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DAVID'S EMAIL BIBLE STUDY:
A. INTRODUCTION
...People as about my "favorite" and/or "most important" Bible verse or story. That actually was what motivated my two Fieldstones of Faith poetry volumes. My original plan was to pick the 100 Most Important Bible Verses and write a poem based on each. It took six years to write 80, so someday I will come up with another 20. For this Bible Study series I'm using six or eight favorites. What are yours? What is your favorite Bible verse, story or person? Let me know!
C. SUMMARY: Isaiah was a Priest who became Israel's most famous prophet. He's most famous for foretelling the coming of the Messiah. Handel's "Messiah" draws heavily from Isaiah's words. The typical prophet's message is: God is not happy, change or else, but God will work with those who are faithful. Carrot and stick. Today's verses are in the form of a SONG that he may have sung out in public. Isaiah tells about a friend who had what was supposed to be a first class vineyard. But when it produced lousy grapes the farmer is furious, and tears it up. Of interest, is that he begins talking about his "friend", then admits it's his own vineyard and then shows it is GOD talking. God's not happy with the failure of his vineyard and therefore orders "no more rain upon it". The rest of the chapter is Isaiah's explanation. The vineyard is Israel, and Isaiah gives a list of God's complaints against Israel: greed, injustice, corruption, and immortality.
D.
KEY POINTS:
1. Vineyard Vines is a popular clothing brand, seen all over Fairfield. It reminds people of summer, beauty, fun, ease, and that everything is fine. In creating the people and nation of Israel (Genesis, the Covenant with Abraham, the Promised Land) God's idea was to build a wonderful vineyard. Ever been to Tuscany? Terraced hills, gentle plants, organic care. And the result? Amazing wine. God awaited the "amazing win" that this beautifully crafted Israel should have produced. But too often the results were "bloodshed and crying" (verse 7).
2.
The ULTIMATE Bible Test: where are YOU in the story? The Bible is one of two things. Either it is a mishmash of myths, history, legends, and wisdom from long ago OR it is a living story mean for you (and I) to see ourselves in. Guess where I am? In every key moment of the Bible we should ask ourselves where we are in the story.
3. So, AMERICA - where are we in this story? The story is 2,700 years old so it's not picking on the USA. Every nation that has ever existed since Isaiah sang his song should ask itself how it applies. This is simply a three step process. The first is the fun part. How is America like that excellent, first class, Tuscan vineyard? This is easy. Our geography, our core founding values, our distinctive population, our roots. Great potential. Number two, where have we failed to produce? This is not unpatriotic. You do this to your kids every report card, or after every game. Here's what they did, great, here's where they can improve. The third is tougher, more personal and specific. How do we contribute to a bad crop, a bad harvest, failed potential? Where does injustice, greed, corruption rear its ugly head in our spheres of influence? What needs to be pruned, replaced, fixed, improved, to be Vineyard Vines?!
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