Revelation 21:1-8
Maybe it was the first you stayed overnight at a friend’s house, or the first time you went to summer camp. When you’re homesick, you don’t miss your actual home. You miss the security, protection and love your home represents. But have you ever been homesick for a place you’ve never seen?
The everlasting Lord has been guiding history to this point. It has all been leading to this. One day we will be with Jesus as His bride, where He will wipe every tear from our eyes. The old order will have passed away while God’s kingdom continues—forever.
Read Revelation 21:1-4:
- What are some ways our culture expresses the concept of heaven?
- How well do those ideas square up against how this passage describes the new heaven and new earth?
- How is our “knowing God” different now from how we will know Him when His kingdom is fully revealed?
- What aspect of the coming kingdom is most meaningful to you?
Read Revelation 21:5-8:
- Where are some places we might turn to satisfy our spiritual thirst, other than to God?
- Look again at verse 8. Why is it important that we see this verse as part of the new order God is creating?
- When you read verse 8, do you tend to think of it primarily as a warning or a promise?
- How does the prospect of living in a future kingdom surrounded by the glory of Christ cause us to live differently in the present?
Taking it home:
- Is there anything about the idea of eternal life with God that can be a struggle for you to look forward to?
- What steps can you take to demonstrate God’s love to others—especially to those who don’t share your hope for the future?
Other Scriptures to Engage with this week:
Isaiah 54:4-8; Deuteronomy 7:6-10; Hosea 2:16-23; Psalm 45; Isaiah 61:10-62:5; Proverbs 31:10-31.