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Sermon study guide for next-level growth.

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Sermon Overview

This Sunday, we kicked off our Advent series: Adventus Christus and explored Isaiah's prophecy about the coming Messiah, drawing powerful parallels between ancient Israel's darkness and our modern world. We examined how the people of Israel, called to be a light to the nations, had turned to idolatry and false worship—consulting darkness instead of light. Yet into this deep darkness, God promised and delivered Emmanuel, "God with us," through the birth of Jesus Christ. This message reminds us that no matter how dark our world or personal circumstances may seem, the light of Christ has come and continues to shine, offering us hope (kavah) that anchors us through any storm and peace (shalom) that brings restoration and completeness to our fractured lives.

Sermon Series: 
Adventus Christus
 Light Has Dawned
Key Passage:  Isaiah 8:16-9:6

Key Takeaways

  1. True hope is anchored in Christ alone. Biblical hope isn't wishful thinking—it's confident expectation in what God has promised. Like Isaiah who waited (yakal) with tension and expectation (kavah) for God to act, we can trust that God keeps His promises, even when we can't see the full picture.
  2. Peace begins with restoration to God. We cannot experience true shalom—the wholeness and completeness God intends—unless we first have peace with God through Christ. This peace isn't merely the absence of conflict; it's the alignment of all life's complexities under God's design, made possible through Jesus.
  3. Consulting darkness only leads to deeper darkness. When we turn to worldly solutions, false idols, or seek counsel from sources without Christ's light, we find ourselves thrust into greater gloom. The answer to everything that terrorizes us isn't found in the world's wisdom, but in a child born in a barn—Jesus, our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace.

Discussion Questions

  1. Pastor Nick mentioned two Hebrew words for hope: "yakal" (to wait) and "kavah" (tension like a cord about to break). Which word better describes your current experience of hope? Why?
  2. Read Hebrews 11:1. How is biblical hope different from worldly hope (like hoping for an Amazon package or a Christmas bonus)?
  3. Shalom means "wholeness" or "completion," not just the absence of conflict. How does this definition change your understanding of peace?
  4. Pastor Nick said, "You cannot have shalom unless you have shalom with God." Why is vertical peace (with God) necessary before horizontal peace (with others and circumstances)?
  5. Isaiah prophesied during a time of deep spiritual darkness in Israel. The pastor drew parallels to modern American culture. Where do you see our culture "calling evil good and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20)?
  6. Pastor Nick mentioned that people in darkness often "consult mediums and spiritists" (Isaiah 8:19). What are modern equivalents of consulting darkness instead of light?
  7. Read Isaiah 9:6-7. Jesus came as a vulnerable child, not a conquering warrior. What does this tell us about God's power and His ways?
  8. Pastor Nick asked: "Are you walking in darkness? Are you consulting darkness instead of light?" How would you honestly answer this question in different areas of your life (relationships, finances, decision-making, etc.)?
  9. Pastor Nick stated, "If you are a follower of Christ, you have resilient hope in the face of all circumstances." What makes Christian hope resilient when circumstances don't change?
  10. Read John 14:27. Jesus says He gives peace differently than the world gives. What's the difference?
As we continue through this Advent season, may we lift our eyes not to the idols on the hillsides of our culture, but to the Maker of heaven and earth. May we remember that 2,000 years and 6,000 miles from where Christ walked, we still gather because His light continues to shine and His kingdom continues to advance.