Sermon Study · Study Guide
Hope For The Best
September 13, 2026 · Austin Axen
The Big Idea
Because Jesus has secured our eternal inheritance, we can hope for the future, endure the fire of trials, and rejoice through faith in him.
Remember Sunday’s message
Sermon reminders
Hope for the future
Jesus gives believers a living hope and a secure inheritance through his resurrection.
Hope in the fire
Trials are grievous and temporary, yet God uses them to test, purify, and strengthen faith.
Hope through faith
Though we have not seen Jesus, faith enables love, belief, and inexpressible joy as we await salvation.
Wednesday’s conversation
Reflect & discuss
Read 1 Peter 1:3–9 together. Where do you naturally lean: hoping for the best or preparing for the worst?
Hope with a foundation
Austin described Christian hope as an eager expectation of a guaranteed result. What makes that different from ordinary optimism, and where do you most need that kind of hope right now?
A guarded inheritance
Peter says both the inheritance and God’s people are being kept. How does that security speak to a fear or uncertainty you carry?
Hope in the fire
Peter does not minimize trials. What does this passage honestly name about suffering, and how does the promised future change the way you face a present difficulty?
Joy through faith
Though we have not seen Jesus, Peter says we can love, believe, and rejoice in him. What practice could help you express gratitude or seek his joy this week?
Carry it into the week
Next Steps
From the sermon
- Think about heaven.
- Express gratitude, and thank God for the joy you have or ask him to show you that joy.
- Say a prayer, sing a song, talk to God, or tell a friend about the hope and joy found in Jesus.
Application
Name one way the group can help you keep hope in view this week.
My notes
Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV Bible, © 2001 by Crossway. Text Edition: 2025. Used by permission. Permissions. Prepared for this small group from the September 13, 2026 sermon; questions and applications are editorial study material.
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