Isaiah 35:4-7a

This passage from Isaiah needs understood in light of Isaiah 6, and Isaiah's call. You might want to read God's assignment to Isaiah in Isa 6:9-13. If so, to whom is God, in Isaiah 35, looked forward to coming in judgment. Why does God's judgment lead to "being strong and not fearing"? What is God judging? How emerges from God's judgment in light of Isaiah 6? Notice how the text looks to the future reversal of Isaiah 6. What has happened? What type of deafness goes on that is healed? Who are the silent who then talk? What does the imagery of Isaiah 35 do? Seeing the link between Isaiah 6 and 35 helps prepare the textual background for the Gospel reading.

James 1:17-27

Verse 17 is very, very important. What does the relationship between all gifts coming from God the Father and God's unchangeableness have to do with each other? What is this birth that God has given us? How does this imagery work with the healing of the blind and the dumb? Who is the "we" that have been made a "first fruits"? First fruits of what?

How do the ethical guidelines that follow relate to these statements about God and "us"? How do those instructed to rid themselves of "sordidness and rank growth of wickedness" related to the "first fruits" mentioned above? What is the proper response to this? What is the implanted Word? Why does this "Word" have power to save souls?

If this "Word" is implanted, why must one do, not just hear? It seems to me that the "perfect law" is related to this Word. Where does one see the perfect law? There are parables of Jesus that seem to be behind this instruction of James. Can you think of them?

What then is the "doing" that arises from the "implanted Word"? Why? What is the relationship between caring for the orphans and widows and keeping oneself. If you'd like, read Isaiah 1 for the prophetic background of this saying. According to James, what is the "end" of
"religion"? The Greek word translated as "religion" might be better understood as the bodily acts of worship. How does "true bodily acts of worship" in the care of the poor, the widow and the orphan, related to the "implanted Word"? How as a congregation and a people, do we keep the internal Word and the exterior action connected in a world that would separate them?

Mark 7:31-37

One needs to see that Mark 7:31-37 functions in light of the Isaiah text. What happens to the man? What spiritual truth comes through in the physical as a result of knowing Isa 6 and 35. What is Jesus initiating here? Do the people get its spiritual significance in their response? Can you have the spiritual significance without the physical significance? Why or why not?

This might be a good place to discuss the distinction but inner relationship between the physical and the spiritual, the experience of God's mercy in Christ and the works of mercy, the emergence of "true worship" that does not extinguish the "implanted Word" nor the necessity of the new birth. In the saints, we see that these are not different, but found together. In our world, we want to separate them. How do we practice as a congregation to keep them together?

Have a wonderful discussion!