Watch:https://bibleproject.com/videos/yakhal-hope/
Hope!
Jeremiah wrote,
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” — Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
The Psalmist sang,
“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” — Psalms 42:5 (NLT)
Paul prayed,
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13 (NLT)
Matthew proclaimed,
“And his name will be the hope of all the world.” — Matthew 12:21 (NLT)
The writer of Hebrews stated,
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” — Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
And the songwriter Edward Mote penned in 1834, “My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
Jesus is hope! Jesus is our hope!
Heaven came down… In the incarnation, hope flooded the world. The Lamb of God was born, and Hope had a face.
On the cross, hope was put on display. Anyone who looked upon that scene, put their hope in God, and trusted in His work would find salvation.
Peace is the result of hope. As we trust in Jesus, and as we abide in Him, we are kept in perfect peace. Our hope becomes His hope! Our faith becomes His faith! Our love becomes His love! We are able to rest in the precious hands of Jesus.
Eternity is given. Our hope is not just in our Father’s work in our personal life here on earth; our hope is also in the Kingdom. We are given eternity! Hope for today, hope for tomorrow, and hope for all of eternity. We are safe, forever, in Christ!
Jesus is our Hope!
Pray: Father, thank you for hope born in a manger! Thank you for Jesus, your perfect lamb! I put my hope in you!
Discussion Questions:
1. The Personification of Hope “In the incarnation, ‘Hope had a face.’
We often treat hope as a vague wish or a feeling that comes and goes. How does your daily anxiety level change when you stop viewing hope as a concept you have to muster up, and start viewing it as a Person (Jesus) who is already present with you?”
2. The Exchange of Burdens ‘As we abide in Him… Our hope becomes His hope! Our faith becomes His Faith!’
Think of a situation where you are currently feeling hopeless or exhausted. What would it look like practically to stop trying to generate your own optimism and instead lean into ‘His hope’ and ‘His faith’ for that specific situation?”
3. The Discipline of Remembrance “The Psalmist is quoted asking, ‘Why am I discouraged?’ before making the conscious decision to ‘praise him again.’
When your current circumstances seem to contradict Jeremiah’s promise of ‘plans for good,’ what specific ‘evidence of things not seen’ (Hebrews 11:1) can you look back on in your life to help you trust God again?”
4. Safety in Eternity ‘We are safe, forever, in Christ.’
We often place our hope in earthly outcomes (a healed illness, a fixed relationship, a new job). How would your prayer life change if you truly believed that your ultimate safety is already secured in Eternity, regardless of how the earthly outcome plays out?”
