A 5-part Advent sermon series based on Revelation that asks what the manger means in light of the throne, and how the end of God's story gives us hope while we wait for Jesus to come again. Free to use and adapt, from Palo Alto Vineyard Church in California.
Advent in Revelation is a five-part sermon series that looks at the Christmas story from the end of the Bible. Advent usually brings us back to Bethlehem, but Revelation shows us who that child has become: the risen, reigning Lord who will one day make all things right. Palo Alto Vineyard Church preached through key passages in Revelation during Advent and has shared its sermon notes so other churches can do the same. It’s a fresh way into a familiar season, and it helps people hold the “now and not yet” of waiting for Jesus.
The series starts by helping your congregation read Revelation well. Sermon 1 explains what kind of book it is, a vision written to give hope to persecuted churches, before turning to John’s overwhelming vision of the risen Christ in chapter 1. Sermon 2 moves to Revelation 5 and 7, where the Lion of Judah turns out to be a slain Lamb and a multitude from every nation gathers around the throne. Sermon 3 retells Christmas through Revelation 12, with a woman in labor, a dragon waiting to devour the child, and a victory won by the blood of the Lamb.
The last two messages carry the story to its finish. Sermon 4 looks at the wedding supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19 and asks why Jesus still appears as the Lamb at the height of his glory. It closes with a clear invitation to anyone unsure of their place at the table, which makes it a natural fit for a Sunday with guests. Sermon 5 ends in Revelation 22, where the garden, the tree of life, and the healing of the nations return, the curse is undone, and the Bible’s last words are a prayer: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Each download includes a full sermon outline with the key text, an overview, illustrations, application, and supporting Scriptures, plus reflection questions that work well for small groups. The outlines draw on voices like C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, and John Wimber, and leave plenty of room for your own stories and your church’s context. Vineyard USA is sharing this series from Palo Alto Vineyard Church with the wider Vineyard family, so use as much of it as helps and adapt it however your church needs.
