CONNECT: How can your life as worship anticipate Jesus’ return?

WARM-UP Questions

1.  Have you ever met a Christian when you were away from home or in an unfamiliar place? What did it feel like to realise that you share ‘what matters of the highest importance’ in common?
2. How exciting do you find the prospect of joining in perfect unity with God and your brothers/sisters in Christ in God’s future Kingdom?

READ Revelation 7:9-13

1. Who is the ‘Lamb’ described in this passage? How many people are standing around the throne and before the Lamb? How does this fill you with great excitement?
2. How is it evident that the Gospel knows no cultural or racial boundaries? What is the implication for us in our role of evangelism?
3. What is the cry of the great multitude? What do you think is meant by this? (Try particularly to think about how you would explain this to someone who is not yet a Christian.) 
4. What is the response of the angels? Why do you think they respond in such a way?
5. Why is God deserving of all praise and glory? Who is not? What do you think this looks like in our lives?
6. What do you find most challenging in giving God all praise and glory? 

READ Revelation 7:14-17

1. How have we been ‘made white’ in the blood of the lamb? Why is this the essential ingredient to having confidence of salvation?
2. As we anticipate our ultimate future together as the People of God, what do you think it looks like to serve God? Why is the idea of serving God something that should fill us with joy?
3. What are the bad things in this world which we will notexperience in God’s future Kingdom? How does the eradication of these things fill you with an eagerlonging?
4. As you reflect on the pain and suffering of this world – along with your own experience of that – what consolation is it to know that God will ‘wipe away every tear’ from your eyes?
5. How is Jesus both the lamb and shepherd? What does it mean to you to know that our Lord is both?
6. Where will you spend most of your time tomorrow? What does it mean for Jesus to be your shepherd?
7. How can we live as God’s people today in anticipation of our glorious – and glorifying – future?

APPLY This Week: How can you grow in unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ?

‍

For Families

• ‘A big, big crowd (Revelation 7:9-17)’ by Revelation for Kids

Sermons

• ‘Life after death’ by David Jensen
• ‘No more tears’ by Dick Lucas
• ‘Celebration: Washed, Serving, Comfort, Shepherd, & Shelter’ by Dominic Steele
• ‘Who are these dressed in white robes?’ by Grant LeMarquand
• ‘The Different Victory’ by Adam Mabry
• ‘The Great Multitude’ by Voddie Baucham
• ‘Revelation 7:9-17’ by Peter Lin
• ‘The Great Multitude’ by Richard Trist

Other Helpful Articles and Courses

• Open Yale Course on Introduction to New Testament History and Literature (see Revelation Handout):
• ‘A multicultural multitude’ by Craig Keener
• ‘The book of Revelation and Work’ by Theology of Work

‍