Who among us likes the sound of a morning alarm, and how many alarms in our spiritual life do we ignore, pretending not to hear them? This sermon reads the seven trumpets of Revelation (Revelation 8-11) as God’s alarms meant to wake the world, and recalls the Church’s mission: first feed on the Word, then warn others. It tells the story of missionary Jim Elliot and of a ten-year-old girl who recognised the coming tsunami and saved more than a hundred people. Listen before the next alarm fades away unnoticed.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- John is told to eat the little scroll, sweet as honey in his mouth but bitter in his stomach (Revelation 10). What does this image say about receiving and passing on God's Word?
- Despite the plagues, the people in Revelation 9:20-21 do not repent, just like Pharaoh. Why does the sermon say the root issue is rebellion rather than unbelief?
- The sermon compares the trumpets to an alarm or an alarm clock. What warning signs from God do you notice around you today, and why is it so easy to ignore them?
- The two witnesses in chapter 11 are killed, then God raises them and many give Him glory. What does the story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot teach you about victory through suffering and love?
- On a plane you are told to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. What does being filled with God's Word look like for you before you serve others?
- Tilly recognized the signs of the tsunami and, instead of only running, warned others. Who will you lovingly tell about Christ as the only rescue this week, and how will you go about it?
