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Nov 03, 2019

We’re a Gaggle of Misfits

We’re a Gaggle of Misfits

Passage: Isaiah 56:1-8

Speaker: Patrick Lafferty

Series: Isaiah: The Story Beneath the Story

Every society breaks down into categories on a spectrum of favor and acceptance. Before a holy God one might wonder whether they fall within that favor. Isaiah provides a surprising promise to those who might think themselves on the fringes of, if not outside, that favor. In doing so he offers a sketch of what in time emerges in a full brilliance.

Order of Worship

Pre-Service Text: John 10:16
Call To Worship: Psalm 66:1-5
New Testament Reading: Acts 8:26-39
Sermon Title: We’re a Gaggle of Misfits
Central Text: Isaiah 56:1-8
Benediction: 1 Timothy 1:17
Post-Service Text: Galatians 3:28

11.03.19 Sermon Notes

Illustrations

Social Network - Clubs

Stranger Things - Wanna Dance

Captain Phillips - Okay

Readings & Scripture

Pre-Service Text: John 10:16
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Call To Worship: Psalm 66:1-5
LEADER: Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

PEOPLE: sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!

LEADER: Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

PEOPLE: All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.”

ALL: Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

New Testament Reading: Acts 8:26-39
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[d] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”[e] 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Central Text: Isaiah 56:1-8
Is. 56:1 Thus says the LORD:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my righteousness be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
and the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Is. 56:3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
“Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the LORD:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
5 I will give in my house and within my walls
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.

Is. 56:6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
8 The Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.”

Benediction: 1 Timothy 1:17
17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Post-Service Text: Galatians 3:28
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Related Scripture

  • Deuteronomy 23:1
  • Psalm 87
  • Matthew 19:3-12
  • Matthew 19:28-29
  • Mark 11:17
  • John 10:16
  • Acts 2:5-13
  • Acts 8:27-39
  • Acts 10:34-48
  • Romans 1:16-17
  • Galatians 3:28
  • Ephesians 2:14-22
  • Hebrews 13:11-16

Discussion Questions & Applications:

  1. Think back: when it came to getting picked from the recess kickball (or whatever) game, were you likely to be picked first, middle, or last? In whichever case, did you think about it much, or feel something?
  2. What are the commands of God in the passage?
  3. What are the surprising promises of God in the passage? How is what might some find surprising actually in keeping with God’s consistent plan (cf. Gen 22:18, Psalm 87)
  4. Who or what first comes to mind when you hear the word “outcast”? Why them? Who else in our world, though perhaps not be labeled an outcast, still tends to get short shrift?
  5. What is the Sabbath? Why is it more than merely refraining from work--and thus so important? How is your Sabbath different in other days in keeping with its intention and spirit do you think?
  6. How is this good news for people who think themselves on the fringes of God’s favor, if not outside it?
  7. How might this passage relate to what we find in Acts 8:26-40?
  8. What does Jesus have to do with outcasts? Think of several ways.

Quotes

  • They say the week start on Monday
    But the strong start on Sunday
    Won't be in bondage to any man
    John 8:33
    We the descendants of Abraham
    Ye should be made free
    John 8:36
    To whom the son set free is free indeed
    He saved a wretch like me - Kanye West, “Selah”
  • But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo.
    What the [world] am I doing here?
    I don't belong here. - Radiohead “I’m a creep”
  • Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning. - Bill Gates
  • “You Americans don’t know how to rest,” he said. “You rest only to work better.” It’s true. And it underpins our current obsession with sleep: We want to sleep more now not because we value sleep more on its own terms, but because we are so fixated on productivity. - Eve Fairbanks
  • Nothing less than a command has the power to intervene in the vicious, accelerating, self-perpetuating cycle of faithless and graceless busy-ness.- Eugene Peterson

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