BELIEVE SESSion 10 • ETERNITY STUDENT HANDOUT WELCOME & INTRODUCTION Key Question: What happens next? Key Idea: I believe there is a heaven and a hell and that Jesus will return to judge all people and to establish his eternal kingdom. Key Verse: John 14:1–2 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” OLD TESTAMENT STORY Jot down a few details or questions that popped out at you from the story, or any emotions you are feeling having just heard the story: NEW TESTAMENT STORY Jot down a few details or questions that popped out at you from the story, or any emotions you are feeling having just heard the story: 1 BELIEVE SESSion 10 • ETERNITY STUDENT HANDOUT The following story is found in the New Testament of the Bible, in the book of Revelation, and can also be found in the Believe: Student Edition Bible. NEW TESTAMENT STORY SCRIPT Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”1 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.2 1 Revelation 21:1–5 2 Revelation 21:22–26; 22:1–5 2 BELIEVE SESSion 10 • ETERNITY STUDENT HANDOUT PRACTICE & IMAGINE Write or draw the way that you imagined heaven, before hearing today’s stories. How might you think or live differently because of the change in perspective you’ve experienced today? 3 BELIEVE SESSion 10 • ETERNITY STUDENT HANDOUT THIS WEEK: Explore more stories from Chapter 10: ETERNITY in the Believe: Student Edition Bible that demonstrate God’s desire for all people to know and spend eternity with God. Consider discussing the following questions with a parent or youth group leader to explore some of the more difficult questions related to eternity. Ask the person you talk to what they believe about each of these questions, and which parts of the Bible inform their beliefs. What will heaven be like? What will we do there? What about hell? Is it real? Why would God punish people for eternity? What about eternity gives you hope for your everyday life in this world? Remember that memorizing is not about repeating but about recalling. If you recall certain words from the Key Verse, you can find the other words that fit them together. On the back of your handout write the verse down, then go back over and retrace the important words of the verse. Highlight them with your pen. Repeat this activity several times this week, to see if you can recall the entire verse from memory. 4.