ICE-BREAKER QUESTION: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?
SUMMARY: Today we will look at what the Bible says about finding Hope for Tomorrow when there seems to be none.
GENERAL DISCUSSION:
Q: What can cause a person to lose their ability to look forward to the next day?
Q: What does the world offer to ease the pain of hopelessness?
Q: What are some symptoms of someone who does not have hope for tomorrow?
Read Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
Q: What do you think Solomon means by this saying?
Read 1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
BIBLE STUDY
"Ordinary human hope is always directed towards pleasant and positive expectations of future events. However, if a person does not have Christ, then his hope is connected with earthly and material affairs. Christian hope is higher. It is always turned to Christ and filled with Biblical promises for a person's earthly life, spiritual life, and life in heaven." Pastor Vitaliy Boyko
As you read the following verses, determine where hope comes from, how to find hope, and why we have hope.
Romans 15:4 - For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Psalm 119:43 - And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
Psalm 119:74 - Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in Your word.
Psalm 130:5 - I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
Others: Psalm 119:81; Psalm 119:114; Psalm 119:147
Romans 15:13 - Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:12 - rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Psalm 16:8-9 - I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.
Psalm 42:5 (similar: Psalm 42:11; Psalm 43:5) - Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.
Psalm 78:7 - That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;
Psalm 119:166 - Lord, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments.
Psalm 130:7 - O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption.
Psalm 147:11 - The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.
1 Peter 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Peter 1:20-21 - He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Titus 3:7 - having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Q: What should we not have hope in?
Psalm 62:10 - Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them.
Proverbs 26:12 - Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 29:20 - Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Q: At what point is hope completely lost?
Ecclesiastes 9:4 - But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Isaiah 38:18 - For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.
Read Jeremiah 29:10-12
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Read the story of the preacher and Mrs. Temple.
Image by: Dmitry Ratushny