CONNECT
1. If new people have joined your group, take time to introduce yourselves to each other.
2. When you were growing up, what did you do to avoid boredom?
3. Where have you seen God’s grace today?

PRAY TOGETHER
Allow a moment for silence. This is often the most meaningful moment.

Then spend a few minutes asking God to meet each of you personally, right where you are. Pray that He would show you new and beautiful things and lead you further along the path of life. Allow time for everyone to contribute as God leads.

STUDY AND DISCUSSION
◾ Resist the urge to get through all the questions. It’s OK if you don’t. That’s not the point. Let the Holy Spirit guide your reflection and discussion. Spend time reading and really thinking about what the Bible is saying.

◾ If your group has eight or more people, it might be helpful to break into circles of four or five for greater participation and deeper discussion. When you come back together, invite each group to share a few takeaways from their conversation.

1. What’s described as new in this passage?

2. How is the holy city, new Jerusalem, described as coming down? What imagery is used? Why?

3. List all the things God says He will remove or eliminate.

4. How does the image of God dwelling with His people connect to earlier parts of Scripture?

5. How do you personally respond to the idea of God dwelling fully with His people?

6. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last. What’s significant about Jesus being the first and the last?

7. Which part of this passage stretches or challenges your current perspective about heaven?

8. What might the river of the water of life symbolize?

9. What’s said about the tree of life—its fruit and its leaves?

10. What will it be like when you, the people around you, and the nations experience healing?

11. What does it mean that No longer will there be anything accursed? What’s cursed now that makes this promise so compelling?

12. What does it mean that we will reign?

Continue Exploring
13. What does it look like to create a space where questions about faith are safe to explore?

14. 2–3 Minute Reflection:
Invite each person to quietly reflect on their responses to all of the previous questions. What surprises or delights you? What stands out? What questions come to mind?

Follow with this Gentle Sharing Prompt:
What surfaced for you?

PERSONAL APPLICATION
After this week’s lesson, what’s one thought, question or takeaway you’re sitting with right now? Pause and ask God what He wants to say to you. Allow time for Him to speak, being sensitive to thoughts that come to mind. Growing often comes by simply making yourself available to God.

SCRIPTURE MEMORY
Memorizing Scripture enables us to carry within us the life-giving, life-shaping words of God at all times in all places. Here’s a verse to memorize based on this week’s teaching:

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
Revelation 21:1 (NIV)

PRAY
◾ Ask God to help you remember what’s most important from this week’s study.
◾ Thank God for His promise to make all things new.
◾ Add to this your own praises and prayers.

App and the Daily Devotional
Spend time with God with the Daily Devotionals available on the App. You can also find Sunday Message resources and videos, leave prayer requests, give and more.

Why Jesus?
If you’ve never experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we’d love the opportunity to talk with you about a life-changing relationship with Jesus. Email thepastors@brookwoodchurch.org or call 864.688.8200.

Additional Study Tools
For additional Bible Study tools, guides and devotionals, check out bible.com, youversion.com, biblegateway.com and blueletterbible.org.