas story slowly.)
5. Prayer: Close by spending a few minutes reflecting on your week’s highs and lows. Offer prayers of thanksgiving and petition for these.
