BEFORE THE THRONE: WORSHIPING THE KING PART 2 Revelation 4
Revelation 4:1-11 1 After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this. 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, 3 and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. 4 Around that throne
Revelation 4:1-11 were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. 5 Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were in the middle and around the throne.
Revelation 4:1-11 7 The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming. 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks
Revelation 4:1-11 to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say: 11 Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.
Observation from last time: Before the throne of God is constant praise and WORSHIP of God
Key truth from last time: Our life is to be lived in WORSHIP of Jesus Christ
Psalm 148:7-13 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, all sea monsters and ocean depths, 8 lightning and hail, snow and cloud, powerful wind that executes His command, 9 mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10 wild animals and all cattle, creatures that crawl and flying birds, 11 kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth, 12 young men as well as
Psalm 148:7-13 young women, old and young together. 13 Let them praise the name of Yahweh, for His name alone is exalted. His majesty covers heaven and earth.
QUESTION What does it mean to worship God? What needs to happen so that we live our life in worship of God?
Matthew 15:8 These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
OBSERVATION Worship starts with our HEART
So it is not simply about what we say or do, but it is about the position of our heart.
TWO POINTS: The Attitude and Position of our Heart 1. The beginning point of worship is to recognize that He is completely WORTHY
Philippians 1:20-21 20 My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
TWO POINTS: The Attitude and Position of our Heart 1. The beginning point of worship is to recognize that He is completely WORTHY 2. The worship of God starts with a heart SURRENDERED to Him
Romans 12:1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
Revelation 4:9-11 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say: 11 Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.
QUESTION Why should we worship Him? How do we grow in our worship of God?
How and why should we grow in our worship of God? 1. Knowing who God IS
How and why should we grow in our worship of God? 1. Knowing who God IS God is the CREATOR
Revelation 4:9-11 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say:
Revelation 4:9-11 11 Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.
Revelation 4:11 11 Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.
Psalm 39:5 You, indeed, have made my days short in length, and my life span as nothing in Your sight. Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.
James 4:14 13 Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit. 14 You don t even know what tomorrow will bring what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.
Psalm 148:1-5 1 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights. 2 Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts. 3 Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise Him, highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh, for He commanded, and they were created. 6 He set them in position forever and ever; He gave an order that will never pass away.
KEY THOUGHT This is the beginning point of worship to recognize that He is completely worthy, and He is completely worthy because He is the CREATOR OF ALL THINGS!
How and why should we grow in our worship of God? 1. Knowing who God IS 2. Knowing what God has DONE for us He has given us MERCY
Deuteronomy 6:12-14 12 be careful not to forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 13 Fear Yahweh your God, worship Him, and take your oaths in His name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you, 15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 (NLT) And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Romans 12:1 (Living Bible) And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?
Luke 7:36-50 36 Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee s house and reclined at the table. 37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee s house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil 38 and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head,
Luke 7:36-50 kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil 39 When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him she s a sinner! 40 Jesus replied to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. Teacher, he said, say it. 41 A creditor had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii, and the other 50.
Luke 7:36-50 42 Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more? 43 Simon answered, I suppose the one he forgave more. You have judged correctly, He told him. 44 Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair.
Luke 7:36-50 45 You gave Me no kiss, but she hasn t stopped kissing My feet since I came in. 46 You didn t anoint My head with olive oil, but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little. 48 Then He said to her, Your sins are forgiven.
Luke 7:36-50 49 Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, Who is this man who even forgives sins? 50 And He said to the woman, Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.
KEY THOUGHT The degree to which you understand what you have been forgiven by God will impact your desire and willingness to live surrender to Him.
Romans 1:18-25 18 For God s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made.
Romans 1:18-25 As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals,
Romans 1:18-25 and reptiles. 24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Questions to determine what you worship 1. Where is your money, time, and energy going?
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Questions to determine what you worship 1. Where is your money, time, and energy going? 2. What are you passionate about?
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Questions to determine what you worship 1. Where is your money, time, and energy going? 2. What are you passionate about? 3. Is there anything in your life that you are unwilling to give up?