Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson.

1. Have you ever seen or visited European palaces where heads of state reside and work? What are they like?

2. Imagine standing before someone who led a world power or possessed absolute royal authority. (Think: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, or the president of the United States). What would it be like to be commissioned to do the greatest work project you’ve ever attempted in order to change the world as we know it?

Read Isaiah 6:1-7

1. This passage of Scripture is one of multiple detailed throne room scenes described throughout the Bible. Discuss and list the elements (environment, beings, architecture) of Isaiah’s vision. (To help you imagine, understand, and remember it better, draw and capture the scene on paper, even if it is a basic illustration.)

2. Terrified as he stood in the presence of a holy and all-knowing God, Isaiah immediately confessed his guilt. Talk about the sin Isaiah confessed. Can you relate? Confronted with seeing God Almighty in his glory and power, how would you respond if you were standing in Isaiah’s shoes?

3. A seraph provided the remedy to Isaiah’s guilt and fear. Why was the fiery coal a perfect answer to the prophet’s problem?

Read Isaiah 6:8-10

4. As if Heaven wasn’t already remarkable enough, Isaiah heard the Lord speak. What did God ask? Discuss why Isaiah would have been so eager to respond immediately.

5. Jesus and Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9, 10 as they preached. What is God saying in these verses about humankind? What is the solution to our spiritual blindness and understanding?

Read Isaiah 6:11, 12

6. The Israelites would be taken by ruthless foreign rulers and resettled in lands far from home. Isaiah was commissioned to warn them of their impending doom. He asked, “For how long, O Lord?” (v. 11). What was God’s response to his question? Was this a one-time shot for the prophet or his life-long ministry message?

7. Reflecting on the introductory questions, in what ways might God be asking you to change the world, one person at a time, by sharing your faith in Jesus Christ? Read John 21:17-22 as if you were Peter. Now read Matthew 28:18-20 and discuss what practical steps you can take this week to respond.

Conclude your group time with prayer, using the following as a guide.

Lord, help us to see, hear, and understand your words and respond with a hearty “Yes!” to your calling on our lives. Show us how not only to be world changers for now, but heavenly focused servants for eternity.