Description
There are times when hope is so real, you could almost touch it. But in a flash, hope can vanish, and you're left feeling exposed, vulnerable, and overwhelmed. Through meditation on passages from both the Old and New Testaments, Jack Kuhatschek leads you to ground your hope in Christ.
Introduction
Getting the Most Out of Hope
This section introduces the topic, explains the structure followed in each study and offers tips for those approaching the study on their own as well as those participating in a group.
Session One
Waiting for the Lord
Why must our hope be based on God's promises? What would it mean for us to "dwell in the house of the Lord," "gaze upon the beauty of the Lord," and "seek his face"?
Psalm 27
Session Two
Renewing Your Strength
During their captivity in Babylon, why might the Israelites compare their God to the gods of their captors? When we are defeated or discouraged, why do we tend to question God's power?
Isaiah 40:25–31
Session Three
Investing in the Future
Even though people around us may devote their lives to accumulating wealth, what higher calling does Paul urge us to pursue? According to Paul, what is the best investment strategy for a secure future?
1 Timothy 6:3–19
Session Four
Living in Hope
Peter concludes this passage with a brief and somewhat odd remark: "Even angels long to look into these things." Why do you think he felt this was worth mentioning?
1 Peter 1:3–12
Session Five
Longing for Glory
What do you think Paul means when he declares that all of creation will be "liberated from its bondage to decay" and "brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God"?
Romans 8:18–27
Session Six
The Ultimate Glory
In verse 55, Paul paraphrases Hosea 13:14: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting– How does Paul's teaching about the resurrection ease your fears and give you hope?
1 Corinthians 15:35–58
Session Seven
The Return of the King
How can Paul's command "be alert" help us to be ready for Christ's return? In what specific ways can we "encourage one another" and "build each other up" because of our hope in the Lord's return?
1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11
Session Eight
When All Things Become New
In verse 1, John sees not only a new heaven but also a new earth. What aspects of our present earth would you enjoy seeing again in the renewed, renovated earth?
Revelation 21:1–8
Total number of pages - 60 pages
Jack Kuhatschek is executive vice president and publisher for Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan). The originating editor of the LifeGuide Bible Study series, he wrote the study guides Abraham, David, Galatians, God's Comfort, Paul, Pleasing God, Romans, Self-Esteem and Spiritual Warfare. He also wrote the book Applying the Bible and coauthored (with Cindy Bunch) the book How to Lead a LifeGuide Bible Study.