Sunday Club
Hope
Do you agree or disagree with these statements?
What is your definition of hope?
William age 14: “Hope is to look forward to something with a feeling of expectation or confidence. Christians always know they have hope because they have God in their hearts.”
James, 15: “Hope is talking to God every day, expecting an answer. Hope is having Jesus to talk to. Hope is being satisfied with what God has given you.”
Mary age 11: “Hope is a thing that makes you feel kind of good inside, sort of like you’re going to get a gift"
Charlotte age 11: “Hope is what you believe, but you cannot see it,”
Lauren age 13: “Hope is faith; it is a thing to help you set your goals. Hope helps you to believe in Christ.”
The word “hope” in the Bible expresses confidence and assurance about the future as it’s based on God’s promises, character and faithfulness.
In the Bible, Saul was on the road to Damascus when Jesus spoke to him in a vision telling him that his persecution of Christians was a persecution of Jesus himself and it did not please God. Saul was blinded by the vision and later was baptised as a Christian. He spent the next three years studying the Jewish scriptures again to find explanations for the Christian teachings. His experiences changed his viewpoint completely. He changed his name to Paul and dedicated his life to serving Jesus. He used his earlier education to explain his new faith to other people and to discuss things with people who had other beliefs. He travelled around the Roman Empire, teaching others about Christianity and wrote letters back and forth to the churches he helped to begin. The letters contain many important parts of Christian teaching.
The Apostle Paul preached a message of hope that turned a mighty Roman Empire upside down. Through arrests, false accusations and beatings, he displayed an uncommon grace that bore witness to the hope within him.
This kind of hope asks questions to make us think.
“What new adventure does God have for me today?”
“I wonder what God will do in this situation?”
Bible verse
"1 Peter 1.3: 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.
Prayer
Lord, we are thankful for the many people willing to share Your good news and help us learn more about You. We are grateful we can read Your living word, the Bible, and gain more understanding of the people You want us to become and how to achieve this.
Amen