Messiah: Everlasting Father
Isaiah 9:6-7 and Selected Scriptures
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Discuss how resolutions made last week in “growing more like Jesus” worked themselves out – what God did in and through you (Phil. 2:13) Celebrate and thank God for those together and pray with those who experienced some “Lows” this week, for God’s encouragement for them.
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
This Christmas season we're focusing on the names of the Messiah as recorded by the prophet Isaiah. In the midst of a very dark time in Israel's history God spoke through the prophet about the coming of the One who would bring light into the world. Each of the four names express the character and activity of Jesus our Messiah and the impact that he makes in our lives today.
This week we look at Jesus as “Everlasting Father”
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Read Isaiah 9:6-7 together.
Reflect:
The Hebrew title, “abi’ad” essentially means “Father” (ab) [of] “Everlasting, forever” (ad). God the Father sent God the Son (John 3:16), and here, the Son is called, “Everlasting Father”!
Brainstorm:
If you had to explain that to an 12-year old, what would you say?
Discuss the relationship between God the Father and God the Son in the following passages. How is the relationship between God the Father and God the Son relevant to us?
John 1:1-3, John 14:6-11, John 17:20-26
Read Romans 3:21-26 and Romans 5:6-11: Discuss the phrase “you have nothing to prove to an Everlasting Father” in light of that passage.
If we have “nothing to prove”, then what is God’s role and what is our role in our being made right before God? Mine these verses to gain a clear understanding of how God’s work and our response to His work happen.
Read Romans 5:12-21 Discuss Jesus’ role as the “2nd Adam” for those who “receive God’s abundant provision of grace…”.
What is the “one righteous act” Paul is talking about? (hint: the cross!)
Who will “reign in life through the One Man, Jesus Christ”
In your own words and in one sentence, explain what Paul means here about Jesus being the “2nd Adam”
Read the following passages and discuss elements of our “Calling” as Children of God— what are we called to?
Ephesians 4:1-5, John 13:34,35, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Ephesians 4:11-13
“Fear God, then fear nothing.” This does not mean that we will not at times be overwhelmed by what we face; it means our God is bigger than what overwhelms us! How do these passages help us better understand how to move beyond fear to faithfulness:
Luke 22:39-44, Acts 4:29-31, Ephesians 6:19-20, 2 Cor 12:7-10
Respond:
“Let the Messiah reign in us” This whole passage in Isaiah is about the reign of the Messiah— that peace will be possible because He literally rules over everything! The choice for us, here and now, is to let the Messiah reign in and through our lives. Let’s spend some time in prayer committing ourselves afresh to His will and His work through us… especially as we enter this busy Christmas season!
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