Small Group Discussion Guide

"Just and True: Understanding God's Judgment and Mercy"

Based on Revelation 15–16 | One Harbor Church

A Note to Facilitators: Welcome, and thank you for leading your group this week! This guide is designed to help your group engage honestly and openly with a topic that can feel uncomfortable — God's judgment. You don't need to be a theological expert to lead well. Your job is simply to create a safe space for genuine conversation, ask good questions, and listen well. Trust the Holy Spirit to do the rest. All scripture passages are printed in full for easy reference. Estimated times are suggestions — adjust freely based on your group's energy and needs.

OVERVIEW

This week's sermon from Revelation 15–16 explored one of the most challenging aspects of God's character: his holy judgment. Pastor Nathan walked us through the seven bowls of God's wrath, drawing a powerful connection to the Exodus story, and helped us see that God's justice and his love are not opposites — they belong together. The central invitation of the message was this: God's judgment should deepen our worship, sharpen our alertness, and increase our compassion for those who haven't yet heard the good news of Jesus.

ICEBREAKER

⏱ 5–10 minutes

Go around the group and have everyone answer this question before diving into the sermon content:

"Think of a time — maybe from a movie, a news story, or your own life — when you witnessed something that was genuinely unjust finally being made right. How did that feel?"

[Leader Tip]: This question helps ease the group into the topic of justice in a non-threatening way. It doesn't require any biblical knowledge and invites everyone to participate equally. Keep this light and brief — it's just a warm-up!

SCRIPTURE READING

⏱ 5 minutes

Have someone in the group read each passage aloud. You may want to ask two different people to read — one for each passage.

Revelation 15:1–4

"Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire — and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

'Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.'"

Revelation 16:8–11

"The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds."

Revelation 16:15

"'Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed.'"

Brief Context for Your Group: Revelation was written by the Apostle John while he was exiled on an island called Patmos. He was writing to real churches facing real persecution under the Roman Empire. The vivid, symbolic imagery — bowls, beasts, plagues — was a style of writing called apocalyptic literature, common in that era. It uses powerful symbols to communicate deep spiritual truths rather than a literal, step-by-step prediction of future events. The seven bowls in chapter 16 echo the ten plagues God sent on Egypt in the book of Exodus — a reminder that God acts to free his people and judge those who oppose him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

⏱ 30–45 minutes

Work through as many of these questions as time allows. Questions are organized to move from observation to interpretation to personal application. Feel free to skip questions that don't fit your group, or linger longer on ones that spark good conversation.

SECTION 1: Opening Observations

Starting with what we noticed — no wrong answers here.

1. What was one thing from Sunday's sermon that stood out to you, surprised you, or stayed with you this week?

[Leader Tip]: This is a great first question because it invites everyone in without requiring deep theological knowledge. Resist the urge to fill silence immediately — give people 10–15 seconds to think. If the group is quiet, share your own answer first to model vulnerability.

2. Pastor Nathan said, "Love without justice is sentimental, and justice without love is retaliation." What do you think he meant by that? Do you agree?

Optional follow-up if discussion stalls: "Can you think of a real-life example — in a relationship, a family, or society — where love without accountability actually caused harm?"

SECTION 2: God's Justice and Our Reaction to It

Exploring what the Bible says and how we feel about it.

3. Be honest: How do you personally tend to feel about the idea of God's judgment? Does it make you uncomfortable, relieved, confused, or something else — and why do you think that is?

[Leader Tip]: This question invites honesty and self-reflection. Normalize the range of responses. Some people may feel genuine discomfort with God's judgment; others may feel relief. Both are valid starting points for conversation. Avoid steering people toward the "right" answer — let the discussion breathe.

4. The sermon drew a connection between the seven bowls in Revelation 16 and the ten plagues in the Exodus story. In both cases, God's judgment brought freedom for his people. How does the context of oppression and suffering change the way you think about God's judgment?

For reference, here's the song Moses and the Israelites sang after crossing the Red Sea:

"Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed." — Exodus 15:11–13

5. The sermon pointed out that in Revelation 16, after experiencing the fourth and fifth bowls of judgment, the people "did not repent." Pastor Nathan said, "The worst thing in the world is not sin — it is unrepentance." What do you think the difference is between someone who sins and someone who is unrepentant? Why does that distinction matter so much?

[Leader Tip]: This is a theologically rich question. Help the group see that everyone sins — the difference is what we do with it. Repentance isn't about being perfect; it's about turning back toward God. If someone in the group is carrying shame about past sin, this question can open a door to grace. Be ready to affirm that the gospel is for everyone in the room.

SECTION 3: Worship in Response to God's Justice

Looking at how the people of God respond.

6. In Revelation 15, the people who had endured suffering and persecution respond to God's judgment not with anger or confusion — but with worship. They burst into song. What does that tell us about what it means to truly understand God's justice? What would it take for us to respond to hard news with that kind of worship?

The song they sang included these words:

"Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!" — Revelation 15:3

7. Pastor Nathan said that our prayers — even the ones that feel unanswered — are like incense to God, gathered in golden bowls. He connected this to Revelation 5:8, where the prayers of the saints are held before God. How does it change your prayer life to know that God holds your cries and longings — even the ones that haven't been answered yet?

For reference:

"And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." — Revelation 5:8

SECTION 4: Staying Alert — Living in Light of What's Coming

The one direct instruction Jesus gives the church in these chapters.

8. The only direct instruction Jesus gives to the church in Revelation 15–16 is this: "Stay awake. Keep your garments on. Be ready." Pastor Nathan used the image of preparing your home for someone you love to return. If Jesus came back today, what in your life would feel "ready"? What might feel "exposed"?

Note: This is a personal and honest question. You don't need to share specifics — but try to be genuine with yourself.

[Leader Tip]: This question can feel convicting, so lead with grace. Remind the group that the goal isn't guilt — it's honest reflection that leads to growth. You might frame it this way: "This isn't about being perfect. It's about the direction our hearts are pointed."

9. The sermon closed with a call to share the good news with others — because "it is not yet too late." Pastor Nathan asked whether we're like the servant who hid his talents or the one who multiplied them. Who is someone in your life right now who hasn't yet heard or responded to the gospel? What's one small, practical step you could take this week to love them well?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

⏱ 10–15 minutes

Take a few minutes to reflect individually, then share with the group as you feel comfortable. These questions are more personal — there's no pressure to share everything.

Reflect quietly for 1–2 minutes, then discuss:

1. The sermon described repentance not as a one-time prayer, but as a new direction of life — turning away from living for yourself and turning toward Jesus. In what area of your life do you sense God inviting you to turn toward him more fully right now?

2. Is there someone in your life who has wronged you or others — and where justice hasn't come? How does knowing that God sees everything and judges justly affect how you're carrying that situation?

3. Pastor Nathan said, "The closer we follow Jesus, the more amazing his mercy appears." How has your understanding of your own need for grace changed or deepened over time? What has that done to your gratitude?

🗓 THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Choose one (or more) that fits where you are right now:

• Pray the "How long, Lord?" prayer. Identify one area of injustice or brokenness in the world or your community that grieves you. Spend time this week bringing it honestly to God, trusting that he sees it and will one day make it right.

• Write a letter you don't send. Think of someone you need to forgive or a situation where you're waiting for justice. Write out your honest feelings to God about it. Then write a response based on what you know to be true about his character.

• Take one step toward someone far from God. Reach out to one person in your life who doesn't know Jesus — not to preach at them, but simply to show up, listen, and love them.

• Examine your "garments." Spend 15 minutes in quiet reflection this week asking: "If Jesus returned today, what would I want to have done differently? What would I want him to find me doing?" Write down what comes to mind and bring it back to God in prayer.

• Join the church fast. If you haven't already, consider participating in the upcoming churchwide fast next Wednesday. Use the fast as a time to pray specifically about the things this sermon stirred in you.

PRAYER FOCUS

⏱ 5–10 minutes

Close your time together in prayer. You can use these prompts to guide your group's prayer, or invite people to pray freely based on what God has stirred in them today.

Suggested Prayer Topics:

• Gratitude — Thank God that his justice and his mercy both find their fulfillment in Jesus on the cross.
• Honesty — Ask God to reveal any area of unrepentance or spiritual sleepiness in our own hearts.
• Compassion — Pray by name for people in your lives who don't yet know Jesus, asking God to open doors and soften hearts.
• Endurance — Pray for brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering for their faith, that they would hold on with the same hope as the saints in Revelation 15.
• Alertness — Ask God to keep your group wide awake spiritually — ready, expectant, and actively living for his return.

[Leader Tip]: If your group isn't comfortable praying out loud, you can close with a simple prayer yourself and invite people to pray silently. You might also try "popcorn prayer" — short, one-sentence prayers — which can feel less intimidating for newer believers or quieter personalities.

OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE

For groups wanting to explore further — use if time allows or assign for personal study

1. Read Exodus 14:26–15:21. This is the account of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea and the song Moses sang afterward. How does reading this original story deepen your understanding of what the saints are singing in Revelation 15? What emotions do you notice in Moses' song, and how do those emotions connect to the idea of God's justice?

2. Pastor Nathan referenced Paul's words in Ephesians 2:1–3 about "the prince of the power of the air." Read Ephesians 2:1–10 in full:

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

How does this passage capture both the reality of judgment and the wonder of mercy in the same breath? What phrase or image stands out most to you, and why?

3. The sermon described God's judgment as something Christians should actually long for — not with indifference toward the lost, but with a deep desire to see evil ended and all things made right. Read Romans 8:18–25 and discuss: How does Paul describe the posture of waiting and longing? What does it look like to hold both grief for the world and hope in God's coming justice at the same time?

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." — Romans 8:18–25

RELATED PASSAGES FOR FURTHER READING

A FINAL WORD FOR FACILITATORS

You did it — thank you for investing in your group this week. Leading a discussion on God's judgment takes courage, and the fact that you showed up matters more than whether every question landed perfectly. Here are a few reminders as you close:

• It's okay if the conversation got messy or uncomfortable. That often means people are being honest, which is exactly what we want.
• Follow up with anyone who seemed to be carrying something heavy. A text or phone call this week can mean the world.
• Celebrate the conversation. Even if your group only got through three questions, genuine dialogue about hard truths is a gift.
• Pray for your group by name this week, asking God to continue the work he began in your time together.

"Come soon, Lord Jesus." — Revelation 22:20

This guide was prepared for One Harbor Church small groups. For questions or additional resources, contact your small group coordinator.