Scripture: Revelation 21:1–6; 22:1–5
Main Themes: New creation, God’s abiding presence, love vs. empire, hope, grace, perseverance, and the return to divine intimacy.
Discussion Questions
- Returning to the Garden:
- Revelation ends where Genesis began—in a garden, with rivers and the tree of life. How does this vision of return shape your understanding of God’s story?
- What does it mean to you that God chooses to come to us rather than waiting for us to find our way to God?
- The Power of Love Over Empire:
- Pastor Mark described Revelation as a story of two competing ways of being in the world—empire and the kingdom of God. How do you see those forces at play in your own life or our society?
- When have you witnessed love and justice challenge the status quo? How does that experience shape your faith?
- Perception, Not Prediction:
- We’ve heard that Revelation isn’t about predicting the end, but perceiving God’s presence in the now. How might this shift your view of apocalyptic language or symbols?
- What “curtains” have been pulled back in your life recently—moments where you caught a glimpse of grace?
- Hope as Defiance:
- Walter Brueggemann calls hope “defiant.” What does it mean to hope in something you can’t yet see? Can you name a time when hope sustained you?
- How can we, as individuals and as a church, embody this kind of bold, countercultural hope?
- Revelation as Hallmark (Seriously!):
- Pastor Mark compared Revelation to a Hallmark movie—cheesy, maybe, but grounded in love that always wins. How does this lens shift how you read the book?
- How can we share this message—that love wins—in our community without it becoming trite or dismissive of real struggle?
- Living the Vision:
- “If it’s not well, it’s not the end.” How might this line guide you this week in your relationships, work, or struggles?
- What’s one small act of hope you can practice this week?
