I Will Not Keep Still

In one paragraph

This was Tribe's seventh birthday Sunday, and Pastor Brian preached from Isaiah 62:1, asking what it means that Isaiah says he will not keep still, cannot remain silent, and will not stop praying for Israel, all in the same breath, against the backdrop of the Hamas war that had just broken out. Pastor Brian opened by asking who is actually speaking in Isaiah 62:1. The congregation worked through...

Read together

1. James (faith without works is dead) Connected to Isaiah's call to not remain still, action flowing from love for Israel
2. Isaiah 6:4 Temple shook and filled with smoke at the voice of the seraphim during Isaiah's vision
3. Isaiah 6 (broader passage) Isaiah's encounter with God, his confession of filthy lips, the coal touching his lips, and his call to go as messenger
4. Isaiah 62:1 Primary text for the sermon, Isaiah declaring he will not keep still, remain silent, or stop praying for Jerusalem
5. Psalms 122:6 Direct command to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, those who love the city will prosper
6. Zephaniah 3:17 Prophetic scripture about the return of Jesus as Messiah, calming Israel's fears and rejoicing over her with song
7. Zechariah 12:10-11 Israel mourning when they look on the one they pierced, national repentance at the return of the Messiah
8. Matthew 24 Referenced for the language of birth pains and Jacob's trouble in relation to end times events

What was said

• Reach out to someone you know who does not have a church home and invite them to come with you next Sunday.
• Pick up one of the documentary films, articles, or book recommendations from the 21 Days for Israel resources in your text feed and start working through it so you have a biblical foundation before the topic comes up at work or with friends.
• When Israel comes up in conversation this week, ask a simple question like 'What are your thoughts on that?' and listen before sharing what you actually believe.
• Add three things to your regular prayer time: the peace of Jerusalem, the return of Israel's Messiah, and the salvation of the Jewish people, drawing on Psalms 122:6 and Zechariah 12:10 as Brian pointed to.
• If there is something in your own life you have been avoiding bringing to Jesus, take a moment this week to do what Brian invited the room to do during the service: run to him, confess it, and receive the forgiveness that is already there.

Talk about it

1. Lissa talked about getting their lost friends into the presence of the Lord, and said 'he does the rest.' Who is someone in your life right now that you could simply get into that presence, and what is one practical way you could do that this week?
2. Brian walked through Isaiah 62:1 and landed on three responses that came out of Isaiah's encounter with God: not keeping still, not remaining silent, and not stopping prayer. Which of those three is hardest for you personally right now, and why?
3. Brian said you cannot claim a narrative on Israel that is contrary to God's biblical narrative, but he also said it is honest to say we have not yet seen the perfect fulfillment of certain promises. Where do you find yourself when you try to hold those two things together while watching the news?
4. Brian read Zechariah 12:10 and painted a picture of Israel finally recognizing Jesus as Messiah, then connected it to a personal moment of running back to Jesus after turning away. Has there been a moment in your own life that felt like that, where you came back and found him already moving toward you?
5. The church is responding to the Gurman family's practical needs by taking a special offering, and Brian connected it to the biblical principle of being faithful in little before being trusted with much. How do you decide when a need you hear about is yours to act on, and what role does the community play in that decision?