Isaiah 6:8-13

 Home group questionsWhy do you think God uses people to speak on His behalf and to be His workers on Earth? Can you think of a time when you shared the gospel, and how it felt to do so? Why is it significant that God’s call to Isaiah wasn’t a command?Jesus said, in regard to the “woman of the city, who was a sinner,” who anointed His feet with ointment and wiped them with her hair: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:47) What does this, along with Isaiah’s eagerness to serve God, teach us about the greatest motive for serving Jesus no matter the cost? How might we cultivate and grow that motivation in our own lives? (Consider Hebrews 12:1–2.)Isaiah’s response to God’s question carries a dual emphasis – “Here I am! Send me.” How would you describe the difference between those two statements, and why is it important that both aspects be present in someone who serves God well? (Acts 16:6–7 & 9–10)Isaiah’s mission was to preach the truth of God’s word, but the result would be the hardening of Israel’s hearts. Yet at the end of the passage, there is a ‘seed’ of hope – a small, holy group would emerge. What does this teach us about the importance of speaking the whole truth of the gospel to all people? (Consider 2 Corinthians 2:15–17 & 4:1–6; Romans 1:16–17.)How would you respond to someone who says it is wrong for God to harden someone’s heart? (Consider Romans 1:18–23 & 28; Romans 9:14–21.) What does Hebrews 3:12–15 tell us about what hardens peoples hearts, even those who attend church? So what must the church do to help people avoid this?The Israelites were destined for destruction because of their unrighteousness and rebellion against God. Yet we are no better, because “none is righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10), and all deserve God’s wrath. Read Ephesians 2:1–10 and discuss how this passage shows the unmerited mercy of God toward believers, and what it ought to motivate us to do.