Introduction: "As a little girl, I remember day dreaming about my wedding day. Like many little girls, my dreams were much more like a fairy tale than a realistic event. I dreamed of a day when a man would sweep me off my feet and commit to be mine, from that day forward in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, until death parted us. I would be dressed like Cinderella at the ball and be surrounded by those who loved me dearly.
One thing was non-negotiable: I wanted 1 Corinthians 13 to be read. You know the one. It's typically the exclamation point at weddings, ending with the familiar line, verse 13 'Faith, Hope and Love. But the greatest of these is Love.'
Those three words have been proclaimed as the three pillars of every good Christian marriage. Yet, like many people I know, I would have benefited greatly from a deeper understanding of these words. It would have been helpful to know they were meant for a broader purpose than 'just' weddings; the passage was meant to offer the entire Christian church a way to be different from the world around us. Paul was writing about love in Christian community, not about love between a couple. It teaches us a way to be a community that offers a very real glimpse into the relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is meant to be a breath of fresh air to people desperately longing for more than this world has to offer.
During our struggles we need God's word even more. These are the times that as a Christian community, we need to hold each other up and bear witness to God's great promises.
There are times in our life where Faith, Hope and Love are challenged by looking around and realizing that the world is not as it should be. The words that follow are offered for us to respond whole-heartedly to these times."
Back of Book: We are living in a broken world. Maybe you are struggling right now or you haven't completely healed from a past pain.
- How do you reconcile your faith in the hard times?
- How do you hope when you don't know what tomorrow will bring?
- How do you love when it would be easier to hold a grudge?
In this six week Bible study you will explore what God's word says about keeping your Faith, Hope & Love: When the World is Not As It Should Be.
