Discussion Guide, Our Need for Hope

More Than Enough: How Jesus Meets Our Deepest Needs

Week 4: Our Need for Hope

Sermon Preached on 03/20/16

Sermon Snapshot: 

People have many different hopes.  We have hopes regarding our health, our family, the teams we root for, the future of our career.  We also have a hope that might be considered the ultimate hope or the one which is the most important.  John 11:25-26 is situated in a passage of Scripture about death and resurrected life.  These two verses recount Jesus making some bold claims, claims that no other human could have ever made or can make.  The claims that Jesus makes about life are at the center of the ultimate human hope, and the one making the claim is Jesus, through whom the hope will come to fruition.  

Scripture: 

Sermon Scripture is John 11:17-27

For context, you are encouraged to read John 11:1-44.  

Discussion Questions: 

1. What are common hopes among people?  
2. What is a hope you have had in the past that has come to fruition?  What do you believe was responsible for the hope being realized?  
3. Have you ever witnessed one of your hopes failing to be realized?  Why did it not become a reality?  Please explain.  
4. How significant is the person, mechanism, or process on which one’s hope is founded?  Have you ever mistakenly placed the burden of a hope on one person or thing who/which was unable to support it?   
5. Please describe the ultimate Christian hope as you understand it.  How does what Jesus said in verses 25 and 26 line up with the hope you described?  
6. How and why is Jesus the one on whom our ultimate hope as Christians rests?  
7. How does your life reflect the hope you have in Jesus Christ?  

Challenge:  

Over the next week, take great intention to reflect the hope you have in Jesus through the way you live your life.