The Lakeside Pursuit
These helps are provided for those who want to dig a little deeper in the sermon material during the week.
*Set Sail is a question to direct scripture reading.
*Buoy Up is a little known fact to help better understand the scripture.
*Make Headway is designed to help you make it personal.
Table Talk questions can be used for discussion with your children.
Week of 12/29/14
Scripture to Memorize –Isaiah 61:1
Read: Isaiah 61:1-4
Set Sail: What promises does the prophet share to his audience?
Buoy Up: The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory.
They’ll rebuild the old ruins,
raise a new city out of the wreckage.
They’ll start over on the ruined cities,
take the rubble left behind and make it new.[1]
Make Headway:In what ways have you witnessed Jesus fulfill this prophecy in your own life?In others’ lives?
Day 2
Read:Isaiah 61:1
Set Sail:How has the Messiah been prepared for the task at hand? What has taken place?
Buoy up:The Hebrew word for ‘anoint’ is masah which means to smear with liquid.
Make Headway:When something is smeared with a liquid, it is thoroughly covered, oftentimes unrecognizable. How does your life reflect the ‘anointing’ of the Spirit?
Day 3
Read: Isaiah 61:1
Set Sail: What is promised for the poor?
Buoy Up: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” [2]
Make Headway: We have a mandate to share good news. In 2015, who in your life needs to hear the good news about Jesus Christ?
Day 4
Read:Isaiah 61:2-3
Set Sail:What three things are promised for those who mourn?
Buoy Up:When the Messiah comes He will change believing Israelites’ sadness to joy, a truth Isaiah mentioned frequently. In place of ashes, put on one’s head as a sign of mourning (cf. 2 Sam. 13:19; Es. 4:1; Dan. 9:3), they will wear a crown. Light olive oil, when applied to one’s face and hair, would soothe him and brighten his spirits (cf. Pss. 23:5; 45:7; 104:15; Ecc. 9:8; Matt. 6:17; Heb. 1:9), thus dispelling mourning. Another sign of joy is a bright garment (cf. Ecc. 9:7–8).[3]
Make Headway: How might God use you to bring joy to someone’s life?
Day 5
Read: Isaiah 61:4
Set Sail: What is to be rebuilt?
Buoy Up: The next paragraph (61:4–7) no longer refers to the purposes or goals of the “Anointed One”; instead, it focuses on how God will bless the city and all the people in it. These changes might be called the subsidiary consequences that arise out of the marvelous, transformative work of God and his Anointed One. These announcements confirm that the work of this “Anointed One” will be successful and bring about dramatic changes for Zion and for the people who dwell in Zion. One of the ways these people will bring glory to God will be through the rebuilding of Zion.[4]
Make Headway:What is YOUR role in “rebuilding the ancient ruins”? How might God use you to encourage, strengthen or fortify your local church?
[1] Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), Is 61.
[2]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Is 52:7.
[3] John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1116.
[4] Gary Smith, Isaiah 40-66, vol. 15B, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2009), 636–637.