SESSION 31

The End of Time

God wins!
If we are on his side, we win too.
Introduction
For many years, popular radio personality Paul Harvey would tell stories about real-life people and situations. With
his soothing voice, perfectly suited for radio, he would spin every tale with great detail. Each story ended with a
surprising twist followed by Harveys signature line, And now you know the rest of the story!
There was something very gratifying about gaining fresh new insight that helped you put together the pieces of
a story you thought you already knew.
Such is the case when we read chapter 31, the book of Revelation, which gives us insight to how Gods story
ends and how eternity begins. With beautiful portrayals of Jesus, clear teaching for the church, and vivid word
pictures of the end of time, John wrote down what he saw and heard in a great vision. As we are drawn in by the
drama, we gain the fresh hope that comes when we realize that God wins. We are inspired to stand strong until all
of this becomes a reality and we know it will.
If we listen closely to The Storys final words, its almost as if we can hear the silky tones of Paul Harveys voice
saying, And now you know the rest of the story!
Talk About It
Tell about the ending of one of your favorite books or childrens stories. Why do you like this ending?
Video Teaching Notes
As you watch the video segment for session 31, use the following outline to record anything that stands out to
you.
Johns vision
[Your Notes]
No more tears
[Your Notes]
Trees of life
[Your Notes]
Gods Upper Story vision is completely restored
[Your Notes]
Video Discussion
1. John painted an amazing picture of Jesus (Revelation 1; The Story, pp. 459 461). According to this portrait,
who is Jesus and what has he done?
[Your Response]
2. The book of Revelation includes short letters written to seven real churches in the ancient world. What did Jesus
letter to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1 7; The Story, p. 461) say regarding the following:
What they were doing well
[Your Response]
Where they needed to grow or change
[Your Response]
What action they should take
[Your Response]
What are specific ways we can make sure that Jesus remains the first love of our life and the first love in the life
of the local church?
[Your Response]
3. In his letter to the church in Laodicia (Revelation 3:14 21; The Story, p. 462) Jesus told the people he did not
want them to be lukewarm. What does it look like when the church becomes lukewarm and what can we do to
make sure our church stays hot for God?
[Your Response]
4. In Johns vision, he got glimpses of heavenly worship (Revelation 4 5; The Story, pp. 463 465). What from
these scenes do you learn about worship and how might this shape the way we engage and enter into praise of
our God?
[Your Response]
5. It is a serious and sobering reality that all people will spend eternity in heaven or hell. How does the book of
Revelation affirm this reality and how should this spur us to share the message and love of Jesus with the people
in our life?
[Your Response]
6. John offered us a vision of what heaven will be like (Revelation 21:1 22:5; The Story, pp. 467 469). What
specific element of this vision makes you excited to spend eternity in this glorious place?
[Your Response]
Revelation, the last book of the Bible, has sparked so much hope in believers throughout the ages. It keeps us
going in the darkest of times.
Regardless of how difficult life may be in the moment, we have, through Christs sacrifice, this wonderful place
to look forward to.
7. In the video segment, Randy talked about how the hope of heaven touches his heart because he knows he will
see his mom again, and they can worship Jesus together. Name one person you love who is already with Jesus.
How does the hope of seeing this person again make heaven even more wonderful?
[Your Response]
8. The end of The Story is this: God will be with his people again. This has been his goal from chapter 1 to chapter
31. This life is really a time to practice for heaven. What can you do on a daily basis to stay close to God and
have a dynamic friendship with him?
[Your Response]
9. Read movement 5 of The Story in the Getting Started section. How does the reality and hope of heaven inspire
you to share Gods story and your story?
[Your Response]
The Story comes to an end.
But its really the beginning.
Closing Prayer
As you take time to pray, here are some ideas to get you started:
Celebrate the glory and majesty of Jesus, the First and Last, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God slain
before the foundation of the world.
Thank God that you know the rest of the story and that you are confident that God wins!
Pray for power to stand strong in faith until the end of the story is experienced.