Joy on the Journey
Isaiah 35:1-10 - New International
Version (NIV)
1 The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the
wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, 2 it
will burst into bloom;
it
will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the
splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
the
splendor of our God.
3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady
the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be
strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he
will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he
will come to save you.”
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and
the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and
the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and
streams in the desert.
7 The burning sand will become a pool,
the
thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass
and reeds and papyrus will grow.
8 And a highway will be there;
it
will be called the Way of Holiness;
it
will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked
fools will not go about on it.
9 No lion will be there,
nor
any ravenous beast;
they
will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
10 and those the Lord has
rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting
joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and
sorrow and sighing will flee away.
What will the wilderness see that will cause it to “rejoice
greatly and shout for joy” (verses 1 and 2)?
Who will come to save those “with fearful hearts”
(verse 4)?
What will happen to the eyes of the blind (verse
5)?
Where will shouts of joy come from (verse 6)?
What will “the burning sand” become (verse
7)?
Who will not walk on “the Way of Holiness”
(verse 8)?
Who will walk there (verse 9)?
Who will “gladness and joy” overtake
(verses 9 and 10)?
In
your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, what does this passage teach
us about responding to God’s mercy?
James
5:7-10 - New
International Version (NIV)
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s
coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop,
patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You
too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t
grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.
The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of
suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As
you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of
Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought
about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
How long are the “brothers and sisters” to be
patient (verse 7)?
What does the farmer wait for (verse 7)?
What is near (verse 8)?
Why should “brothers and sisters” not “grumble
against one another” (verse 9)?
Who is an “example of patience in the face of
suffering” (verse 10)?
Who is counted as blessed (verse 11)
What is the Lord full of (verse 11)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this
passage?
In your opinion, what
does this passage teach us about responding to God’s mercy?
In
your opinion, what does Isaiah’s prophecy of joy from the wilderness in Isaiah
35:1-10 offer those who are tempted to grumble about suffering in James 5:7-10?
Matthew 11:2-11 – New International Version (NIV)
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of
the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you
the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and
see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who
have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the
good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone
who does not stumble on account of me.”
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the
crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A
reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to
see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in
kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A
prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This
is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my
messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen
anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of
heaven is greater than he.
When
did John send his disciples to Jesus (verse 2)?
What
question did he have his disciples ask Jesus (verse 3)?
What
were John’s disciples to report (verse 4)?
What
is “proclaimed to the poor” (verse 5)?
In
your opinion, what does it mean to not “stumble on account of” Jesus (verse
6)?
When did Jesus begin to speak to the crowd about John
(verse 7)?
Where do you find “those
who wear fine clothes” (verse 8)?
Who is “more than a
prophet” (verse 9)?
What was written about
John (verse 10)?
Who is not greater than
John the Baptist (verse 11)?
Where are the least
greater than John the Baptist (verse 11)?
In your opinion, what
is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, what does this passage teach
us about responding to God’s mercy?
In your opinion, how
would John, who sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was “the one who is to
come” in Matthew 11:2-11 have responded to the report that Jesus was
fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 35:1-10 with what he was doing?
In
your opinion, what does the fact that the one who is the greatest of “those
born of women” needed to ask Jesus a question in Matthew 11:2-11 help us
understand about needing the message of patience given in James 5:7-10?
Luke 1:46-55 – New International
Version (NIV)
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my
Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great
things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost
thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
Who said “my
soul glorifies the Lord” (verse 46)?
Why
does she say “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (verses 47 and 48)?
What
has the Mighty One done (verse 49)?
How
long does “His mercy” extend (verse 50)?
Who
has been scattered (verse 51)?
What
has happened to the humble (verse 52)?
Who
will be filled “with good things” (verse 53)?
What
has He done for “his servant Israel” (verse 54)?
Who
will He be merciful to forever (verse 55)?
In
your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, what does this passage
teach us about responding to God’s mercy?
In your opinion, how is Mary’s prayer in
Luke 1:46-55 an example of the prayer that all who walk on the “Way of
Holiness” proclaimed in the prophecy of Isaiah 35:1-10 should be singing?
In your opinion, how is Mary’s situation
in Luke 1:46-55 as she was pregnant and anticipating the pain of childbirth similar
to the Christians who James 5:7-10 is instructing to be patient?
In your opinion, in Matthew 11:2-11 is it
more likely that John the Baptist, in prison, or those who were being healed would
sing the song that Mary sang in Luke 1:46-55?
Should their situation make a difference?
In
your opinion, what do these passages from Isaiah, James, Matthew, and Luke
teach us about walking on the Way of Holiness?
In
your opinion, where do we find joy no matter our situation on the Way?
(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)
