Sermon Study Guides

The book of Revelation was written to give unshakeable hope and confidence to Christians who were suffering and questioning their faith in very difficult times.

This final chapter summarizes and re-emphasizes the main truths and the main things He wants the church to remember.

Jesus is God.

Jesus said about Himself, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (v.13). Jesus is fully human and fully divine. When Jesus says He is the “root and the offspring of King David,” He is declaring His two natures—that He is fully God and fully man. Only the GOD-MAN can be both David’s ancestor and His descendant. In His deity Christ is David’s root (or His creator). In His humanity, He is David’s descendant.

As the Bright Morning Star, He is declaring Himself to be the Messiah. All power and wealth, wisdom and might, honour and glory belong to Him. He is Lord and God!!

Jesus’ words are trustworthy and true (v.6). The Lord, the God who inspired the prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things that must soon take place. Verse 7 adds, “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

John warns everyone who hears the words of this scroll not to add to it or take words away from it on penalty of losing their salvation (vs. 18-19). This is a serious warning not to pick and choose which Scriptures we like and which Scriptures we will ignore.

Jesus is coming soon. He says, “The time is near!”

To those who scoff that these words were spoken almost 2000 years ago and Jesus hasn’t returned yet, we are reminded that to God it feels as though only two days have passed (2 Peter 3:9). God’s “slowness” is an indication of His patience. He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance.

Satan tries to get us off mission by deceiving us into believing there is no urgency to introduce others to Jesus. If Christ isn’t returning at all or isn’t returning for a long time, we can put off pursuing the mission to which God calls us. Millions of people die every year, and sadly the majority of them are dying without knowing Christ personally. That breaks the heart of Christ and it should break our hearts.

Satan also tries to get us off mission by tempting us to worship created things rather than the Creator. John made the mistake of falling down to worship at the feet of the angel, but the angel quickly corrected him. “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you…. Worship God!”

This serves as a reminder that even the most mature believer can be awed into false worship. In Revelation, Jesus warns us not to worship the ways of Babylon. Babylon’s goal is to totally dominate your life and value system, in other words, to receive your worship. If this life is all there is, you will spend it doing what makes you happy. Then one day you will realize too late that you gave your life for things that don’t last or matter.

Jesus will reward us for everything we do in His name.

Whatever we genuinely do and give to others to the glory of God will last forever.

Jesus said, “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what he has done” (v.12).

IN - PURSUE RELATIONSHIP

When reading a book, do you skip ahead to the end? Why or why not?
Do you tend to delay things or tackle them right away? How does this impact the way you live out your faith?

UP - PURSUE GOD

Read Revelation 22:12-13 and 16-17. What terms does Christ use to describe Himself? What is the significance (or meaning) of each?
Read Revelation 22: 7, 14-15. Who is blessed and who is cursed? Contrast and compare the behaviors that result in blessings or curses. What do these behaviors look like when lived out?
Read Revelation 22:18-19. How might we be adding or taking away from Scripture?

OUT - PURSUE MISSION

Do you anticipate or dread the promise that Christ is coming soon? If dread, what would need to change? If anticipation, how does your life demonstrate this?
Throughout Revelation, God reaches out to the lost to receive His free gift of salvation, yet Satan has lulled many Christians into putting off sharing Christ. How may your community group take this message to the lost in light of the lateness of the hour?

Personal Reflection

If you truly believe Jesus could return at any moment, how would it change the way you live today? Is there something God has been prompting you to do that you’ve been putting off?

The Word (NIV)

Revelation 22:6-20

⁶The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

⁷“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

⁸I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. ⁹But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

¹⁰Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. ¹¹Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

¹²“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

¹⁴“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

¹⁶“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

¹⁷The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

¹⁸I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. ¹⁹And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

²⁰He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

This Week's Writers: Elsa Henderson, Deb Matiko, Gene Gibbs and Jorel Quemuel