Study Guide: The Ghost Of Christmas

Sunday December 20, 2009 | Greg Boyd

Focus Scripture:

• Luke 2:25-32

  Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
  “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
  you may now dismiss [a] your servant in peace.
  For my eyes have seen your salvation,
  which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
  a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
  and the glory of your people Israel.”

Brief Summary:

In many ways, Jesus is like the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future in Charles Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol. However, much more than remind us of our past, Jesus has the power to transform it which allows us new freedom both in our present and our future.

Extended Summary:

In many ways, Jesus is like the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future in Charles Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol. However, much more than remind us of our past, Jesus has the power to transform it which allows us new freedom both in our present and our future. In fact, not only can Jesus bring us healing and freedom from past pain, Jesus brings all things—literally ALL things—together for the glory of God.

Christmas is a good time to take special note of what God was doing in the world when Jesus was born and what that means for us personally as well as for others that we know. Consider how this worked for Scrooge. He went back to see painful events in his childhood. This reminded him of core desires/needs that were unmet. He sought to meet these desires in destructive ways, which eventually led him to his predicament in the story. Much like this, we all get stuck in certain patterns that we can be freed from if we get our core needs met by God.

An important observation that Scrooge made was that there’s a difference between the future that could be and the one that will be. As things were, things looked bleak for Scrooge’s future. But he inquired as to whether it might be different, and in fact, yes, if Scrooge’s choices are different, then his future will be as well.

Reflection Questions:

1. What stood out to you most from this message and the supporting text?
2. What songs, shows, decorations, smells, impact you powerfully at Christmas time? What memories are these things attached to?
3. Read Eph. 1:8-10. What was God up to in Christ? What does this mean for us? Now read Luke 2:25-32. Apply the Ephesians passage to this one. How did Jesus “bring unity to all things” for Simeon? What would it mean for Jesus to bring unity to all things for you?
4. In closing, Greg challenged us to surrender our past, present and future to Christ. Which part of this seems most challenging to you? What about your past needs surrendering and healing? How about your present? How would surrendering these things affect how you relate to your future?

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