We spend much of our life between Christmas and Easter. Perhaps it’s winter’s darkness; the unrelenting busyness of days through January, February, March; or other trials and circumstances that threaten to pull us away from hope.
*What pulls us down between Christmas and Easter?
*What is our hope between Christmas and Easter?
The verses we read last week remind me of Christmas—and all that talk about gifts!
“Though [we] have not seen Him, we love Him, and even though [we] do not see Him now, [we] believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8).
*How and why does our belief in Christ fill us with joy?
Peter isn’t the only apostle who wrote about hope. God’s grace has already appeared to us, and Peter reminded us that as we wait for the second revelation of Christ, we
“are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter1:9).
God has already given us salvation.
*What does the phrase “salvation of your soul” mean to you?
*How is our salvation the end result of our faith now?
The shepherds and angels and others throughout Scripture have glimpsed God’s glory. Our hope is in God’s great glory to come, and even more
“praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7). 
Last week we considered the great gifts of hope God has given us. The best gift of hope is that God has even greater things in store for us. Paul reassured Titus that
“…we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Imagine that. One day we will see what the shepherds saw when
“an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:9).
Except we won’t be terrified on that day. We will be “filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” We will experience the final outcome of our faith, eternal salvation and life with God. It’s almost as if our life is one long experiment—not only the trials of this life in a fallen broken world, but also the testing of our faith. Like a science experiment that has an outcome and final results—and it’s all good. This is our blessed hope: Jesus Christ.
Not only in the future but now.
“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven” (1 Peter 1:10-12a).
- The prophets spoke of salvation and grace.
- The prophets wrote what has now been told, the gospel message.
*What do we learn when we search the Old Testament for God’s salvation and grace?
*What is the gospel message of Old Testament prophecy?
We also have hope in [an even greater]
“grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming” (1 Peter 1:13).
Our hope is blessed and joyful because we know Easter is coming. 
It’s never too early on the calendar to look forward to
“… the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13, KJV).
*What is this (greater) “grace” we will receive at Jesus Christ’s second coming?
*What do you look forward to most concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ?