The Woman
Big Idea: Christmas is about the cosmic war God is waging against the forces of evil.
The book of Revelation is an apocalypse.
An apocalypse is an unveiling of the spiritual reality behind what can be seen and observed.
The content of Biblical apocalypse is both true and symbolic.
The Woman: Revelation 12:1
The Dragon: Revelation 12:3, 9; Genesis 3:1
The Child: Revelation 12:5; Psalm 2:8-9; Genesis 3:15; Revelation 12:17
The Woman: Revelation 12:1; Genesis 37:9; Revelation 12:6; Isaiah 7:14
MESSAGE QUESTIONS
What comes to mind when you think about Christmas? The music, the nativity, the presents under the tree, the lights in your neighborhood, and Christmas cookies are a part of it for all of us. But what if there was more? In Revelation, God reveals to us the spiritual reality behind his grand plan for all of creation. And right in the middle of that book is a Christmas story – but not a Christmas story like any you have heard before. This is the cosmic story of Christmas—the story of a woman, a dragon, and a child. And through it, God is telling us how underneath all the familiar aspects of Christmas, it is actually the beginning of the end of God’s epic war against the forces of evil and the hope for all creation. This week we will be in Revelation 12:1-6. The big idea is—Christmas is about the cosmic war God is waging against the forces of evil.
Use these questions to discuss the message from Sunday, focusing on how you can grow as an everyday follower of Jesus and how you can go accomplish what Jesus calls you to do.
- Read Revelation 12:1-4. The meaning of apocalyptic literature is found in symbols. What characters do you find in these verses? How are these characters described?
- Have someone read Revelation 12:9 and Genesis 3:1. How is the dragon described, and what did he say to the woman?
- Have someone read Revelation 12:5-6. What characters do you notice in these verses? What are these characters doing? (Look for verbs in the text.) Have someone else read Genesis 3:15. What is God doing in response to the dragon?
- Pastor Wyatt shared that an apocalypse is an unveiling of the spiritual reality behind what can be seen and observed. The story of the woman, the dragon, and the child is the same story we are living today. How does the confidence that God is with us help you grow in your relationship with Jesus?
- Christmas is about the cosmic war God is waging against the forces of evil. What relationships are around you that may not understand this concept? How can you go towards them this holiday season?
