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Ephesians 2:1-10

Real Hope

Big thanks to Rev David Niven for taking the service and giving us the message today.

Hope allows us to face that which terrifies us. Without hope we can’t face getting out of bed let alone getting through the rest of the day. There are lots of places where you can find hope.

Need a little more hope?

Personally I think that when man stepped on the moon it gave the world a hope that we could do what was once thought to be impossible. Having a friend who cares for you can give you hope. Some people hope to win the lottery or find the right partner. All people think that being happy, experiencing pleasure gives hope. The way this works is that they think that as long as they can enjoy something, have fun, indulge themselves they can face hardship, so in effect they place their hope in being able to have fun.

The best hope comes not from something we can do, or from something that others can give us. Hope that you can be certain of, that you are sure will never let you down, now that is a hope worth having. There is only one place where this kind of hope is found and it comes from God. He always keeps his promises. So if you are hoping in the promises of God then you can have hope that is certain, guaranteed.

God gives us hope in Jesus Christ. He made us alive when we were dead, when we were busy hoping in all the wrong places. We hoped relationships, pleasure, work, family, intimacy would make us happy (Eph 2:1-3). He rescued us because he loves us and so we are saved by grace when we have faith in Jesus Christ. And even faith is a gift from God. We are now made new, living for Jesus, having an opportunity to experience real hope (Eph 2:4-10).  the Rev

Exercises

• What are some "roads" people follow to reach God?   

• Discuss the sad state of the human race and the ways that Satan deceives us.

• Share about any other road that you have followed in your life.    

• Consider God's grace in salvation; what does it mean? and what impact does it have on your daily life?

• Share what 'good works' God might have prepared for you to do.   

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for saving me by your amazing grace. Help me to live each day under your grace, mindful that I can never earn my salvation by good works. However, also help me to consider what good works you may have prepared for me to do because I am your child; a new creation in Christ Jesus, my Lord. Amen.  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it