Place of Victory for all Nations, Northern Ireland

Live 58: House Fellowship Discussion Guide

Week 1: Wednesday 26th September

Live58 DVD Clip Timing: 0:00 to 4.36

The Poor: The Heart of God

1. Prayer and Worship 20 mins

2. Introduction: 15 mins

Read Isaiah 58

• Background to Isaiah 58

During the time of the prophet Isaiah, Assyria had become the dominating military and

political power of the region and the threat of being crushed and assimilated by them was

quite real. So they increased their acts of religious piety, while never addressing the

underlying issues such as their exploitation of the poor and interpersonal conflict.

Question: What is God saying to Israel through his prophet Isaiah?

Summary:

• Verses 1-5 God is chastising his people for empty displays of religion

• Verses 6-7 God describes the “true fast”… compassion and action for the poor and oppressed

• Verses 8-14 God’s promises blessings for those who live in accordance with His heart

Over the next 13 weeks in our House Fellowship groups we will be looking at the issue of poverty

and God's response to the poor. The series is based on a film that has been produced by a

Project called Live 58:. “58: is an unprecedented, action-based, global alliance of Christians,

churches and world-class poverty-fighting organizations working together to end extreme

poverty in our lifetime by living the True Fast of Isaiah (Isaiah 58).

The purpose of this series on Isaiah 58 is to remember what happens when religious practice

becomes disengaged from compassion and action to help others. According to our Scriptures,

this disengagement is evidence of an empty heart and a careless life. In Isaiah’s time the people

were more interested in external piety than in inward holiness.

So, each week we will watch a clip of the movie which will be followed with a discussion. The

goal is that viewing the film is an important moment on a journey that draws us as Christ-

followers deeper into the heart of God to look at how we as Christians might engage with

effective action on behalf of the poor.

3. Watch the Movie Clip from time: 0:00 to 4:36 5 mins

4. Group Discussion 20 mins

• Do you agree that natural disasters are not just natural disasters and that they are caused by

generations of extreme poverty which leave countries vulnerable and unable to cope?

• Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of poverty there is in the world?

• What do you think is Isaiah 58's message for us today?

• Do you agree that unless we care for the oppressed and the poor we are not really doing God's

work?

• Do you think that the Church must 'side with the poor and oppressed' because their cause is

God's cause? (See Psalm 103:6 and Psalm 12:5)

Summary

� God is concerned about how we practice our religion and faith today

� God's identifies with the poor

� Unless we care for the oppressed and poor we are not really doing God’s work