Embodying God's Character: Faith, Hope, and Love
Summary
Living in the kingdom of God means embodying His character and power in our daily lives. This involves adopting the qualities of God, which are most clearly seen in Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 13, we find a description of these divine qualities, which include faith, hope, and love. Faith is not just belief but a deep-seated confidence in God and His promises. In the face of life's challenges, maintaining this confidence can be difficult, but it is essential for kingdom living.
Hope is described as a joyous anticipation of good. God is portrayed as the God of hope, filled with joyous anticipation. This perspective challenges us to see God not as a distant or dismayed deity but as the most hopeful being in the universe. His hopefulness extends to each of us, regardless of our shortcomings. God’s hope is rooted in His goodness and generosity, and it invites us to share in this hopeful outlook.
Love, the greatest of these qualities, is defined as the will for the good of others. It is the essence of the universe, a community of loving persons who desire the good of everything and everyone. To sustain love, we need faith and hope. Love is not a passive feeling but an active choice to seek the well-being of others. At the heart of the universe is not chaos or destruction but love, a force that binds everything together in harmony.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith as Confidence: Faith is more than belief; it is a profound confidence in God and His promises. In the midst of life's uncertainties, nurturing this confidence is crucial for living in alignment with God's kingdom. This confidence empowers us to face challenges with assurance and trust in God's plan. [01:10]
2. Hope as Joyous Anticipation: Hope is characterized by a joyous anticipation of good, reflecting God's own hopeful nature. God, as the God of hope, invites us to share in His optimistic outlook, transforming our perspective on life and its possibilities. This hope is rooted in God's goodness and generosity. [02:04]
3. God's Hopefulness: God is the most hopeful being in the universe, filled with joyous anticipation for each of us. This challenges our perception of God as distant or dismayed and invites us to see Him as actively hopeful and engaged in our lives. His hopefulness is a testament to His unwavering love and confidence in us. [02:24]
4. Love as the Will for Good: Love is the will for the good of others, sustained by faith and hope. It is the central force of the universe, a community of loving persons who seek the well-being of all. Love is an active choice, not a passive feeling, and it calls us to embody this divine quality in our interactions. [03:02]
5. The Universe Centered on Love: At the heart of the universe is love, not chaos or destruction. This love is a binding force that unites everything in harmony, reflecting the character of God. Embracing this truth transforms our understanding of the world and our place within it. [03:24]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:26] - Kingdom Living Defined
[00:49] - The Character of God
[01:10] - Faith as Confidence
[01:32] - Hope: Joyous Anticipation
[02:04] - God of Hope
[02:24] - God's Hopefulness
[02:44] - God's Generosity
[03:02] - Love: Will for Good
[03:24] - Love at the Universe's Center
[03:49] - Conclusion and Reflection
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 13:13 - "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
2. Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
#### Observation Questions
1. How does the sermon define faith, and what is its significance in kingdom living? [01:10]
2. What is the nature of hope as described in the sermon, and how does it reflect God's character? [02:04]
3. According to the sermon, what role does love play in the universe, and how is it sustained by faith and hope? [03:02]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that faith is more than just belief? How does this understanding impact a believer's daily life? [01:10]
2. How does the sermon challenge traditional perceptions of God with its description of Him as the most hopeful being in the universe? [02:24]
3. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between love and the structure of the universe? How does this perspective influence our understanding of God's nature? [03:24]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current level of confidence in God and His promises. What steps can you take to deepen this confidence in your daily life? [01:10]
2. How can you cultivate a perspective of joyous anticipation in your life, mirroring the hopefulness of God? What practical changes can you make to align with this outlook? [02:04]
3. Consider a situation where you might have viewed God as distant or dismayed. How can you shift your perception to see Him as actively hopeful and engaged in your life? [02:24]
4. Identify a relationship or situation where you can actively choose to will the good of others. What specific actions can you take to embody love in this context? [03:02]
5. How does understanding love as the central force of the universe change your approach to conflicts or challenges you face? What practical steps can you take to prioritize love in these situations? [03:24]
6. Think of a time when you felt overwhelmed by chaos or destruction. How can embracing the truth of love at the universe's center transform your perspective and response? [03:24]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith as Deep-Seated Confidence
Living in the kingdom of God requires more than mere belief; it demands a profound confidence in God and His promises. This confidence, or faith, is essential for navigating life's uncertainties and challenges. It empowers individuals to trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem daunting. Faith is not passive; it is an active trust that God is working for our good, and it requires nurturing through prayer, reflection, and community. By embracing this deep-seated confidence, believers can face life's trials with assurance and a sense of peace, knowing that God is faithful and His promises are true. [01:10]
Hebrews 11:1-3 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."
Reflection: Identify a current challenge in your life. How can you actively place your confidence in God's promises regarding this situation today?
Day 2: Hope as Joyous Anticipation
Hope in the kingdom of God is characterized by a joyous anticipation of good, reflecting God's own hopeful nature. This hope is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation rooted in God's goodness and generosity. It challenges believers to adopt a perspective that sees God as the most hopeful being in the universe, actively engaged in their lives. By sharing in God's optimistic outlook, individuals can transform their perspective on life and its possibilities, embracing a future filled with promise and potential. [02:04]
Romans 15:13 (ESV): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel hopeless. How can you invite God's hopeful nature into this situation and begin to anticipate good?
Day 3: God's Hopefulness
God is portrayed as the most hopeful being in the universe, filled with joyous anticipation for each of us. This challenges the perception of God as distant or dismayed and invites believers to see Him as actively hopeful and engaged in their lives. God's hopefulness is a testament to His unwavering love and confidence in humanity, regardless of their shortcomings. By embracing this view of God, individuals can experience a deeper connection with Him and a renewed sense of purpose and direction in their lives. [02:24]
Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV): "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."
Reflection: Reflect on your perception of God. How can you begin to see Him as a hopeful and engaged presence in your daily life?
Day 4: Love as the Will for Good
Love, the greatest of the divine qualities, is defined as the will for the good of others. It is the central force of the universe, sustained by faith and hope. Love is not a passive feeling but an active choice to seek the well-being of others. This divine quality calls believers to embody love in their interactions, creating a community of loving persons who desire the good of everything and everyone. By choosing love, individuals align themselves with the essence of the universe and reflect the character of God in their daily lives. [03:02]
1 John 4:7-8 (ESV): "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
Reflection: Think of someone you find difficult to love. What is one practical step you can take today to actively seek their well-being?
Day 5: The Universe Centered on Love
At the heart of the universe is love, not chaos or destruction. This love is a binding force that unites everything in harmony, reflecting the character of God. Embracing this truth transforms one's understanding of the world and their place within it. By recognizing love as the central force of the universe, believers are invited to participate in this divine harmony, contributing to a world that reflects God's love and goodness. This perspective encourages individuals to live with purpose and intentionality, knowing that their actions are part of a greater cosmic design. [03:24]
Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV): "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Reflection: How does understanding love as the central force of the universe change the way you view your daily interactions and responsibilities?
Quotes
kingdom living means very simply living in the character and power of God may I give that to you and ask you to try to hold on to that kingdom living means living in the character and the power of God it means that inwardly we take on the qualities of God and we of course we see that in Jesus Christ that's where we primarily see it and we see them that expressed in 1st Corinthians 13 [00:00:14]
faith is confidence you know sometimes we need to just sort of take our Bible and go through and write another word faith is confidence how you doing with your confidence could you use a little more possibly a faith is confidence my word when you look at life you and all of the things that it contains one might say how can you have confidence [00:01:05]
hope hope is joyous anticipation of good joyous anticipation of good see your life full of hope Paul describes God as the God of hope the God of hope why because he's a good God and he's a God who himself is full of joyous anticipation you ever think of God like that that God is actually full of joyous anticipation [00:01:32]
there is not a more hopeful being in the whole universe than God you have to sort of let that soak in I think a while you we sort of think of God as sort of wringing his hands and dismay you know well what am I going to do about these sinners here like Rick what am I gonna do I'll tell you he's he's very hopeful about Rick [00:02:24]
and he's very hopeful about all of us who have put any kind of confidence in him at all you know God is so generous and so good he's hopeful and then there's love Faith Hope Love what's now when love is simply the will for the good of others now you've got to have faith and hope to sustain that and love is really what it's all about [00:02:44]
when you get the center of this great amazing universe down what you find is not some black hole sucking everything in and spewing out debris on the other side it's love the very center of it all is love a community of loving persons who simply will the good of everything and everyone in the whole universe [00:03:24]
kingdom living means living in the character and the power of God it means that inwardly we take on the qualities of God and we of course we see that in Jesus Christ that's where we primarily see it and we see them that expressed in 1st Corinthians 13 and you can take those last words in first Corinthians 13 as a way of spelling out the character of God [00:00:26]
faith is confidence you know sometimes we need to just sort of take our Bible and go through and write another word faith is confidence how you doing with your confidence could you use a little more possibly a faith is confidence my word when you look at life you and all of the things that it contains one might say how can you have confidence [00:01:10]
hope hope is joyous anticipation of good joyous anticipation of good see your life full of hope Paul describes God as the God of hope the God of hope why because he's a good God and he's a God who himself is full of joyous anticipation you ever think of God like that that God is actually full of joyous anticipation [00:01:32]
there is not a more hopeful being in the whole universe than God you have to sort of let that soak in I think a while you we sort of think of God as sort of wringing his hands and dismay you know well what am I going to do about these sinners here like Rick what am I gonna do I'll tell you he's he's very hopeful about Rick [00:02:24]
and he's very hopeful about all of us who have put any kind of confidence in him at all you know God is so generous and so good he's hopeful and then there's love Faith Hope Love what's now when love is simply the will for the good of others now you've got to have faith and hope to sustain that and love is really what it's all about [00:02:44]
when you get the center of this great amazing universe down what you find is not some black hole sucking everything in and spewing out debris on the other side it's love the very center of it all is love a community of loving persons who simply will the good of everything and everyone in the whole universe [00:03:24]
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