The Faithfulness of God / Prophecies of Christ

The Greatness of God and His Faithfulness

Selected Passages

Pastor John Lloyd

Sean Degerness, Rodrigo Burgos, Evan Rogers

April 7, 2019

 

Can I trust God with my life?  How do I know His Word is true?  Can I trust His Word for my life and situation?  How do I know Jesus is the Messiah? Today, our team will demonstrate the faithfulness of God to fulfill His promises about His Son Jesus.  God is faithful!

 

Psalm 33:4 For the Word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

Psalm 119:90  Your faithfulness continues through all generations.

2 Timothy 2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

Lamentations 3:23 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

 

Big Idea: God fulfills His promises!   Remembering His past faithfulness brings strength for the present and hope for the future.



I.              God faithfully fulfilled his promises about the _________________ and ____________ of Jesus. 

 

Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. (fulfilled in Luke 1:33-34)

 

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

 

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (fulfilled in Matthew 1:21-23)

 

Micah 5:2   But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (fulfilled in Matthew 2:6)

 

I remember God’s faithfulness to send the promised Messiah.

 

II.            God fulfilled His promises about the __________ and ________________ of Jesus.

 

Zechariah 11: 12Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter. (fulfilled in Matthew 27:7-10)

 

Psalm 41:9  Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.  (fulfilled in John 13:28-30)

 

Isaiah 49:7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

 

Psalm 118:22  The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (Jesus shared it again Luke 20:17-18, fulfilled in Acts 4:11)

 

I remember God’s faithfulness to Jesus in his most difficult times.  Jesus will help me through my difficulties.

 

III.           God fulfilled His promises in the ____________ of Jesus.

 

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter. (fulfilled in Mt.26:63)

 

Micah 5:1  Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.

Isaiah 50:6  I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. (fulfilled in Matthew 26:67)

 

Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; (fulfilled in Matthew 27;39-43)

 

Psalm 22:18 They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. (fulfilled in Matthew 27:35)

 

Psalm 69:21  They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. (Matthew 27:34 & 48)

 

Psalm 34:20  He keeps all his bones;  not one of them is broken. (fulfilled in John 19:33)

 

Zechariah 12:10  “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.  (John 19:37)

 

I remember God’s faithfulness in the smallest details of our Savior’s death.  Jesus knows what I need and will provide strength and grace.

 

Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

 

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. 2 Tim.2:13

 

Lamentations 3:23 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

 

Remember God is faithful!

 

 

Spiritual Growth Questions for week of April 7, 2019

 

Opener:  What is the most trustworthy possession you have ever owned? 

 

1.   What helps you to logically understand the Bible's truths? Is it science? Is it historical records?"

 

2.   Read the genealogy/bloodline of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17.  How do you see God’s faithfulness in this genealogy?  Who in particular stands out as an example of God’s faithfulness?

 

3.   Read Micah 5:2 and Matthew 2:6. Consider that Micah wrote this at least seven hundred years before the birth of Christ.  Read Acts 17:26-27.  What does this say about God’s providence in reference to where we are living right now?  How does that encourage you?

 

4.   Read Zechariah 11:12-13 and Psalm 41:9.  What do the verses teach about the betrayal of Jesus?  Read John 15:20.  What does Jesus teach about betrayal?  How was God faithful to Jesus through the trial of betrayal?  What helps you when you have walked through a deep trial like betrayal?

 

5.   Read Isaiah 50:6, Psalm 22:5 &18 and Psalm 34:20.  What was prophesied in each one of these verses?  What stands out to you about these prophecies?

 

6.   Read Matthew 27:34-43 &48.  Why are the details of Jesus’ suffering so important for our faith?  How do they demonstrate God’s faithfulness to us? 

 

7.   Ask God to prepare your heart for these next two weeks as we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

 

Memory Verses: Lamentations 3:23 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

John Lloyd - Renewed Strength

The Greatness of God:  A Study of Isaiah 40

Renewed Strength from our Great God

Pastor John Lloyd

March 31, 2019

 

The name Isaiah literally means ‘the Lord saves.’  He saves us for eternity and helps us with our daily challenges.  Our passage today gives us a view of our God who never gets weary or faint.  He is ready to renew the strength of any weary follower who comes to Him. 

 

Passage:  Isaiah 40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;  31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

 

Big Idea: My emptiness or weariness is an opportunity to be filled with the fullness and strength of God.    



I.               The trials of this life bring ________________ and ___________________.

 

Isaiah 40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”?

 

Disregarded passed over, to be alienated

 

Isaiah 40:30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted. 

 

“By what means Satan first drew mankind from the obedience of God, the Scripture doth witness: To wit, by pouring into their hearts that poison, that God did not love them.” John Knox

2 Corinthians 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

 

Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you;

yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

 

Ezekiel 37:11Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’

 

Declaration:  As long as I live on this earth, I am no match for the demands of this life.

Commitment:  I will seek God when I’m weary, faint or tired.

 

II.            My faith is rooted in the __________________ of our God.

 

Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

 

A.    God is _____________________.

B.    God is the ______________ of everything.

C.   God does not get __________.

D.   God _____________________ my situation.

 

God does not suffer setbacks, and he helps those who do.  ESV Study Bible

 

“The wrong inference would be that God is too great to care, the right one He is too great to fail,” D.A. Carson.  Colossians 2:6-8

 

I John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

 

Declaration:  I know God understands and cares for me.

Commitment:  I will humbly accept that I am a beloved child of God.

Prayer:  Lead me to walk with someone who is weary. 

III.          Trusting God’s promises gives ____________ for endurance.

 

Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength

 

no might … increaseth strength—a seeming paradox. They “have no might” in themselves; but in Him they have strength, and He “increases” that strength (2 Co 12:9).

 

Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  Exodus 19:4

 

Wait –  to live in confident, eager suspense. It means to live with the tension of promises revealed but not yet fulfilled.  It is waiting on tip-toe, waiting with eager longing.

 

The phrase renew their strength (31) is (lit.) ‘change strength’, as one might change into fresh clothes or exchange an old thing for a new.

 

Philippians 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 

“I can plod,” said William Carey, the father of modern missions. “That is my only genius. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.”  2 Corinthians 4:16, Philippians 1:20

 

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  Hebrews 11:35-38

Hebrews 11:39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

 

Declaration:  God can bring strength to my soul in the midst of weariness.

Commitment:  I will live in expectation of God to renew my strength.

Spiritual Growth Questions for week of March 31, 2019

 

1.   Read Isaiah 40:27-31.  Read it slowly several times.  Ask God to speak to you through this passage.  What verse stood out?  Why?

 

2.   Read Isaiah 40:27.  Why was life so hard for the people of Judah?  Why do you think life is difficult on this earth for believers?  What is draining your strength at this time?

 

3.   Read Isaiah 40:28.  Isaiah shares four things about who God is and what He is like.  What are they?  How can each one of them bring strength to our hearts? Who could you encourage with these truths?

 

4.   Read Colossians 2:6-10.  How does Paul hope the Colossian’s faith will be?  What concerns him about their walk?  What does he tell them to do?

 

5.   Read Isaiah 40:30, 2 Corinthians 1:8-9.  What principle can you take away from these verses about natural strength?  Read 2 Corinthians 1:8-9.  Why does Paul share his personal struggles with the Corinthians?  How does this encourage you in your situation?

 

6.   Read Isaiah 40:29 & 31.  What is God able to do?  What does it mean to “wait” on the Lord?  What is one thing you can commit to doing this week to wait on the Lord?  Share it with a friend.

 

Memory Verse: Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Chuck Wysong - The Most Encouraging Chapter In The Bible

THE MOST ENCOURAGING CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE

Romans 8

Chuck Wysong

March 24, 2019

 

5 Encouraging statements in Romans 8

 

1.     There is NO CONDEMNATION..

 

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

 

Paul’s key phrase to describe Christians - “In Christ Jesus” 164 times in the NT

 

“God did not send his son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17

 

2. There is NO LIMITATION.

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

Romans 8:5-6 NLT

 

 

The Key to Victory in your Life - is YOUR MIND.

 

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

Romans 8:11 NLT

 

3. There is NO DESPERATION.

 

You can rely on hope if you do 3 things..

 

•    You rely on God’s Promise

 

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” Romans 8:18 NLT

 

•    You can rely on God’s prayers.

 

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

Romans 8:26 NLT

 

•            You can rely on God’s Purposes.

 

 And we know that in all things, he doesn't say for all things, he says in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose . Romans 8:28.                                                                                                                                                         

 

4. There is  NO INTIMIDATION.

““What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” Romans 8:31-34 NLT

 

 

5. There is NO SEPARATION.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:35

 

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39

John Lloyd - No Comparison

The Greatness of God:  A Study of Isaiah 40

No Comparisons:  God is Greater

Pastor John Lloyd

March 17, 2019

 

The name Isaiah literally means ‘the Lord saves.’  He saves us for eternity and helps us with our daily challenges.  Our passage today gives us a view of God from His viewpoint.  As we see Him from this viewpoint, it changes everything!  God’s wisdom and power are greater than all my possessions.   Nothing on this earth can compare to God and the blessings He brings to his children.

 

Passage:  Isaiah 40:12-26

 

Big Idea:  Help me view God and my life from His viewpoint. 



Declarations about God’s greatness:

 

I.                God’s ______________ is greater than mine.

 

Isaiah 40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure  and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?  13 Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? 14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?

 

Erwin Lutzer “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?”  God has never learned anything, and he never will.  So no human being can teach God a thing. 

 

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

 

Proverbs 8:10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.  James 1:5

 

God’s footsteps cannot be tracked by human reason- man cannot follow his train of thought. 

 

My declaration to God: I need your wisdom in my life.

My commitment to God:  I will seek your wisdom daily.

 

II.             God is greater than the __________________ nations and rulers.

 

Isaiah 40:15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

 

Isaiah 40:22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; 23 who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. 24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. (Isaiah 41:2, Job 12:21, Ps. 107:40)

 

Ps. 107:43:  Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

 

Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 2 Corinthians 12:9

 

       My declaration: I trust and need the power of God.

My commitment:  I will ask for God’s help and power.

 

III.             God is greater than my most beautiful _____________________.

 

Isaiah 40:18 To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? 19 An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. 20 He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.  (Acts 17:29)

 

Isaiah 46:2 They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity.  (Isaiah 46:3)

Isaiah 46:4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.  Isaiah 46:12-13

 

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

 

I Corinthians 4:2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

 

I Corinthians 4:7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

 

Declaration: God owns everything and I yield my possessions to Him.

Commitment:  I will be a steward, not owner, of what He’s given me.

 

IV.          God ____________ me and ___________ me with my challenges.

 

Isaiah 40:25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.  26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?  He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

 

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

 

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.

 

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

 

Declaration: I believe Jesus cares about me.  I ask Him to save me.

Commitment:  I will seek His healing and help for my challenges.

 

Spiritual Growth Questions for week of March 17, 2019

 

1.    Read Isaiah 40:12-26.  Read it slowly several times.  Ask God to speak to you through this passage.  What verse stood out?  Why?

 

2.   Read Isaiah 40:12-14.  What is the Lord saying through Isaiah to the people of Judah in captivity?  What is Isaiah teaching about the wisdom of God?  How does it break the hold of human wisdom? 

 

3.   Read Isaiah 40:15-17, 40:23-24.  What important truth is Isaiah sharing about powerful worldly leaders?  How could this be helpful for Christians suffering in North Korea, China and other persecuted countries?  How can seeing the world from God’s viewpoint help you? 

 

4.   Read Isaiah 40:18-22. Isaiah 46:1-7.  What is God’s viewpoint on our possessions and idols?  What does our culture teach about material possessions?  Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart about this topic.  Share with someone what you are hearing. 

 

5.   Read Isaiah 40:25-26.  Psalm 147:1-12.  How is God greater than nature?  What is the psalmist response to the greatness of God?  What response is God looking for from our heart? 

 

6.   How can we be an example of a person who is awed by the greatness of our Lord? 

 

What helps us see God from His viewpoint?Who could you help this week see the greatness of the Lord?Ask for one thing you could do that would help.Commit to it and share next week how it went.

John Lloyd - The Glory of God Brings Comfort to The Shattered

The Greatness of God:  A Study of Isaiah 40

The Glory of God brings Comfort to the Shattered

Pastor John Lloyd

March 10, 2019

 

The name Isaiah literally means ‘the Lord saves.’  Isaiah 40 begins a major new section of the book with the central theme being a proclamation of the glory of God!  Isaiah brings his readers into the presence of the living God  with seeing a future day and declaring the gospel to His people who are in exile, “God has not abandoned you.  Your best days are ahead.  God has a purpose of grace for you better than ever.  He is coming to save you.  Believe it and let hope fill your sails.”  Ray Ortlund

 

Passage:  Isaiah 40:1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah,  “Behold your God!”10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

 

Big Idea:  View God through my circumstances = small God.  View my circumstances through God = big God.  See His glory and feel His comfort! 

 

I.                Look at the glory of God’s work for ________________.

 

Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

 

A.    Our sins have been __________________ and paid for by Jesus.

 

Isaiah 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

 

Isaiah 53:10b When his soul makes an offering for guilt, …

Isaiah 53:11 my righteous servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.  John 1:29

 

Hebrews 10:14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

 

Real comfort comes to hearts who welcome Jesus into their souls!

 

B.    God’s ____________ meets us wherever we are.

 

Isaiah 40:3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.” Psalm 139:7-8

 

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper/Comforter to be with you forever.  Galatians 4:6

 

John 14:18. He will not leave you comfortless. 

 

Real comfort arrives when we glorify God in our circumstances.

 

II.             Acknowledging the temporary makes clearer the ______________ glory.

 

Isaiah 40:6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

James 4:14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

 

Psalm 39:4 “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!

 

Hold our suffering and success loosely and know our finiteness.                                     Hold onto God’s promises tenaciously and know His infiniteness.

 

III.            ___________ and ________________ God’s glory is our mission.

 

Isaiah 40:5 “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

 

Isaiah 40:9 Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah,  “Behold your God!”10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

 

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

 

Luke 2:9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

 

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

John 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.  I Corinthians 2:8

 

Isaiah 40:11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young

 

Welcome Jesus into our circumstances!                                         Help others welcome Jesus into their circumstances!

Spiritual Growth Questions for week of March 10, 2019

 

What in nature has revealed to you the greatness of God? 

 

1.    Read Isaiah 40:1-11.  Read it slowly several times.  Ask God to speak to you through this passage.  What verse stood out?  Why?

 

2.   How would meditating on God’s amazing attributes on display in this passage, help people go through times of suffering?

 

3.   Read Isaiah 40:1-2.  How does Isaiah comfort God’s people in exile?  How do these verses point directly to the cross of Jesus as the atonement for our sins?  How could God use this to comfort?

 

4.   Read Isaiah 40:3-4.  How did John the Baptist fulfill the predictions in this passage?  What brings comfort in these verses?  What do you hear God saying about your own present circumstances?

 

5.   Read Isaiah 40:5, Luke 2:9, John 1:14, John 13:31, 2 Corinthians 3:18.  How did Isaiah say His people will see his glory?  How do we see His glory?  What happens when we see his glory?

 

6.   Read I Corinthians 2:8. How do the rulers of this world miss his glory?  How do we miss it? 

 

7.   Read Isaiah 40:6-8, Matthew 24:35.  What is temporary in our lives and what is permanent?  Why is this so easy to forget?

 

8.   Read Isaiah 40:9-11, Titus 2:13, Revelation 21:23.  Discuss how God breathes new life into our souls through each one of these passages.  What would be your high mountain to declare His glory?

 

9.   What are some ways that help you view your present circumstances through God?  Invite a brother or sister in Christ to pray for you on your journey.  Join in praying for someone who needs the comfort of God in their lives.

 

Memory Verse:  Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

 

John Lloyd - Our Need For God's Greatness

The Greatness of God:  A Study of Isaiah 40

Our Great Need is to see the Greatness of God

Pastor John Lloyd

March 3, 2019

 

The name Isaiah literally means ‘the Lord saves.’  Isaiah brings his readers into the presence of the living God.  As we experience the presence of God, He reveals both our own fallen nature and His great provision for our sins.  It is this awe-inspiring vision of God that captures our souls. If  immortal happiness is promised, how can I attain it?  If there is everlasting woe, how can I escape it?  Isaiah shares with us the God’s revelation and vision that helped him navigate through challenging times.  As we see the greatness of God through this study, may our souls experience a feast of refreshment in God.  May this refreshment strengthen us to be able to face anything that comes our way. 

 

Passage:  Isaiah 6:1-13

 

Why study Isaiah?  In terms of theological significance, the book of Isaiah is the ‘Romans’ of the Old Testament.  It shows the big picture of God’s purposes for His people and for his world.  Something of its importance can be gauged from the fact that it is quoted no fewer than sixty six times in the New Testament, being exceeded only by the book of Psalms (79x).  The New Testament moves to its climax by echoing Isaiah’s promise of death conquered, tears wiped away, and new heavens and new earth.  It was Isaiah who gave us the term ‘gospel.’  By far the greatest importance of this book, however, lies in the witness it bears to Jesus Christ.  Jesus quotes Isaiah 61;1-2 at the outset of his ministry in Luke 4:18-19.  If we want to understand fully who He is and what he came to do, we must read this book.  Barry Webb

 

What:  “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concering Judah and Jerusalem during the days of Uzziah, Hothan, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, Isaiah 1:1  This book offers us a way of seeing.  God is offering a new perspective on everything.  Isaiah was a seer.  Open our eyes that we may see 2 Kings 6:17, Isaiah 2:5, 6:1.

 

Who:  Son of Amoz. Amoz was brother to Amaziah, King of Judah, putting Isaiah into the royal family. His Hebrew name means ‘The Lord Saves.’

When:  Between 742 BC and 681 BC.  Isaiah 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

 

I.                Isaiah renews our vision of God’s __________________.

 

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,  who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly,  and to revive the heart of the contrite.

 

Isaiah 66:2  All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

 

Isaiah 40:22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; (Isaiah 40:15)

 

Lord give us a fresh vision of your power and greatness.

 

II.             Isaiah brings ______________ for man’s great need for God.

 

Isaiah 1:11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.

 

Isaiah 14:13  You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Is.29:13

 

Isaiah 6:5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Isaiah 1:5-6, 53:6

 

Lord give us a fresh conviction of our great need for You.

 

III.             Isaiah ______________ Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

 

Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 

 

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

(See Isaiah 9:1-6, 11:1)  Our atonement,  Isaiah 53:9. 

Destroying death, Isaiah 25:7-8.  He will care for bruised reeds, 42:1-4.

 

Lord give us a fresh understanding of our Savior Jesus Christ.

 

IV.           Isaiah calls his readers to respond in humble ___________ and ____________________.

 

Isaiah 30:15 For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,  “In returning and rest you shall be saved;  in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

 

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  Isaiah 64:6

 

Isaiah 57:15b  “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

 

Isaiah 53:11b by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

 

Isaiah 49:6b  I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

 

Isaiah 2:5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

To distant coastlands and furthest islands Isaiah 66:19

The nations will come to the heavenly Jerusalem.  Isaiah 60:5-9

 

Lord, we humbly ask you to make us a light

to both our neighbors and the world!

Spiritual Growth Questions for March 3, 2019

 

Opener:  Who is the greatest person on this earth you have met?         What did you learn about this person through this encounter?

 

1.    Read Isaiah 6:1-2.  Uzziah reigned for 52 years.  How does the stability of the reign of King Jesus on his throne give us confidence, even in times of political instability?  Isaiah says, “I saw the Lord on a high and lofty throne.”  How can we ‘see’ the Lord now by faith in his word?  How would such a spiritual vision fuel our worship?

 

2.   Read Isaiah 6:3. What is the significance of the fact that the seraphim are sinless yet they still covered their faces before Jesus?

What does holy mean?  Why would the seraphim say it three times? Why would you say holiness is an important attribute of God for us, as sinners, to embrace?  How does the cross reflect holiness? 

3.   Read Isaiah 6:4-5, Luke 5:8.  What effect did this awesome heavenly scene have on Isaiah?  Why is this humble awareness so important in our walk with God? 

 

4.   Read Isaiah 6:6-7.  How does the burning coal represent Christ?

5.   Read Isaiah 6:8. In what way is the call of Isaiah unique and in what way is it a pattern for all Christians to follow?

 

6.   Read Isaiah 6:9-10.  Do you find this passage difficult to swallow?  How can we understand the intentions of God in purposely hardening hearts and blinding eyes against spiritual truth?  How does that message relate to Christ’s use of parables and the explanation for why the Jews could not believe in Jesus despite his miracles (John 12:39-41)?  How does it relate to Romans 9:18?

7.   Read Isaiah 6:11-13.  What is God telling Isaiah will be the result of his ministry?  How is the image of a stump, as it relates to Israel, both humbling and hopeful for them?

 

8.   How do you feel the message of Isaiah 6 speaking into your life right now?  As a result, what do you think God wants you to understand or do differently?

 

9.   For next time:  Read Isaiah 40 three times.  Ask the Lord to give you a fresh awe and a greater vision of His greatness.