Unit 1: Preparing the Way

Session 1. Hurry Up and Wait
Lamentations 3:25–33, 40; Luke 1:5–25, 57–66

Session 2. Turn Around to See What’s Coming
Malachi 3:1–4; Luke 3:1–17

Session 3. Extreme Makeover
Colossians 3:12–17

Session 4. Joy to the World!
Philippians 4:4–7; Luke 2:8–20

Faith Statement:     
Q. 122. How does God respond to our prayers?
A. God takes all our prayers into account, weighing them with divine wisdom, and responding to them by a perfect will. Although for the time being God’s answers may seem beyond our understanding, or sometimes even bitter, we know nonetheless that they are always determined by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God answers our prayers, particularly for temporal blessings, only in ways that are compatible with the larger purposes of God’s glory and our salvation. Communion with God is finally the answer within the answers to all our prayers.

Q. 123. What encourages us to pray each day?
A. The God who has adopted us as children is the God who encourages and commands us to pray. When we pray, we respond with love to that greater love which meets us from above. Before we enter into prayer, God is ready to grant all that we need. We may turn to God with confidence each day, not because we are worthy, but simply because of God’s grace. By praying we acknowledge that we depend on grace for all that is good, beautiful, life-giving and true. (The Study Catechism: Full Version)

Unit 2: Worshiping the Holy One

Session 5. Creating Clean Hearts
Psalm 51

Session 6. It’s What’s on the Inside that Counts
Matthew 7:21–29; Jeremiah 7:1–7

Session 7. Interior Motives
Matthew 6:1–15

Session 8. Teach Us to Pray
Luke 18:9–14; Isaiah 1:12–20

Faith Statement:     
God Alone Is to Be Adorned and Worshipped. We teach that the true God alone is to be adored and worshipped. This honor we impart to none other, according to the commandment of the Lord, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Matt. 4:10). Indeed, all the prophets severely inveighed against the people of Israel whenever they adored and worshipped strange gods, and not the only true God. But we teach that God is to be adored and worshipped as he himself taught us to worship, namely, “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23 f.), not with any superstition, but with sincerity, according to his Word; lest at any time he should say to us: “Who has required these things from your hands?” (Isa. 1:12; Jer. 6:20). For Paul also says: “God is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything,” etc. (Acts 17:25). (The Second Helvetic Confession, 5.023)