Advent 02: Isaiah 40

Redemption Church KC Sermon Podcast

1. As Tim taught about preparing the way f1. As Tim taught about preparing the way for God and what that involves for us all, he said, “We cannot prepare the way of the Lord from a place of power, pride, or privilege.” He added, “we can, but we won’t….” When you consider your own life, circumstances, and self, which of these looms largest for you: power, pride, or privilege? Explain your answer. What does it mean to be someone who is handed power & privilege automatically by virtue of things a person can’t readily change or surrender (things like race, gender, educational history, socioeconomic background, etc), and also want to prepare the way of the Lord? What’s the difference between *having* power & privilege and acting from a place of power & privilege? Where does pride factor in? What does it mean to come from a place of pride? What does it look like to operate differently? To what degree do you feel like this is work you, personally, need time do? 2. In his sermon, Tim talked about the reality that God doesn’t come in the form of what we often think of as “blessings,” and that in fact, God comes in the form of brokenness and weakness. He then said, “It’s totally possible that we’ll think we’re having encounters with God when we’re actually missing him altogether.” Think for a moment about this big statement. Reflect on your own history with God and the things that have and do influence your experience of God. What do you think Tim is saying here? How do you understand this idea? In what ways might it apply to you? What thoughts, feelings, and memories surface for you as your consider? 3. Tim also talked about the things we often reach for so that we “don’t need God to show up in the world.” Some of the examples he gave are personality, intellect, beauty, a 401k, righteousness, good works, your job, health, children, power, prestige, capacity for hard work, or your competency. In this vein, he asked, “What do you need to let go of so you can make room for God?” Add to his list. What are the trappings you tend to put your trust in when those moments come? “What,” as Tim asked, “do [you] reach for so that [you] don’t need God to show up in the world?” Once we can identify some of these things for ourselves, what does it look like to let them go as we try to make way for God? What steps might a person take? What steps might you take? or God and what that involves for us all, he said, “We cannot prepare the way of the Lord from a place of power, pride, or privilege.” He added, “we can, but we won’t….” When you consider your own life, circumstances, and self, which of these looms largest for you: power, pride, or privilege? Explain your answer. What does it mean to be someone who is handed power & privilege automatically by virtue of things a person can’t readily change or surrender (things like race, gender, educational history, socioeconomic background, etc), and also want to prepare the way of the Lord? What’s the difference between *having* power & privilege and acting from a place of power & privilege? Where does pride factor in? What does it mean to come from a place of pride? What does it look like to operate differently? To what degree do you feel like this is work you, personally, need time do? 2. In his sermon, Tim talked about the reality that God doesn’t come in the form of what we often think of as “blessings,” and that in fact, God comes in the form of brokenness and weakness. He then said, “It’s totally possible that we’ll think we’re having encounters with God when we’re actually missing him altogether.” Think for a moment about this big statement. Reflect on your own history with God and the things that have and do influence your experience of God. What do you think Tim is saying here? How do you understand this idea? In what ways might it apply to you? What thoughts, feelings, and memories surface for you as your consider? 3. Tim also talked about the things we often reach for so that we “don’t need God to show up in the world.” Some of the examples he gave are personality, intellect, beauty, a 401k, righteousness, good works, your job, health, children, power, prestige, capacity for hard work, or your competency. In this vein, he asked, “What do you need to let go of so you can make room for God?” Add to his list. What are the trappings you tend to put your trust in when those moments come? “What,” as Tim asked, “do [you] reach for so that [you] don’t need God to show up in the world?” Once we can identify some of these things for ourselves, what does it look like to let them go as we try to make way for God? What steps might a person take? What steps might you take?