Compost Tea

The Suffering Servant

Read Isaiah 52:13-15; Isaiah 53:1-12

As we are preparing ourselves for Good Friday and then Easter, this passage is a must read. For in this passage, we hear how Israel no longer yearns for another King--Israel was fed up with the way their Kings had misguided and betrayed them. Now, Isaiah speaks of one who indeed will change the world, but he will do so in a strange and unanticipated way: he will be a suffering servant.

As you look through the passage, go slowly, very slowly. After each phrase, look for an echo in the New Testament and in the life of Christ.

What connections do you see?

What surprises you most about this passage?

What is the hardest part about reading these words?

What does it do for your faith to see the fulfillment of this passage in the life of Jesus?

Rend the Heavens

In Isaiah 64:1, we read "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!" Isaiah's plea could not have been more heartfelt. He knew the sad history of leadership among God's people, how power unchecked led to corruption time and time again.

During many earlier times of crises in Israel's history, the people clamored for a human leader to rescue them out of their mess. They wanted a king in order to be like all those other "real" nations. So, God gave them what they wished for: human kings that would raise the nation's hopes only to later disappoint.

By Isaiah's time, hope in human leadership had disappeared. Their kings had failed them. Their priests had failed them. And the prophets . . . well, the truth they told got under everyone's skin. Better to get rid of the prophets, than to address the reason for the itch.

Isaiah's Spirit-fired heart knew the nation's hope had to be in God alone--a hope that he would come down and fix the problem himself. So much about Isaiah anticipates Christ's coming.

Read Isaiah 42:1-9 and consider how this passages matches up to the life of Jesus.

Our Hero Is Tested

Read Luke 4:1-13

As Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell the story of Jesus' public ministry, they begin with Jesus being baptized. Jesus' coronation will come later, but here in the waters of Jordan, God confirms Jesus as his Chosen One and the Holy Spirit rests upon him.

Celebrations normally follow commissioning services, but what happens next is far from a party--no food or drink for Jesus! Literally, no food and drink for Jesus . . . for forty days. Why must Jesus be tested? Why at this stage of his ministry? Was it really possible that Jesus could have failed the test?

Think about the specific temptations put to Jesus. How prevalent are similar temptations to Christian leaders today? Consider the slyness of Satan. How do we defend ourselves from similar temptations?

Lenten Bible Study

For our Common Ground community, we will use this space to study and discuss our Scripture passages for Lent. Our theme is "Christ's Passion for the World".

1. Christ's Passion for the World (Feb. 24)
2. World Under Seige (March 4)
3. Our Hero Is Here (March 11)
4. Our Hero Is Tested (March 18)
5. Guerrilla Farmers (March 25)
6. Every World Has It's Price (April 1)
7. Ka-Bloom! (April 8)

Each week there will be at least one post on the upcoming theme. Included in the post will be Scripture passages and prayers that we will do together.