September 8: Discovery Questions (based on Revelation 2:1-17)
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1. When you hear the word, faithful, what person in your life comes to mind? Why?
Ask two people to read aloud Revelation 2:1-17, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize the passage.
2. The church in Ephesus was doing a lot of things right. What were they doing wrong (2:4)?
- With all of their “rightness,” what was still at risk (2:5)?
- What does this say to you about the importance of loving God and others?
3. Facing poverty, slander, and persecution, how would you have felt if you had been a member of the church in Smyrna in John’s day (2:9-10a)? How would the Lord’s words of encouragement (2:10b-11) have helped you personally?
4. As a follower of Christ, what does it mean to be poor, yet rich (2:9)?
5. In John’s vision of Christ (1:12-16), he saw “a sharp, double-edged sword” coming out of Jesus’ mouth. In his words to the church in Pergamum, Jesus described himself as “him who has the sharp, double-edged sword” (2:12).
- What is the significance of the double-edged sword?
- What does this say about the authority and impact of Jesus’ words?
6. Living in a city where Satan had a stronghold (2:13), the Christians in Pergamum remained true to Christ and steadfast in the faith. But while grounded in their own understanding, they also seemed to tolerate false teaching by others (2:14-16). How is this kind of tolerance dangerous even within a firmly grounded church?
7. Commenting on Revelation 2:17, lesson writer Mark Scott says about the church in Pergamum, “If they repented, they would experience fresh bread (i.e. manna) and a new identity (white stone with a new name written on it).”
- Is it possible for an entire church to repent of wrongdoing?
- How do you think that could work?
8. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
For Next Week: Read and reflect on Revelation 3:1-22. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Author: Christian Standard
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