Welcome

Our series closes with the vision of a new heavens and new earth in Revelation. Pentecost Sunday and the giving of the Holy Spirit is a foretaste of this glorious future and present reality of Gods kingdom come. In your groups share what images or pictures of heaven you had growing up and how you understand heaven now.

Worship

In Revelation 22:9, the angel exhorts John to worship God. Worship in the scriptures includes praise, lament, and listening, all aspects of glorifying God. As you go into prayer, spend some time:
- in silence, simply being present with God
- Thanking God and praising God
- giving God any concerns, needs, and laments
You could close by singing the doxology or reciting the Lord’s prayer together.

Word

Read Revelation 22:1-9
1. What features will be found in the New Jerusalem (22:1-6)
2. What do you make of heaven being a city (Jerusalem) that was known being crowded and hectic, rather than a more bucolic and natural setting? What does this say about God’s priorities?
3. Trace the origin of the river and tree of life from its source to its fruit. What does this say about the unity of scripture? About the completeness of God’s salvation?
4. What has caused you mourning, crying, and pain this past year? What does it mean to you to know that this will pass away?
5. Eugene Peterson wrote in his book “Reversed Thunder” that “Heaven is not remote, either in time or space but immediate. It is what is, barely out of the range of our senses, but brought to our senses by St. John’s vision. We are now able to look upon the events around us, not as a hopeless morass of pagan deception and human misery, but as the birth pangs of a new creation and a beckoning to participate in God’s remaking of God’s creation.” How does this understand challenge or shape our view of heaven?
6. In verses 8-9 what is John rebuked about doing? How does John’s action here reflect the tendency of humans to worship creation rather than the creator?
7. In verse 9, the angel gives John the summary of the whole of Revelation. How are you encouraged to worship God in the midst of troubling events and experiences?

Witness

What is one way that you could work this week to reflect heaven on earth? And be the kingdom’s ambassador to bring a very small portion of the hope of heaven in this passage?

Daily Readings

Monday: Revelation 1-3
Tuesday: Revelation 4-5
Wednesday: Revelation 6-7
Thursday: Revelation 10-11
Friday: Revelation 19 and 21
Saturday: Revelation 22