Heaven Is Our Reward

Small Group Discussion Guide

Based on the sermon by Pastor Mirek Hufton

1. SERMON RECAP

In this message, I shared how heaven is not just a distant hope but a very real and powerful reward that should motivate how we live every single day. Just as Moses and Abraham kept their eyes fixed on a heavenly homeland, we are called to be pilgrims passing through this earth with our hearts set on eternity. When we truly grasp how magnificent heaven is — and how much God prepared it out of love for us — it changes everything about how we run our race right now.

2. KEY SCRIPTURE

Colossians 1:5 "...because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel."

3. ICE BREAKER

If you could ask God one question about what heaven looks like — the landscape, the food, your house, anything — what would you ask Him, and why?

4. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Getting into the text: In Hebrews 11, both Moses and Abraham made enormous sacrifices because they were looking toward a heavenly reward. Moses walked away from a palace. Abraham left everything familiar behind. What do you think it actually felt like for them to make those choices, and what does that tell us about how real heaven was to them?

2. Digging a little deeper: I talked about how our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and how the saints called themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Honestly, how much do you feel like a pilgrim just passing through in your daily life — and how much do you feel deeply settled here? What makes that balance hard?

3. Getting personal: Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7 that he had fought a good fight, finished his race, and kept the faith — and he said a crown of righteousness was waiting for him. When you picture your own life's finish line, what does "finishing well" actually look like for you personally?

4. Pushing a little further: C.S. Lewis said that the Christians who did the most for this present world were those who thought most about the next one. Does that idea surprise you, challenge you, or resonate with you? Can you think of someone in your own life who lives that way?

5. Bringing it home: I mentioned that when I lost my mother, I buried myself in books about heaven — and the more I read, the less I focused on my own pain and the more excited I got for her. Has thinking about heaven ever genuinely comforted or motivated you during a hard season? What happened?

6. For honest reflection: I asked this question from the pulpit and I want to ask it again here in your group: If you died right now, do you know for sure you'd go to heaven — and if so, what is that confidence actually based on? This isn't meant to put anyone on the spot, but it's worth sitting with together.

5. APPLICATION CHALLENGE

This week, set aside fifteen minutes on one specific day — put it in your calendar right now — to do nothing but think and pray about heaven. Read Revelation 21:1–5 slowly, then write down three things about heaven that genuinely excite you. Finally, write the name of one person in your life who, as far as you know, has no assurance of going there. Pray for that person by name every day for the rest of the week, and ask God to open a natural door for you to have a real conversation with them about eternity.

6. PRAYER POINTS

• Pray for fresh vision: Ask God to make heaven feel real and near to every person in your group — not abstract theology, but a living, breathing hope that shapes how you make decisions this week.

• Pray for the people on your list: Bring before God the names of friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors who don't yet know Jesus. Ask Him to soften hearts, open doors, and give your group members the boldness and the words when the moment comes.

• Pray for endurance in the race: Ask God to strengthen anyone in the group who is weary, discouraged, or tempted to slow down — that the promise of heaven would be like wind at their back and that they would finish their race well.

7. MEMORY VERSE

Philippians 3:20 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Leader's tip: Don't feel pressure to get through every question. Watch the room, follow the conversation where the Spirit leads it, and let question six land gently — it may be exactly what someone in your group needs to hear tonight.