Sermon Study Guide: The Pope and The President

Theme: Prophecy, the Healing of the Deadly Wound, and the Final Conflict Speaker: Pastor Ron Kelly (as transcribed) Key Texts: Revelation 13, Revelation 14:4, The Great Controversy (Ellen White)

Opening Icebreaker (5-10 minutes)

Share a thought: The pastor described a public clash between the Pope and the U.S. President on social media—something that would have been unthinkable a generation ago.

• Question: When you see news headlines about religious leaders and political leaders confronting each other, what is your immediate reaction? Does it make you pay attention, or do you tune it out as "just politics"?

Key Scriptures & Prophetic References

• Revelation 13:1-3 – The beast with the deadly wound that was healed

• Revelation 13:11-17 – The lamb-like beast that speaks as a dragon

• Revelation 14:4 – Those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes

• The Great Controversy (Ellen White) – Chapters on the papacy, Sunday laws, and the final crisis

Main Points from the Sermon

1. The Central Thesis: A Paradigm Shift Is Underway

The pastor's main point: What began as a weekend vigil in Rome escalated into a public spat between two of the most powerful people on the planet. This represents a colossal paradigm shift in the degree of respectability and influence for the Pope.

• The Key Observation: The Pope has stood up to the most powerful person whom many in his own political party will not stand up to.

• The Prophetic Significance: This is a major step in the healing of the wound (Revelation 13).

• Discussion: Why is it significant that the Pope openly criticized a U.S. president by name? How does this differ from the diplomatic silence of previous decades?

2. Ellen White's Warnings (From the 1880s)

The pastor read multiple quotations from Ellen White written over 140 years ago, showing how accurately she predicted the current trajectory.

Key Quotations (paraphrased from the transcript):

• Discussion: Why do people (including Adventists) tend to smile at or ignore prophetic warnings? What makes us think "this time is different"?

3. The Healing of the Deadly Wound (Revelation 13)

The pastor traced the historical arc of the papacy's political power:

• 1798: Pope Pius VI was taken captive by General Berthier (the "deadly wound").

• 1929: The Lateran Treaty (signed by Mussolini and Gasperi) restored Vatican sovereignty.

• 1984: President Reagan established full diplomatic ties with the Vatican (ending an 1867 prohibition).

• 2026: An American Pope (Leo XIV) openly confronts an American President on social media.

The Critical Point: "The secular arena is not afraid of picking up the Malachi Martin idea of different people vying for final say in the moral direction of the world."

• Discussion: What does it mean that the "deadly wound" is being healed? Is this a political process, a religious process, or both?

4. The Three-Fold Union (Romanism, Protestantism, Spiritualism)

Ellen White predicted a three-fold union that would repudiate every principle of Protestant republican government:

1. Romanism – The papacy exerting moral and political influence

2. Protestantism – Reaching across the gulf to clasp hands with Rome

3. Spiritualism – Manifestations of supernatural power (false miracles, calling fire from heaven)

• The Pastor's Observation: "When I was a kid, spiritualism wasn't everywhere, but now you can't avoid it. Your kids are being indoctrinated. It's in every crime show, every movie."

• Discussion: Where have you seen spiritualist ideas creeping into mainstream culture? How does this prepare the world for the final deception?

5. The Clash: Pope Leo XIV vs. President Trump

The pastor documented a specific recent conflict (April 2026):

• The Pastor's Analysis: "The gloves just came off. For some reason, somehow, in the great prophetic movement, we just moved from a different dynamic."

• Discussion: Why is it significant that the Pope—not a Protestant leader—is the one standing up to the most powerful political figure in the world? Where are the Protestant moral voices?

6. The Question of Moral Authority

The pastor asked a series of penetrating questions:

• If a catastrophic event brought America to its knees, who would be the last voice standing regarding God and morality?

• Why have no Protestant figures found their moral voice—except when the president insults the Pope?

• Does the papacy have global ambitions? Has it fundamentally changed?

• Is the Vatican waiting for the right time to re-exert itself as the only legitimate world leader?

Ellen White's Answer: "The Roman church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She is clothed in Christlike garments, but she is unchanged. Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today."

• Discussion: How can a person or institution appear "Christlike" while holding unchanged principles from the "darkest ages"? What does this mean for how we evaluate religious leaders today?

7. The Cultural Shift: Materialism Losing Its Grip?

The pastor observed a generational change:

• Younger generations are less interested in materialistic acquisition and more interested in meaning and security.

• The Pope, who has dedicated his life to the poor, presents a stark contrast to a president who "seems to define morality by his own changing definition."

• The Question: Is the time right for the so-called leader of the moral world to assert his swagger on the world stage?

• Discussion: Do you see evidence that younger people are rejecting materialism? If so, does this make them more open to religious authority or less?

8. The Practical Response: Follow the Lamb

The pastor concluded not with fear, but with a call to personal faithfulness.

• The Jacob Analogy: Jacob wrestled through the night, afraid for his life, but hung on and said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

• The Application: Preaching about end-times can make us operate out of fear. But God calls us to start each day saying, "I won't let you go unless you bless me."

• The Easiest Way to Learn Trust: With your money. And with your time. "Seek first the kingdom of God."

Revelation 14:4 – "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."

• The Final Challenge: "Let us follow Him in our daily lives so that our religious experience does not defy our religious profession."

• Discussion: What does it mean to "follow the Lamb" in a practical, daily sense? How does that prepare you for a time when political and religious powers are in open conflict?

Practical Application Questions

For Personal Reflection:

1. The Fear Check: Does hearing about end-time prophecy make you fearful or faithful? What is the difference between "watching" and "worrying"?

2. The Moral Voice Question: If you had to identify the single most influential moral voice in your community (not the world), who is it? Why?

3. The Image Test: The pastor said we need to "uncouple ourselves from political identity." Is there a political figure or party you have trouble seeing clearly because of your partisan lens?

For Family Discussion:

1. The Kids and Spiritualism: The pastor warned that spiritualism is "everywhere" in media. Have you discussed with your children how movies, shows, or games present ideas of ghosts, spirit guides, or "the force"? How do you biblically discern these?

2. The Sunday Law Conversation: Have you discussed with your family what you would do if Sunday observance became legally enforced? Do you have a plan?

For Church Discussion:

1. The Protestant Silence: The pastor asked, "Where are the Protestant moral voices?" Why do you think Protestant leaders have been largely silent while the Pope takes the lead?

2. The Healing Wound: Do you see the healing of the deadly wound as a slow process (centuries) or a rapid one (recent decades)? What evidence would you point to?

This Week's Challenge

The "Follow the Lamb" Challenge:

1. Read Revelation 13 and 14 this week. As you read, note every reference to:

   • The beast and its power

   • The mark vs. the seal

   • The Lamb and those who follow Him

2. Choose one area of your life where your "religious experience" might be defying your "religious profession" (e.g., how you spend money, how you use time, how you treat difficult people). Make one specific change this week.

3. Pray the Jacob prayer each morning: "Lord, I will not let You go unless You bless me." Spend 5 minutes in silence after praying, listening for His response.

Additional Resources Mentioned

• The Keys of This Blood by Malachi Martin (Jesuit, former Vatican insider)

• The Great Controversy by Ellen White (chapters on the papacy and Sunday legislation)

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (referenced earlier; on smartphones and mental health)

• Crucial Conversations (on conflict resolution)

Closing Prayer Thought

Father, we confess that we are easily distracted by the headlines—by the clash of powerful men, by the shifting sands of politics, by the fear of what is coming. Forgive us for the times we have smiled at prophecy or dismissed it as irrelevant. Give us the courage of Jacob—to wrestle through the night, to hold on to You, and to refuse to let go until You bless us. Help us to follow the Lamb wherever He goes, not just in our theology but in our daily choices. Prepare us for the time of trouble—not by making us fearful, but by making us faithful. In Jesus' name, Amen.