𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• What comes to mind when you think of hope? How would you describe the idea of being hopeful to someone?

• Recall a time when you had a radical experience that changed your perspective of something or someone. What happened?

• Tell us about a friend or family member who was in a seemingly impossible situation. What kind of help did you think he or she needed?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥, “𝘚𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦.” 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 (𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘭𝘥), 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘣. 𝘕𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥. 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟭𝟴–𝟮𝟭

(Read also 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟭𝟯–𝟭𝟲, 𝟮𝟮–𝟮𝟱.)

In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul is recounting Abraham’s journey of faith and hope in God. Abraham received a promise from God that he chose to believe, even when it seemed impossible. He knew that God can do and does what no one else can, including giving life to the dead and calling non-existent things into existence (Romans 4:17). In the same way, we can choose where to anchor our hope and who to believe. Today, we will glean three lessons from Abraham’s life so that we can understand the foundation of our hope as believers.

𝟭. 𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱.

𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥, “𝘚𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦.” 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 (𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘭𝘥), 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘣. 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟭𝟴–𝟭𝟵

How can one hope against all hope? The circumstances may be dire and disappointing, but at the same time, the truth of God’s goodness and power remains. We can put our hope and faith in God because He does the impossible. In what area of your life have you learned to hope in God and rely on Him completely? How do you think this is possible?

𝟮. 𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱.

𝘕𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥. 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟮𝟬–𝟮𝟭

Abraham is our example of faith because he did not waver in unbelief about God’s promise. Instead, he was fully convinced in the faithfulness and ability of God to fulfill what He had promised. Our faith should be anchored on God, not on anything or anyone else. We can persevere in hope instead of living in unbelief because God is a promise keeper. What are some of the things we are tempted to believe, instead of God? How can we know God’s character and trust Him more each day?

𝟯. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 “𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.” 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 “𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮” 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟮𝟮–𝟮𝟱

Abraham’s faith in God is an example for us now who already have a better picture of God’s plan of redemption. Abraham believed God even if he did not see what we know today. The risen Christ is the anchor of our faith, and He is the proof that God can and will do what He has said. If we are believers, we have no other anchor than the risen Christ. What do you think would happen if we put our faith in anything or anyone else?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Take time this week to read, meditate on, and reflect on the book of Romans. As you read, ask God for wisdom and revelation to understand and obey His word. Pray that you would hope against all hope even when you face the impossible.

• In different situations and challenges, what makes you feel hopeful or hopeless? How can you hope in God today and every day?

• Think of and pray for friends or family members who could use hopeful encouragement this week. How can you help them anchor their faith in God?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for revealing His love and power through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and in each day of your life. Ask God to help you see Him clearly and recognize His work in your life.

• Pray that like Abraham you would hope against hope and be fully convinced about who God is and what He can do.

• Pray for a heart that courageously reflects the transformation that Jesus has begun in you, so that others might see God’s work and be drawn to Him.