<p> Spiritual Growth A Journey to Christlikeness</p><p>The Case for Hope</p><p>Lesson 6</p><p>TIME: 1 hour</p><p>OBJECTIVE: To grow spiritually through knowledge and application of God’s word. </p><p>OUTLINE:</p><p>1.0General statements about hope. 1.1Our hope must be in God and God alone. 1.2Hope is a gracious gift from God. 1.3Hope that God offers us comes to us through His holy word, scripture. 1.4Our hope is secured through Christ’s resurrection. 1.5Hope helps us as a defense against Satan. 1.6A final general principle – God made us a promise and swore and oath regarding our hope.</p><p>2.0Specific aspects of a Christian’s hope 2.1We hope in the Gospel. 2.2Jesus came into the world to save those that are lost – Luke 19:10. 2.3We hope in the coming of Jesus. 2.4We hope in our eternal salvation. Spiritual Growth…A Journey to Christlikeness Lesson 6 – The Case for Hope</p><p>Introduction</p><p>ATTENTION: Hope is one of the cornerstones of our faith.</p><p>Paul lists hope in 1 Corinthians 13 as part of the triad of Christian values.</p><p>He also emphasizes the importance of hope in 1 Corinthians 15:19 by restating that without eternal hope through Christ’s resurrection we are to be most pitied. </p><p>We see from these two examples that hope plays a vital role in sustaining our spiritual growth.</p><p>MOTIVATION: Sadly, most in the world cling to false hopes. Not just the physical things that surround us but in other things such as their own works to justify themselves or a misunderstanding of God’s grace.</p><p>The most pitied are those who go through life with no hope or those believing in a false hope.</p><p>OVERVIEW: Today we are going to introduce the concept of hope as part of our keys to overcoming barriers to spiritual growth. I want to go over some general statements regarding hope as a foundation of our study.</p><p>This will be part 1 of our study.</p><p>Later we will look at some specific aspects of hope in a Christian’s life.</p><p>TRANSITION: Let’s look at some of those general statements about hope.</p><p>2 Spiritual Growth…A Journey to Christlikeness Lesson 6 – The Case for Hope</p><p>Body</p><p>Content Notes</p><p>1.0General statements about hope.</p><p>1.1Our hope must be in God and God alone.</p><p>1.1.1 Psalm 43:5 – “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.</p><p>1.1.2 The only secure place for true hope is in God.</p><p>1.2Hope is a gracious gift from God.</p><p>1.2.1 2 Thessalonians 2:16 – “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,</p><p>1.2.2 Because of that gift our hope grows with security and confidence in a future with God.</p><p>1.3Hope that God offers us comes to us through His holy word, scripture.</p><p>1.3.1 Romans 15:4 – “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.</p><p>1.3.2 We read of God’s promises and see how he keeps faithful to those that trust in Him.</p><p>3 Spiritual Growth…A Journey to Christlikeness Lesson 6 – The Case for Hope</p><p>Content Notes</p><p>1.4Our hope is secured through Christ’s resurrection.</p><p>1.4.1 It would have been sufficient if God would have just made a promise that he would see us through death but He proved it to us by Christ’s resurrection.</p><p>1.4.2 1 Peter 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”</p><p>1.4.3 Hope is further confirmed in us by the Holy Spirit.</p><p>1.4.3.1 Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.</p><p>1.4.3.2 I don’t know how that works but it seems one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to show the believer that we have hope for a future.</p><p>1.4.4 Christ’s resurrection is the basis of our hope and removal of our fear of death.</p><p>1.5Hope helps us as a defense against Satan.</p><p>1.5.1 I Thessalonians 5:8 refers to the hope of salvation as a helmet.</p><p>1.5.2 Satan uses all his tools against us but the helmet of hope serves to protect us.</p><p>4 Spiritual Growth…A Journey to Christlikeness Lesson 6 – The Case for Hope</p><p>Content Notes</p><p>1.6A final general principle – God made us a promise and swore and oath regarding our hope.</p><p>1.6.1 Hebrews 6:13-17 – “For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,</p><p>1.6.2 If nothing else was said or done, this point alone would be enough!</p><p>TRANSITION: Let’s move now to some specific aspects of a Christian’s hope.</p><p>2.0Specific aspects of a Christian’s hope.</p><p>2.1We hope in the Gospel.</p><p>NOTE: Remember “gospel” means Good news. You can see it in the expression of someone with good news to relay as opposed to someone with bad news.</p><p>2.1.1 Jesus came into the world to save those that are lost – Luke 19:10.</p><p>2.1.2 We live in a world that is hopelessly lost.</p><p>2.1.3 But unlike the world our hope is not in ourselves, our ingenuity, our education, or our planning, or any of our accomplishments no matter how marvelous or grand.</p><p>2.1.4 In fact these things usually get in our way.</p><p>2.1.5 We have to be willing to help others learn of this hope.</p><p>5 Spiritual Growth…A Journey to Christlikeness Lesson 6 – The Case for Hope</p><p>Content Notes</p><p>2.1.6 We should be seen in sharp contrast to those in the world.</p><p>2.1.7 Through this we are able to share that hope helping the world to obtain it.</p><p>2.2We hope in the coming of Jesus.</p><p>2.2.1 Acts 1:10-11 – “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."</p><p>2.2.2 John 14:1-3 – "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.</p><p>2.2.3 Philippians 3:20-21 – “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.</p><p>Question: Do you see any theme running through these three verses?</p><p>Anticipated Responses:  Jesus is going to return,  He will return for us,  We should be looking for that return</p><p>2.2.4 Since the earliest days of Christianity Christians were looking for Christ’s return. This is the hope that will help us live lives acceptable to God.</p><p>6 Spiritual Growth…A Journey to Christlikeness Lesson 6 – The Case for Hope</p><p>Content Notes</p><p>2.2.5 We hope in Christ. (Romans 5:1-2)</p><p>2.2.5.1 Justification is through faith.</p><p>2.2.5.2 Peace with God.</p><p>2.2.5.3 Access to God’s grace.</p><p>2.3We hope in our eternal salvation.</p><p>2.3.1 Hebrews 6:19 – “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”</p><p>2.3.2 This hope is an anchor for our souls.</p><p>2.3.3 It encourages us to share the hope of the gospel with others; especially those we love.</p><p>2.3.4 This hope is certain.</p><p>2.3.5 We don’t have to be uncertain but can have full assurance as spoken in Hebrews 6:11.</p><p>2.3.6 In a world so full of uncertainty, God’s hope shines as a ray of light through the darkness of the world.</p><p>7 Spiritual Growth…A Journey to Christlikeness Lesson 6 – The Case for Hope</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>SUMMARY: So today we introduced our study of hope as a critical key to our spiritual growth. We discussed 6 general principles as a foundation for our study.</p><p>REMOTIVATION: Hope is a powerful concept in our lives. Many in the world do not have hope and live tragic lives. Because of Jesus we have hope. It is also important that we share this hope with others offering them the same opportunities for life and salvation that Jesus gives us.</p><p>CLOSURE: This concludes our lesson for today. </p><p>8</p>