Pastor Andrew Krayer-White
andrew@eaglerockbaptist.com
January 30, 2022
Hopeful Faith
Biblical Hope
1. Hope is the
2. Hope shines
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith,
your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Memory Verse
“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8
3. Hope is a form of
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained
access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
- Romans 5:1‑2
4. Christian Hope is not in
Growing Hope
1.
2.
3.
Recommended Resources:
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books by Karen Swallow Prior
Surprised By Hope & After You Believe by N.T. Wright.
Acknowledgements:
Sources used in the preparation for this message include material presented by N.T Wright Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, John Stott and many others
MY NEXT STEP IS TO…
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Life Group Discussion Questions Week #1
For the week of January 31 – February 5, 2022
QUICK REVIEW
Thinking back to the sermon this weekend, “Hopeful Faith”, summarize the main point in a sentence or two.
Was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?
Is there any practical step you plan on taking this week in response to the message?
GETTING STARTED
Would your friends or family describe you as a glass half full or half empty kind of person?
How is Christian hope different than optimism or positive thinking?
Share an example of something you had hoped for only to find when you finally received it; it wasn’t as great as you thought it would be?
DIGGING DEEPER
1. 1 Peter is a letter written by Peter the Apostle to a scattered community of persecuted Christians throughout what is now modernday
Turkey. It’s not surprising then that a significant theme is encouragement in the face of suffering. Read 1 Peter 1:1-9. What stands out to you most in this passage?
What do you think Peter means in describing our hope as a “living hope”?
Do you think having a “living hope” means we always have a positive attitude and never complain? Why or why not?
Peter calls the letter recipients “exiles” not because they emigrated to where they now live but because their primary citizenship is no longer their country or district but the Kingdom of God. How might living with the mindset that this world is not our home change how we live in it?
How could Peter’s words serve as an encouragement for your faith this week?
2. King David was one of many biblical characters who faced difficult situations and yet retained his hope and trust in the Lord. Read Psalm 62. What challenge was David facing, and how did he respond?
How do you think David’s hope enabled him to endure?
How does your hope shape your response to the challenges you face?
In verse ten, David lists some things in which his adversaries mistakenly put their hope. What things are you or others you know tempted to put hope in?
Is there any practical application you feel God is leading you to take in light of this passage?
TAKING IT HOME
What is one thing in your life that you would like your Life Group to pray for you regularly this quarter?
FOR PRACTICE
Consider a habit of gratitude this week. Practicing gratitude allows us to acknowledge that life is a blessing and a gift even despite life’s difficulties and amidst the pain and brokenness. Recognizing God’s goodness and giving thanks in the present fosters hope in the future to come. Take time at the end of each day this week to reflect on what you are thankful for.
PRAYER REQUEST