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Sermon Discussion Guide - 12/21/2025
Published December 20, 2025
Christmas at Home:
Legacy Under The Tree
Sermon Recap
Dallas reminded us that what sticks with people long-term usually isn’t the stuff under the tree, it’s the stories and practices that travel with us. Using Psalm 78, we were challenged to intentionally pass on God’s works (what He’s done) and God’s ways (who He is and how He calls us to live), using everyday “parables” that invite conversation and build hope.
Ice Breakers
- What’s the most random thing you’ve ever seen used as a Christmas decoration… and how did it end up there?
- What’s a tradition you did as a kid that you now realize was… honestly kind of weird?
- What’s your earliest holiday memory?
Discussion Questions
1. What’s a moment from your childhood (good or hard) that still “travels with you” today?
- Context: Dallas opened with the idea that stories outlast sweaters - we remember the moments more than the gifts. Psalm 78 calls God’s people to tell the next generation what God has done so their hope is anchored in Him.
- Application: What story from your life could help someone else set their hope in God right now, especially someone younger (or newer to faith) than you?
2. When have you tried to “do the right thing” but it slowly turned into pressure, guilt, or going through the motions?
- Context: Psalm 78 shows two things we pass on together: God’s works (His mighty acts) and God’s ways (His commands/character). The sermon warned: works without ways can become “cheap grace,” and ways without works can become legalism.
- Application: Where do you need a healthier balance right now - remembering what God has done for you, or actually practicing what God is calling you to do?
3. Who helped you grow more through curiosity and conversation than through rules and lectures? What did they do that worked?
- Context: Dallas described “parable teaching” as clarity with curiosity - stories that invite conversation, not just compliance. Asaph (Psalm 78) used storytelling to make truth stick, and Jesus did the same with parables.
- Application: When you think about your influence (kids, family, friends, coworkers), what’s one way you could lead with better questions and better stories instead of just “being right”?
4. Have you ever looked around and thought, “How did we drift this far?” What do you think contributed to it?
- Context: The sermon connected Psalm 78 to generational drift: stubbornness and forgetfulness don’t get healed by outrage, they get healed by faithful storytelling that builds hope and leads to obedience.
- Application: What’s one “story of God” you want to be known for telling - online or in person - so it points people to Jesus instead of to your own platform, opinions, or frustration?
5. What’s an ordinary object or routine in your life that could carry meaning if you slowed down long enough to notice it?
- Context: Dallas gave a simple tool: “This reminds me of when God…” Using everyday things (a pot, a song, a nativity scene, a tradition), we can connect God’s work and His ways to real life.
- Application: This week, who could you practice that half-sentence with, and what’s the specific object/moment you’ll use to start the story?
Prayer
- Make sure to spend time in prayer as a group when you meet.
- Have group members share prayer requests, and pray for them.
- You could have one person pray for all the requests, or each member pray for one person.
- Keep a record of those requests and ask about them on a weekly basis.
Leader Tip
Remember: you’re a people shepherd, not a Bible encyclopedia. Your job isn’t to have every perfect answer, it’s to be present and guide a great conversation. Pick the questions that fit your group, rephrase them in your voice, and don’t be afraid to camp out where the Spirit is clearly working.