What if heaven isn’t about where you’re going and who gets in and who gets left out? In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore Revelation 21-22 and uncover a stunning vision of a God who isn't destroying humanity, but rescuing it - defeating evil, throwing open the gates, and making all things new. This isn't a story about escaping earth; it's a story about heaven invading it.

Discussion Questions:

1. When you hear the word "heaven," what images or assumptions immediately come to mind? Where do you think those ideas came from?

2. What do you think is at stake in the difference between a God who destroys creation and a God who redeems it?

3. Revelation describes the gates of the New Jerusalem as never being shut. What does that image communicate about God's character?

4. Robyn’s message argues that God's judgment is directed toward evil rather than people. What do you find compelling - or challenging - about that idea?

5. If heaven is "the realm and rule of God" invading earth, where do you already see signs of that happening today?

6. Why do you think fear-based interpretations of Revelation have remained so popular within parts of the church?

7. Revelation ends with a city whose resources flow outward rather than being hoarded inward. What might that vision teach us about economics, generosity, and community -  and what would it look like to embody that way of life now?

8. How does the image of God making "everything new" shape the way you think about people, society, and the future?

9. If the New Jerusalem is both a future hope and a present reality, where do you already see glimpses of it in our world today?

10. The Book of Revelation is less about predicting events and more about revealing what reality looks like when God finally defeats evil. How has that changed the way you’re reading the book as we’ve gone through this series?

11. What questions have surfaced as we’ve gone through this series?

Why are so many Christians fascinated by end-times destruction but uncomfortable with enemy-loving Jesus? Revelation may be asking a very different question than we've assumed. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we unpack one of Revelation's most violent-looking passages and discover surprising clues that point us back to the crucified Christ. What if the ultimate victory of God isn't achieved through killing enemies, but through transforming them?

Discussion Questions:

1. Before this series, what words or images came to mind when you thought about Revelation? Have any of those changed today or have they changed over the past seven weeks?

2. If Revelation is an unveiling of Jesus rather than a prediction of the end of the world, how does that shift the way you read the book?

3. Why do you think violent interpretations of Revelation have often been so compelling to Christians throughout history?

4. The rider's robe is already covered in blood before any battle takes place. What significance do you see in that detail?

5. What do you make of the idea that the sword coming from Jesus' mouth symbolizes truth confronting deception rather than violence against people?

6. If God's judgment is directed toward evil, not people, what challenges or questions does that raise for you?

7. Robyn said, "We are victorious when we follow the way of the Lamb, not just the beliefs of the Lamb." What is the difference between those two things?

8. Where do you find yourself most tempted to trust power, control, force, or self-protection instead of the way of sacrificial love?

9. If Jesus truly reigned in your workplace, school, family, neighborhood, or city, what would look different? What is one practical step you could take this week to embody the way of the Lamb there?

10. Taken together, how do these clues transform Revelation 19 from a story about violence into a story about truth, redemption, and victory through love?

Resources:

BOOKS:

Bauckham, Richard, The Theology of the Book of Revelation

Duncan, Jeremy, Upside Down Apocalypse

Gorman, Michael, Reading Revelation Responsibly

McKnight, Scot, Revelation for the Rest of Us

Peterson, Eugene, Reversed Thunder

Sprinkle, Preston, Exiles

Whitaker, Robyn, Revelation for Normal People

Wood, Shane, Thinning the Veil

Zahnd, Brian, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

Zahnd, Brian, The Wood Between the Worlds

PODCASTS & LECTURES

Boyd, Greg, Woodland Hills Church sermon series beginning 2023 09 17

Whitaker, Robyn, Bible for Normal People podcast, Ep 259

Witherington, Ben III, Seven Minute Seminary series, Youtube

Wood, Shane, Ozark Christian College Lectures https://www.shanejwood.com/the-book-of-revelation/

Wright, N. T., Youtube Lectures

What if the greatest threat to your faith isn't something obvious, but something you've learned to admire? Revelation isn't a roadmap to the end of the world; it's an unveiling of the powers, systems, and allegiances that quietly shape our lives. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore the beasts, the infamous 666, and John's startling warning that evil often disguises itself as success, security, prosperity, and even religion itself.

Discussion Questions:

1. When you hear "Revelation," what assumptions or images immediately come to mind? Where do you think those ideas came from?

2. Robyn suggested that reading Revelation primarily as a prediction of future events can become escapist. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

3. What does it mean to say that Revelation "comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable?"

4. Why do you think evil is often easier to recognize in individuals than in systems, institutions, or cultures?

5. The dragon, the beasts, and the prostitute all symbolize forces larger than any one person. What modern examples might fit those categories today?

6. How does John's portrayal of empire challenge the way we think about power, success, patriotism, economics, or influence?

7. Robyn's message describes evil as something that often masquerades as good. Can you think of examples where something beneficial or attractive can also become harmful or oppressive?

8. Revelation presents the slaughtered Lamb - not military strength - as God's answer to evil. Why is that vision so counterintuitive? What implications does it have for how Christians engage conflict today?

9. If the "mark of the beast" is less about a future technology and more about allegiance and participation in systems opposed to God's kingdom, how might that change the way we read the passage?

10. Looking honestly at your own life, where do you feel tension between the values of God's kingdom and the values of the surrounding culture?

Resources:

BOOKS:

Bauckham, Richard, The Theology of the Book of Revelation

Duncan, Jeremy, Upside Down Apocalypse

Gorman, Michael, Reading Revelation Responsibly

McKnight, Scot, Revelation for the Rest of Us

Peterson, Eugene, Reversed Thunder

Sprinkle, Preston, Exiles

Whitaker, Robyn, Revelation for Normal People

Wood, Shane, Thinning the Veil

Zahnd, Brian, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

Zahnd, Brian, The Wood Between the Worlds

PODCASTS & LECTURES

Boyd, Greg, Woodland Hills Church sermon series beginning 2023 09 17

Whitaker, Robyn, Bible for Normal People podcast, Ep 259

Witherington, Ben III, Seven Minute Seminary series, Youtube

Wood, Shane, Ozark Christian College Lectures https://www.shanejwood.com/the-book-of-revelation/

Wright, N. T., Youtube Lectures

What if the Christmas story isn’t as peaceful as we’ve made it, but actually a cosmic battle between good and evil? In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore Revelation 12 and uncover a second perspective of Christmas. While a baby is born on earth, a cosmic battle unfolds in the heavens. This message challenges how we see God, suffering, and the deeper reality behind our world, and reminds us of the hope that holds it all together: God wins.

Discussion Questions:

1. When you think of the Christmas story, what images or emotions come to mind, and how does Revelation 12 challenge or expand that?

2. Why do you think we prefer the peaceful version of Christmas over a more cosmic, conflict-filled one?

3. The message suggests there’s more happening “behind the scenes” in our world—how do you respond to that idea?

4. What are some modern-day masks of evil that might appear good or noble at first glance?

5. How can we learn to discern the “signature of evil” versus the character of God revealed in Jesus?

6. If Jesus shows us what God is like, how does the image of the “slaughtered lamb” reshape our understanding of power?

7. Why is it important that God wins not through force, but through sacrifice and the cross?

8. How have you personally wrestled with the reality of evil or suffering in your life or the world?

9. What does it practically look like to “conquer evil by being the body of Christ” in everyday life?

10. John’s message is essentially “hold on; God wins.” How do you hold onto hope when evil feels like it’s everywhere? What helps you hold onto hope when life feels overwhelming? What does hope actually look like in those moments?

Resources:

BOOKS:

Bauckham, Richard, The Theology of the Book of Revelation

Duncan, Jeremy, Upside Down Apocalypse

Gorman, Michael, Reading Revelation Responsibly

McKnight, Scot, Revelation for the Rest of Us

Peterson, Eugene, Reversed Thunder

Sprinkle, Preston, Exiles

Whitaker, Robyn, Revelation for Normal People

Wood, Shane, Thinning the Veil

Zahnd, Brian, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

Zahnd, Brian, The Wood Between the Worlds

PODCASTS & LECTURES

Boyd, Greg, Woodland Hills Church sermon series beginning 2023 09 17

Whitaker, Robyn, Bible for Normal People podcast, Ep 259

Witherington, Ben III, Seven Minute Seminary series, Youtube

Wood, Shane, Ozark Christian College Lectures https://www.shanejwood.com/the-book-of-revelation/

Wright, N. T., Youtube Lectures

In this message from Robyn Elliott, we unpack the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and ask whether they actually represent the judgment of God, or the destructive consequences of human empire, violence, greed, and conquest. Revelation’s disturbing imagery doesn’t reveal a bloodthirsty God, but exposes the systems that destroy humanity while pointing us back to Jesus, the slaughtered lamb who rules through self-giving love.

Discussion Questions:

1. The Book of Revelation is ultimately about the revelation of Jesus. How does that shift the way you approach the difficult or violent imagery you see throughout the book?

2. Before this message, what did you think the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse represented, and how has that understanding been challenged or expanded?

3. The white horse symbolizes conquest and the endless pursuit of power, the black horse symbolizes economic injustice and systems that crush the vulnerable, and the pale horse symbolizes the death and destruction that follow human violence. Where do you see these realities showing up in our world -  or even in everyday life - and why do you think humanity keeps repeating these patterns?

4. The second horseman exposes the lie that violence can create peace. Do you agree? Why or why not?

5. Revelation repeatedly contrasts appearances with reality -  what John hears versus what he sees. Where do you see that same tension in your own life or culture today?

6. Robyn said, “The cross is the way God rules and the way God wins.” What does that statement challenge about the way humans normally think about power?

7. If someone’s image of God is primarily angry, punitive, or violent, how might that affect the way they read Scripture, treat people, or understand themselves?

8. This message suggests the judgments in Revelation are less about God inflicting pain and more about humanity experiencing the consequences of its own systems and violence. What do you think about that interpretation?

9. After hearing this message, what part of your understanding of God, power, or judgment feels most challenged or rethought?

Communion is more than a ritual - it’s an invitation into participation with Jesus and with one another. In this message from Johanna Kelly, we explore Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10 and discover how the table reshapes our loves, reorients our priorities, and reminds us that we are one body sustained by one source.

Discussion Questions:

1. Think of a meal or table moment you remember deeply. What made it memorable and meaningful? Was it the people, the atmosphere, the conversations, the feeling of being together?

2. Paul says we are one body sharing one loaf. Why is unity such an important part of communion?

3. The Table becomes the place where our love is reordered, our priorities are reshaped, our hearts are formed, and our lives are re-centred on Jesus. Why does this matter so much when we talk about communion being a shared experience?

4. In what ways can communion become routine instead of transformational?

5. Are God’s priorities becoming your priorities? Where do you see growth in that? Where is it challenging?

6. Where might God be inviting you to pour yourself out in love for someone else right now?

Revelation doesn’t give us the God we expect - it confronts and reshapes our understanding of power, victory, and what it truly means for Jesus to reign. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore the shocking moment when John hears about a conquering lion but turns and sees a slaughtered lamb, revealing that God’s power looks nothing like the empires and systems we trust in. The cross isn’t just how Jesus saves; it’s how Jesus rules.

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever expected one thing and gotten something completely different - like thinking you were drinking Coke but it turned out to be Root Beer? How does that experience help frame the message of Revelation?

2. Why do you think Revelation uses strange, symbolic, and apocalyptic imagery instead of straightforward language?

3. What stood out to you most about the image of the lion turning out to be a slaughtered lamb?

4. Robyn suggested that power isn’t just found in governments or empires, but also in churches, families, workplaces, and relationships. Where do you see distorted power operating most clearly today?

5. What does it mean that Jesus has lion-like power but not lion-like character?

6. How does viewing Jesus’ crucifixion as his coronation challenge common ideas about success, strength, leadership, or victory?

7. Robyn said, “The cross is not just an atonement theory; it’s the way God rules.” What do you think that means practically for Jesus followers today?

8. Are there areas of your life where you’ve kept Jesus in the “salvation box” but not allowed him into other areas like politics, control, grudges, ambition, or relationships?

9. Revelation presents a kingdom built through vulnerability, sacrifice, and faithfulness rather than domination. Why is that vision both compelling and difficult?

10. If the Lamb is the clearest picture of who God is, how should that reshape the way we engage with enemies, conflict, politics, and power?

Revelation isn't a crystal ball - it's political resistance literature written to expose the lies behind power and call the church to faithful allegiance. In this message, Robyn Elliott unpacks the world John was writing into, why empire is always in conflict with the kingdom of God, and what it means for us to hold on when the current is strong.

Discussion Questions:

1. When you hear the word "Revelation," what's the first thing that comes to mind? Where did that impression come from?

2. Have you ever felt like you're on a hamster wheel,  like nothing changes, the powerful stay powerful, and your life doesn't count for much? What does that feel like?

3. What would it look like for your faith to actually matter in your day-to-day life this week?

4. John wrote to encourage suffering Christians who had been cut off from their social networks and communities. Where do you draw courage when following Jesus costs you something?

5. Revelation is apocalyptic literature - a genre designed for political resistance and imagination, not prediction. How does knowing the genre change the way you read it? Does it change anything about how you've understood it in the past?

6. Rome was religiously tolerant, but Christians were persecuted specifically because they refused to pledge allegiance to the empire. In what ways do modern institutions - governments, corporations, cultural movements - demand a similar kind of allegiance? Where do you feel that tension?

7. The message suggests that the pursuit of power is, by its very nature, in conflict with the kingdom of God. Do you agree? Are there ways power can be exercised that don't conflict with God's kingdom, or is the tension unavoidable?

8. What does it mean that the “victory of God” begins with messages to local churches rather than global events?

Resources:

BOOKS:

Bauckham, Richard, The Theology of the Book of Revelation

Duncan, Jeremy, Upside Down Apocalypse

Gorman, Michael, Reading Revelation Responsibly

McKnight, Scot, Revelation for the Rest of Us

Peterson, Eugene, Reversed Thunder

Sprinkle, Preston, Exiles

Whitaker, Robyn, Revelation for Normal People

Wood, Shane, Thinning the Veil

Zahnd, Brian, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

Zahnd, Brian, The Wood Between the Worlds

PODCASTS & LECTURES

Boyd, Greg, Woodland Hills Church sermon series beginning 2023 09 17

Whitaker, Robyn, Bible for Normal People podcast, Ep 259

Witherington, Ben III, Seven Minute Seminary series, Youtube

Wood, Shane, Ozark Christian College Lectures https://www.shanejwood.com/the-book-of-revelation/

Wright, N. T., Youtube Lectures

Unveiling The Apocalypse: Slaughtered Yet Standing by Lakeside Church

Baptism is more than a ritual - it’s a powerful symbol of death, rescue, and new life. From the chaos of ancient waters to the story of Jesus, this moment tells a bigger story of identity, freedom, and belonging. Following this message from Robyn Elliott, we witness two people step into that story and into a new life.

Discussion Questions:

1. What has been your experience with baptism, either personally or what you’ve seen in others? (If you haven’t been baptized yet, what is stopping you?)

2. What part of your “old self” do you find hardest to let go of, and why do you think you hold onto it?

3. Have you ever experienced a moment that felt like a personal before and after? What changed in you?

4. What lies about yourself do you tend to believe when you fail or fall short? And if you really believed your identity was secure and unshakeable, how would your life look different this week?

5. What parts of your life feel like chaos right now, and what would it mean for something new to come out of that?

6. The message describes faith as becoming part of a messy, diverse family. What has your experience of “spiritual community” been like?

7. Why do you think shared rituals (like baptism) matter for building a sense of belonging?

8. Water is described as both chaos and salvation in Scripture. What do you think that tension reveals about how God works?

9. Paul talks about identity being rooted in Christ rather than performance. How does that challenge modern ideas of self-definition?

10. If baptism is a “dress rehearsal” for resurrection, how should that shape how we live now?

11. If your life had a “reset button,” would you press it? Why or why not?