...THE END... the last sign

So, did you have fun with this series? Without a doubt, there were some themes and ideas that you had in mind that we didn't get to in 4 weeks. There were also some themes we got to that you may not have even noticed because we tackled them differently than many of us traditionally expect.

We're hopeful that people have felt encouraged to embrace mystery and yet feel more solid in their trust of Christ as we've dived into some pretty strange territory. Give us feedback on what God did in the last four weeks as you and your group have wrestled with The End.

This week, there's literally a thousand different ways to go about discussing judgment and thousands of hours to cover it in. Use this discussion to solidify your group's view of the character of God as revealed in Christ (John 14) and begin disbelieving in a divine terrorist that's coming to slay us all. Indeed, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and it's this very Jesus we stand before and are called into account. How do we begin to look forward to this, versus dread it as so many have been taught to do? How do we allow the character of God to judge us today, bringing us into conformity with his son?

As you discuss judgment, be sure and help your group understand that judgment isn't merely an announced condemnation, but is, Biblically, God calling things back into conformity with his way and spotlighting everything that's out of alignment with that. Judgment is How God sets things right again!

Thaw

Leader note: Note that the application section at the end of this study is intended to be heavy. Make sure and leave time for that part of the discussion and the prayer time at the end so that it doesn't lose its value by being squeezed in, or neglected.

• What's something you have learned about God in the last 4 weeks?
• Has there ever been a time where you ordered food that wasn't good for you while your friend ordered something very healthy? How did you feel?
• Have you ever been talking about someone and the other person said that they weren't comfortable discussing someone that wasn't present? How did you feel?

Leader note: These are scenarios where the person isn't being judgmental, and yet their life and way call your own behavior into judgment. It's an example of an absolute standard being revealed without condemnation. You may have other examples that illustrate that sense that, even if it angers you, you recognize that a good and pure judgment has occurred.

• What impacted you most from the message Sunday?
• What other thoughts has it stirred up?

Read

• Isaiah 6:1-7
• Thoughts?
• What did God say to Isaiah to call him into judgment about the purity of his speech?
• Explain what happened in this passage in your own words.

Read

• Luke 5:1-8
• What did Jesus say about Simon (Peter's) sinfulness?
• How would you explain what has happened in this passage with regard to judgment?

Read

• John 8:1-11
• Thoughts?
• How would you say Jesus handles sin?

Leader note: It's worth pointing out and discussing that Jesus says he doesn't condemn the woman (though she is not on record as having asked for this mercy and forgiveness...because God doesn't play games with magic words and phrases...he knows what we desire and what's in our best interests) though he clearly condemns the sinful behavior. Why else wouldn't he command that she never do it again? Some in the group may note that this passage doesn't show up in early manuscripts and that it seems to have been added later. There is some scholarship that suggests (convincingly) that this passage was originally not in John, but was to be found at the end of what we call Luke 21. Here, the original Greek style is perfectly attune to Luke's vocabulary and style, and flows better in the text. If it doesn't come up....you don't have to bring it up. This could definitely take you off the rails in your discussion!

Discuss

• Knowing that God wants to restore all creation to its original state of goodness (Gen 1:31, Rev 21:1-4), what are reasons people may or may not look forward to the Judge coming to set things right?

Leader note: You may want to reference Isaiah 33:22 and Psalm 98:4-9 to establish that, in many examples in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), judgment is something eagerly anticipated. You may also recognize in further study of this subject, that often times judgment is NOT something israel looked forward to. In those times, they had gotten too comfy, creating idols and living out of alignment with the Way of God. Judgment was always a more ominous idea in those seasons. But, as an oppressed but faithful people, judgment was always a welcomed reality. Interesting what difficulty can do to our desire for God's goodness!

• What's are some differences between a person that welcomes the judgment of God, and one that dreads it?
• What shifts have to take place for one to change their position on judgment?

Read

• Luke 12:2-3
• How does this passage affect how we live today?
• Is fear of being found out the point? Why or why not?
• What value does God have in one day turning all the lights on and disclosing all the secrets?

Leader note: That "disclosing" or "revealing" in the Luke 12 passage is the Greek word "apokolypto".

Apply

• How does God's judgment affect our day-to-day growth?
• How does God's judgment affect our hope in a world where things are often not fair?
• How can this group employ Christ's style of judgment, while at the same time letting go of religion's style of judgment?
• In what ways might the Spirit of Christ want to bring his judgment into the lives of this LifeGroup, but the members will not allow it?

Leader note: This is only something to dive into if you have left yourself time to "go there". Many people choose the seeming safety of shadows rather to step into light and allow themselves to be known. God uses community to begin to bring this about, so you may want to allow yourself time to get into specifics as you see fit as the leader of your unique group.

Prayer

• Invite the Word of God, Jesus, and the two-edged sword of his absolute goodness to wage war against all that which works against him. Leave a solid chunk of time for this to occur, and challenge the group to take some time at various points this week to keep up this prayer exercise of inviting the judgment of Christ.

...THE END... the third sign

We hope you're having some fun with this series, as well as having a renewed sense that the scriptures are more than merely "true", but borne out of God's desire to point us to reality (not away from it).

This is week the message will give you some fodder for discussing how the Bible discusses Christ's coming, and whether or not we're "going". The Rapture of the church has become a huge point of discussion ( and a boon for book writers!). The idea that God will take us somewhere else while things heat up here has captured a lot of attention, while making a lot of other cultures that worship Christ wonder what it comes from.

Use this discussion to see if you can come to understand the different perspectives (and find the support for them as well!) and see what it has to do with how we live our lives today. If you can't find the latter, then the former is really of no consequence.

Thaw

• How has this series been challenging your faith and encouraging you day-to-day?
• How has it altered your view of the Scriptures?
• How would you explain the Apocalyptic component of the Bible to someone else at this point?

Read

• Genesis 1:26-31
• Thoughts
• Is this Gods first intention, or is it secondary to him? Why do you believe what you believe, and what's the difference?

Leader note: See that God uses an emotional response of "very good", versus merely "I'm done". He is very pleased with how it's turned out, which means it's just what he wanted. TRo say we're to leave someday means God doesn't get, ultimately, what he felt very good about. He started, in this view, by putting people where they wouldn't be after a while because sin and brokenness ran us all off...

Read

• 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

• Thoughts?
• How do you read this verse knowing that "coming" in verse 15 is the Greek word “parousia”, which means historically 1. one becomes aware of a supernatural presence of a god, typically through the evidence of miraculous healing, and 2. when a king or emperor would personally visit one of his colonies/provinces?
• How do you interpret it knowing that the people of a city or province went out to meet a king before he came into town, or while he was still outside it?

Read

• Matthew 28:18-20
• Thoughts?

Leader note: If believers get taken off the planet, how else might people who don't know Christ find out about him as he desires? Matthew 28:18-20 seems to be an insight to Christ's heart for people. Yet, it would seem impossible to carry out in the absence of those he sends.

Discuss

• Why does it matter whether or not we are "staying" or "leaving"?
• What are the ramifications of both scenarios with regard to the love of people, of creation and the duty to have a heart for the things that God has a heart for?

Prayer

• Spend some time in prayer about the meaning of diving into difficulty in Jesus' name, versus waiting to be plucked out of it. Pray through courage, strength, determination and an increased need and desire to trust God as things get more difficult and people need to see faith all the more.

...THE END... the second sign

As a group, use the following passages (below) for your discussion time. You may want to use the "general discussion makers" on the lower righthand side of the site (just click on the heading of this post shows up in your email's inbox and it will take you to the site) to get you discussing both content and how it applies for your group specifically in the days and weeks to come.

It would be very appropriate to take communion together, as a way of subverting all other kingdoms and to celebrate that the only one on the throne, despite all other claims of power and glory and salvation, is the Lamb. For centuries, the bread and the cup and souls coming together to celebrate the true King of kings giving himself for the world (rather than trying to crush and dominate it) has been a peaceful subversion that God has blessed. Enjoy entering that tradition and drawing closer to God.

• Rev 13:11-18
• Rev 17:8-9
• 1 John 2:15-20
• 1 Kings 10:13-14
• 1 Kings 11:1-6
• Rev 7:9-17

...THE END... the first sign

For 4 weeks, we will be discussing the dominant themes of Revelation; End Times, Apocalypse, the Rapture, Antichrist(s), 666 and more.

We couldn't possible get to all the themes, let alone exhaustively handle the ones we do deal with. However, there are some important conversation and realizations to be had nonetheless.

As the group leader, don't let anyone view hijack the conversations. There are many in our faith that hold certain views of eschatology as a barometer of faith and are vigilant defenders accordingly. Others, on the opposite end of the spectrum, avoid the book of Revelation and the whole conversation because of the kooky, sci-fi factor. Our job as leaders is to allow everyone to grab on and discuss, to help the group figure out what the application is, and to really put some substance into their views that go beyond avoidance, misunderstanding or fantasy. Don't panic when you get a lot of quietness and blank stares in response to some of the questions. It's just going to be, for many groups, more challenging than normal for everyone in the group to feel like they have something intelligent and informed to say. Use this as a catalyst for personal study in between meetings, some good ole Google research (or eve one of those ancient libraries...they have resources from what I understand) and for tryin to familiarize ourselves with very mysterious, esoteric language. In the end we will find Jesus remarkably relevant yet again, and all of us having even more to rally around as the Kingdom unfolds.

Thaw

• What's your favorite doomsday movie/story?
• As a kid, did your family ever openly discuss the end?
• Did you family ever prepare for it openly? Share.
• What most stuck with you from Sunday?
• What was shared that alters your view of prophecy, or scripture, at this point?
• What was most helpful?

Read

• Revelation 1

Leader note: It may be helpful to the group to read in 3 or 4 verse segments and then discuss. Also, it may benefit them to compare Revelation 1 to Daniel 7:13, Isaiah 19:1, Ezekiel 30:1-3, as John of Patmos most certainly had these very ancient texts in mind, and as such they help us get at what his and his readers' very Jewish minds were thinking about what God was revealing.

• Thoughts?
• Visually, describe the scene. Why do you think these images are important in starting the letter?

Read

• Numbers 12:6-8

• Coming off the series on Parables, why do you think God would speak to prophets in visions, codes and allegory?

• How do we determine what parts to take literally and what parts are metaphor for something greater?
• What is the danger(s) in having a hard and fast rule either way?
• Are there any modern examples of important things needing to be explaining allegorically or the listener/receiver wouldn't understand?

Leader note: Love songs may qualify as an answer. The message wouldn't be the same if it wasn't allegory and art.

Discuss

• What issues are you most hoping to deal with in the coming weeks?
• What benefits do you recognize in having some of Revelation better understood?
• Are there any non-negotiables about end times? Share what you think they are.

Prayer

• Spend some time praying over the group for a Spirit of discernment, clarity, trust, and- dare we ask- of revelation. Pray that our view and trust in the message of Christ is strengthened, and that we can hear these words of prophecy in a manner similar to those who first received the scroll from John of Patmos: as a politically subversive, mystically intriguing, timelessly relevant, scriptural continuation of God's plan in a world that's broken. Enjoy!