LESSON 2: FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE, PART II

Ready

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).

Set

If you were to ask my varsity softball players at the beginning of the 2018–2019 school year which player on the team best exhibited joy, most of them probably would have answered with the name of a particular player.

If the players had been polled at the end of the 2019 season, the consensus would have been the same player.

Not surprising, right?

What if I told you that, between the beginning of the fall season and the opening of the spring season, this player’s mom was diagnosed with—and died from—cancer? How can a player (and her sister, who was also on the team) exhibit such joy in the face of such a tragedy?

Because the family’s strong faith gave them hope in Christ.

If faith defines us, hope sustains us. Hope sustains us in difficult times.

• Hope in knowing God is in control.
• Hope in knowing we serve a loving God who wants the best for us.
• Hope that, even in death, we know where those who have faith in Christ are going.

Paul says in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Joy is deep-seated happiness and pleasure that transcends circumstances. Happiness depends on how our day is going; joy does not. This is because joy comes from the promise that for those who’ve placed their faith in Christ, our future is certain.

Paul says in Romans 8:38–39: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Hope leads to joy and to peace.

Peace is a deep-down trust in God that tells us all is right with God even when all isn’t right in the world. Philippians 4:7 says the peace of God “surpasses all understanding” and “will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Hope leads to joy transcending circumstances and peace surpassing understanding.

This hope sustains us, always and forever.

Go

1. Read Romans 8:38–39. What can’t separate us from God if we have faith in Christ?
2. How do happiness and joy differ? Is happiness controllable? Is joy?
3. Read Philippians 4:7. Does the verse say peace gives us understanding? What does it say about peace and understanding?