Week 4: A People Who Grieve With Hope

Competing stories of the future- We talked about two common ways people imagine the future—the fear that everything is falling apart, and the belief that progress will eventually fix everything. Which of those do you find yourself leaning toward more, and how does that shape the way you live right now?
Grief and hope – In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, Paul says we “do not grieve as those who have no hope.” What do you think it looks like to grieve with hope? How is that different from either denying grief or being overwhelmed by it?
Rethinking the future – Paul’s picture is not about escaping the world, but about Jesus returning as King and renewing it. How does that change the way you think about your future—and the future of the world?
Living in light of hope – If what we do “in faith, hope, and love” will be carried into God’s new creation: What is one small, concrete act of faithfulness this week that you can do, knowing it is not wasted?