Grow Guide | July 7, 2024
The Good Book
Reading: Revelation 3:14-20
Connecting Question
What is something you have been indecisive about?
What is one question you would ask of God today?
Prayer for Illumination
Let your Spirit, our Advocate, guide us still— preserving us from judgment, protecting us from sin, and leading us into righteousness, so that we may testify to the good news: fullness of life and joy for all; through Jesus Christ our Savior and in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Context
The Good Book: Meeting Our Ancestors in Faith, One Story at a Time
The Bible can be a barrier for a lot of people of faith. It’s large, intimidating, and can be confusing! Many people are wary of reading these texts, carry bruises from their upbringing, or simply do not have enough information for the stories to make any sense. This summer, we invite you to spend time reclaiming the “good” in The Good Book - learning and relearning how ancient stories relate to our stories here and now. We are so glad you are here!
From Pastor Kristofer Phan Coffman at EntertheBible.org:
Many people create scenarios of the future by pasting together verses taken from various parts of the Bible, but this often leads to fruitless speculation. It is best to read Revelation as a whole, as a book with its own integrity. As you go, note that the visions do not move in a neat chronological sequence, but often repeat and overlap, making it impossible to create a step-by-step guide to the future. Also keep in mind that Revelation would have been meaningful to the Christians who first read it, nearly two thousand years ago, and that by keeping their context in mind we can see how Revelation addresses the real needs of people living in this world.
Look at the Book
Open to Revelation 1:1. Who was this revelation given to? What seems to be the point at the beginning of the book?
According to Revelation 1:3, what’s the gift of reading this book?
The book opens with the phrase, “word of God.” What does that mean to you? For Lutherans, “word of God” has three meanings: 1. the 66 books of the Old and New Testament, 2. Jesus himself (the “word made flesh”), and 3. the announcement of good news in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. Which resonates most with you?
Revelation 1:3 says “the time is near.” What is something you have learned about “time” in your life? Why does that matter? How do you think God looks at time?
Jump to Revelation 3. Which church is being addressed in this part? Google that location. Where is it?
Count how many churches are addressed...with this one being the last one. Work backward from Revelation 3:14.
There are three short ideas in Revelation 3:15. What is being said to this church? Are they praise? Why or why not?
Faith and life happen in seasons. When was a time when your faith was hot? When was a time when your faith was cold? Why?
In verse 17, what seems to be the pressing problem facing the church?
What is the advice in verses 18? What do you make of it?
What qualities or personality do we learn about God from verses 19-20?
How does Jesus respond? Does he offer a statement or a question? Why does that matter?
The book of Revelation is called apocalyptic. That word means, “revealing.” What’s been something that’s been revealed lately in your life?
What would you like to talk about that we have not yet?
Taking it Home
Write a letter to someone this week to remind them they are not alone.
Write a letter to an elected official this week to encourage them to care for the poor among us.
God of the promise, you call your people together into your one mission in Christ’s name. Make us brave, grant us peace, challenge our expectations, and empower us to truly follow your Spirit’s lead. You are our one God who calls us together as one people, and we thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.