Esther
Esther 6
Esther 7
Esther 8
Esther 9
Esther 10
Esther Introduction
Esther
Esther 1
Esther 2
Esther 3
Esther 4
Esther 5
Series Theme: The Last Word Insights from Revelation
Title: Breath of Life
Opening Thoughts:
Have you ever been called as a witness in a case? Tell us about it. If not, imagine being called as a witness to give testimony. What would be the most challenging part of it?
Why does the New Testament sometimes use the word "witness" to describe our role in sharing the gospel? What is the significance of the term (for examples, see Acts 1:8; 22:15)
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 8:1-3 On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Text: Revelation 11:1-13
11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Summarize main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.
Reflections:
Witnesses are not always wanted.
Revelation 11 is called the most puzzling chapter in the Bible.
Read Revelation 11:1-2. What is the meaning behind "measuring the temple"? Where is the temple of God today (see 1 Corinthians 5:16-17)?
Measure the temple. (After 70 A.D. the temple is gone)
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.
Two Witnesses:
Read Revelation 11:3-6. Who are the "two witnesses" God will appoint to prophesy for a limited time?
11:3 Possibly two literal individual human beings are in view: either two Christian prophets who were martyred shortly before the fall of Jerusalem, or two prophets who will appear shortly before the Second Coming. But their identification with two lampstands (v. 4) suggests they might be symbolic figures standing for the witness of the lampstand churches of 1:20. If this is the case, they would symbolize churches rather than specific individuals. Two lampstands, rather than seven, are mentioned to imitate the pattern of Zech. 4 and of Moses and Elijah (11:1–14 note; cf. Deut. 17:6; Matt. 17:3, 4; Luke 10:1).
The Church needs to use its prophetic voice in this world. (Acts 1:8)
What does it mean for the Church to use its prophetic voice to bear witness for Christ in the world? When and how does the Church serve as a witness?
The prophetic witness of the church must testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
How does Satan try to silence the witness of the Church today? To what extent is he effective?
Read Revelation 11:11-12. What will happen to the two witnesses after "31/2 days"? How is this news intended to be received by first century Christians facing intense persecution?
Breath of life.
Allow God to breathe life into you!
In what part(s) of your life do you need God to breathe life? In your attitude, marriage, family, friendships, ministry, vocation, Christian witness, etc.? Explain.
God will not give up on you!
How do you feel knowing God won't give up on you—that He wants to bring life to you?
Digging Questions:
What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?
Take Away Challenges
What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?
Daniel 4
Daniel 5
Daniel 6
Daniel 1
Daniel 2
Daniel 3
Series Theme: The Last Word Insights from Revelation
Title: Washed in the Blood
Opening Thoughts:
Tell about an event or interaction that caused you anxiety last week. What news or message could you have received to help alleviate the anxiety?
Set context of scripture.
Read Revelation 6:17 “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? Given the context, what do you think it means?
Hurricane Michael - House built beyond code.
Text: Revelation 7:1-4, 9-17
7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore,
“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
16
‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
17
For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
Summarize main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.
Reflections:
Read Revelation 7:1-4. Who are the 144,000 John refers to in the passage? Have you heard any thoughts or religious doctrines based on this particular number? Will there be a literal 144,000?
Who is worthy?
John heard about the 144,000. But he saw a great multitude from every nation, tribe & tongue.
As in Revelation 5:5-6, what John heard and saw are not exactly the same. In chapter five, he heard about the Lion of Judah, but he saw a lamb that had been slain. Here in chapter 7, he heard about the 144,000, but what did John see? (Read Revelation 7:9-10)
What are the “demographics” of the great multitude standing before the throne? What does this tell you about the nature of God’s kingdom? How can this passage not only be
descriptive but also prescriptive for the church today?
“White Robe” Revelation 6:11
What is the great multitude wearing and holding? What do these things represent?
Read Revelation 7:13-14. What is the “great tribulation” from which the multitude has come?
Vs. 14 “Tribulation” same word as suffering in Revelation 1:9
The only ones who will stand are those dressed in white robes who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Why are their robes white? What does it mean to be “washed in the blood of the Lamb”? How does Galatians 3:26-29 inform this conversation?
Read Revelation 7:15-17. What words or phrases from the passage bring you the most comfort and peace? Explain.
Remember the question of 6:17? What is the answer to the question? What response in us should that answer produce?
The only way we can stand is under the shelter of God.
Digging Questions:
What if you had to stand before all the world with a sandwich board with all your sins written on it?
What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?
Take Away Challenges
Are you wearing a “white robe” washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Galatians 3:26-29 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?
ABC's of
MULTI-CULTURE
A is for AWARENESS of those around
us
B is for BEAUTY for all people
C is for CARING about each other
D is for DIGNITY that we all possess
E is for ETHNICITY of which we would
be proud
F is for FEELING, important to us
all
G is for GIVING of ourselves
H is for HOPE for a better tomorrow
I is for INTEGRITY, our standards
tell so about us
J is for JOINTLY working together
K is for KNOWLEDGE which erases
ignorance
L is for LOVE to be shared
M is for MANKIND, the entire human
race
N is for NOBODY is unimportant
O is for OPTIMISM which enhances
everyone's life
P is for PROGRESS made toward
understanding
Q is for being QUIET when asked
R is for RESPECT for oneself and
others
S is for SELF-WORTH which we should
never be without
T is for TOLERANCE toward others
U is for UNDERSTANDING different
cultures
V is for VALUES learned along the
way
W is for WEALTH gained by sharing
our diversity
X is for X-RAY vision that helps us
see the good in others
Y is for YOU. Make your life what
you want it to be, forward and upward
Z is for ZEAL to appreciate a multicultural world
-- Author Unknown
A Scene of Hope
One of the great pictures of hope in the
Bible is found in Revelation 7:9-17. God’s
Revelation to John was important for many reasons. At this time in history,
Christians were under duress. They were facing intense persecution. Their faith
in God often led to imprisonment, torture and at times even death. These people
needed a message of hope. They needed something to help them stay faithful to
God through these challenging times. Revelation provided them exactly what they
needed.
What
do we learn about God in this text? We see that God is our Savior. In Paul’s letter to Titus, both Jesus and God are described as our
Savior. In Titus 1:3; 2:10 & 3:4, Paul describes God as Savior. God has a
plan for His creation. His plan starts with our salvation. Jesus commissioned
the apostles to, “Go therefore and make disciples”. The apostles
were to share the message of the gospel with the world. Before Jesus ascends
back to heaven He tells these men that they “shall
be His witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and even to
the remotest part of the earth.” Revelation 7:9 is the result of this
preaching.
We also see God is a comforter. Notice the
picture in Revelation 7:17. God wants His people to be comforted. This has
always been true. In the Old Testament, God sends a message of comfort to the
nation of Israel through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 40:1. As a result of
Judah’s rebellion against God, they were
taken away into Babylonian captivity. Despite their rebellion, God loved His
people. He wanted them to be comforted. His message to His people in captivity
centered on comfort. “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. Isaiah offered a
message of hope to the nation of Israel. In similar fashion, John’s Revelation was a message of hope for Christians of his
day. They were struggling…but there were better days ahead. They were being
persecuted…but there were better days ahead. They were abused and
mistreated…but there were better days ahead. If you are in Christ…if you are a
Christian…if you know Jesus as Savior, there are better days ahead!
Phillip Johnson
#Hope
