Hope and Joy

Isaiah 30:18– So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.

REVIEW
• Resurrected Gospel
• Joy & Hope

DEFINITIONS

Joy – a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

Biblical Joy – closely related to gladness & happiness’, although joy is more of a state of being than an emotion; a result of a choice. One of the fruits of the Spirit and experiences of being a Christian.

Hope – Hope is the expectation of the future attainment of a desired object or outcome. It is often associated with trust, whether in God or others.1 Peter 3:1-9 – A Living Hope

JOY
• There are a lot of things that can bring us joy
• Do we have to have these things to be joyful?
• Philippians 4:4 & Thessalonians 5:16
• How can God command this, doesn’t He see…?
• Notice it is rejoicing in the Lord
• He commands it, but gives us the power to fulfill it in His Son.
• Isaiah 43:2-3
• Where is our Joy?
• What are we fixing our eyes on? (Philippians 4:8)

HOPE
• Hope is not wishful thinking
• When we put our hope in things that are changing and uncertain we can be hopeless.
• Christian’s story
• Hebrews 12:1-2
• God has given us His promises (Hebrews 6:18-19)

CLOSING
1. What is your hope in?
2. Where are you finding your joy?
3. What are you fixing your eyes on?
4. Are you struggling and don’t know what to do? Cry out to God.
5. Have you accepted Jesus as your savior?
Colossians 3:1-4 – Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS:

Passages to consider: Ephesians 1:17-19; 1 Peter 1:8-9; Colossians 3:1-2, Philippians 4:8
Ice Breaker: What posters did you have in your room when you were young? What passage or statement was significant to you from the sermon?
1. When you think of hope and joy, how do you typically define them?
2. Take a look at Ephesians 1:17-19 & 1 Peter 1:8-9. Or choose a significant passage from the sermon. What do they tell you about hope and joy?
3. Where are you at with hope and joy today? How has relationship with Jesus brought you and/or hope into your life?
4. What can steal joy or distort hope and bring worry? (What is it for you at this season?)
5. Look at Colossians 3:1-2 & Philippians 4:8. How do you return to joy when hard things happen? What helps you have a confident hope in the midst of uncertain times?
6. In what area of your life do you need to experience some resurrected joy or hope?
7. What relationships, truth, and actions contribute to building hope and joy in your life? How can your family, friendships, work place and neighborhood be impacted as you nurture joy and hope?
NOTE: There are not easy answers for deep hurts, traumatic experiences, and clinical depression. Be considerate for what your fellow group members maybe experiencing.