Sermon Discussion Questions: Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3–6
The following outline and discussion questions have been prepared to accompany the sermon from April 21, 2019 “Living Hope.” These questions can be used for discussion in small groups, family devotions, or for personal reflection. (PDF Link)
Main Idea: If you are truly “born again”, there is no power in heaven or on earth—including yourself—that can pry you from God’s loving grip because Jesus secured your salvation in his death, burial, and resurrection from the dead.
Outline:
I. The Basis of our Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3)
II. The Security of our Living Hope (1 Peter 1:4–6)
Discussion Questions:
In the sermon pastor Mark talked about various “narratives”–explanations of reality—that humans embrace in order to make sense of this broken world.
- What “narrative(s)” did you subscribe to before you came to faith in Jesus Christ?
- What foundational premise do virtually all of these “narratives” have in common?
- How is this foundational premise in conflict with God’s revelation to us in Scripture?
- What is mankind’s greatest problem according to Scripture? (Gen 1–3; Rom 3:10–12; 3:20; 6:14; Rev 20:11–15)
- How does this help us grasp the true magnitude of God’s mercy to us in Jesus Christ?
- How does the resurrection set Christianity apart from every other narrative and religion in the history of mankind?
- How do the two promises in 1 Peter 1:3–5 unpack the amazing nature of our “living hope” through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead?
- How do the two verbs “kept” (1:4) and “guarded” (1:5) ensure that every true believer in Jesus will experience these promises? (Cf. John 10:27–29)
- Is this “living hope” a promise that believers will be protected from difficulty, disease, untimely death, or outright persecution in this life? (Cf. 1 Peter 1:6–9; 2:21)
Application:
- How have experienced this “living hope” throughout your Christian life?
- Are you struggling to fully-embrace this “living hope” in your life right now? If so, why?
- How were you personally impacted by this message?
- What do you sense God calling you to do as a result of this message?