The Power of Lies and the Lies of Power
Revelation isn't a crystal ball - it's political resistance literature written to expose the lies behind power and call the church to faithful allegiance. In this message, Robyn Elliott unpacks the world John was writing into, why empire is always in conflict with the kingdom of God, and what it means for us to hold on when the current is strong.
Discussion Questions:
When you hear the word "Revelation," what's the first thing that comes to mind? Where did that impression come from?
Have you ever felt like you're on a hamster wheel, like nothing changes, the powerful stay powerful, and your life doesn't count for much? What does that feel like?
What would it look like for your faith to actually matter in your day-to-day life this week?
John wrote to encourage suffering Christians who had been cut off from their social networks and communities. Where do you draw courage when following Jesus costs you something?
Revelation is apocalyptic literature - a genre designed for political resistance and imagination, not prediction. How does knowing the genre change the way you read it? Does it change anything about how you've understood it in the past?
Rome was religiously tolerant, but Christians were persecuted specifically because they refused to pledge allegiance to the empire. In what ways do modern institutions - governments, corporations, cultural movements - demand a similar kind of allegiance? Where do you feel that tension?
The message suggests that the pursuit of power is, by its very nature, in conflict with the kingdom of God. Do you agree? Are there ways power can be exercised that don't conflict with God's kingdom, or is the tension unavoidable?
What does it mean that the “victory of God” begins with messages to local churches rather than global events?