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This Thursday @ 7:30 PM

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Hope comes in lots of sizes and shapes.

Ø We hope our investments and financial planning will pay off when it comes time to retire.

Ø We hope this next diet will be the one to get us back on track.

Ø We hope the candidate we vote for will make a positive difference.

Ø We hope the weather will be perfect for our upcoming vacation.

While we might feel confident that our hope is well placed, such hope is never certain. People disappoint. Circumstances change. Christ, however, is faithful and unchanging. When we place our trust in Him, we gain a hope like no other.

Because the believer’s hope rests in Christ, we know our hope in Him cannot be shaken; therefore, we can approach the questions and challenges of life with confidence. Our hope in Christ gives us courage to stand strong in a broken world. Our hope in Christ sets us apart from the rest of the world in how we face suffering and how we respond to difficult circumstances, and it ultimately gives us a platform to share God’s goodness and hope.

When your hope wavers or when you’re tempted to place your confidence in earthly things that disappoint, how can you remain anchored to Christ as your hope?

This study will examine the uniqueness and basis of biblical hope. Whether in suffering, pain, prosperity, or contentment, learn to place your hope in God alone and testify of His hope to the world around you.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Florence Chadwick was a champion long-distance swimmer. She swam the 21 miles across the English Channel in 1950, and she did it faster than any other woman in history.

In 1952, she set her sights on a loftier goal: the 26-mile route between Catalina Island and the California mainland. Through an oil leak, nausea, and extreme fatigue she swam for over 15 hours. A heavy fog set in on the coastline, temperatures began to change, and Florence’s breathing became labored. Since she couldn’t see the shore, she feared she was swimming in circles and lost hope. The skilled athlete did something she had never done before: Florence gave up and asked to be pulled from the water.

She learned she had stopped half a mile short of her goal.

Like Florence, we too can lose hope. But the apostle Peter pointed to the sure hope we have in Christ. We may become weary and discouraged, but victory is much closer than we realize. It’s all because of our hope in Christ.

  

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

 

1 Peter 1:1-3

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

 

Peter had become one of the main leaders of the church after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. His ministry was primarily to the Jews (Gal. 2:7-8), and Jesus had charged him to tend the flock by feeding and nurturing them (John 21:15-17). Peter was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, which meant He was sent with full authority to carry the gospel and spread the message of the kingdom of God.

Peter’s letter reflects his care for God’s people. Peter loved these Christ-followers and wrote to encourage them not to give up, lose hope, or grow weary.

Question 2:

What’s the difference between 

a living hope and other sources of hope?

So why did these people need hope? These opening verses tell us. They were living as exiles, scattered all throughout the Roman Empire in northern Asia Minor (which is modern-day Turkey). Exile was often a form of punishment, but that was not the case for these believers. They were exiles and strangers because this world was not their home. For all of us who have placed our trust in Christ, this world is not our permanent residence. We live as strangers and exiles because “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). We live in this world for a time, but we are citizens of heaven; we are headed for a better world than the one we now know.

As we read through 1 Peter, it becomes clear these believers were facing opposition and suffering. Life was not all sunshine and rainbows for those who followed Christ. Nero was the Roman emperor at this time, and while he was known for his cruelty, Peter may have been writing before Nero’s brutal opposition against Christians came fully into the picture. Peter recognized that opposition would continue to intensify (1 Pet. 4:12), and he wanted these men and women to be ready, holding fast to their hope in Christ.

In light of these trials, some of the believers perhaps wondered if they had fallen out of favor with God. Was the Christ-life worth it, and could they persevere in the midst of difficulty and strife? In answer to these questions, Peter reminded them of their identity: God had chosen them. Nothing about their salvation and life in Christ was based on their own initiative. They had been chosen by the Father and had experienced “the sanctifying work of the Spirit” (v. 2).

God doesn’t just call us to salvation, but He also gives us His Holy Spirit so that we might be sanctified—set apart to become more and more like Jesus.

This new identity points to a purpose: our obedience. Whether circumstances are easy or incredibly challenging, our selection by God and sanctification by the Spirit are to result in our obedience to Christ.

Understanding this identity and keeping this purpose in view would be crucial for Peter’s initial readers in living out their faith in hostile environments.

Peter then turned his attention to one of the main themes of his writing in this letter: hope.

 

1 Peter 1:4-5

4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

After reminding his readers of their identity and purpose, Peter elevated their viewpoint and lifted their eyes to see that this living hope is kept in heaven. Our hope is secure for eternity. Nothing can diminish it, corrupt it, divert it, or destroy it.

The Lord Himself is our inheritance. He is the Living Word and our Living Hope, our inheritance reserved in heaven. Peter described this inheritance using three phrases rich in meaning. 

• Never Perish. Our inheritance in Christ cannot be corrupted from within or without. No one can take away our inheritance, and nothing can separate us from it.
• Never Spoil. This relates to the purity of our inheritance. Our inheritance is thoroughly fire-resistant and, in every respect, unstained by the world. It is completely and wholly pure.
• Never Fade. Our inheritance will never lose its glory. Other treasures may diminish in their appearance or value over time, but our inheritance in Christ will never grow dull, never become dim, never be destroyed, never fade.

Our hope is tied to the resurrection, and our security is tied to the power of God. Peter reminded believers that we are “through faith . . . shielded by God’s power” (v. 5). God’s power would keep the recipients of Peter’s letter during oppression and persecution—and it will keep us no matter what we face. These verses were not idle words from Peter; his hope was secure and he wrote from that firm conviction grounded in truth. We can stand in these same truths and stand firmly on the hope of Christ even when circumstances may tempt us to believe otherwise.

Without good theology rooted in the truth of God’s Word, we are subject to the whims of culture, our own feelings, and the downward pull of negative people. When hope seems lost and negativity wins the day, we’ve forgotten who God is, what He has done for us through Christ, and what is reserved for us in heaven. We’ve allowed people and circumstances to rule our minds instead of renewing our minds in His truth.

 

 

Question 3:

How does Peter’s description of 

our inheritance give us hope in the present?

 

1 Peter 1:6-9

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 

Our hope in Christ is displayed in our faith. Faith and hope are intertwined. For the believers Peter was addressing, their present faith helped them endure the suffering they currently were facing, and their faith in the future; that is, their hope kept their hearts fixed on where Christ is seated in heaven with an everlasting inheritance for His saints.

 

Question 4:

What are the benefits of living 

with a hope that is grounded in Christ?

 

We all go through suffering in some form. At least fifteen times in this letter, Peter referred to godly people and their suffering. However, based on God’s power and our inheritance, the righteous can rejoice even in the midst of whatever trials we are facing. In these verses, we see five characteristics of trials.

1.  Trials vary in nature. (“all kinds of trials”) Trials come in all shapes and sizes.

2. Trials are temporary. (“Though now for a little while”) God allows us to go through the furnace, but as the refiner He controls the thermostat.

3. Trials are difficult. (“You suffer grief”) This phrase carries the idea of heaviness. The verb means to experience pain, grief, or distress. 

4. Trials have a purpose. (“The proven genuineness of your faith”) A Christian is refined by God to be a reflection of His glory. God’s refining process is intended to remove those things that keep us from being like Jesus. 

5. Trials should result in rejoicing. (“May result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed”) One day we will see Jesus and know Him fully.

 

Question 5:

How has God used our group 

in the refining process of our lives?

 

 ENGAGE

 

A FIRM HOPE

Consider these things on which people sometimes base their hope for the future. Write a sentence explaining why each is inadequate:

 

Money:

Power:

Friends:

Position:

Personal Abilities:

 

Describe how Jesus provides a sound foundation for our hope:

 

“My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.”

EDWARD MOTE

 

LIVE IT OUT

Let’s remember this week that we have a living hope. Choose one of the following applications:

• Recognize. Admit to God the areas where you’re losing hope. Confess any sin and ask Him to open your eyes to the reality of living hope in Christ.
• Remember. Read back through 1 Peter 1:1-9 and make a list of how Peter described those who follow and trust in Christ. Place this list in a prominent place to remind you of who you are in Christ.
• Restore. Is there someone the Lord has brought to your mind who is losing hope? Take time to meet or call them this week and share the truths the Lord has shown you in this study.

We all have times when we become weary and discouraged. It is at those times when we must remember that we have a living hope secured by Christ. This will encourage us as we persevere to the end.

Looking forward to starting this new series Thursday night at 7:30 on Zoom!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher Notes:

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Video: Shawshank Redemption

“Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

Experts have dubbed Generation Z as “the hopeless generation.” Those born from 1995 to 2015 have higher suicide rates than other generation today.

What’s going on?

I think they see the emptiness of it all and wonder whether there’s more to life.

Well, there is. But they won’t find it in material things or fame. They’ll find it in a relationship with God.

 

LIVING WITH HOPE IN A BROKEN WORLD

We place hope in a lot of things.

·       We place our hope in investments (Stock Market) and financial planning.

·       We place our hope in diets, hoping this one will get us back on track.

·       We place our hope in candidates we think will make a difference and turn our country around.

While we might feel a sense of confidence that our hope is rightly placed, such hope is never certain. Why because - People disappoint and Circumstances change.

Christ, however, is faithful and unchanging. When we trust in Him, we gain a hope like no other.

And this is what we are going to be studying for the next six weeks. The uniqueness and basis of biblical hope.

This whole series is from the book of 1 Peter chapters 1-5 and our first lesson is on The Basis for our Hope. Turn with me to 1 Peter 1:1-9

 

Now, who were the people Peter wrote to?

·       They were believers scattered throughout Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).

·       He wrote to encourage them to remain steadfast in their Christian faith.

·  Why? Because they were experiencing a difficult period of suffering and persecution for their faith. And some of them wondered if everything they were going through was worth it. Have you ever felt that way?

·       When trying times threaten to overwhelm us, we can rest assured that we can find stability in God’s love for us.

·   Peter bases his encouragement to his fellow believers on the power of that love.

 

Hope in God forms a foundation for the Christian life.

 

1 Peter 1:1-3

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Peter opens with a message of identity.

·      Our identities are often very important to us. We pride ourselves on our family lineages, networks, education, and other characteristics. These all shape our concepts of who we are.

·    More important than who we are, however, is Whose we are. Our identity as Christians is centered in our relationship to God.

 

So, Peter reminds Christians of the relationship that we all have to God. Even though Christians experience difficulty, just like Peter’s audience, we are still connected to God. Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Each member of the Trinity is intimately involved in our salvation. The gracious gift of salvation gives us new life and hope.

 

Peter’s first point is that:

 

1. We belong to God. (v. 1-3)

Peter encourages his readers by this strong declaration that they were chosen by God the Father. At one time, only the nation of Israel could claim to be God’s chosen people, but through Christ, all believers – Jews and Gentiles – belong to God. Our salvation and security rest in the free and merciful choice of almighty God; no trials or persecutions can take away the eternal life He gives to those who believe in Him.

The term new birth refers to spiritual birth (regeneration) – the Holy Spirit’s act of bringing believers into God’s family.

Do you need encouragement? Peter’s words offer joy and hope in times of trouble, and he bases his confidence on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. We are called to a living hope of eternal life. Our hope is not only for the future; eternal life begins when we trust Christ and join God’s family. No matter what pain or trial we face in this life, we know that it is not our final experience. Eventually we will live with Christ forever.

 

1 Peter 1:4-5

and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

It is good to have someone you can trust to keep something safe for you. Perhaps you have relied on someone else to take care of things at your home while you were on vacation. Knowing the person was looking out for you puts your mind at ease.

How much greater is it to know that God keeps us in this earthly life and is keeping our eternal reward safely with Him in heaven?

We have an inheritance waiting for us. We did not earn it and we do not deserve it. This inheritance is God’s gift to us, made possible through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. But God is not only concerned about our future, He takes care of us right now. God is keeping us each day of our lives and is preparing us to receive what He has prepared for us.

 

Peter’s second point is that:

 

2. We are kept by God. (v. 4-5)  Our hope is secure for eternity.

 

How are faith and hope connected?

 

God will help us remain true to our faith through whatever difficult times we must face. The “last time” is the judgment day of Christ. We may have to endure trials, persecution, or violent death, but our souls cannot be harmed if we have accepted Christ’s gift of salvation. We know we will receive the promised rewards.

Peter mentions suffering several times in this letter. When he speaks of trials, he’s not talking about natural disasters or the experience of God’s punishments, but the response of an unbelieving world to people of faith. All believers face such trials when they let their light shine into the darkness. Trials teach us patience and help us grow to be the kind of people God wants.

 

 

 

1 Peter 1:6-9

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 

How has your faith produced joy and hope even in difficult times?

 

Many of us are accustomed to taking pictures on our phones and posting the pictures to various social media pages immediately. Back in the day, however, we took pictures and had to wait for them to be developed. This process of development took a while and we were excited to see how things would turn out.

God uses the experiences of our lives to develop us. This includes the periods of trial—our time in the dark room, so to speak. This is something that we can rejoice about now while anticipating an even greater celebration later! We know that in the end, God will have done a marvelous work in us. This is our hope, even though we cannot currently see how it will all turn out.

 

Peter’s third point is that:

3. We are developed by God. (v. 6-9) Our hope is displayed through genuine faith.

·      The suffering believers endure on earth is as nothing when compared with the great joy of eternity.

·    The testing of our faith through trials serves not only to make us stronger in the Lord but will result in His affirmation when He comes again.

·       Faith is a matter of the heart and mind not sight or physical experience.

·       The goal of our faith is salvation, which can be claimed now.

 

 

Conclusion: We can maintain our hope because we know that God is in control of our lives—beginning, middle, and end. After our earthly lives have ended, God has even more in store for us. Knowing this should encourage us to endure the trials and tribulations we face. God is preserving our reward and preserving us until we reach it.

 

Class Lesson for May 31, 2020

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New Day & Time
This Thursday @ 7:30 PM

Last Lesson on DEALING WITH MESSY RELATIONSHIPS

We've been looking at six traits God calls us to exhibit, traits that can clean up and restore a messy relationship. Living a life infused with these traits can even prevent a relationship from getting messy in the first place.

Love / Encourage / Forgive / Serve / Yield / Accept

Let's conclude with the six trait to ACCEPT.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

In a perfect world, everyone would agree with me, everyone would bring up their kids like I do, everyone would vote for the candidates I endorse, and everyone would spend their money like I spend mine.

What a wonderful world it would be if everyone started reading from the right script, which just so happens to be the one in my hand!

But the reality is we don’t always see eye-to-eye. The question for each of us is: What do we do when we disagree? A lot of us spend an enormous amount of time persuading—trying to get the “blind” person to subscribe to our point of view. But what if that approach doesn’t work? What happens when you talk until you’re blue in the face and the other person still stands his or her ground? Is the relationship over?

In the Book of Romans, Paul taught us to remain humble when we have differences in opinion. Clearly, some hills are worth dying on and at times we need to stand our ground, but Paul helped us to see where to draw those lines. Paul’s instructions guide us to maintain strong relationships in spite of any difference of opinion.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Romans 14:1-4

1 Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.

Paul addressed the importance of peaceful relationships—not simply staying in the same church but staying closely knit together. Romans 14 indicates rival groups of individuals were popping up in the church because members were joining forces according to their personal persuasions and preferences. Believers became critical of one another for holding different views. This division was wrong and out of place, especially given the fact that they were arguing over petty things. They were not debating the gospel or dividing over whether Jesus had truly died for their sins. They were not debating the most effective ways to reach their community for Christ. They were arguing over foods and festivals.

Question 2:

How should we behave when 

we disagree as Christ-followers?

Paul later referred to these two groups as the weaker and the stronger (Rom. 15:1). What made one group stronger was their spiritual maturity; they rightly understood Christian liberty. Those in the “strong” group were far from perfect, but they understood that whether a person ate meat or only vegetables and what day another person considered holy did not point to disobedience or a lack of love and commitment to Christ.

Who were the people in the “weaker” party? These included the Christians who had grown up week after week with certain rules and practices that were deeply ingrained in them. Some also may have come from pagan backgrounds and thus believed the food sold in the markets was not good for food. These believers were every bit as saved as the “strong” believers. They were committed followers of Christ, but their conscience kept them from embracing new freedoms.

While one group may have been more mature in their thinking, both groups were guilty of a critical spirit. Rather than running each other down and resenting the positions held by the other group, Paul challenged them to “accept” one another. Accept carries the idea of welcoming others and being generous toward them. The world defines acceptance as a full affirmation, even endorsement, of a person’s beliefs and practices. The Bible doesn’t use the word accept to mean to condone sin. Instead, it’s a desire to stay close, even when both parties see things differently.

It’s important to keep in mind that Paul was talking about disputable matters—those things Scripture is silent about. In Romans 14, Paul was addressing “gray areas” in the Christian life. Still, in verse 4, he made it plain that each of us will have to answer to God for the way we have lived this life. God is not going to ask me what I thought about another person’s actions. God is the Lord and Judge over the other person. I’m not.

Question 3:

What unintended damage can occur 

when we judge one another?

Romans 14:13-15

13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.

The “stronger” group had a more mature understanding of freedom, but Paul still challenged these believers not to be insensitive by flaunting their freedoms. They should avoid offending others.

Out of respect for others, mature Christians will restrict their freedom, removing anything from their lives that would cause others to feel wounded in their conscience. Our personal relationships should trump our personal freedoms. The strong should move toward the weak.

ACCEPTING DIFFERENCES

In the space provided, compare “disputed matters” (Rom. 14:1) we might disagree about with indisputable matters of the faith. List some examples of each. Then answer the question.

Disputed Matters                Indisputable Matters

How do you determine the difference?

“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing

with one another in love, making every effort to keep

the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

EPHESIANS 4:2-3

Simon was a vibrant, young worship leader. While in college, he was often called on to lead the music in chapel services as well as in surrounding churches. One Sunday, he was invited to bring his band and lead the music at a more traditional church. The pastor was very kind and appreciative, but he did request that Simon wear a coat and tie, the normal attire for their church leaders. Feeling insulted, Simon hung up the phone and wondered: “How could this church insist on a dress code that is not found in Scripture? Why can’t they accept me for who I am?” Simon made a decision in the heat of his emotions. He rejected the pastor’s request and arrived on Sunday in his faded jeans and favorite t-shirt. His attitude? “Those people can get over it.” It’s easy to fall into Simon’s selfish, self-centered way of thinking. It’s likely that you—just like me—at some point have tried to justify your behavior by saying, “Those people need to get over it.” But this mentality doesn’t build healthy relationships. Furthermore, wounding your brother or sister in Christ for no good reason is wrong.

We need to have the opposite attitude. Whenever we consider the conscience of others as we make adjustments to our lives, we are demonstrating maturity more than compromise.

Question 4:

How do you balance exercising your 

freedom and avoiding stumbling blocks?

Romans 14:16-19

16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval. 19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.

The most important things in life are not meats and vegetables! Though we must eat to live, we do not live to eat. So what is to be our main focus?

• We live to make the kingdom of God and His glory known throughout the earth.
• We live to build His kingdom and promote His purpose.
• We live to see our Savior return in power and glory, with our lives prepared and poised for service.

We serve Christ when we give proper proportion to trivial things and keep the cause of Christ in full view, refusing to “major on the minors.” In so doing, we sense God’s pleasure and enjoy growing relationships.

We are called to wear the badge of a servant. Again, we’re talking about preferences and differences of opinion. Certainly, times may arise when we must make a clear moral and biblical stand, and that stand could cause division. Even then, however, we must stand for truth in a loving way, with unity in mind.

When someone disagrees with us or offends us, our natural reaction is to run away from the person, build a wall of defense, or just keep our distance. In some situations, these boundaries are needed, but the healthiest Christian response is to maintain the relationship. We are called to stick with it and serve the people God has placed around us.

Scripture compels us to do our part to preserve relationships. The kingdom of God is about “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” May we promote these things in the lives of our families and our churches and never give up on the hope of healing.

Question 5:

How does serving Christ in this way 

change how we approach disagreements?

LIVE IT OUT

What will you do to build relationships in spite of any differences of opinion? Choose one of the following applications:

• Extend grace. If someone has offended you because their actions go  against your convictions, forgive. Do not hold these actions over their  heads.                                                                                                                                                    
• Let go. You may feel perfectly free in Christ to participate in some  activities, but others do not. Let go of your freedom to engage in the  activity in order to respect and serve the other person.                                                                                     
• Agree to disagree. Meet with someone with whom you have a difference of opinion. It might help if you each communicated why you hold to a certain conviction; in the end, however, you may still choose to agree to disagree. Maintain love and respect for the other person in spite of the difference.

Your relationships are more important than your opinions. Love Christ by loving the other person more than you love your rights or opinions. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone this Thursday night at 7:30 for our Zoom class!!

In His Love,

David & Susan