“Forever Faithful”
Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
The apostle John was keenly aware that his belief put him at odds with religious and civil leaders. As is often the case, however, that which humanity intends for evil God uses for His glory.
Youth Sabbath School Ideas for: 6-18-22
LESSON PLAN 1: Go Tell the World
Scripture Passage
The book of Revelation
OVERVIEW
Have you ever had a really great secret—you know, the kind that bubbles up inside and almost jumps out each time you open your mouth? That’s kind of like the book of Revelation. It’s filled with demons, dragons, war machines, and lots of other scary things that are always poking their heads out to get attention, but the secret about the book of Revelation—are you ready? Revelation is really about Jesus—that other stuff is there, and it’s important, but the main feature is Jesus.
OPENING ACTIVITY: WANT AD
Give each student a blank piece of paper and a writing utensil. Ask them to take 10 to 15 minutes to write a want ad for a friend. This isn’t a want ad for romance—it’s a want ad for a best friend.
QUESTIONS
1. What are the top three qualifications for a best friend?
2. What are the top three disqualifying characteristics?
3. How was this assignment difficult?
4. Name an influencer, actor, YouTube content creator, or sports figure that has the characteristics of your description of a best friend.
5. Name and describe one Bible character who would meet your description of a best friend.
6. How does the Bible describe a best friend?
TRANSITION
John wrote the book of Revelation while in prison on an Island. More than likely, it wasn’t a five-star resort with people attending to his every need. Some parts of the book of Revelation might appear like the dream they had after eating a huge pasta dinner just before bed. However, on closer inspection, it’s called Revelation because it reveals future events (maybe not so distant now) and clearly reveals God’s plan for His people during the end of time.
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
Read Revelation 1:1-3.
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
QUESTIONS
Read Revelation 14:6-13.
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 A second angel followed and said, “ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
"Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
QUESTIONS
Read Revelation 15:1-4.
1I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:
"Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
4 Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
QUESTIONS
Read Revelation 19:1-10.
1After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!”
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!”
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
QUESTIONS
Read Revelation 21:1-4.
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.
QUESTIONS
Dig Deeper
APPLICATION
Revelation ends with a triumphant celebration of the conclusion of the Great Controversy. God has been vindicated, sin is no more, and God’s people are invited to spend eternity basking in the glory of God. So much has happened since the creation of humankind and the final destruction of sin, but God has been patient, merciful, loving and gracious to all and it’s over. It’s fun to read the end of the story before it’s over. This book helps us to understand the character of God, the motives of evil, and that if we follow the Lamb, we will be able to spend eternity with Him. What a triumphant conclusion to the story!
FOLLOW UP
To be inspired during the following week, listen to these songs and reflect on what God means to you.
Chris Tomlin and Kari Jobe, Revelation Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HC08NgsPqA
Hill Song United, Holy Holy Holy
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
OVERVIEW
The three angels’ messages are one of the core fundamentals taught in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Whether you’ve heard it all your life or have recently read it for the first time, they can be challenging to decode, yet vital for our lives as Christians.
The easiest way to break down the three messages is by taking them individually. All three messages are found in Revelation 14. The first angel’s message, found in verses 6-7, carries the good news that must be spread to all nations. This angel’s spoken message urged everyone to fear God because He is the creator of the universe. Essentially, the first angel’s message is the mission of our lives as Christians. We must fear God and acknowledge that He is our Creator, and spread the wonderful message of who He is and His act of salvation to everyone we can.
The second angel’s message, found in verse 8, reveals what has happened to Babylon and the cause for it. The term Babylon is used symbolically to represent the adversary’s realm, and the term itself, coined as confusion, represents the opposing side of the great controversy. The reason why Babylon ultimately falls is because she has contaminated the world with sin and all its grievances.
The third angel’s message, found in verses 9-11, explains the penitence for anyone who has succumbed to the beast’s clutches and has received the mark. All who have yielded to the devil will pay the price of the anger of God. Hellfire is also directly referenced as the ultimate punishment for those who have joined Babylon. Ultimately, all three angels’ messages serve as a call to action for the modern-day Christian, giving a message, a warning, and a clear view of what will happen when one falls into the clutches of Satan.
Three Angel’s Messages
Reflect on a time when you were given an important message.
Read Revelation 14:6-13.
6 And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.”
8 Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand 10 must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.”
12 This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”
SUMMARY
The last two verses of the passage (12-13) bring peace and hope to the dire message that was just presented. They reiterate the mission given to us as Christians, giving us the strength to keep the patience of the saints and look forward to the eternal reward ahead. The three angels’ messages are not only meant to instill fear, but rather point us in the right direction and give us a clear picture of what’s ahead. If we follow the statutes of God and the Lamb, there is no way we will fall for the devil’s tricks. Instead, we will be able to reap the eternal blessings given to those who have accepted the gift of salvation, and there is no better path to life than that.
APPLICATION
The three angels’ message is critical to us as last day remnant believers. It is always a necessary part of studying to sit back and meditate how a story applies to us today as youth. Below you will find three applications that can benefit the youth in your group and help them meditate on the word shared today. These applications work both individually and in a group.
