Why Should I Have Hope?
1. Toby asked this question at the beginning of his message, “what is the one thing you and I can’t live without?” What was your answer before you heard him share?
2. When Jesus asked the question,”do you want to get well?” in John 5:6. Why do you think Jesus asked him that question?
3. When you look at Maslow’s Hierarchy, hope is not listed on the pyramid yet it is crucial to our every day lives. Why do you think hope plays such an important role in our day to day lives?
4. We have all found ourselves in a season where we have felt hopeless. (Maybe you find yourself in a season like that right now.) How did you manage the thoughts and feelings of something being wrong with you or something being wrong with God? What steps did you take/can you take to help you break free from those thoughts and feelings?
5. Losing hope is an incredibly lonely place. Finding yourself in a season of hopelessness can be debilitating. What was something someone else did for you to help you see the way out of that type of season? How did someone remind you of the truth that Jesus is the Hope of the world? Sharing your experience may be just what someone else needs to hear.
6. Jesus does something miraculous at the Pools of Bethesda. Yes, the miracle of healing the man on the mat is a powerful story. Jesus did something else equally powerful. Jesus entered into the mess of the situation. He didn’t stand on the sidelines-He saw what can be-not simply what is. Jesus sees us. Jesus knows us. Jesus hears us. How do these statements help you begin to hope again?
7. It is our nature to put conditions on hoping….it isn’t easy to hope again but it is better. What steps will you take this week to hope again?