Bible and a Brew

All welcome to join us for a pint and a lively discussion about this week's sermon. Remember, you can always find the sermon written in this week’s Ekklesia Newsletter
They usually have a food truck of some kind lined up. This will be the last Bible and a Brew for 2025 because of Christmas. We will restart on January 8, 2026. Hope you see you there!

Growth Group Questions
based on the Sermon from Sunday, December 14, 2025
based on Isaiah 35
Getting to Know Me

1. When you hear the word joy, what experiences or images come to mind for you right now? How does that compare to how joy is described in this sermon?
2. Can you think of a time in your life when you felt “lost” or stuck in a kind of wilderness (confusion, grief, sin, or uncertainty)? What did that season feel like?
3. The sermon talks about needing clarity and a clear path forward. Are you someone who prefers clear answers, or are you comfortable waiting and trusting in uncertainty? Why?

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Into the Bible
4. In Isaiah 35, the wilderness and desert are transformed into places of life, water, and rejoicing. What do you think this imagery would have meant to people who were displaced and living in exile?
5. Isaiah’s promise speaks both to a historical return from exile and to a deeper, universal return to God. How do you see those two meanings working together in this passage?
6. When John the Baptist asks Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come?” Jesus responds by pointing to actions that fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy. What does this teach us about how God often answers our doubts and questions?
7. The sermon emphasizes that God’s way often looks different than expected—both for Isaiah’s audience and for John. Why do you think God’s plans so often unfold in unexpected ways?

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Application
8. The sermon names several modern “wildernesses” (grief, sin, broken relationships, confusion). Which of these feels most relevant to your life right now, and why?
9. The pastor outlines four practices for navigating the wilderness: naming it, praying, walking with companions, and rejoicing when the path becomes clear. Which of these do you find most difficult, and which do you need most right now?