It's Not Supposed to Be This Way Week 4

We are in the final week of our series It's Not Supposed to be This Way. In this series, we have looked at the effects of sin and how it ultimately destroyed life as God intended it to be. But we have also seen the hope Jesus offers through His forgiveness and restoration if we place our faith in Him. For those who have trusted Christ, we have the hope of Heaven one day, where everything will be restored.

BREAK THE ICE

On Sunday we celebrated Easter. What is your favorite Easter memory?

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Bible Study Questions

 1. When was a time someone showed you forgiveness? How did it impact you?

WATCH SERMON RECAP

2. Read John 14:1-3. How did Jesus explain what Heaven will we like?

John 14:1-3

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."

3. Read Revelation 21:1-5. Describe what John, the writer of Revelation, saw in his vision in these verses.

Revelation 21:1-5

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."

4. Read John 14:6. What does Jesus teach about Heaven, and who goes to Heaven with Him?

  John 14:6

"Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

 Application

1. What are you most looking forward to when you think about the new Heaven and Earth?

2. How does the Scripture we have studied today give you hope for the future?

3. Who do you know who needs the hope that Jesus offers? How can you reach out to them this week?

MOVING FORWARD

Spend a few minutes praying together for the people in your lives far from Christ. Pray that God would continue work in their lives. Pray that you all have opportunities to talk with them about your faith and that they would give their lives to Him.

 GOING DEEPER

The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we have hope that one day, things will be exactly as they should be. So, today we will take a deep dive into some of the things that will be restored when Jesus returns and makes everything right. As we study what Scripture says about the difference Jesus' death and resurrection have made, we will find renewed hope.

Hope of Freedom from Sin and Death:

When Jesus rose from the grave, He not only overcame sin but also death. This news makes all the difference for us. So let's look at what Paul teaches us about why we can have hope, even in a world full of sin and death, because of Jesus in Romans 6.

1. Read Romans 6:6-12.

Romans 6:6-12.

"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. 12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires."

2. What happened when Jesus rose from the grave, according to these verses?

3. What hope does this truth give you personally?

4. How are we, as followers of Christ, called to live in light of this truth?

Hope of Salvation:

Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, we have distinct hope that this life we live is not the end. That means that one day, if we have placed our faith in Christ, we will live with Him forever, free of pain and heartache. This is the hope that we hold on to on our darkest days. 

1. Read 1 Peter 1:3-6.

1 Peter 1:3-6.

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while."

2. What is the inheritance we have because of Jesus?

3. How does this inheritance give followers of Jesus hope, even during the most difficult times?

4. How are we to respond in light of this truth, according to verse 6? Why can we live this way?

Hope of Restoration from Suffering:

This world is filled with sickness, heartache, pain, and sadness. This is just the reality of living in a world broken by sin. We do not have to grieve without hope, however. Scripture teaches that one day, Jesus is going to make everything right. Because of this, we can walk through our moments of suffering with His hope and peace.

1. Read 1 Peter 5:10-11.

1 Peter 5:10-11

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power to him forever! Amen."

2. What promise do we have in this verse when it comes to our suffering?

3. What is the foundation of this hope we have in Jesus?

4. How does this passage of Scripture bring you hope?

Reflect:

Jesus' death and resurrection make all the difference. Because He conquered sin and death, we have the hope of eternal life with Him if we place our faith in Him. We also have the promise that He will restore us and strengthen us as we spend eternity with Him. This is the hope we get to share with the people around us. When you think about the people you know who do not have a relationship with Christ, who is one person you can share your two-minute story about the difference Christ has made in your life with this week? Share with your group who you will reach out to this week and commit to praying for each other throughout the week as you seek to make Christ known to the people around you.

MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later." Romans 8:18