Coming out of Sunday Nov 29th’s teaching, “The Gifts of Advent: HOPE”, spend some time in prayerful reflection and dialogue with your Home Church/Friends/Family around any combination of these questions:
Read through Isaiah 9:2-7 before starting. Pray and ask God to speak.
- How would you describe hope? Would you say you have been a ‘hopeful’ person in this pandemic season? Why or why not?
- How does the Isaiah passage and the story of Christmas bring hope to people (both then and now?)?
- Jeff shared this definition for “Hope” on Sunday: “‘Hope’ is commonly used to mean a wish: its strength is the strength of the person’s desire. But in the Bible, ‘hope’ is the confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His faithfulness.” (Leonard Hodgson)
- How do you react to this definition?
- How is hope as ‘a wish’ different from hope as a ‘confident expectation’?
- What do you think looks like to live into ‘Biblical Hope’, particularly in this pandemic season as we prepare for Christmas?
- Coming out of this definition of ‘Biblical Hope’, Jeff talked on Sunday about five different “Promises that Build Hope” from the Bible. Which promise(s) do you most need to cling to right now? Why? How do these promises ‘build hope’ in you? Which promise(s) are you having the most difficult time believing right now? Why?
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God’s plan for you is always for your good. (Romans 8:28)
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God’s love for you is secure. (Romans 8:38-39)
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God will provide for your every need. (Philippians 4:19)
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God is with us, always. (Joshua 1:9)
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One day, Jesus will return and make all things new. (Revelation 21:3-4)
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- Can you think of any other promises of God from the Bible that give you hope?
- What, or who, are you building your hope on these days? Certain outcomes/wishes/dreams for the future? What can you do when these ‘hopes’ fail you and life disappoints?
- Spend some time in prayer together, thanking God for the HOPE that we have in Jesus – despite life’s disappointments.
REMINDER: Check out 365 Promises from God here!
