BE HOPEFUL!

Session 7 (11/15/2023): A Living Hope

REVIEW

  1. Biblical hope is an attitude characterized by a favorable and confident expectation regarding some unseen future reality.
  2. It is a ministry of the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our heart to the unseen and hopeful realities that we possess in Christ (John 16:14-15; Ephesians 1:15-19; Romans 15:13).
  3. To stay hopeful, we must walk by the Spirit and allow the Word of Christ to richly dwell within us (Romans 15:13, 4; Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16).
  4. Biblical hope enables us to bridge the gap between our present sufferings and the future glory that God has promised and prepared for us (Romans 8:18-30).
  5. The sealing of the Holy Spirit of Promise works to assure the believer regarding his future inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14).
  6. The blessed hope for the believer is the imminent rapture into the presence of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

STUDY QUESTIONS

  1. Read Luke 22:54-62.  Reflect on Peter’s experience in his failure and the death of his hopes following Jesus’ arrest.  Have you ever experienced the death of something you’d hoped for?
  2. Peter wrote 1st Peter some 30 years after his denials of Christ.  What had changed for him since that day?
  3. Read 1 Peter 1:3-6.  What is the main theme of the passage? To whom was Peter writing? What challenges were they facing (1 Peter 1:6, 4:12)?
  4. 1 Peter 1:3 “bursts forth” with lively themes.  Identify and describe each.  What is foundational to the living hope possessed by the believer?
  5. According to 1 Peter 1:4, what is the nature of the inheritance you possess in Christ?  Contrast the imperishable nature of this inheritance with other perishable things (1 Peter 1:7, 18, 23).
  6. What are the two ways by which this inheritance is assured to us (1 Peter 1:4-5)?
  7. How does the prospect of this future inheritance work to encourage us amidst the troubles we face (1 Peter 1:6)?

APPLICATION

  1. Peter thanked God for the living hope availed to us through the resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).  Are you even now “overflowing with gratitude” (Colossians 2:7) for the living hope you now possess?
  2. How much do your present hopes align with that which is spoken of in this passage?  What can work to help you better refine your focus?
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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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