First Sunday of Advent

 Sermon Text: Isaiah 2:1-5

 Other Readings: Romans 13:11-14 and Matthew 24:36-44

 

  1. What are “the last days” which Isaiah refers to in verse 2?

 

  1. How do we know that “the mountain of the Lord’s temple” is a picture of God’s New Testament church and not a reference to the physical temple that was built in Jerusalem? Look for clues in Isaiah 2:1-5 and then consult 1 Corinthians 3:16.

 

  1. How do we know that the peace referred to in verse 4 is a spiritual peace, not an earthly peace?

 

  1. Why don’t you think God told Isaiah when the last days would end, and why do you think that Jesus didn’t reveal to us the exact time of his second coming (see Matthew 24:36-44)?

 

  1. What role does God’s Word play for us who are waiting in the last days?

 

 

  1. The last days are the entire time from Jesus’ ascension to his second coming on Judgment Day. This means that we are living in the last days.

 

  1. Only people from the nation of Israel – not from “all nations” – were allowed at the temple. In addition, God never specifically promises to physically raise the elevation of the temple mount in Jerusalem. God does, however, clearly state that his believers make up a spiritual temple in which he lives (1 Corinthians 3:16).

 

  1. Since the fall into sin, there has been no promise from God of peace on earth. Through the coming Savior’s forgiveness, we have peace with God. (See also Luke 1:77-79 and Romans 5:1.)

 

  1. Certainly, Jesus knows what we are like. He knows that we procrastinate, that we are often spiritually lazy, that we can succumb to false security. If we knew the date of his return, no doubt many would succumb to these. In his love, he doesn’t tell us when he will return.

 

  1. Besides teaching us how we are saved, it instructs us how we should live our lives and walk our faith. Confer Paul’s words in our Second Lesson.