FORETOLD | WEEK 3: LAMB OF GOD 1

WEEK 3: LAMB OF GOD Welcome to the week three small group guide for the "Foretold: Jesus throughout the Bible" series. As we work through this series, we hope that each week's discussion will be an opportunity for you and your group to dig deeper into each weekend's sermon. If you were unable to watch the sermon last weekend, please check it out at https://www.firstdecatur.org/sermons/

START

Throughout this Lenten series, we are studying prophecies in the Old Testament that point to who Jesus is as the Messiah. As Pastor Brian mentioned, of the more than 100 prophesies that Jesus is believed to have fulfilled, a mathematician by the name of Peter Stoner calculated the odds that a single person could fulfill even 8 of those prophecies is 1 in 100 million billion. That is a staggering number. With that in mind, as you begin group time today, please start by answering the questions below. � Before we get into deeper spiritual conversation today, let's talk about numbers for a minute. For

some of us, numbers and stats are fascinating. For many others, those are subjects we joyously left behind in High School. To get your conversation going today, have each person in your group share their favorite subject in school and why.

� OK, now that we've had that conversation, let's take a minute to discuss the stat above. The odds of

Jesus fulfilling even eight prophecies is already huge. Of course, the number increases dramatically from there. As you think about this idea, how does it influence the way you think about Jesus?

Now that you are warmed up let's dive in.

READ ISAIAH 53:2-9 AS A GROUP

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Isaiah's prophecy proclaims that Jesus would live a spotless life but then would be executed as if he'd done exactly the opposite. Ultimately, he would be assigned a grave with the wicked. As Pastor Brian said this weekend, we understand what happened, but we have difficulty understanding why it had to happen. Why did such an innocent – a perfectly innocent man in Jesus, have to be executed as if he was the worst of the worst? As Pastor Brian said, when it came to sin being taken away in the Old Testament, people then, just like now, knew they were far from perfect. They knew they failed to, and continue to fail to, uphold the commands of God. They also knew they had to answer for their failings and sins against God. Someone or something had to pay for their missing the mark and withdrawing from God's will and ways. So, God created a ceremonial religious act to satisfy this debt. Rather than experience death which is the penalty of sin, God allowed the blood of a lamb to be sacrificed to "atone" (literally "to cover") the sins of his people. For 1500 years, this act satisfied the wrath of a Holy Perfect God against imperfect people. However, this act was repeated over and over and over again because it could only cover sin; it could never fully pay the penalty for sin. So, two thousand years ago, Jesus came as the Lamb of God to give up his life on our behalf to pay the penalty for our sin so that we could be forgiven. � As you look at Isaiah 53:2-9, what word or phrase jumps out to you? Why do you believe that word

or phrase has significance for you today? � In your own words, describe what it means for Jesus to be the Lamb of God. What does that mean

for you today?

� How can you intentionally consider this idea in the next few weeks as you prepare for Easter?

FORGIVE YOURSELF As Pastor Brian mentioned, we can thank God for paying for our sin and welcoming us into a relationship with him, but at times we are left trying to figure out what to do with the guilt and shame we feel. We may even struggle to forgive ourselves.

"If you're like most people, there's probably a chapter of your life you'd like to erase or go back and do over. It might have been as far back as high school or college. It may be a recent relationship. We've all made bad decisions we can look back and laugh about. But most of us carry memories that will never elicit anything but shame and regret. So, what do you do? You know what and whom you should avoid in the future. But what do you do about what you already did? Or what you are doing?" - Zondervan. Starting Point Conversation Guide Revised Edition (p. 72).

The excerpt above is from the Starting Point class that Pastor Brian mentioned in his sermon. As Pastor Brian said, when it comes to forgiving yourself, "You don't have to forgive yourself; yourself has already

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been forgiven. The sin you've tried to make up for, pay for, and find redemption for has already been made up for, paid for, and redeemed. It happened two thousand years ago when the Lamb of God took away the sin of the world—including your sin." - Zondervan. Starting Point Conversation Guide Revised Edition (p. 80). � Do you resonate with the idea that you need to forgive yourself? Why or why not? � We each have parts of our lives that we wish we could do-over. These are often the moments that

we struggle to forgive ourselves for. As you think about these moments in your life, how have you experienced God's grace and forgiveness? If you haven't, what is keeping you from accepting God's grace and forgiveness?

� As you think about this week's sermon and this conversation, what is your biggest takeaway, and

what are you going to do about that?

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