The Bridge Church of the Nazarene

Although the Bridge church will not be meeting for worship service at Radford High School for the time being, we will have a live online service tomorrow, Sunday, March 22 at 9:45 am on our Facebook group page. You can watch it by going to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bridgenaz/. Please join us for worship, singing, praying and a special message from Pastor Michael.

Rev 4:1-11 (3/22/20) Sermon Study Guide
Created by Pastor Michael Halcomb

Notes: 1) It will be best if each member of the group has this in front of them whether projected, in print, or on a personal digital device; 2) Suggested periods of time are given for reading and discussing each section. If your group does not finish, simply treat what remains as personal study material; 3) Share the conversation space. Take care to ensure that neither you, nor anyone else, is dominating the discussion; and, 4) Please do not share these outside of Bridge Pier Groups.



Part 1: In this sermon, Pastor Michael began by talking about how, although some difficult times can drive people apart, times of crisis often bring people together.

1. Why do you think that is?
2. Share about a time of crisis in your life or your family’s life when you saw it bring people together.
3. Pastor suggested that during this crisis, we’re not uniting around a virus but around fear.
What fear was he talking about?
4. This week’s “Word of the Week” was “Stasis.” What does this mean and how is it related to the preceding questions?

Part 2: In this sermon, Rev 4:1-11 was the focal passage. Read the verses and then discuss them.

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door had been opened in the sky, and the first voice that I heard speaking with me was as a trumpet saying, “Come up here, and I will show you that which must occur after these things.” 2 Straightaway, after I was in the Spirit, behold, both a throne (was) there in the sky, and sitting upon the throne 3 (was) also the one sitting like a vision of jasper and ruby stone, and a rainbow encircled the throne like a vision of emerald. 4 And encircling the throne (were) twenty-four thrones, and upon the twenty-four thrones (were) twenty- four elders sitting in white garments and upon their heads (were) gold crowns.
5 And out of the throne came lightnings and sounds and thunders, and seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which were the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne (it was) as a glassy sea like crystal. And in the middle of the throne and encircling the throne, the four living creatures were full of eyes in front and back. 7 And the first living creature (was) like a lion and the second living creature like a calf and the third living creative having a face as a person and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle.
8 And the four living creatures, one by one, each of them had 6 wings, encircling and within they were full of eyes, and they did not have a rest day and night saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God Almighty, The One Who Was, and Who Is, and Who Is Coming.” 9 And whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting upon the throne, to the one living into the ages of ages, 10 the twenty-four elders fell down before the one sitting upon the throne and bowed to the one living into the ages of the ages and threw their crowns before the throne saying:
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you created everything and on account of your desire they were and were created.”


1. What questions does this passage raise for you? Discuss anything of interest.

Part 3: Discuss the questions and comments below.

1. According to Pastor Michael, who are the “24 elders” in this passage? (Hint: It’s 2 different groups of 12.)
2. According to Pastor, who are the “4 living creatures” in this passage? (Hint: They are associated with the 4 corners of the earth/land.)
3. Discuss at least one amazing thing about the “4 living creatures.” (Hint: Think ethnicities.)
4. Based on the preceding question (#3), why is there so much value in the Bride of Christ being multi-ethnic?

Part 4: Pastor Michael noted that God the Father and God the Son are seated on thrones. There are also 24 elders on thrones. The “4 living creatures” encircle the thrones. And the Holy Spirit encircles the thrones, too (via indwelling the “4 living creatures”).

1. What is the significance of this scene in regard to the “role” of the Holy Spirit?
2. What does self-effacing mean?
3. How is the Holy Spirit self-effacing?
4. If we have the Spirit in us and guiding us, then what does it look like for us to also be self- effacing? What are some ways we can practice that?

Part 5: Read the points below and discuss.

1. Pastor suggested that we should not make light of the COVID-19 situation but take it seriously. Do you agree?
2. Likewise, we should not resort to fear-mongering or trying to scare people, especially by acting like we know an end-time scenario is upon us. Discuss.
3. Additionally, we should not act as if God created this virus and all the horrible stuff that goes along with it. The reality is: God did not create this. Saying things right now like “God is in control” has a ring to it that makes it sound as if God is the one who caused it all. Why is this problematic and how does Jesus, as the perfect representation of the Father, undermine such views?

Part 6: Pastor Michael suggested that we often have a dual side to us, kind of like Jekyll and Hyde.

1. Is this true in your life? How does it manifest itself?
2. How does the story of Oskar Schindler speak to this?
3. Finally, Pastor said, “When the darkness intensifies, it’s all the more opportunity for our lights and lives to shine brighter.” What are your thoughts on this?

Pray: Close with prayer, praying about the things discussed during this lesso