Heaven.
What do you think of when you think of Heaven?
Do you envision people wearing white robes and playing harps on clouds? Do you imagine living this life only getting everything
you ever wanted? Do you picture an endless party? Or an endless church service?
Will it be restrictive?
Or freeing?
What do you think we will be doing in Heaven? Will
anything be expected of us? Might we be able to do anything we want to do?
Does the thought
of Heaven excite you? Bore you? Or perhaps you haven’t given much thought to Heaven at all?
For the children of God, Heaven is home for all eternity.
Define eternity.
What is eternity compared to this life? Based on that comparison, where should our daily focus be?
This week we will see the beginning of an extensive description or our eternal destination. We will begin to see where
we will live, who we will be with, and what life will be like.
Enjoy!
Opening
Discussion
-Describe your idea of an ideal life?
Read
Here is this week’s study passage.
Please pray before you begin.
Revelation
21:1-5 (NLT)
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had
disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud
shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will
be his people. God himself will be with them.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there
will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
5
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write
this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from
the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,
Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Study
Revelation 21:1-5 (KJV)
1 And
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold,
I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Verse 1
-What
did the author see?
-How are they described?
-What happened
to the first ones?
-Why would they pass away?
-What will be absent from this new heaven and earth?
-Why?
Verse 2
-Who is the author?
-What did he see next?
-How is it described?
-From where is it coming?
-Who is sending it?
-How is it
prepared?
-Describe a bride before and during her wedding?
Verse 3
-What did he hear?
-What did it say?
-What will be with men?
-What is the tabernacle?
-Where will he dwell?
-What is the relationship between God, the tabernacle and the people?
Verse 4
-What will God do for His
people?
-What things will taken or pass away?
Verse 5
-Who speaks?
-What
does He say?
-What does He make?
-What does He tell the author?
-What do we learn about God?
-Christ?
-The Spirit?
-The author?
-His readers?
-His purpose?
-What would a life without
sorrow, tears or pain be like?
-What would you be willing to do to live such a life?
-What does it mean that God’s
words are faithful and true?
-How should that affect your walk with Christ?
-What has God shown you through this
passage of Scripture?
-With whom can you share what you learned this week?
This Week’s
Challenges
Challenge A-Reading
Continue reading the book of Revelation.
Read at your own pace.
Take notes as you go.
Challenge B-The Text
Read some or all of the verses below.
Note any similarities
with this week’s passage.
Leviticus 26:11;
Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; 51:11; 52:1; 57:3; 61:10; 65:17-19; 66:22;
Ezekiel 37:27; 48:35;
John 14:23;
1 Corinthian 15:26;
2 Corinthians 5:17; 6:16;
Hebrews 8:2;
11:10, 16; 12:27;
2 Peter 3:10, 13;
Revelation 3:12; 4:9; 7:15, 17; 11:2; 19:7, 9; 20:11, 14; 21:9-10; 22:6, 17-19
Challenge C-The Strand Challenge
Read
Genesis 20;
Psalm 20;
Romans 9:23-33.
Note
any similarities between each as well as to this week’s text.
