Only the Beginning

PRAY: Heavenly Father, as I near the end of my journey through the Bible, help me to get a clear understanding of the essential Jesus.

READ: Revelation 21:1–22:21

REFLECT: When I start reading a novel, I often turn to the back and scan the last few paragraphs first. Some people think that ruins all the fun, but I like to find out who will be left standing by the end of the story (shows you what kind of books I read!). But in a sense, that's what we are doing in our passage today; we're reading the last paragraphs of the Bible, and they give us a glimpse of the greatest happily-ever-after conclusion we could imagine.

As we discovered in our last section, the book of Revelation is a vision that the apostle John had several decades after the resurrection (Revelation 1:9-10). In Revelation 1–3 the focus was on specific messages from Jesus to seven first-century churches. But in Revelation 21–22 the focus has switched to the end of the world, and we discover that God intends to establish "a new heaven and a new earth" (21:1). That's an encouraging thought when we consider what's happening in the world today.

There are probably a few things about this passage that you found difficult to follow. What we need to remember is that Revelation is the record of a vision; it's best to focus on the main point rather than every little detail (see p. 171 in "The Early Church of Jesus"). And the main point is very clear. In the end Satan will be defeated (Revelation 20:7-10), the curse of sin will be broken (Revelation 22:3), and the Father and Son will be present with us. "God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them" (Revelation 21:3 NLT). What an incredible vision that is!

For those who belong to Christ, the end of the world is only the beginning of eternal life (Romans 6:23). That's the Bible's greatest story, and that's the heart of the essential Jesus story.

APPLY: How does God's plan to establish a new heaven and a new earth affect the way you live now?

PRAY: Lord, I look forward to the day when I'll see your face. Help me to live my life with that end in mind. Come, Lord Jesus.

Discussion Questions for "The Second Coming of Jesus"

1. How do you feel about the state of the world today? Does it seem worse, better or the same as it's always been? Why?
2. How would you respond to a friend who says, "Look, after two thousand years I think it's safe to assume that Jesus isn't going to come back. Maybe Jesus meant it as a figure of speech rather than a literal promise"?
3. Have you ever run into a view of the end times that doesn't seem to square with what the Bible says? What was it, and how did it compare to what you learned in The Essential Jesus?
4. What's your rationale for making things better in the here and now, since God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth anyway?
5. Some Christians say that in light of the return of Christ the only thing that matters is evangelism, and that we shouldn't waste too much time on things like peace, justice, poverty and the environment. What do you say?
6. What is your view of heaven? What will it be like, who will be there, and how can you be sure you'll be one of them?
7. In what ways does your view of the second coming of Jesus affect the way you live today?

The Essential Jesus (Part 20): Who Is Jesus... to You?

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