1. In the tension of the “already-but-not-yet”, do you tend to look to God or other sources (the world) for hope? What specifically do you find yourself hoping in other than God?

2. Share a time when God worked in an unexpected way in your life. How do we see this in scripture?

3. Which descriptions of God’s future hope and of Jesus’s character in verses 2-7 give you the most hope? Which do you struggle to believe?

4. Does your responses to God’s word indicate a prideful heart or a humble one? What does the fruit of those responses look like?

5. What are your daily patterns? Do they indicate a pattern of being formed by the world or by God, and what practical steps can you take this week to look to Christ alone?