Coastline Bible Church is doing a five-week sermon series called: "Searching for Christmas." As we approach the Christmas season we wanted to take a look at some of the most famous words ever spoken about Jesus. We might be familiar with the New Testament accounts of Jesus but what if we looked back, hundreds of years earlier, to the prophecies spoken about Jesus. For this series I volunteered to write the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.
Small Group Questions ::: Hope for the Hopeless ::: Isaiah 7
In the Christmas season it seems that everyone is searching for something. You might be searching for the perfect gift for a family member. You might be searching for a new apartment for the new year. You might be on the hunt for a new job. When we open our Bibles to Isaiah 7 we see that Israel was searching for Hope. The King of Assyria was planning to attack the region of Israel. King Ahaz had allied himself with two local kings to increase his odds of survival. At this point the prophet Isaiah approaches Ahaz and encourages with a word from the Lord. The spoke truth to the young king to help him thrive in his role in leading God’s people. Unfortunately the king didn’t heed the wisdom of the Lord and lead God’s people astray. Keep in mind that the words of Isaiah were spoken about 700 years before Jesus was born.
1) Neal started the sermon by sharing about a jacket that he searched for as a gift for his wife last Christmas. What are you searching for this Christmas? Is it a present, a new living situation, hope, forgiveness, peace, or something else?
2) Read Isaiah 7:1-2. Israel was in a tough predicament. King Ahaz was pressured into a coalition with two local kings. Think about a time you were pressured into a relationship or agreement. How did it turn out?
3) As we search for Christmas, Isaiah gives us a roadmap on how to keep up our search (read Isaiah 7:4). What one statement do you need to work on most?
4) The Christmas season can bring much joy and much fear in people’s lives. The Bible gives us over sixty verses about not being afraid. (Exodus 14:13, Numbers 14:9, Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 27:1) What are you afraid of right now?
5) Isaiah spoke these words of comfort to the young king (read Isaiah 7:7-9). It was God’s promise to provide for and to protect the king but he wouldn’t listen. Read Proverbs 4:25-27 and talk about being faithful to our Lord.
6) We come to one of the most known prophecies of Jesus (read Isaiah 7:10-14). The nickname that Jesus would be given is Immanuel meaning: God with us. Talk about how you’ve actively seen God at work in your life.
Close your time in prayer. Talk about who you will invite to Coastline Online?
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