A dark country road, a little girl left by the gate, and a father who forgot her, yet she waited, because he had promised to come back. This story opens a sermon on Revelation 19, where after long chapters of suffering a song of victory finally rings out: “Hallelujah!”, the wedding of the Lamb, and the rider on a white horse, the King of kings. The sermon reminds us that Christ keeps His promises: He will return to celebrate with those who faithfully stood by Him and to deal with evil once and for all. Listen and decide today which side you want to stand on.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Revelation 19:1-10 John moves from describing destruction to a song of praise with a repeated "Hallelujah". What might this sudden shift have meant to the persecuted Christians who first read this book?
- The rider on the white horse is called "Faithful and True", "the Word of God" and "King of kings and Lord of lords". What do these names and the whole description tell you about who Jesus is?
- The bride's garment was given to her, and yet the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints. How do you understand that salvation is by grace while good deeds still matter to God?
- The speaker pointed out that the battle ends before it begins, because the heart of it is judgment by the sword of God's word. How does this truth shape the way you look at the evil you see in the world today?
- The little girl waiting by the gate in the dark trusted her father would come back because he said so. What helps you trust Jesus' promise to return when you are going through fear and uncertainty?
- After the earthquake, the family in Peru worshipped God in a small back room even though they had lost everything. How can you give God praise this week in a situation that feels overwhelming?
