February 25, 2024
Hope Seeds
Isaiah 6:9-13
God asked Isaiah to give the people of Israel a message. Although they won’t listen to Isaiah, God tells him to keep preaching until the land is laid to waste and the people are carried away into exile. God says Israel will ‘look like pine and oak forest with every tree cut down, every tree a stump, a huge field of stumps.’ God continues to speak to Isaiah: ‘BUT there’s holy seed in those stumps.’
Songs for this week: Spotify
Isaiah 6:9-13
- How do you relate to the Isaiah 6 picture of a ‘field of stumps’? Why does loss sometimes feel like a stump?
- Has there been a time when you’ve been between two things, for example, between jobs, between relationships, between places to live? What did that feel like? Were you able to find God in the midst of it?
- False hope is when I try to convince myself to be hopeful by thinking that things aren’t as bad as they look. Have you experienced false hope? How did that impact you?
- Brueggemann describes the prophetic tasks of the church as, to “tell the truth in a society that lives in illusion, grieve in a society that practices denial and express hope in a society that lives in despair.” Which task do you relate to the most? The least? How can we do these three things better?
- Why is having hope hard sometimes? Is there a promise that God has made that helps you stay hopeful today?
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Recent Sermons
Acts 2:40-47 - As a church, we’re taking some time to talk about our vision and strategy. We’re hoping to add clarity to why and how we do what we do in this season.
Psalm 129 is a bit of a nasty Psalm! The writer has been oppressed and doesn’t hold back in expressing what that feels like. You might think being a believer means your troubles disappear, but that has never been the case. The good news is that God is neither blind nor indifferent to our struggles.
Psalm 131 - The Psalms of Ascent have it all: anguish, anger, encouragement, and wild joy. Psalm 131 is all about contentment. Where does contentment come from? What ruins it? What does it feel like? How can I be content in an age where marketing, social media and mirrors breed discontent?
Psalm 133 - The Psalms of Ascent were songs for the journey—worshippers sang them as they travelled together toward Jerusalem and the Temple. These Psalms give voice to the sorts of things that go through worshippers' hearts as they prepare to worship.
Psalm 104 is a song of praise that marvels at the beauty and order of God’s creation. From mountains to seas, seasons to creatures great and small, it reveals a world sustained by His power and care. This psalm invites us to stand in awe, give thanks, and consider our role as stewards of His handiwork.
Psalm 121 - We humans need help! The question is, where will we turn for it? Psalm 121 invites us to look to God for true help.
