Sermons – St Bart's Anglican Church (Toowoomba)

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the third sermon in our Advent series on the Incarnation. This sermon is “Fully Human Fully God”. Preacher: Bishop Cam Venables. Bible Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

BIBLE READING: Hebrews 2:14-18

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: How could we grow in our service to others to be more like Jesus over advent? 

WARM-UP 

1. What do you think is the best thing about being human? What do you think is the most challenging?
2. Do you think people find it more challenging to acknowledge Jesus as human or divine?

Read Hebrews 2:14-16

1. As you think through the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life, how do we see his humanity?
2. As you think through the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life, how do we see his divinity?
3. What does it mean to you to know that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine?
4. What does the author mean by, “the children have flesh and blood”? Why was it necessary for Jesus to also share in our humanity?
5. How did Jesus ‘help’ us (along with all of ‘Abraham’s descendants’)? How can that fill us with wonder?
6. If Jesus is fully human, in what ways can he sympathise with us? How does that bring you comfort?
7. How did Jesus suffer when he was tempted? How can Jesus help us when we are tempted? Practically, how can we better: (a) recognise that we need help in those situations; and (b) come to him?
8. In your own devotional life, how does (or could) remembering Jesus’ humanity help shape your prayer?
9. If Jesus is fully God, in what ways can he know and help us? How does that shape your life as worship?
10. Who holds the power of death? How is it a form of slavery? How does Jesus break those bonds?
11. Have you ever thought of yourself as a slave? If so, in what way? What does it mean to you to be free?
12. Do you ever have a tendency to emphasise one aspect of Jesus’ nature over the other (i.e., you might tend to emphasise his humanity over his divinity, or his divinity over his humanity)? Why so?
13. What can it look like to emphasise Jesus’ humanity over his divinity? How might that be a problem?
14. What can it look like to emphasise Jesus’ divinity over his humanity? How might that be a problem?
15. As you prepare to celebrate Christmas, how can you be reminded that Jesus is both fully human and fully God?

APPLY: What is one way that your prayer life this week can reflect both Jesus’ humanity and divinity more richly?

PRAYER

Gracious God, thank you that your Son became flesh—fully sharing in our humanity— in order to break the power of sin and death. Thank you that it is in Jesus we find the one who is perfectly able to sympathise with us and help us, especially in times of temptation. Please help us to see who Jesus is clearly and run to him. Amen.

GOING DEEPER

On Your Frontline This Week: Ask someone what is the most challenging moment of Christmas?

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• WATCH: Seminary Now: Talks on Advent
• LISTEN: “The Suffering Son” by William Taylor
• LISTEN: “And was made Man” by John Stott
• LISTEN: Handel’s Messiah
  
  

SERIES Resources:

• Series Overview (PDF & Audiobook)
• Read: “The God who Became Human” by Graham Cole
• Read: “On the Incarnation” by Athanasius
• Read: “What Christians Ought to Believe” by Michael Bird
• Read: “Is Christmas Unbelievable” by Rebecca McLaughlin
• Watch: “The Word Becomes Human” by the Bible Project
• Watch: “The Incarnation (Spoken Word)” by Humble Word
• Listen: A Carols Playlist (curated by the St Bartʼs staff team)

Grow as Families 

Each week St Bart’s Kids and CHARGE Youth provides resources for you to use at home. Join the livestream and then spend 30 minutes to work through these together.

Families: Read, Chat, Do, and Pray

High School: CHARGE Discussion Questions

Kids’ Talk: Watch the Kids’ Talk

eBook: Watch the eBook

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the second sermon in our Advent series on the Incarnation. This sermon is “Begotten Not Made”. Preacher: The Rev’d Michael Calder. Bible Reading: Philippians 2:1-11

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death –
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: What is one practical way (this advent) that can help you to grow in the wonder of the incarnation?

WARM-UP

1. Think about the most humble person you know. Why do you think they were like this?

2. What does our culture think about humility?

Read Philippians 2:6-11

1. How does Paul describe what Christ has done for us in these verses?

2. What was the nature of Jesus before he became human? How does this make the incarnation all the more wonderful?

3. What did he do with his high position of being with God? How is this different from people in authority here on this earth?

4. How did Jesus make himself nothing? In becoming human, how was this Jesus emptying himself?

5. What did Jesus empty himself of? Why did Jesus have to become human?

6. Why is it important that Jesus didnʼt become any less God or any less of a human? How is this of great comfort for you?

7. In what ways has our God served us? How is this distinct from other human religions?

8. If you were to ask your friends who donʼt know Jesus yet what they thought Christianity was all about, what do you think they would say? Does this align with the picture we see here?

9. How could you let them know of the reality of what Jesus has done for us?

Read Philippians 2:1-5

1. What would make Paulʼs joy complete? Why do you think that this should be a high priority and hope for the church?

2. In what ways might we be tempted to do things for our own praise or our own selfish ambition?

3. As we interact with others, what should be the lens through which we think of serving them?

APPLY: How could we grow in our service to others to be more like Jesus over advent?

Lord God, thank you for the awesomeness of the incarnation, that Jesus would step down from his high position to become human and serve us. Help us in our interactions with others to be like him. Amen

On Your Frontline This Week: Ask someone what is their favourite moment of Christmas.

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• WATCH: Seminary Now: Talks on Advent

• LISTEN: “Worthy of the Gospel” by Simon Manchester

• LISTEN: “Adopt Jesusʼ Death as the Test of Your Outlook” by Don Carson

• LISTEN: “Humility” by John Stott

• LISTEN: “Imitating the Incarnation” by Tim Keller

• BORROW & READ: “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer
  

SERIES Resources:

• Series Overview (PDF & Audiobook)

• Read: “The God who Became Human” by Graham Cole

• Read: “On the Incarnation” by Athanasius

• Read: “What Christians Ought to Believe” by Michael Bird

• Read: “Is Christmas Unbelievable” by Rebecca McLaughlin

• Watch: “The Word Becomes Human” by the Bible Project

• Watch: “The Incarnation (Spoken Word)” by Humble Word

• Listen: A Carols Playlist (curated by the St Bartʼs staff team)

Grow as Families

Each week St Bart’s Kids and CHARGE Youth provides resources for you to use at home. Join the livestream and then spend 30 minutes to work through these together.

Families: Read, Chat, Do, and Pray

High School: CHARGE Discussion Questions

Kids’ Talk: Watch the Kids’ Talk

eBook: Watch the eBook

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the first sermon in our Advent series on the Incarnation. This sermon is “Word Made Flesh”. Preacher: The Rev’d Adam Lowe. Bible Reading: John 1:1-14

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: When you are facing challenge, what most helps you to stand firm and depend on the Lord?

WARM-UP

1. When was the last time that you experienced a sense of ʻwonderʼ? What is at the heart of wonder?

2. What is the ʻincarnationʼ? How is verse John 1:14 a brilliant summary of this event and good news?

Read John 1:1-5

1. What are the opening words in Johnʼs Gospel? What do they remind you of?

2. Who is the Word? What is the Word like? When did the Word begin?

3. What are the ways in which John points to the Sonʼs eternal nature? How is he uniquely qualified to bring us life?

4. What is the darkness? How have you experienced that? How is Godʼs light greater than the darkness?

Read John 1:6-14

1. How human did the Son become? What evidence do we have that the Son was not merely masquerading as a human, but truly human?

2. Do you think people struggle more with Jesusʼ humanity or divinity? Why do you think that is the case?

3. Do you ever emphasise Jesusʼ humanity over his divinity (or vice versa)? What could be the effect?

4. How is God becoming human a big ʻYESʼ to our humanity and physical world?

5. What does John mean by the Word making his dwelling among us? How is it related to the tabernacle?

6. What are the implications of Jesus dwelling with us? What significance does that have for you?

7. What are the ways that people try to “find God”? How is it through Jesus that we can meet with God?

8. Re-Read verse 12. What is the status we can receive from Jesus? How do we become ʻchildren of Godʼ?

9. What are the types of filters that prevent or inhibit us from seeing who Jesus is fully? Do you have any filters that particularly are a struggle for you?

10. What could help you this year to let the wonder of the incarnation interrupt your life more?

APPLY: What is one practical way (this advent) that can help you to grow in the wonder of the incarnation?

Gracious God, thank you for the tremendous news that the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Help us to grow in our wonder of this truth, that Jesus may take a bigger grip on our lives. Amen.

On Your Frontline This Week: Who are you going to invite to CAROLS? Of all events in the year - this is the simplest invite! Maybe you could invite a neighbour, family friend, colleague or someone youʼve just met.

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• WATCH: Seminary Now: Talks on Advent

• LISTEN: Word Became Flesh by Stephen Nichols

• LISTEN: Carols Service Talk by William Taylor

• LISTEN: In the Beginning by Tim Keller
  

SERIES Resources:

• Series Overview (PDF & Audiobook)

• Read: “The God who Became Human” by Graham Cole

• Read: “On the Incarnation” by Athanasius

• Read: “What Christians Ought to Believe” by Michael Bird

• Read: “Is Christmas Unbelievable” by Rebecca McLaughlin

• Watch: “The Word Becomes Human” by the Bible Project

• Watch: “The Incarnation (Spoken Word)” by Humble Word

• Listen: A Carols Playlist (curated by the St Bartʼs staff team)

Grow as Families

Each week St Bart’s Kids and CHARGE Youth provides resources for you to use at home. Join the livestream and then spend 30 minutes to work through these together.

Families: Read, Chat, Do, and Pray

High School: CHARGE Discussion Questions

Kids’ Talk: Watch the Kids’ Talk

eBook: Watch the eBook

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the seventh and final sermon in our seven week series on Isaiah. This sermon is “Prepare the Way of the Lord”. Preacher: The Rev’d Daniel Rouhead. Bible Readings: Isaiah 40:1-31

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
    that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
‘In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

A voice says, ‘Cry out.’
    And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’

‘All people are like grass,
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures for ever.’

You who bring good news to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    ‘Here is your God!’
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
    and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    he gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?
Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counsellor?
Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,
    or showed him the path of understanding?

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
    nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.

With whom, then, will you compare God?
    To what image will you liken him?
As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
    and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
    and fashions silver chains for it.
A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol that will not topple.

Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
    and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

‘To whom will you compare me?
    Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
    not one of them is missing.

Why do you complain, Jacob?
    Why do you say, Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God’?
Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: When you are facing challenge, what most helps you to stand firm and depend on the Lord?

WARM-UP

1. In times of distress or uncertainty, what brings you comfort?

Read Isaiah 40:3-8

1. Why would the words of Isaiah be words of “comfort” for the people of ancient Israel/Judah?

2. How are these words different from the message of Isaiah 1-39? What has changed? How do you seek the Lordʼs comfort in times of need?

3. What do these verses say about the barriers that exist between the Israelites and God (and between us and God)? How did they (and how do we) prepare a way for the Lord?

4. What habits help you to maintain a clear way for the Lord? What do verses 6-8 say about our ability to maintain a way for the Lord? What do we need?

Read Isaiah 45:1-2a and 13

1. In what way do these words speak about the return of the Lord to his people? How is it made clear that the Lord makes the way for the people to return?

2. When and how is the prophecy of verses 1-8 finally fulfilled. How has God prepared the way for you to trust and follow him?

Read Isaiah 40:9-11

1. What comfort is it for you now to know that Godʼs glory has been revealed in Jesus, and will be revealed completely when Jesus returns?

2. How are we to respond to this good news? Can you think of examples in the New Testament of people shouting the good news to others?

3. How can you share the good news on your frontlines? What are the barriers?

4. What does the rest of Chapter 40 say about God? How does this help us to trust in Godʼs promises?

APPLY: Who can you invite to Carols this week?

Almighty Father, thank you for your compassion and kindness. Thank you for sending Jesus to reconcile us to you, for clearing the way to you on the cross....

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the sixth sermon in our seven week series on Isaiah. This sermon is “In Whom Shall We Trust?”. Preacher: The Rev’d Adam Lowe. Bible Readings: Isaiah 36-39

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

You say you have counsel and might for war – but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. But if you say to me, ‘We are depending on the Lord our God’– isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before this altar’?

‘“Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses – if you can put riders on them! How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.”’

Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, ‘Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.’

But the commander replied, ‘Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall – who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?’

Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, ‘Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! This is what the king says: do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you! Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, “The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”

‘Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig-tree and drink water from your own cistern, until I come and take you to a land like your own – a land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

‘Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, “The Lord will deliver us.” Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand?

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: Consider one area of your life where there is conflict. How will Jesusʼ present and future reign resolve it? How can that future impinge on that conflict today?

WARM-UP

1. Have you had a situation in which you really had to trust someone because things were out of your control? How did that make you feel?

2. What are the things (or people) that most compete for our trust and allegiance today? How big of a challenge do you think this is for Christians?

Read Isaiah 36:1-12

1. At the beginning of chapter 36, how bad is the situation for Godʼs people? What has happened already?

2. What were the three possible grounds for Hezekiahʼs confidence to defeat the enemy? Were any of

   these things a good basis to be confident? Why or why not?

3. How did the enemy seek to systematically erode that confidence—particularly his trust in the Lord?

4. Do you think the enemy still uses similar tactics today to erode our confidence in the Lord? Have you ever experienced or witnessed the pattern of dissatisfaction—doubt—drifting play out?

5. Do you think ʻdefectingʼ or ʻdriftingʼ from God usually happens dramatically or incrementally? What do you think are the warning signs of slowly drifting away from the Lord?

Read Isaiah 37:14-20; 36-38

1. How does Hezekiah respond to the imminent threat and attempt to erode his trust in the Lord?

2. What is the content of Hezekiahʼs prayer mostly concerned with? Why is this helpful?

3. What helps you personally to bring your doubts to God as an expression of dependence on him?

4. Did Hezekiah have cause to doubt Godʼs character or promise? Why or why not? Do we?

5. Why can we be confident that Jesus is worthy of our trust and a solid basis for confidence?

6. How can we demonstrate that trust day-to-day? When do you find it most easy or hard?

7. What does God ultimately do with the Assyrians? If the Babylonians were going to conquer Jerusalem anyway, how would this victory help those in exile stand firm in the promises of God?

APPLY: When you are facing challenge, what most helps you to stand firm and depend on the Lord?

Gracious Father, thank you that because of Jesus that we can have every confidence that you will indeed bring your promises to completion. Please help us to be quick to come to you and trust in your faithfulness. Amen.

On Your Frontline This Week: Who are you going to invite to CAROLS? Of all events in the year - this is the simplest invite! Maybe you could invite a neighbour, family friend, colleague or someone youʼve just met.

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• Listen: “The faithfulness of Hezekiah” by David Jackman

• Listen: “Is this the Messiah” by Dave Chiswell

• Listen: Three Sermons by Glenn Nesbitt:
  - Isaiah 36:1-22
  - Isaiah 37:1-20
  - Isaiah 37:21-38

• Read: “Youʼre Only Human” by Kelly Kapic

• Read: “Hudson Taylor: Faith Missionary to China”
  

SERIES Resources:

• Series Resource Guide: Isaiah - The Promise of The Messiah

• Watch & Read: The Bible Project: Isaiah Overview

...

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the fifth sermon in our seven week series on Isaiah. This sermon is “The Spirit of the Lord”. Preacher: Amy Norman. Bible Readings: Isaiah 11

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him –
    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord –
and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
    with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
    with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be his belt
    and faithfulness the sash round his waist.

The wolf will live with the lamb,
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
    and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting-place will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.

He will raise a banner for the nations
    and gather the exiles of Israel;
he will assemble the scattered people of Judah
    from the four quarters of the earth.
Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
    and Judah’s enemies will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
    nor Judah hostile towards Ephraim.
They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west;
    together they will plunder the people to the east.
They will subdue Edom and Moab,
    and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
The Lord will dry up
    the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand
    over the River Euphrates.
He will break it up into seven streams
    so that anyone can cross over in sandals.
There will be a highway for the remnant of his people
    that is left from Assyria,
as there was for Israel
    when they came up from Egypt.

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: Where can we most practically live our lives as a pointer to the kingdom that we are a part of?

WARM-UP

1. Who is the best leader you have followed? What characteristics made them a good leader?

Read Isaiah 11:1-9

1. Why are we only looking at a stump? Who has cut down Israel to only leave a stump?

2. Who is ʻthe shootʼ and ʻBranchʼ related to? Why is that significant? (See 1 Chronicles 17:11-14)

3. Who equips the King? What does the Spirit of the Lord equip the King with? How does this compare with leaders you know?

4. What is one area of injustice in the world or in your own life that you struggle with at the moment? What type of justice would you like to see happen?

5. How does Godʼs King respond to injustice? How is he able to bring ultimate justice? How do we see this in Jesus?

6. Which predators are listed in verses 6-8? How do they relate to other animals and children? What does this tell us about the place and extent of peace?

7. Are there areas of your frontlines (or maybe on the frontlines of others) where there is an absence of peace (i.e., worry, conflict, anxiety)? How does the reign of Godʼs King which brings peace transform how you approach conflict now?

8. Can we separate comprehensive peace from knowledge of the Lord? Why/why not?

9. What is surprising about this vision of new creation? What do you most look forward to?

Read Isaiah 11:10-16

1. What will be peopleʼs response to the Root of Jesse ʻin that dayʼ? When is that day? Who is he?

2. From where will people come to gather? Who on your frontline is from a different nation/culture?

3. Who will remove every barrier and obstacle that might prevent people from gathering to Jesus? How does God remove barriers today? How are we used by God for this purpose?

4. How is the present and coming reign of Godʼs King good news for you and those on your frontline?

APPLY: Consider one area of your life where there is conflict. How will Jesusʼ present and future reign resolve it? How can that future impinge on that conflict today?

Gracious Father, thank you that you sent us your King unlike any other - who will bring everlasting justice and peace. As we await Jesusʼ return, please help us to be faithful witnesses of your reign. Amen.

On Your Frontline This Week: If someone you know is in distress, an open and gentle question might be ʻWhat inner resources do you have to deal with this?ʼ

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• Listen: “Your Kingdom Come” by Paul Williams

• Listen: “The Golden Age” by Paul Clarke

• Read: “A Beginnerʼs Guide to Isaiah” by St Helenʼs Bishopsgate

• Read: “The Scriptures, The Hope and the Mutual Welcome” by Tom Wright

• Read: All the Prophecies of Jesus in “The Infographic Bible” (pages 128-129) by Karen Sawrey
  

SERIES Resources:

• Series Resource Guide: