SERIES: What's Next? MESSAGE: What's Next? SPEAKER: Skip Heitzig SCRIPTURE: Revelatin 1 MESSAGE SUMMARY Peple have always been fascinated with the future and what's next. As we study prphecy, we can't help but wnder if current events play int an end-times scenari. The bk f Revelatin is Jhn's written accunt f the spiritual revelatin he received frm Gd abut the future return and reign f Christ. As Pastr Skips examines Revelatin 1, he encurages us t lk at the future with faith and hpe. STUDY GUIDE Cnnect Grup Recap: January 10, 2016 Speaker: Skip Heitzig Teaching: "What's Next?" Text: Revelatin 1 Path Peple are fascinated by the future. The ancients sught mens and peple tday pen hrscpes and read palms. But nly Gd knws the future. Pastr Skip began a new series thrugh the bk f Revelatin a wrk by the apstle Jhn, revealing what's next in Gd's timeline f future events. Here is his utline f Revelatin 1: Pints I. This Bk Predicts the Future (v. 3) II. This Bk Prmises a Blessing (v. 3) III. This Bk Prtrays a Persn (v. 1) IV. This Bk Prduces a Respnse (v. 17) This Bk Predicts the Future (v. 3): The bk f Revelatin is a bk f prphecies. It predicts future events, giving mre detail abut Jesus' return than any ther bk in the Bible. It amplifies in great detail the seven-year tribulatin, the Antichrist, the rapture, the secnd cming f Christ, and ur eternal state. Prphecy shws Gd's mniscience: He knws all things, frm beginning t end. Prbe: Pastr Skip mentined that sme peple are afraid f r dn't like prphecy. What was yur attitude twards prphecy befre cming t Christ? Why is prphecy imprtant fr demnstrating the reliability and trustwrthiness f Scripture? What's Next? - Revelatin 1 SkipHeitzig.cm/3953 Page 1
This Bk Prmises a Blessing (v. 3): The bk f Revelatin is the nly bk in the Bible that attaches a specific blessing t its reading and study (see Revelatin 22:7). By nt reading r trying t understand it, yu are rbbing yurself f jy. Even with all the pain and destructin detailed in the bk, jy is t be fund. Why? Satan lses; Gd wins. Prbe: Why d yu think Gd's peple are blessed when they read, understand, and keep the bk f Revelatin? What perspective d we gain frm reading it t the end? What prmises and cmfrt d we find? The Bk Prtrays a Persn (v. 1): Cntrary t ppular Prtestant leaders such as Martin Luther and Jhn Calvin wh felt that the bk f Revelatin had a lw view f Christ Revelatin puts Jesus at the center f histry, bth past and future. The Greek wrd fr revelatin is apcalupsis, which means an uncvering r unveiling. The revelatin is nt s much frm Jesus as it is abut Jesus: Chapter 1-3: Jesus superintends and evaluates His church as exalted, priestly King. Chapter 4-5: Jesus is seen in heaven as the glrified Lamb f Gd and Lin f Judah. Chapter 6-18: Jesus will be the judge f all the earth. Chapter 19: Jesus will return as King f Kings. Chapter 20: Jesus will reign n earth as bridegrm with His bride, the church. Chapter 21-22: Jesus will illuminate the eternal state and New Jerusalem. Prbe: Using the nly physical descriptin the Bible gives f Jesus (see vv. 12-16), cmpare and cntrast Jesus' first time n earth (humbling Himself) t the secnd time (His millennial reign). What differences and similarities d yu see? The Bk Prduces a Respnse (v. 17): As Jesus is revealed in this bk, ne f ur main respnses shuld be wrship. As we read and heed the truths presented, we will learn t trust mre in Jesus. Prbe: Pastr Skip reminded us that every tmrrw has tw handles: ne f fear and ne f faith. Read vv. 5-6 and 17-18. Hw des the visin f Jesus prduce faith, giving us cnfidence in Gd's plan and purpses fr the future? Practice Cnnect Up: Read Jude 1:17-18 in the ESV. Hw can prphecy draw yu clser t Gd? What des fulfilled prphecy tell yu abut Gd's prmises and purpses in the wrld? Cnnect In: Read 2 Timthy 3:16. Hw des prphecy help build and guide the bdy f Christ? Cnnect Out: Read 1 Peter 4:11 and 1 Crinthians 14:1-3. Hw can prphecy help yu witness t a weary wrld? Discuss ways yu can use the prmises f prphecy t evangelize and explain the gspel. What's Next? - Revelatin 1 SkipHeitzig.cm/3953 Page 2
DETAILED NOTES I. Intrductin A. Peple have always been fascinated with the future B. "The best thing abut the future is that it nly cmes ne day at a time" Abraham Lincln C. Sme peple have used the Bible t make their wn predictins D. The events described in the bk f Revelatin are nt imprbable in this current day and age E. Revelatin was written by Jhn 1. One f the apstles f Jesus 2. He was a part f Jesus' inner circle (Peter, James, and Jhn) 3. At the time f this writing, he was an islated prisner n the island f Patms II. This Bk Predicts the Future (v. 3) A. This revelatin is called a prphecy five times in the bk B. This bk cntains mre details abut the cming f Christ than any ther bk in the Bible C. Revelatin amplifies themes f the future 1. Seven-year tribulatin 2. Final wrld war in the Middle East 3. The Antichrist 4. Secnd cming f Christ 5. Millennial kingdm 6. Eternal state D. Sme peple are afraid f prphecy 1. Sme feel they can't understand it 2. Martin Luther even dubted it was part f Scripture 3. Antilegmena: written texts whse authenticity r value is disputed 4. Jhn Calvin wrte cmmentaries n virtually every bk in the New Testament, but did nt write ne fr Revelatin 5. Revelatin teaches a literal thusand-year reign f Christ n the earth; Calvin and Luther did nt believe in the literalness f that reign E. D nt be afraid f prphecy 1. One-furth f the Bible is prphecy 2. Gd is mniscient, s He can give messages abut what will happen in the future 3. Isaiah 41:21-23 F. Every tmrrw has tw handles 1. Anxiety 2. Faith G. This prphecy is given in signs (see v. 1) 1. Signified: distinguished frm the sign thrugh which it is cmmunicated 2. The number seven is mentined fifty-fur times H. These things will shrtly take place 1. Entachi: it will shrtly cme t pass (see v. 1) 2. When these things start, they will happen in a shrt perid f time III. This Bk Prmises a Blessing (v. 3) What's Next? - Revelatin 1 SkipHeitzig.cm/3953 Page 3
A. Revelatin is the nly bk f the Bible that has a direct and unique prmise f blessing t thse wh read, heed, and keep this message 1. If yu avid this bk, yu rb yurself f jy 2. Blessed means h hw happy 3. The mre yu read it, yu will discver Gd's plan and realize that He wins and Satan lses B. Revelatin 1. It can be understd 2. It is meant t make things clear C. The jy will be revealed when yu read, heed, and keep the message 1. Many peple will nly read 2. Live in the light f eternity IV. This Bk Prtrays a Persn (v. 1) A. This is a revelatin abut Jesus Christ 1. Apkalupsis: t uncver r unveil; a revelatin 2. T make smething visible 3. He is the main fcus f this bk B. Make clear the persn f Jesus Christ C. Cntains the nly descriptin f Jesus' physical appearance (see vv. 9-16) 1. This is the descriptin f the secnd cming 2. The Lrd's Day (see v. 10) a. Pssibly refers t Sunday b. Pssibly refers t Jhn being catapulted in the Spirit t the cming endtime events in the visin 3. Jesus' hair was white as wl (see v. 14) a. Similar t a visin Daniel saw f Gd in the Old Testament (see Daniel 7:9) b. Affirms Jesus' deity 4. His eyes were like a flame f fire (see v. 14) a. Penetrative gaze b. He knws everything and sees everything c. Hebrews 4:13 5. His feet were like fine brass (see v. 15) a. Fire and brass are symbls f judgment b. References the temple and where sins were dealt with V. This Bk Prduces a Respnse (v. 17) A. This experience changed Jhn 1. He was humbled and wrshiped Jesus 2. Similar t the transfiguratin n the munt (see Matthew 17:1-11; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36) B. "Never be afraid t trust an unknwn future t a knwn Gd" Crrie ten Bm VI. Clsing A. Revelatin cntains sme terrific, hrrific predictins, but keep reading and find ut where it leads B. Here is Gd's eventual, unflding revelatin f hw it will all end C. Sme f us need anther visin f Jesus D. The bigger picture is that He will cme in glry What's Next? - Revelatin 1 SkipHeitzig.cm/3953 Page 4
Figures referenced: Crrie ten Bm, Jhn Calvin, Abraham Lincln, Martin Luther Greek wrds: antilegmena, apkalupsis, entachi Crss references: Isaiah 41:21-23; Daniel 7:9; Matthew 17:1-11; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36; Hebrews 4:13; Revelatin 1 Tpic: Revelatin Keywrds: end times, revelatin, apcalypse, rapture, secnd cming, Armageddn, transfiguratin, prphecy, anxiety, faith What's Next? - Revelatin 1 SkipHeitzig.cm/3953 Page 5