Foundation Church

1. What stands out for you in this passage? Why? 2. Why do you think God explains to Isaiah that his ministry will be difficult and fruitless? 3. How do you feel about God’s prophetic words about the hardness of the peoples hearts? 4. Do you need to repent of a hard heart? 5. Discuss evidences of the grace of God in your life.

In the midst of the sin of the nation Isaiah is called up the throne room of God is is shown the unfettered glory of the Lord. In this awe inspiring scene we see much and learn much about God, humanity and our future hope in how God deals with sin. Discipleship Questions: 1. What are some of your observations as it relates to the description of God’s throne room in Isaiah 6:1-4? 2. Why do you think we get a glimpse of this event in the book of Isaiah? 3. Explain what you think God’s glory and holiness are. 4. Why is Isaiah’s response in verse 5 so important? 5. Where can we find hope when we are faced with God’s glory and holiness?

The sin of Israel is so great and grievous that God in his loving rebuke of their unfaithfulness now lists out six ways in which Israel is in sin. This list is prophetically laid out in the form of woe statements reminding the people of the coming judgement of God on sin if they remain steadfast in their sin. What hope if any can we find in this difficult passage of scripture. Discipleship Questions 1. What is your initial impression of this passage of scripture? 2. Why do you think God is so clear in calling out the sin of his people? 3. Is there one ‘woe’ that stands out to you or that you feel greater conviction around than the others? 4. What characteristics of God are most on display in our passage? 5. How can we find hope in a passage like this?

We don’t often think about the devastation of sin, and if we do, it’s usually accompanied by despair rather than hope in the gospel. Isaiah, in this passage, puts sin and judgement front and center. He does so by comparing the people of Israel to a crop of bad grapes. God had given Israel everything needed to produce good fruit, but they rejected God. Isaiah grieves this total rejection of God’s grace. We too need to grieve. Our sin is every bit as devastating as the sin of Israel. Our hearts are hard and incapable of producing good fruit. But rather than despair, we need to turn and look at God’s mercy. Because of his great love for us, he sent his son Jesus to die as the just punishment for our sin and gives us new life in Christ. Discipleship Questions 1. When you are confronted with sin, how does that make you feel? 2. Explain what it means for someone to have a hard heart. 3. How have you rejected God’s grace by preferring other things over God himself? 4. What is the Holy Spirit teaching you about

1. Are there things in your life that are keeping you from experiencing God’s peace? 2. What does it tell us about God’s character when he punishes his people? 3. What can we learn about God when we see that He saves is people in-spite of their ability to follow him? 4. Where in my life have I seen God be faithful even though it seemed like things were going wrong? 5. Where do you need to believe God and his promise in your life?

Discipleship Questions: 1. Why do we desire leadership so much? How can/does that desire go wrong? 2. Where in your life are you prone to place your ultimate hope in another leader besides Jesus? How does God want to change that in your heart? 3. How is God’s judgment at the cross of Christ our only true source of hope? 4. What would it look like if we lived like we truly believed that God was king: over our nation, cities, churches, and families?

Implicit in the human condition is the desire to find our comfort, security and salvation outside of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ and this is not OK. So, is it possible to take comfort in the anger of God toward sin, especially when we know that we are one of the guilty parties? Only when we understand Idolatry for what it is and respond to the grace of God for us. Discipleship Questions: 1. Read Isaiah 2:6-22. What stood out to you in the passage, why? 2. How would you explain idolatry? Discuss your explanation with the group. 3. Why is Idolatry such a big deal to God? 4. When God reveals his glory all the idols are consumed (v17-19), why do you think that is? 5. How can we hope in God amidst his promises to destroy idols?

The Christian worldview is one that has few surprises. The bible is clear on where we can place our hope for the future, both now and eternal, because it gives us pictures of what things will be like there. In this passage we see one of those pictures, an important one and one that has deep significance for us as we strive to live faithfully in our current time. Discipleship Questions: 1. What would the world you want to live in look like? 2. Why do you think God gives us glimpses of what eternity will be like in the bible? 3. What is the significance of Jesus’ incarnation for how we see the physical world? 4. How have we seen this passage (Is 2:1-5) fulfilled through history up the present day? 5. How does a truly biblical worldview fulfil your answer to Question No.1?

The love of God and the justice of God are not bitter enemies as some might like for us to believe. No, they exist together in harmony especially in the face of sin, brokenness, and corruption. How could we who are so far from righteousness ever find hope in God’s justice? Discipleship Questions: 1. Why do you think God uses such strong language in this passage? 2. Where do you see the same type of corruption and oppression mentioned in verses 21-23 in our culture? 3. How can we find hope in God while surrounded by such darkness? 4. Why out of all God’s characteristics can we personally hope in the Justice of God? 5. Who do you need to go and tell about Jesus?

Christian hypocrisy is one of the major reasons people leave churches, and it’s not a new problem. In Isaiah’s day, around 2700 years ago, it was a problem too. In our passage God laments the fact that even though things look good on the outside that his people are far from him. What hope is there for us and what has God done to make our lives and worship of him the same on Sunday as on Monday? Discipleship Questions: 1. What has been your experience with hypocrisy in the church? Yourself included. 2. How had Israel ‘forsaken’ the Lord? How can you relate to their failures? 3. Why is going through the motions of church worship such an affront to God? 4. How can we cleanse ourselves of our sin? 5. How is verse 18 fulfilled in Jesus Christ and what does that mean for us?

Isaiah is arguably the most important Old Testament book as it relates to understanding the coming of Jesus Christ. It is large, it is full, and most importantly it reveals to us the character of God that new, maturing, and seasoned Christians will be encouraged and challenged by. Discipleship Questions: 1. What has been your experience with the book of Isaiah? 2. Why is it important to study the historical context and significance of a book as we begin to study it? 3. As you understand it, explain the role of the prophet within OT literature. 4. Why is it so easy to forget all God has done for us in Christ Jesus? 5. Spend some time in prayer asking God to be at work through our study of Isaiah.

We’ve all asked the question, we’ve all struggled at one time or another. Does God Care? But how would we know the answer, not just individually, but across the board as humans. What would be enough for us to know that God is concerned about us and our lives? John gives us the answers in his gospel. Discipleship Questions: 1. When have you asked the question ‘does God care?’ 2. Why do you think John opens his gospel account with such a strong statement? 3. Why would have John 1:14 have been such a shocking verse to John’s original readers? 4. What do you think was God’s motivation for sending his son to the world? 5. How does the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus answer the question ‘does God care’?

The fullest account of Jesus’ birth is found in the gospel of Luke, he is a historian, doctor, and detail oriented writer so there is much to focus on. But why when we become so familiar with a story, even a detailed one, do we miss it’s raw and gritty realities? Why has this story become one safe for children? Why has it become sanitary and clean? Maybe it’s time for a fresh look at this account. Discipleship Questions: 1. In what ways have you become numb to the realities of the real Christmas story? 2. What is significant about Jesus’ birth happening during the reign of Caesar Augustus? 3. Why is Silent Night a terrible Christmas carol? Discuss 4. Why do you think Jesus was born in such a way? 5. What is the significance of the angels announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds?

Mark’s gospel account has no clear origin story of Jesus’ birth. But it does have a deeply powerful account of who Jesus is. Mark pulls no punches in letting people know the claims of who Jesus Christ is and in doing so sets the stages for our understanding of Advent. Discipleship Questions: 1. What do you think about the titles given to Jesus in Mark 1:1 2. In the opening of his gospel why do you think Mark quotes from the Old Testament, especially since his readers were gentiles? 3. What role does Mark attribute to John the Baptist in our verses? Is there more going on here? 4. How does looking forward during Advent help us live as God’s Kingdom people in the present? 5. When you read the lyrics to ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ in light of Jesus’ second Advent how does the song affect you?

We pause this advent season to reflect on the many facets of Jesus’ birth story. Matthew’s gospel, like each of the 3 gospels is unique. Matthew is focused on a primarily Jewish audience. For Matthew, he wants to make sure his fellow Jewish brothers and sisters know that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises. But more than that, Matthew wants his readers to know that Jesus came for sinners and outcasts. He made it clear that having the right family line and keeping the rules wouldn’t save anyone. But Matthew had good news! Jesus came as God the son to save His people from their sins. Discipleship Questions: 1. What do you take for granted (this could be anything)? 2. Have you had the opportunity to teach a small child something? How did that go? 3. After hearing Matthew’s story of Jesus birth, what are you curious about? What questions do you have? 4. What is the Holy Spirit teaching you about Jesus, perhaps for the 1st time or as a good reminder? 5. Jesus loved and spent time