Faith Talk – December 21, 2025
Faith Talks are designed to help you keep the conversation going beyond Sunday morning. Use this guide with your family or friends to reflect on the sermon and Life Group lesson, pray together, and put God’s Word into practice. Think of this guide as a starting place—then let God shape the conversation.
Sermon
Title: Looking into the Face of God
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-23
Overview: Matthew describes the miraculous birth of Jesus, emphasizing that His coming fulfilled God’s promises and revealed God’s saving plan. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Jesus is both fully God and fully man. In Him, God makes Himself known and present with His people.
Main Points:
Discussion Questions:
For Kids
For Students & Adults
Application: This week, reflect on how God revealed Himself through Jesus and consider one intentional way to live in light of God being “with us.”
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-23
Overview: Matthew describes the miraculous birth of Jesus, emphasizing that His coming fulfilled God’s promises and revealed God’s saving plan. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Jesus is both fully God and fully man. In Him, God makes Himself known and present with His people.
Main Points:
- The Claim of the Scriptures
- The Miracle
- The Meaning
- The Name of God’s Son
- The Messenger
- The Mandate
- The Majesty
- The Fame of Our Savior – Jesus’ birth reveals God’s glory and makes His salvation known to the world.
Discussion Questions:
For Kids
- What makes Jesus’ birth special and different?
- What does the name “Immanuel” tell us about God?
- How does Jesus show us what God is like?
For Students & Adults
- Why is the miracle of Jesus’ birth essential to our faith?
- How does “God with us” bring comfort or courage to your life today?
- What does it look like for Jesus’ fame to be seen through your life?
Application: This week, reflect on how God revealed Himself through Jesus and consider one intentional way to live in light of God being “with us.”
Life Group
Scripture: Daniel 6
Christ/Gospel Connections:
All of Scripture points back to Jesus. In our study each week, every age group’s lesson includes a note about how the message connects to Christ. Use these Christ/Gospel Connections as a springboard for meaningful discussion about who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
Preschool – Daniel trusted God and was saved from the lions. When we trust in Jesus, He saves us from our sins and gives us life with God forever.
Kids – Daniel continued to trust God, even though it meant he might be thrown into the lions’ den. Jesus was faithful to follow God’s plan, even though it meant He would die on the cross for sinners.
Students – Daniel faithfully trusted and obeyed God even at risk of his life. God rescued Daniel from death and used him to advance His kingdom. Like Daniel, Jesus faithfully trusted and obeyed God, but unlike Daniel, Jesus was not spared from death. Jesus died and was resurrected to establish the kingdom of God.
Adults – Following God and being a believer in Jesus Christ can come with persecution in our world. Yet we continue to live in faith because He is with us and has saved us. We don’t fear death because He has resurrection power, whereas those without Christ will suffer an eternal death.
Discussion Questions:
For Kids
For Students & Adults
Christ/Gospel Connections:
All of Scripture points back to Jesus. In our study each week, every age group’s lesson includes a note about how the message connects to Christ. Use these Christ/Gospel Connections as a springboard for meaningful discussion about who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
Preschool – Daniel trusted God and was saved from the lions. When we trust in Jesus, He saves us from our sins and gives us life with God forever.
Kids – Daniel continued to trust God, even though it meant he might be thrown into the lions’ den. Jesus was faithful to follow God’s plan, even though it meant He would die on the cross for sinners.
Students – Daniel faithfully trusted and obeyed God even at risk of his life. God rescued Daniel from death and used him to advance His kingdom. Like Daniel, Jesus faithfully trusted and obeyed God, but unlike Daniel, Jesus was not spared from death. Jesus died and was resurrected to establish the kingdom of God.
Adults – Following God and being a believer in Jesus Christ can come with persecution in our world. Yet we continue to live in faith because He is with us and has saved us. We don’t fear death because He has resurrection power, whereas those without Christ will suffer an eternal death.
Discussion Questions:
For Kids
- Why did Daniel keep praying to God?
- How did God take care of Daniel in the lions’ den?
- How does God take care of us when we trust Him?
For Students & Adults
- What pressures make it difficult to live faithfully today?
- How does Daniel’s story encourage perseverance in suffering?
- How does Jesus’ resurrection shape our response to fear or persecution?
Pray Together
- Thank God for being present with His people and for saving us through Jesus.
- Commit to trust God faithfully, even when obedience is difficult.
- Ask for courage to live out your faith and point others to Christ.
Activity
God With Us – Then and Now
Supplies: paper, pens or markers
Instructions:
Instructions:
- Read aloud Matthew 1:23 (“They will name him Immanuel… ‘God is with us’”) and remind your family that God made Himself known through Jesus.
- Then reference Daniel 6, noting that God’s presence with Daniel did not remove danger—but it sustained him through it.
- Ask each person to draw a simple line down the middle of their paper.
- On the left side, write or draw one way God revealed Himself in the Bible (through Jesus’ birth, through Daniel’s rescue, through God’s promises).
- On the right side, write or draw one situation in their own life where they need to trust that God is present, even if circumstances are difficult.
- Ask everyone to share one thing from each side of their page.
- Close with the reminder: God is not only revealed in Scripture—He is present with His people today.
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