Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICThope for today Please click to watch the intro video for this section located at:

SECTION 1 Hope in the Conflict of the Ages hope for today KEY TEXT: Revelation 12:7-9 “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT

SECTION 1 Hope in the Conflict of the Ages hope for today KEY TEXT: Ezekiel 28:12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: ‘You were the seal of perfection in beauty... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty....’ ” FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14: Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT

SECTION 1 Hope in the Conflict of the Ages hope for today CONSIDER: As hard as we may try, we will not explain the mystery of conflict in heaven. But we know this: pride motivated Lucifer’s rebellion. Lucifer refused to be content with the exalted position his Creator had given him. He coveted equality with God, saying, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne.” Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT DISCUSS: How could sin possibly originate in heaven, a perfect environment? What was the root of this evil?

SECTION 2 The Temptation and Fall of Man hope for today KEY TEXT: Genesis 3 Read the story of the temptation and fall of man. FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 3; Genesis 3:4; Genesis 3:6; Genesis 3:10; Genesis 3:14-17 Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT

SECTION 2 The Temptation and Fall of Man hope for today CONSIDER: The real sin wasn’t the eating of fruit. God gave Adam and Eve a choice: to believe Him and demonstrate their allegiance to God, or to believe Satan and demonstrate allegiance to him. Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT DISCUSS: Was Adam and Eve’s sin simply eating some fruit? Could this simple act be the root of sin? Who was at fault?

SECTION 3 Our Hope in this Great Conflict hope for today KEY TEXT: Romans 5:12-17 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT

SECTION 3 Our Hope in this Great Conflict hope for today KEY TEXT (continued): For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT

SECTION 3 Our Hope in this Great Conflict hope for today KEY TEXT (continued): For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6-9; Psalm 104; Hebrews 11:3 Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT

SECTION 3 Our Hope in this Great Conflict hope for today CONSIDER: We are born into a world of sin, suffering, pain, violence, and death. How can this be fair? Yet God has the solution. As sin entered this earth through one man, through one Man’s righteousness and sacrifice we may become heirs of eternal life, a life where there will be no more sin, nor pain, nor death. That Man is Jesus Christ, and through His death on the cross we are saved. DISCUSS: What is God’s powerful contingency plan? Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT

INVITATION hope for today We live in the middle of the world’s greatest conflict, yet we know that the war has already been won. The only battle that still rages is the one in your heart. Jesus has won the war for you– –the victory is yours for the claiming. Will you claim it? Hope Amidst A GREAT CONFLICT