Falling on God

Jan 31, 2016 • Nick Nye • Isaiah 28-30

Failures of the church:

1. This sermon is “painfully practical” to the Israelites and it can be just as practical to Veritas today. In what ways are things Isaiah calls out challenging to you?

2. How have you experienced that “What you worship is what you get.”?

3. Nick made it clear that this list of 5 failures that Isaiah points out are not a list of things to avoid to ensure that you are right with God. Rather they are signposts to misplaced affections and misdirected worship. Isaiah is calling Israel to take an honest look at their hearts and ask, “How is that going for you? Does that fulfill you? Does it satisfy?” How would you answer those questions?

4. We know that Isaiah has warned Israel of falling into these sins many times. How do you respond when you find yourself back in sin that you feel you “should have known better” than do again? What is your comfort (and promise) in the midst of your habitual sins?

5. When considering our “Lip Service” to God, where our hearts are not fully in it, but we find ourselves going through the motions, it is tempting to give up trying because we don’t feel it and claim we are just being real/authentic. But God asks us to go to Him and speak honestly about those feelings. What keeps you from doing that?

Foundation to the Church:

1. How does knowing that God Himself is our Foundation as a church encourage you? How can it encourage you when you see yourself and others in the church in suffering and sin?

2. Which part of the foundation that God lays out for Israel through Isaiah strikes your heart as the most exciting? (Firm Foundation, Fruitful Field, Grace, Prosperity, Justice) and why?

3. In Isaiah 30:15, God proclaims an amazing truth to the Israelites, that in returning and in rest, in quietness and in trust they shall be saved. How does this conflict with your preferred method of salvation? What is beautiful and what is difficult about such extravagant grace?

I know there are a lot of questions here, feel free to pick and choose which would be most beneficial for your group and where they are in this season of life.