Revelation: A New Hope (Week 5)
In this series, we’ll explore Revelation through three lenses: the past—its Jewish roots and symbolism; the present—the context of its original audience; and the future—the timeless truth it speaks to the Church today.
For our Revelation Resources page, click here.
Warm-Up: Talk about a time you’ve had trouble “seeing the forest for the trees”. Where in your life are you most tempted to get caught up in details, uncertainty, or trying to have all the answers instead of trusting God?
Read Revelation 4:1-2 and John 10:9-10.
1. Jesus is the door connecting heaven and earth. What does this image tell us about who Jesus is and what He offers us? How does this shift how you understand what follows in Revelation. How might that shape the way you approach God?
Read Revelation 4:3-6.
2. How does the intense description of God in this passage highlight the importance of Jesus as “the door” who gives us access to God’s the power and glory?
3. In his sermon, Pete pointed out that this passage describes God’s power and glory in ways similar to what we see in the Old Testament. Why might grounding the fantastical imagery in this text in the Old Testament be important?
Read Genesis 1:1-3.
4. The Triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit—was, is, and is to come. Reflect on this truth for a moment together. When life feels chaotic or uncertain, how does this truth help steady you? When has God’s presence given you peace in the middle of uncertainty?
5. The God who loves us, and who will make all things right, is sovereign. God is on the throne. How does viewing Revelation as a message of hope (and not doom) impact the way you read it? Where do you need that kind of hope in your life right now?
6. We don't have to understand every detail of Revelation to trust God. Where do you find it difficult to live with unanswered questions about God, Scripture, or the future? What would it look like to respond with trust rather than needing certainty?
Read Revelation 4:9-11.
7. At the end of Revelation 4, the elders lay their crowns before God and worship Him, declaring that He is worthy because He created all things. What does it mean for us today to “lay down our crowns”? What are some things—control, success, possessions, certainty, recognition, etc.—that we might need to surrender to God?
(*Video available after Sunday services)
