4.4.21 EASTER HUDDLE

Zach Below   -   April 4, 2021

4.4.21 HUDDLE—EASTER

  

INTRO QUESTIONS

  1. What was your favorite Easter tradition growing up?

 

  1. What was the first car you ever owned and what did you love/hate about it?

 

 

LESSON INTRO

Today we continue our Restore Series exploring the subject of hope, looking at what psychologists have to say about it, Scripture says about it, and how it contributes to our restoration.

 

  1. If an 8-year-old asked you what hope was, how would you answer them?

 

  1. Respond to the following quote from writer Louise Danielle Palmer: “Psychologists believe hope might be the most important feeling, state, or emotion we can experience. Their studies show that hope is key to good health, the best predictor of meaningful existence, and an indicator of academic and athletic performance.”

 

  1. Psychologist Anthony Scioli says, “Hope is a skill you can acquire. Hope is active—you can cultivate and nourish it.” Do you agree or disagree? Does hope come naturally to you or is it something that you have had to intentionally cultivate and grow?

 

 

BIBLE ENGAGMENET—1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-8

CONTEXT: In this text, Paul is writing to a church plant in ancient Corinth. Scholars are convinced that in this text, Paul goes from his own words to quoting the words of an already well-known creed at the time. This creed is believed to be the oldest creed of the church, possibly dating to just a few years after Jesus’s death.

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

 

 

BIBLE ENGAGMENET QUESTIONS

On Sunday, Pastor Bret anchored this text to the question, “How do I develop hope?” He gave us three insights from the text to remember when it comes to hope. . . .

  • Hope is anchored in the past
  • Hope is realistic about the present
  • Hope is guaranteed in the future

 

HOPE IS ANCHORED IN THE PAST

  1. How does the text speak to this idea?

 

  1. What evidence does Paul give in relation to the fact that the resurrection of Jesus is an actual, researchable event in history?

 

 

HOPE IS REALISTIC ABOUT THE PRESENT

  1. Psychologist Anthony Scioli says, “Faith differs from denial of reality, which is really false hope, an avoidance of truth that narrows one’s field of focus.”

 

How is hope different from a denial of reality?

 

  1. Earlier in our Restore series, we covered the subject of “lament.” How does the idea of lament relate to this idea of maintaining hope while being realistic about the present?

 

 

HOPE IS THE GUARANTEE OF THE FUTURE

ACTIVITY: Watch “Is Their Hope” Video

 

  1. What stands out to you from the video in light of this topic?

 

 

CLOSE IN PRAYER