Forestgate

What did Isaiah see? And what should you see?

1) Seeing the Fullness of God’s Glory, 1-4

2) Seeing the Foul-ness of Man’s Sin, 5

3) Seeing the Forgiveness of God’s Atonement, 6-7

4) Seeing the Forecast for God’s Prophet: Sobering, yet Sure, 8-13

1. What are the first words you think of when you think of Christmas? What about sin, forgiveness, and holiness? Should we associate those with Christmas? (See Matthew 1:20-21)

2. How would you describe the scene in Isaiah 6:1-4? How would you have felt if you had been standing there? (Also, ask the same question of Revelation 1:12-18) Do you think Isaiah’s response (Is. 6:5) is understandable?

3. Reflect on (or discuss) the following quotes:

“The more we know of God, the more sinful by comparison we feel ourselves to be.” (Derek Thomas, God Delivers: Isaiah Simply Explained, p.64)

“Until our sin be bitter, Christ will never be sweet.” (Thomas Watson, The Doctrine of Repentance, p.63)

1) Who’s Blessed? 27-28

2) Who’s Condemned? 29-32

1. Was Jesus’ mother blessed? Why was she blessed? Because she had a baby who turned out to be Jesus? Because she came to understand that God looks upon the humble and the lowly? (See Luke 1:37-49) Is the greatest blessing that Mary received also available to you?

2. Why did Jesus not provide a sign when the people asked for a sign? Had received other signs before? What else does Scripture say about demanding signs and rejecting the signs that God has given? See I Corinthians 1:22 and Luke 16:19-31, especially vv.30-31.

3. Was Jonah a good prophet? Did Jonah understand God’s attributes and God’s mercy? (See Jonah 1:9, 12; 2:8-9; 4:2-3.) Was Jonah’s problem a lack of knowledge? A lack of something else?

4. Why is Jesus greater than Jonah? Compare Matthew’s account: Matthew 12:38-42.

1) Their Accusation: Discrediting the Demon Slayer because of Doubt, 14-16

2) Jesus’s Response: Divided Houses Are Doomed to Failure, 17-19

3) Jesus’s Alternative: Divine Intervention Explains Everything, 20-23

4) Jesus’s Ultimatum: Indecision Leads to Demoniac Domination, 23-26

1. Is doubt always a bad thing? Read Psalms 42-43; how do you see the Psalmist being honest about his doubts? How do you see him take his doubts to God, instead of using them to turn away from God?

2. Can you think of other times when Jesus presented the Gospel as an ultimatum, a choice that required an urgent, decisive response? See Luke 18:18-27 for one example.

3. Read 1 Peter 5:6-11. What does this passage tell you about Satan’s power? How should we respond in light of Satan’s power? Is God trying to scare us, sober us, encourage us (or all of the above, or something else) through these verses?

Sermon Notes

1) The Picture of Two Good Things, 38-39

2) The Distraction of Many Things, 40-41

3) The Necessity of One Thing, 41-42

Reflection questions:

Does Jesus ever say which “one thing is necessary?” What does the story seem to imply that the “one thing” is?

What one thing does Jesus focus on in Matthew 6:25-34? And what does He tell us not to focus on? (And why shouldn’t we focus on it? See Mt 6:32; Mt 6:8.)

What one thing does Paul focus on in Philippians 3:10-15?

What one thing did David seek in Psalm 27:4? Compare Ps 84, especially vv. 1-2, 10.

Sermon Notes

1) The Standard, 25-28

2) The Self-Absorbed Sinner, 28-29

3) The Story of the Samaritan, 30-35

4) The Searching Question, 36-37

Reflection questions:

The lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” But he seemed to really want to know who wasn’t his neighbor. Do you ever try to limit the definition of neighbor? Who is hard for you to love?

How in depth should we apply God’s law? Meditate upon these words (part of Westminster Larger Catechism 99): “A. For the right understanding of the Ten Commandments, these rules are to be observed: 1. That the law is perfect, and bindeth every one to full conformity in the whole man unto the righteousness thereof, and unto entire obedience forever; so as to require the utmost perfection of every duty, and to forbid the least degree of every sin. 2. That it is spiritual, and so reacheth the understanding, will, affections, and all other powers of the soul; as well as words, works, and gestures.”

What are better questions we can ask than, “Who is my neighbor?” Here’s one example for you to answer: What do you think it means to be a neighbor?

Sermon Notes

Luke 10:17-24

“Rejoicing in Salvation”

1. A future-focused joy (17-20)

2. A God-focused joy (21-22)

3. A personally-relevant joy (23-24)

Questions for Reflection:

1. What is the difference between Joy and Happiness?

2. How can temporary success distract us from our eternal purpose and destination?

3. If we base our happiness on our own achievements, how could that set us up for disappointment and sadness in the future?

4. In what ways do we also get to see what the "prophets and kings desired to see?"

Sermon Notes

Exodus 25:1-8; 35:4-5; 36:2-7

“Generous, Hard-Working Servants”

1) Our Generous God, 25:1-8; 35:4-5

2) A Generous People Who Gave Their Best, 25; 35; 36

3) A Generous People Who Gave More Than Enough, 36:2-7

Reflection questions:

1. Read 2 Corinthians 8, and focus on v.9. How did Paul motivate the Corinthians to give? Guilt? Or God’s Generosity?

2. Read Exodus 25:1-2; compare it to 2 Corinthians 9:7. What similarities and differences do you see? Why were they giving? (Cf. I Cor. 16:1-4; Romans 15:25-31) What is similar about the way they gave?

3. What else did God’s people give besides their possessions (“treasures” according to Phil Ryken)? See Exodus 35:25-26, 30-35; 36:1-2. Compare to Romans 12:1-13.