SERMON STUDY GUIDE Sunday May 17th, 2015
Revelation – Keep The Long View
1. What most often threatens to hijack your thinking, causing you
to be stressed out? What gets you back on track?
2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. What makes “the things that are
seen” seem so much more important than eternal things? What
is the benefit of keeping an eternal perspective over an earthly
perspective?
3. Read Revelation 2:8. How can this description of Jesus help
keep things in proper perspective?
4. Read Revelation 2:9-10. The church in Smyrna was facing really
hard things but Jesus was challenging them to see beyond the
hardship to something greater. Where are churches facing
significant suffering, like Smyrna?
5. When we face hardship and the church faces challenges, how is
this a form of spiritual warfare? How does God use this for
good? (See Romans 8:25-30)
6. The church in Smyrna was facing the temptation to compromise
so life would be easier. How do we face this same temptation
today?
7. “Our greatest enemy is not suffering, it is compromise.” What is
the danger in compromise? How can we stay faithful and still be
graceful? How does the perspective we choose to have make a
difference?
8. Read the last part of Revelation 2:10 and James 1:12. What is
the reward for persevering in the faith?
9. What can you do this week to not lose heart and live with the
long view shaping our thoughts and actions? Share what you
decide to do with a friend.
SERMON OUTLINE Sunday May 10,2015
Revelation – Keep The Long View Pastor David Cooke
The Danger of Getting Caught in the Moment
When in Doubt, Remember God’s ______________________
and His ________________________
Choosing Your Perspective
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
A. Two Perspectives
1. Now
2. Not Yet
SERMON OUTLINE Sunday May 10,2015
Revelation – Keep The Long View Pastor David Cooke
Who Is Jesus?
““And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first
and the last, who died and came to life.” (Revelation 2:8, ESV)
I. He is the bookend of history – he is the first and the last.
II. In each of the letters, the church is invited to take strength
and comfort in who Jesus is. There is power to be found for
the church, in Jesus.
Keep The Long View
Revelation 2:9–10
A. Jesus ______________________________________
B. __________________________ __Is Hard
C. All physical life has _______________________ overtones
The devil is working to destroy
Jesus is working to strengthen
D. Hard things aren’t going to ___________________________
E. Faithfulness in the midst of the struggle is the goal.
It is easy to trust God when you understand everything, when
everything is going well, when you have all you need and want.
F. Worth It.
SERMON OUTLINE Sunday May 10,2015
Revelation – Keep The Long View Pastor David Cooke
You are. He is.
V. What’s the Enemy?
A. Our greatest enemy is not ______________________
it is _______________________
B. The price is worth the reward.
Answers: Faithfulness, Promises, Knows, Life, spiritual, last forever,
suffering, compromise