Hope. It’s turned into an elusive feeling we cynically relegate it to an ethereal, magical feeling for kids at Christmas. But hope is real. And real hope is powerful. Real hope is tangible. Real hope is available to each of us personally. It’s a hope that was realized over 2000 yrs ago by a teenage peasant named Mary and it’s a hope each of us can personally experience this xmas and the rest of the year.
Main Points:
[00:51] We’ve had our hopes dashed enough to know it can be safer to not hope.
[02:12] Hope is just wishful thinking unless it’s based on something reliable and real.
[06:13] Real hope is choosing to believe God will do what he says he will do.
[07:34] Real hope creates real joy.
[09:10] The goodness and love of God is the foundation of real, solid hope.
[09:57] When we experience who God really is we experience what hope really is.
[10:22] We can personally know real hope because we are personally known by the real God.
[12:58] Jesus is hope realized and personified
[16:12] When Jesus is our real hope it permeates our thoughts, feelings, and decisions.
[17:29] Finding real hope leads to finding real life.
Discussion Questions:
- On a scale of the Grinch to Cindy Lou Who, how hopeful would you say you tend to be?
- What would you say is the difference between “wishful thinking” and the idea of hope talked about here?
- Read Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55. What stands out to you? Is there an aspect of her song that inspires hope in you?
- Jon said, “When Jesus is our real hope it permeates our thoughts, feelings, and decisions.” What does that mean to you? What do you think that would look like in your daily life right now?
- How can your group pray for you this week?
=================
SHOW NOTES
=================
🤝 | DONATE to A Home for the Holidays → https://www.yourcrosscreek.com/#ahome
🖨️ |TRANSCRIPT → https://www.yourcrosscreek.com/media/2022-12-04.pdf
👋 | SAY HI → https://www.yourcrosscreek.com/welcome/
📜 | EPISODE BIBLE VERSES → Luke 1 vv46–56
👨👩👧👦 | JOIN A GROUP → https://www.yourcrosscreek.com/connect
🍞 | GATHER TOGETHER → https://www.yourcrosscreek.com/gathering |
4:30pm on Sundays
🤝 | GIVE TO CROSSCREEK → https://www.yourcrosscreek.com/donate/
Like, comment & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content!
SUBSCRIBE + FOLLOW @yourcrosscreek – Crosscreek Community Church:
🎧 | Podcast → https://www.yourcrosscreek.com/welcome/#podcast
🎥 | YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/yourcrosscreek/?sub_confirmation=1
🖼️ | Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/yourcrosscreek/
👍🏽 | Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/yourcrosscreek/