For reflection and LIFE Group facilitation:

1. Imagine someone asks you the question “What are you hoping for in your life?” How would you answer that question?

2. We are putting our hopes in many things (hoping that it will satisfy us) that sooner or later will let us down. Below are some common things that many of us place our hope in.

• Convenience
• People
• Status
• Ideology
• Power
• Validation from others
• Control

Which of these things are common to you for putting your hope in? What have been your experiences with the (longevity of) hope that these things offer?

3. Read Luke 2:25-32. Simeon was eagerly waiting for the Messiah. God had promised Simeon that he would see Jesus before he would die, and he trusted God to keep that promise.

• What are some of God’s promises that you are specifically waiting for?
• What does “eagerly waiting” for the fulfilment of these promises look like for you?
• Which of these promises has God already made happen?

4. Read Psalm 145:13 and Deuteronomy 23:19. Hope is based on God’s promises and as God is faithful and trustworthy, He will keep all His promises. Therefore, hope looks ahead with certainty: it is truth that has yet to happen.

• Do you trust God that He is a Promise-keeper? What makes you say that you do or don’t trust that He is?
• How does believing that God is a Promise-keeper impact the way you approach your life?

5. Read Isaiah 40:31. Encourage each other by sharing your story of how this verse is a reality in your faith journey with Jesus.

6. Read Matthew 12:18-21 and use it as the foundation for a closing time of praise and prayer.

• Praise God together for our ultimate Christmas gift: Jesus, the hope of all nations!
• Break-out in smaller groups and share the challenges you face that have caused you to lose hope. Pray for each other and ask Jesus to turn these challenges into victories and to restore your hope.