Small Group Discussion Guide

The City of God | Revelation 21:9–27

A Note to Facilitators: Welcome! This guide is designed to help any leader — whether you're an experienced elder or leading a small group for the first time — facilitate a meaningful conversation based on Sunday's sermon. You don't need to be a Bible expert. Your job is simply to create space for honest dialogue and help your group connect God's Word to real life. Read through the guide beforehand, pick the questions that feel right for your group, and trust the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

OVERVIEW

In this message, we explored Revelation 21:9–27 and the breathtaking description of the New Jerusalem — the eternal city where God will dwell with his redeemed people forever. The pastor walked us through the city's extraordinary features: its radiant glory, towering walls, pearl gates, jeweled foundations, and staggering dimensions — and helped us understand that this is a real place, not merely symbolic language. The sermon challenged us to let the reality of our eternal home reshape what we live for, where we invest our hearts, and how we treat others who haven't yet found their way into the Lamb's Book of Life.

BEFORE YOUR GROUP MEETS

Suggested Preparation (5 minutes): Read Revelation 21:9–27 on your own before the meeting. As you read, jot down one word or phrase that captures your reaction. You don't need to understand everything — just come ready to share what you noticed.

ICEBREAKER (5–10 minutes)

Choose one of the following to open your time together:

Option A (lighter, fun)

"If you could design your dream home — unlimited budget, any location, any materials — what would it look like? What's the one feature you absolutely couldn't leave out?"

Option B (more reflective)

"Has there ever been a place — a city, a landscape, a home — that genuinely took your breath away when you first saw it? What made it feel so special?"

[Leader Tip]: Don't rush this section. Icebreakers help people warm up and feel safe before deeper conversation begins. Let a few people share and enjoy the lightness before transitioning into Scripture.

SCRIPTURE READING (5 minutes)

Have someone read the passage aloud, or take turns reading a few verses each.

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

— Revelation 21:9–27 (NKJV)

Brief Context for Facilitators: The Book of Revelation uses vivid imagery and symbolism, but as the pastor emphasized, symbolism doesn't cancel out literal reality. The New Jerusalem is a real place — a city that will descend from heaven as part of the eternal state, where God's redeemed people will dwell with him forever. Think of it like the temple or the tabernacle in the Old Testament: full of symbolic meaning, but also genuinely, physically real.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (30–45 minutes)

Work through as many questions as time allows. You don't need to cover all of them — choose the ones that feel most relevant to your group. Questions are arranged from observational (easier) to applicational (deeper).

SECTION 1: What We See — Observing the City (8–10 minutes)

1. What was the most surprising or striking detail about the New Jerusalem from Sunday's message or from reading the passage just now? Why did that particular thing stand out to you?

[Leader Tip]: This is a great opening question because there's no wrong answer. Encourage everyone to share briefly — even just one word or phrase. This helps quieter group members engage early.

2. The pastor pointed out that many Bible scholars want to interpret all of Revelation — including this passage — as purely symbolic rather than literal. What do you think makes people resistant to taking this description at face value? Does that resistance resonate with you at all, or not?

Follow-up if discussion stalls: "The pastor mentioned the tabernacle, the parting of the Red Sea, and Jonah as examples of things that were both symbolic AND literal. Does that framework help you think about this passage differently?"

3. The city is described as 1,500 miles long, wide, AND tall — roughly the distance from here to Florida or Colorado. The streets are transparent gold. The gates are single pearls. The walls are adorned with twelve layers of precious stones. What does the sheer extravagance of this description tell us about God's character and what he values?

SECTION 2: What It Means — Interpreting the City (10–12 minutes)

4. The twelve gates bear the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the twelve foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles. The pastor said this is a permanent reminder that "God keeps his promises." What promises do you personally hold onto from Scripture, and what does it mean to you that God's faithfulness will literally be written into the architecture of eternity?

[Leader Tip]: This question can open up beautiful personal sharing. Some group members may be in seasons of waiting or doubt — give space for honest responses, including "I find it hard to trust God's promises right now." That's a valid and important conversation.

5. The pastor noted that there is no temple in the New Jerusalem because God himself — Father and Lamb — is the temple. Worship in that city will be spontaneous, pure, and constant, with nothing to distract or pull our minds away. What do you think it will feel like to worship without distraction, worry, or wandering thoughts? What does that tell you about what worship is ultimately for?

6. The gates of the city are described as always open — never shut, day or night. The pastor suggested this speaks to complete peace, safety, and access. What would it mean for your daily life if you truly believed you were heading toward a place of total safety and belonging? How might that change the way you carry anxiety or fear right now?

Related Scripture for reference:

"His gates are salvation, and his walls are praise." — Isaiah 60:18

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." — Colossians 3:2

SECTION 3: What It Changes — Applying the City (12–15 minutes)

7. The pastor made a pointed observation: "Some people say you can be too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good — but I'm more concerned with people who are too earthly-minded to be any heavenly good." What do you think he meant by that? Do you find yourself leaning more toward one of those two tendencies? Which one, and why?

[Leader Tip]: This question can generate lively discussion. Be careful that it doesn't become a critique of others — gently redirect if needed with: "Let's focus on ourselves here. Which tendency do you personally wrestle with?"

8. The pastor said, "We're going to walk on the things that we value highly" — referring to the gold streets. He used this as a challenge to stop living for earthly treasures and start investing in eternal ones. Jesus said something similar in Matthew 6:21: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Where would you honestly say your treasure is right now? What would someone know you treasure most just by watching how you spend your time, money, and energy?

9. The passage ends with a reminder that only those written in the Lamb's Book of Life will enter the city. The pastor said this should fuel our compassion for people who don't yet know Jesus — not judgment, but urgency and love. Who comes to mind when you hear that? Is there someone in your life you feel prompted to pray for or reach out to?

[Leader Tip]: This question is intentionally personal and may bring up emotion. Don't rush past it. If someone shares a name or a relationship, pause and acknowledge it. Consider offering to pray for those people together at the end of your time.

10. Looking at everything we've discussed — the glory, the beauty, the community, the safety, the presence of God — how does the reality of the New Jerusalem change the way you want to live this week?

PERSONAL APPLICATION (10–15 minutes)

These questions are for quieter, more personal reflection. You can ask people to think silently for a moment before sharing, or invite people to share only if they feel comfortable.

1. The pastor described the New Jerusalem as a place where "peace is no longer just something we experience internally — we'll be surrounded by and immersed in it." What area of your life right now most needs that kind of peace? How might the hope of that future peace help you face what you're dealing with today?

2. The sermon challenged us to be honest about what drives us and what we live for. Take a moment to honestly assess: In what area of your life have you been living more for "the here and now" than for eternity? What would it look like to shift that, even slightly, this week?

3. The city's light comes not from the sun or moon, but from the glory of God himself. The pastor described worship in that city as constant, pure, and unhindered. What gets in the way of your worship and your awareness of God's presence right now? What's one thing you could do this week to remove or reduce that barrier?

✏️ THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Choose one (or more) of the following:

• Reflect: Spend 10 minutes this week re-reading Revelation 21:9–27 slowly. Let yourself sit with the details. Journal one thing that encourages you and one thing that challenges you.
• Redirect: Identify one thing you've been giving too much mental or emotional energy to — something that belongs to "the here and now" rather than eternity. Write it down, pray over it, and intentionally release it to God.
• Reach out: Think of one person in your life who doesn't yet know Jesus. Pray for them by name every day this week. Consider whether God might be calling you to start or deepen a conversation with them.
• Connect: If you haven't been attending Tuesday prayer or Wednesday Bible study, consider joining one of those this week as a way of investing in your spiritual community.

PRAYER FOCUS (5–10 minutes)

Close your time together in prayer. You can use the following suggestions as a guide, or invite group members to pray spontaneously.

Suggested Prayer Topics:

1. Gratitude — Thank God for the specific promises he has made to his people and for the reality of the eternal home he is preparing.

2. Perspective — Ask God to help each person in the group set their minds on things above, and to hold earthly things loosely.

3. People who don't yet know Jesus — Pray by name for those who came to mind during the discussion — friends, family members, coworkers — that God would draw them to himself.

4. The Church — Pray for your church community, that it would be a community that reflects the kind of belonging, safety, and love that the New Jerusalem represents.

5. John (mentioned in announcements) — Pray for his continued recovery from back surgery.

Consider closing with this simple prayer together, or have a leader close on behalf of the group:

Lord, thank you that you have prepared a place for us — a city full of your glory, your beauty, and your presence. Help us not to lose sight of that. When the things of this world crowd out our view of eternity, remind us of what is real and what lasts. Give us hearts that are generous, eyes that see people the way you see them, and lives that are pointed toward you. We love you. Amen.

OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE (For Groups Wanting to Go Further)

Use these questions if your group has extra time or wants to explore the theological content more deeply. These work especially well for groups with more biblical background.

Deep Dive 1: The Old and the New

The New Jerusalem has deep roots in the Old Testament. Read Isaiah 60:1–5, 11, 19–20 alongside our Revelation passage. What similarities do you notice? What does the continuity between Isaiah's prophecy and John's vision tell you about the consistency of God's plan across all of Scripture?

"Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you... The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising... Your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night... The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory." — Isaiah 60:1, 3, 11, 19

Deep Dive 2: The Bride and the City

The angel tells John he is going to show him "the bride, the Lamb's wife" — but then shows him a city. The pastor suggested that John, as part of the bride (the Church), was more interested in where the bride would dwell than in the bride itself. Read Ephesians 5:25–27 and John 14:2–3. How do these passages deepen your understanding of the relationship between Christ (the Lamb), the Church (the bride), and the New Jerusalem (the eternal home)? What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is preparing a place for you?

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that he might present her to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." — Ephesians 5:25–27

"In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." — John 14:2–3

Deep Dive 3: The Lamb's Book of Life

The passage closes with a sobering reminder: only those written in the Lamb's Book of Life will enter the city. This theme appears multiple times in Revelation (3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15). Read Philippians 4:3 and Luke 10:20. What does it mean to have your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? How does the certainty of that registration — for those who belong to Christ — shape the way you live and the way you share your faith with others?

"Rejoice because your names are written in heaven." — Luke 10:20b

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Related Sermon Series: This message is part of an ongoing study in Revelation. If your group wants to review previous messages or read ahead, Revelation chapters 20–22 cover the final judgment, the new creation, and the eternal state.

Midweek Opportunities at Church:

• Tuesday, 7 PM — Prayer (in person or Zoom)
• Wednesday, 7 PM — Midweek Bible Study in Exodus
• Thursday, 6:30 PM — Royal Rangers
• Friday — Youth Group (check with the church for this week's location)

Further Reading:

• Heaven by Randy Alcorn — A thorough, biblically grounded exploration of what Scripture says about our eternal home
• The Revelation of Jesus Christ by John Walvoord — A verse-by-verse commentary on Revelation

This guide was prepared for small group use based on the sermon "The City of God" from Revelation 21:9–27. Feel free to adapt questions and timing to fit the unique needs of your group. May God bless your time together.