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’s IN HOPE {leader manual }
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sure and certain
JESUS AND HOPE SUPPORTING RESOURCES Books: Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes
IN DISCUSSION Take time to discuss the following, remembering to include reference to the suggested Scripture and how it relates to the topic (see page 03 of the ‘In Hope’ book): 1. Paul described Jesus as ‘our hope’. What did he mean? 1 Timothy 1:1 2. In what ways might it be a Christian’s responsibility to bring hope to others? Mark 16:15; Ephesians 1:18; James 5:19, 20 3. Do we ever resent his universal love for those we may not like? Do we truly ‘cross all barriers’ with the hope we share? Give reasons for your answers. Acts 1:8; James 2:1-7 4. Peter said we should be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us. How would you describe it? 1 Peter 3:15
IN PRAYER Thank God that Jesus not only brought hope to our world, but also (and especially significantly) that he is our ongoing and unfailing hope. Dear Lord, we thank you that Jesus came to give hope to all who accept his offer of forgiveness and salvation. Thank you that no one is excluded from this offer. Help us to do our part to bring hope to all we meet. SESSION OUTCOMES •• Understanding that Jesus came to bring hope to all. •• Understanding that the mission of Jesus was to offer grace and bring healing. •• Recognising that we have a responsibility to share this hope with all we meet.
Activity Ideas •• Think of some ways in which people talk about hope in general conversation. How is this different from the hope which Jesus came to bring? •• Think of some examples from Scripture of where Jesus gave hope to someone. •• Paul highlighted faith, hope and love as three important Christian qualities (1 Corinthians 13:13). Why do you think he included hope? in hope
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THE SALVATION ARMY AND HOPE one
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THE SALVATION ARMY AND HOPE SUPPORTING RESOURCES Books: Salvos Legal. When Justice is the Measure. The Salvation Army Year Book. Army periodicals
02 IN DISCUSSION Take time to discuss the following (see page 05 of the ‘In Hope’ book): 1. ‘The Salvation Army was born to bring hope.’ Discuss. Romans 10:14, 15 2. How does your culture view and relate to poor and disadvantaged people? Is The Salvation Army’s stance any different? What are the challenges? Proverbs 14:31; Matthew 25:31-46 3. Research the work of The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission. Compare it with what Jesus affirmed at Nazareth. Luke 4:16-21 4. Salvos Legal (see page 05 of the main book) advocates for those with no voice. Could your corps – or you personally – do more to speak up for those with no voice? Who might they be? Deuteronomy 15:7; Proverbs 14:25; John 8:7 Activity Ideas •• Look back at page 09 of the One Army Introduction Leader’s Manual. The section ‘One Life – William Booth’ in hope
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contains a short passage about how William Booth was inspired to do something to help the disadvantaged. •• Look in the International Statistics section of The Salvation Army Year Book to get an idea of the scope and variety of social programmes around the world. You may also like to look at the entry for your own territory/ command as a reminder or to learn what programmes are in place where you are. •• Look at any Army periodicals you may have for up to date stories and accounts of how the disadvantaged are being helped through Army programmes. •• Read the passage from Salvos Legal (see text on page 07). •• Salvos Legal is a book of stories of people who have been helped – see text on page 08 for one of them. •• Read Luke 14:12-14 and then the passage from When Justice is the Measure (see text on page 09). Discuss the questions raised in the passage. The situations mentioned may not be relevant to your situation – try to think of some that are.
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IN PRAYER Pray that we will each be bringers of hope wherever we are, and not rely on any organisation to achieve this for us. Let us go out from our customs and our habits and learn to hope from the Bible. Let us go out and cross the frontiers so that we may infect life with hope. Let us ignore the barriers, and look only to the One who breaks them down. He is risen. Jesus is risen indeed. Blessed be the Lord for ever and ever.
SESSION OUTCOMES •• Understanding that The Salvation Army has a mission to those in need. •• Understanding the purpose of the Army’s International Social Justice Commission. •• Recognising that every Salvationist is called to be a bringer of hope.
(Just:Imagine, Roberts and Strickland, p 88, Australia Southern Territory)
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DESPAIR AND HOPE SUPPORTING RESOURCES Book: Just Imagine
IN DISCUSSION Take time to discuss the following (see page 07 of the ‘In Hope’ book): 04 1. Consider what it is like when someone loses all hope. Job 19:10, 11; Lamentations 3:18; Job 7:6 2. Consider reasons for human trafficking. How best can this evil industry in people’s lives be fought? Research what The Salvation Army is doing. Proverbs 3:29; Psalm 140:1-8; Genesis 37:19-36; Galatians 5:13, 14 3. Why do we sometimes feel we are being punished when things go wrong? What did Jesus say about this? John 9:1-3. See also Psalm 103:10-12 4. ‘There are no hopeless cases for Jesus.’ What does this mean? Matthew 1:21; 1 Timothy 1:15, 16; Luke 19:10; John 3:17; Psalm 42:5: 2 Corinthians 1:7; Colossians 2:6, 7; Hebrews 7:25 Activity Ideas •• Think of your own culture/country and discuss what kind of situations might cause people to lose hope. •• Read the passage from Just:Imagine (see text on page 09). •• Give time for members of the group to reflect on this and make comments. •• Discuss with the group whether there is in hope
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any action that the group or individual members could take to help those in despair. IN PRAYER In considering the despair of those who feel they have no hope, ask God to give you an understanding and love for those who most need us. Dear Lord, please open our eyes and make us aware of any around us who may be in despair. Give us your love for them and show us how we can help them. Give us courage and grace. SESSION OUTCOMES •• Awareness of some of the situations that cause people to lose hope. •• Understanding that facing difficulties does not mean that God is punishing us. •• Understanding that Jesus is ready and able to bring hope to all in despair.
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SUPPORTING RESOURCES Books: Love – Right at the Heart. The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine. Surprised by Hope. IN DISCUSSION Take time to discuss the following (see page 09 of the ‘In Hope’ book): 1. What hopes have you had for your life? What are your hopes now? Which hopes matter most to you? Psalm 147:11; Proverbs 23:17, 18; 1 Timothy 6:17-19 2. What part has regret played in your life? In what ways does being a Christian help us deal with it? Matthew 26:69-75; Psalm 51:1-12; Luke 15:17-19; Luke 15:18-32; 1 John 1:9, 10 3. Paul spoke of Christian hope being of eternal quality. What does this mean for this life and the next? Titus 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 Peter 1:21; Colossians 1:27 4. Christian hope has been described as ‘not wishful thinking or mere blind optimism’. Why? Romans 5:5; Ephesians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:16-22; 1 Corinthians 13:13 Activity Ideas •• Read the passage from Love – Right at the Heart (see text on page 09). •• Give each member of the group a piece of paper and invite them to write a list of things they regret. Give a few minutes of quiet time to do this. Then – again in silence – invite members to pray a prayer of repentance for these things. Read aloud Psalm 103:10-14. Then invite members to tear their papers in small pieces and put them in a rubbish
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bin. Make sure you dispose of them so that no one can get to the pieces to try to put them back together again! If it is practical and safe, the papers could be burned. The tearing or burning signifies that the past is forgiven. •• Sing or read together the song ‘Knowing my failings’ (words by John Gowans). It is song number 715 in the 2015 edition 05 of The Song Book of The Salvation Army. •• Read the passage from The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine (see text on page 10). IN PRAYER Pray that Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, found in chapter 1:18, may be answered fully in your life. Dear Lord, please shine your light into our innermost being, so that we will both know and understand the hope to which you have called us. We thank you that because we belong to you we have a glorious and rich inheritance in Christ. SESSION OUTCOMES •• Understanding that regrets and failures can be repented of and forgiven. •• Understanding that the Christian’s hope lies ultimately in the life to come with Jesus in eternity. •• Understanding that the basis for the Christian’s hope lies in the resurrection of Jesus.
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REFERENCED RESOURCES one rmy
JUDGEMENT AND HOPE one rmy
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JUDGEMENT AND HOPE SUPPORTING RESOURCES Book: The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine.
REFERENCED RESOURCES FOR THIS UNIT This unit relates in part to doctrines 6 and 9, and to doctrine 11.
IN DISCUSSION Take time to discuss the following (see page 11 of the ‘In Hope’ book): 06 1. Imagine a world in which there is no accountability or judgement. Imagine this in an eternal sense. Judges 17:6; Judges 21:25; Isaiah 5:20, 21 2. The story of the rich man and Lazarus shows how humans have a way of ignoring, disregarding or avoiding God’s words of command and guidance. Why does this happen? Luke 16:19-31; 2 Timothy 4:1-5 3. Jesus constantly identified himself with those in need. How well or often do we do the same? Matthew 9:10-13; Matthew 25:31-46; Hebrews 4:15 4. ‘The judgement throne of God is also the throne of grace.’ What does this mean for everyone – especially in relation to hope? Hebrews 4:16; Romans 2:13-16; John 5:28-30 Activity Ideas •• Read the passage from The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine (see text on page 11). •• Read the passage from The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine (see text also on page 11). in hope
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•• Think about attitudes to death and the afterlife in your culture. How easy/ difficult is it to put forward the Christian viewpoint? IN PRAYER Pray that you will live in such a way as to be accountable to God, thanking him also for his grace. Dear Lord, help us always to live according to what you have revealed in your word. Thank you for your grace to help, forgive and restore. SESSION OUTCOMES •• Recognising that everyone will be held accountable by God for how they live. •• Recognising that all will be judged by God to determine their ultimate destination – Heaven or Hell. •• Recognising that our treatment of others – especially those in need – will be an important factor in judgement. •• Understanding that God’s judgement will be absolutely fair, taking account of each individual’s circumstances and understanding of the gospel.
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BOOKS Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, SPCK. The Life and Ministry of William Booth, Abingdon Press. The Salvation Army Year Book, IHQ. Salvos Legal: Stories from the Courtyard, Carpenter Media, Australia Eastern Territory. Just:Imagine, Australia Southern Territory. Love – Right at the Heart, IHQ. The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine, IHQ. Surprised by Hope, SPCK. When Justice is the Measure, Triumph Publishing. WEBSITES www.salvationarmy.org/onearmy www.salvationarmyspirituallife.org www.salvationarmy.org/isjc www.salvoslegal.com.au www.salvationarmy.org.uk/history-social-work www.salvationarmy.org.uk/about-human-trafficking
@TSAOneArmy What resources would you add? Let us know by emailing OneArmy@salvationarmy.org or visit www.salvationarmy.org/ onearmy/resources
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pp 10, 11, Salvos Legal. It was in appalling conditions of poverty in the East of London that The Salvation Army was born. Though the Salvationists’ thrust was primarily spiritual, they came to realise they could not ignore the social conditions of the people they tried to help. And it did not take too many years before they launched into legal aid … William Booth dreamt of what he called The Poor Man’s Lawyer. Booth said: ‘There never was a greater mistake than to imagine that you have only to fill a man’s stomach, and clothe his back in order to secure his happiness … A man, and still more a woman, stands often quite as much in need 08 of a trusted adviser as he or she does of a dinner or dress.’ More than 100 years on, Luke Geary and his team have taken up the same vision. Courtyard Legal commenced from a small voluntary base in western Sydney, offering free legal advice to help people who could not otherwise afford such support … Eventually it became evident to Luke that Courtyard Legal should spread its wings. Late 2010 saw the launch of Salvos Legal with its two full-time commercial and humanitarian law firms. pp 49, 50, Salvos Legal. Jane was distressed when she came to see us at Courtyard Legal (Parramatta) in February 2010. She had represented herself in a guilty plea at court and had been convicted of larceny and fined $436. Jane could not afford to pay the fine and was aware of the consequences of a conviction for employment prospects. She was a single mother with an eightyear-old son on limited income. Although leader’s manual
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she had a Masters Degree in Economics and was studying accountancy … the only work she could find was casual cleaning. Jane had no other family and very few friends in Australia. Jane had tried to shoplift a memory card for a digital camera. The card was worth $35. At the time of the offence, her state of mind was causing actions completely out of character. The incident occurred on 29 December, two days before her son’s birthday. She had been depressed because there was no money to buy her son a Christmas present. This was compounded by the death of her father a few weeks earlier. She felt depressed, lonely and unhappy with her life. We decided to help Jane appeal the severity of her sentence in the District Court. We appealed on the basis that Jane had always been a person of good character and that her mental state at the time she committed the offence had affected her ability to comprehend the consequences of her actions. We also argued that a conviction could have a negative impact on future employment and was disproportionate to the offence. The prosecution was compassionate and the judge accepted that Jane was genuinely remorseful and had been suffering from depression at the time of the offence. The judge allowed the appeal, dismissed her conviction and set aside the order to pay the fine. Jane said to us that her goals for the future are to get a job as an accountant and to contribute to society. The fact that she has avoided a criminal conviction and does not have to pay the fine goes a long way to helping her achieve those goals.
p 85, When Justice is the Measure. The mandate of Jesus [is] to share resources with those who have less. But there is more to it than just being generous. Disregard for the needs of the poor is evidence of the absence of faith. A refusal to alleviate the pain of the poor in the here and now becomes the criterion for one’s final judgment before God. And that’s not all. When followers of Jesus express their practical love, they also bring the touch of Christ into the lives of the poor. Christ is present when God’s people are present and doing good is a practical expression of God’s love. The directive Jesus issued to express generosity to people who are not in a position to ‘pay you back’ is a reminder to live beyond self-interest. Think about your community or city and some of your nearby neighbours whose needs exceed their limited resources. Is there a situation where you can offer to care for children so a single parent can have a night out? Can you tutor a struggling student, teach some vocational skills or influence your church to offer a compassionate service in your community? pp 76-78, Just:Imagine. Human trafficking is essentially revisiting the slave trade all over again. The trade flourished because people convinced themselves that ‘black’ people weren’t the same as ‘white’ people. Although this is difficult to admit, people who are different to us are often treated that way as well … In many cultures the rights of women and children are neglected. Laws are created in many societies that force women to be subservient to and dependent on men, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and
virtually powerless to protect themselves … Walking humbly [with God] requires us to treat others, no matter their culture, as sacred. They are also made in the image of God and worthy of dignity and respect. Jesus laid this out clearly in the two greatest commandments, summing up the law with ‘love your neighbour as yourself ’. Our neighbours include people different to ourselves. They included the women and children (and sometimes men) caught in the injustice of human trafficking. They are our sisters and brothers in Christ, made in the image of God. Love and regrets – pp 55-57, Love – Right at the Heart. ‘If you had your life over again, is there anything you would do differently?’ is a way of asking if we have any regrets. Most of us would confess to wanting to change some things. A few brave/stubborn/ misguided or exceedingly content people may disagree. But it would be surprising if any of us had not said or done something which, on reflection, we regret … There are varying statistics on the number of words we are said to use on average each day, though 30,000 is a popular estimate. In a lifetime this adds up to an incredible number of words. Most of us will have regretted unwise use of some of them. Quick, sharp responses cause much damage. We wish we could ‘take them back’. The same may be true for jokes that were not intended to hurt – but did. On the other hand, there are times when we wish we had said something – but we didn’t find the courage or confidence to speak up. The same can be said for doing something. Edmund Burke is attributed with saying that all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Perhaps leader’s manual
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this is the most difficult category of which to be aware … We may regret failing to intervene in the life of a loved one at a crucial stage in their development – or we may regret having intervened. Our kindly-meant words of advice are not always welcomed. The decision as to when to act or when to refrain from acting can be difficult. Far-reaching decisions, such as entering a marriage or relationship without giving sufficient time or thought to its importance, may result in years of unhappiness, with profound regret turning into resentment … 10 Some of our regrets are so far-reaching that we imagine they can never be forgiven. It is true that some of our actions (or inaction) have left circumstances for others that cannot be changed. We may find it difficult to forgive ourselves or think that God’s mercy will ever reach us. The temptation then is to limit the love and forgiveness of God – but it is without limit and the Bible has reassurances of this (Psalm 103:10-14) … At the centre of Christ’s purpose in coming to earth was his aim to release us from our guilt. It was to help us understand that with true repentance we can be forgiven everything. To never experience this love would be to encounter the greatest regret of all. ‘The Christian hope’ – pp 223-225, Chapter 11, Section A 1 and 2, The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine. The Christian hope in life after death depends upon belief in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Belief in the Resurrection asserts that death does not have the last leader’s manual
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word over human destiny; God does. Jesus conquered death, and so death does not finally separate us from God. He was raised from death to a new order of life, an eternal life given by God. The Christian hope is that as God raised Jesus Christ from death, so God will raise us from death to eternal life with him. For the Christian, belief in the Resurrection is radical trust in the one eternal God. The God of the beginning is also the God of the end. At the beginning there was God, who called the world into being out of nothing and created us in his own image. At the end there is God, not nothing; a God who calls us into new Resurrection life with him. God, our Creator and Perfecter, completely fulfils his purpose for us. As Jesus did not die into nothing, neither do we. We die into the life of God. 1. The triumph of the Kingdom of God The completion of God’s purposes for the whole universe can be illustrated in the biblical language of the Kingdom of God. This language is a way of describing the rule of God in human affairs, and is demonstrated when lives and human communities are transformed by Christ. The Bible looks forward to that transformation being made complete and visible in a new world order under God. This hope is clothed in vivid pictures which attempt to describe the ultimately indescribable, the entire cosmos in mutual harmony and at peace with its Creator (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:17-25). There are descriptions of a new creation where all live in love, share an abundance of good things and know great joy. Images of banquets and wedding feasts, of water that never runs dry, of life-giving trees and an ever-welcoming eternal city, express hope in concrete terms (Revelation 21:1-7;
22:1-5). They remind us that God plans for us a whole, fully personal, eternal life together. Jesus came preaching the coming of God’s Kingdom and in his ministry of teaching, preaching and healing revealed a foretaste of the coming joy (Luke 4:18, 19; 7:22; 11:14-20). In Christ’s Resurrection from the dead and the outpouring of the Spirit, the life of the Kingdom of God was released into the world (Acts 2:32-36). Therefore the good news of the Kingdom became the central theme of the message of the Early Church (Acts 8:12; 19:8; 28:2331). All who accept Christ through faith can live in its reality and look forward to its completion at the end of time, when Christ returns (1 Peter 1:3-5). 2. Eternal Life The life beyond death which beckons the Christian is eternal life. This is a quality of life in the presence of God, not simply unending time. It begins now as we follow Christ (Mark 10:17-22; John 3:16; 10:2730; 11:25; 17:1-3). It is the life everlasting of which the Bible speaks, life with no end and love with no end. It is abundant life beyond our imagination (1 Corinthians 2:9). All we can say is that God will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28). Eternal life focuses on unending adoration and enjoyment of God. We find our destiny and experience that for which we were created: to see God, to be like him, to love him and to enjoy him for ever (1 John 3:2). ‘Ultimate accountability’, p 227, Chapter 11, Section C 1, The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine. Judgment is the fulfilment of God’s promises. It is the fullest affirmation of God’s righteousness, of the liberating message of the New Testament, of the trusting faith of those who believe in
a loving God. Judgment manifests the triumph of good over evil, the righting of wrongs, the validation of the truth, the victory of love over fear, the new Heaven and the new earth. Judgment is also the fullest affirmation of universal accountability. All are accountable to God, during life and beyond death. This is the clear message of the New Testament. We have personal responsibility for our lives, for the choices we make, for our attitude and actions towards our fellows, for the stewardship of what we have received, for our ultimate destiny (Matthew 25:31-46). This accountability is essential to our dignity as bearers of the divine image: God takes us seriously. God alone is the judge. Because our judge is also our Saviour, we can face judgment with confidence. His judgment will validate our faith-response (1 John 4:17). We can rest with assurance in the mercy and grace of God, as well as in his absolute justice (Psalm 9:8; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15). We cannot dictate to God who will be saved and who not. But we can trust to the judgment of God the lives of all those whose life and experience, personal creed and spiritual opportunities are different from our own because he is the loving Creator of all (Romans 2:12-16; Chapter 5). ‘Ultimate accountability’, pp 227-228, Chapter 11, Section C 2, The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine. To believe in judgment is to accept the reality of Hell and Heaven. Biblical pictures of Hell are terrifying and vivid and remind us that to choose to reject the grace of God must issue in a separation from him that reaches into eternity (Matthew 13:2430). Ultimately, our God-given freedom includes the freedom to make choices with leader’s manual
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one rmy eternal consequences (Matthew 25:1-13; 31-46). As Hell refers to the anguish of those who face eternity without God, so Heaven describes the bliss of those who enjoy the full experience of his presence. Biblical references to Heaven and Hell are only faint glimpses of the greater realities, of the final abode of the saved and the lost (Mark 9:42-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; 2 Peter 3:8-13).
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