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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 21

TITLE: PURE WORSHIP

TEXT: REVELATION 4:9-11

INTRODUCTION: (1) MANY YEARS AGO, WILLIAM TEMPLE, THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, DEFINED WORSHIP THIS WAY:

* “TO WORSHIP IS TO QUICKEN THE CONSCIENCE BY THE HOLINESS OF GOD, TO FEED THE MIND WITH THE TRUTH OF GOD, TO PURGE THE IMAGINATION BY THE BEAUTY OF GOD, TO OPEN THE HEART TO THE LOVE OF GOD, AND TO DEVOTE THE WILL TO THE PURPOSE OF GOD.” (END QUOTE)

** NOW A SUMMARY STATEMENT AND RESPONSE TO WHAT WILLIAM TEMPLE SAID CAN BE: WORSHIP IS ALL THAT WE ARE AS HUMAN BEINGS RESPONDING TO ALL THAT HE IS AS GOD.

*** WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE TO GOD, THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE.

**** WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE TO WHO GOD IS IN HIS BEING AND CHARACTER MANIFEST BY HIS ATTRIBUTES AND ACTIONS.

(2) WORSHIP THEN CAN SIMPLY BE DEFINED AS “HONOR PAID TO A SUPERIOR BEING.”

* TO WORSHIP MEANS “TO ASCRIBE HOMAGE, HONOR, REVERENCE, RESPECT, ADORATION, PRAISE AND GLORY TO A SUPERIOR SUPERNATURAL BEING.”

** WORSHIP IS HONOR AND ADORATION DIRECTED TO GOD. WORSHIP IS ASCRIBING TO GOD HIS WORTH OR STATING AND AFFIRMING HIS SUPREME VALUE.

*** NOW, HOW DO I COME TO THESE DEFINITIONS?

**** WELL, THE N.T. USES SEVERAL WORDS FOR WORSHIP AND TWO OF THEM ARE PARTICULARLY NOTEWORTHY.

(3) THE FIRST ONE IS THE GREEK WORD PROSKUNEO USED 8 TIMES IN JOHN 4:20-24 AS JESUS TALKS TO THE SAMARITAN WOMAN ABOUT PURE WORSHIP.

* AND THE VERSE THAT JUMPS OUT TO MOST IN THIS TEXT IS JOHN 4:24 WHERE JESUS SAID: (READ IT).

** NOW THE GREEK WORD FOR WORSHIP IN THIS VERSE, AGAIN USED 8 TIMES IN JOHN 4:20-24, ALSO USED IN OUR TEXT TODAY IN V. 10, LIT. MEANS: “TO KISS TOWARD, TO KISS THE HAND OR TO BOW DOWN, TO PROSTRATE ONESELF BEFORE A SUPERIOR.”

*** IT IS A WORD USED TO SIGNIFY HUMBLE ADORATION.

**** NOW A SECOND GREEK WORD USED IN THE N.T. FOR WORSHIP IS FOUND IN HEBREWS 12:28 WHERE THE WORD FOR WORSHIP IS TRANSLATED SERVE, IT SAYS: (READ IT).

(4) NOW THIS WORD IS ALSO FOUND IN PHILIPPIANS 3:3 WHERE ONE OF THE GREATEST STATEMENTS ON WORSHIP IN THE BIBLE IS AND DEFINES WHAT A CHRISTIAN IS.

* IT SAYS: “FOR WE ARE THE TRUE CIRCUMCISION, WHO WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS AND PUT NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH.”

** NOW THIS VERSE COMMUNICATES THAT CHRISTIANS ARE GOD’S PEOPLE, NOT THROUGH PHYSICAL CIRCUMCISION, BUT CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART, WORSHIP GOD IN THE SPIRIT, REJOICING IN CHRIST AND HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH.

*** NOW THE GREEK WORD HERE AND IN HEBREWS 12:28 LIT. MEANS RENDERING HONOR OR PAYING HOMAGE.

**** NOW AS WE PUT THESE TWO WORDS TOGETHER WE COME UP WITH THE SIMPLE DEFINITION THAT WORSHIP IS HONOR AND ADORATION DIRECTED TO GOD. IT IS BOWING OURSELVES BEFORE HIM. IT IS HOMAGE.

(5) SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORSHIP, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING WE ASCRIBE TO GOD OR GIVE TO GOD.

* YET MUCH OF CHRISTIANITY IN OUR DAY IS CONSUMED WITH GOD GIVING TO US, MAKING US HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL AND BLESSING US.

** AND NO DOUBT GOD DOES GIVE TO US ABUNDANTLY, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE EXIST FOR HIM AND NOT HE FOR US.

*** AND IF YOU ARE A TRUE CHRISTIAN YOU MUST REALIZE YOU WERE SAVED TO WORSHIP, IT’S THE SUPREME ACTIVITY OF A TRUE BELIEVER.

**** BELOVED, THE GOAL OF SALVATION IS WORSHIP. AND YES WE ARE SAVED FROM HELL, SAVED FROM SIN, SAVED FROM GOD’S WRATH AND SAVED FROM OURSELVES.

(6) BUT THE PRIMARY REASON WE WERE SAVED WAS FOR GOD’S GLORY AND TO WORSHIP HIM, FOR ROMANS 11:36 AND ROMANS 12:1 SAYS: (READ IT).

* NOW AS WE SHIFT OUR THOUGHTS FROM THIS DEFINITION OF WORSHIP, WE SEE THAT WORSHIP IS A THEME IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

** WORSHIP IS WOVEN THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION. LET ME ILLUSTRATE FROM THIS BOOK.

*** IN REVELATION 5:14 IT SAYS: “AND THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES KEPT SAYING, “AMEN.” AND THE ELDERS FELL DOWN AND WORSHIPED.”

**** IN REVELATION 11:15-17 IT SAYS: “THEN THE SEVENTH ANGEL SOUNDED; AND THERE WERE LOUD VOICES IN HEAVEN, SAYING, “THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD HAS BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.”

V. 16 – AND THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS, WHO SIT ON THEIR THRONES BEFORE GOD, FELL ON THEIR FACES AND WORSHIPED GOD,

V. 17 – SAYING, “WE GIVE YOU THANKS, O LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO ARE AND WHO WERE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TAKEN YOUR GREAT POWER AND HAVE BEGUN TO REIGN.”

(7) IN REVELATION 14:6&7 IT SAYS: “AND I SAW ANOTHER ANGEL FLYING IN MIDHEAVEN, HAVING AN ETERNAL GOSPEL TO PREACH TO THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE EARTH, AND TO EVERY NATION AND TRIBE AND TONGUE AND PEOPLE;

V. 7 – AND HE SAID WITH A LOUD VOICE, “FEAR GOD, AND GIVE HIM GLORY, BECAUSE THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT HAS COME; WORSHIP HIM WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND SEA AND SPRINGS OF WATERS.”

* IN REVELATION 15:4 IT SAYS: “WHO WILL NOT FEAR, O LORD, AND GLORIFY YOUR NAME? FOR YOU ALONE ARE HOLY; FOR ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.”

** IN REVELATION 19:4 IT SAYS: “AND THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS AND THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES FELL DOWN AND WORSHIPED GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE SAYING, “AMEN. HALLELUJAH!”

*** IN REVELATION 19:10 JOHN IN AN EXCITED EMOTIONAL RESPONSE BOWS DOWN BEFORE AN ANGEL AND IT SAYS: “THEN I FELL AT HIS FEET TO WORSHIP HIM. BUT HE SAID TO ME, “DO NOT DO THAT; I AM A FELLOW SERVANT OF YOURS AND YOUR BRETHREN WHO HOLD THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS; WORSHIP GOD. FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.”

**** AND THEN LASTLY, IN REVELATION 22:8&9 IT SAYS: “I, JOHN, AM THE ONE WHO HEARD AND SAW THESE THINGS. AND WHEN I HEARD AND SAW, I FELL DOWN TO WORSHIP AT THE FEET OF THE ANGEL WHO SHOWED ME THESE THINGS.

V. 9 – BUT HE SAID TO ME, “DO NOT DO THAT. I AM A FELLOW SERVANT OF YOURS AND OF YOUR BRETHREN THE PROPHETS AND OF THOSE WHO HEED THE WORDS OF THIS BOOK. WORSHIP GOD.”

(8) NOW WE SEE A CLEAR THEME THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THE RESPONSE OF WORSHIP TO THE TRUE AND GLORIOUS GOD.

* AND IN OUR TEXT TODAY WE SEE THE THEME, THE PRACTICE, THE RESPONSE OF PURE WORSHIP BY THE 4 LIVING CREATURES AND THE 24 ELDERS IN RESPONSE TO THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD’S HOLINESS, GOD’S POWER, HIS OMNIPOTENCE AND GOD’S ETERNALITY.

** BUT ALSO THE RESPONSE OF THE 24 ELDERS IS PURE WORSHIP AS THEY SEE GOD EXALTED AS THE CREATOR.

* BECAUSE OF THAT DOMINANT TRUTH AND PRINCIPLE, I’VE TITLED MY MESSAGE TODAY: “PURE WORSHIP.”

** AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS AS WE EXAMINE REVELATION 4:9-11.

** NO. 1 THE PRAISE OF THE 4 LIVING CREATURES, V. 9; NO. 2 THE PROSTRATION OF THE 24 ELDERS, V. 10; AND NO. 3 THE PURPOSE OF THE WORSHIP BY THE 24 ELDERS, V. 11.

*** AND WITHOUT ANY MORE INTRODUCTION, LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT, THE PRAISE OF THE 4 LIVING CREATURES. LOOK AT REVELATION 4:9.

I. THE PRAISE, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW THE RESPONSE OF PRAISE BY THE 4 LIVING CREATURES, WHICH MOST LIKELY ARE A HIGH ANGELIC ORDER CREATED TO WORSHIP GOD AROUND HIS THRONE.

* THE RESPONSE OF PRAISE IS IGNITED BY THE TRUTHS THAT THESE BEINGS ARE PROMPTED TO SAY WHAT THEY OBSERVE ABOUT THE ONE SITTING ON THE THRONE OF HEAVEN.

** IN OTHER WORDS, THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD’S HOLINESS, THE ATTRIBUTE GOD’S OMNIPOTENCE THAT HE IS ALL-MIGHTY AND THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD’S ETERNALITY PROMPT THE 4 LIVING CREATURES TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP GOD HERE IN V. 9.

*** WHICH REMINDS US THAT ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP DEMANDS THAT GOD IS KNOWN. WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE TO WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE.

**** AND IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHO GOD IS AND ARE IGNORANT OF WHAT HE HAD DONE IN CREATION AND REDEMPTION, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO WORSHIP HIM PROPERLY OR ACCEPTABLY.

1. AND CERTAINLY THE DUMBING DOWN EFFECT, THE WATERING DOWN OF THE WORD, THE LACK OF EXPOSITORY PREACHING AND TEACHING DOCTRINE AND THEOLOGY HAS HAD AN EFFECT OF STUNTING AND STIFLING PURE WORSHIP.

* FOR THE ATTEMPT OF WORSHIP WITHOUT TRUTH IS JUST HUMAN EMOTION. AND EMOTION IS IMPORTANT BUT IT MUST BE CONTROLLED, GOVERNED, DOMINATED, REGULATED BY TRUTH THAT WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.

** NOW THE RESPONSE TO WHO GOD IS IN HIS ATTRIBUTES THAT ARE EXALTED BY THE 4 LIVING CREATURES IS FIRST OF ALL GIVING GOD GLORY.

*** AND THE WORD GLORY IS THE GREEK WORD DOXA FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD DOXOLOGY.

**** AND A DOXOLOGY IS A HYMN OR FORM OF WORDS CONTAINING AN ASCRIPTION OF PRAISE TO GOD. (OUR DOXOLOGY IS PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW.)

2. SO THESE 4 LIVING CREATURES ARE GIVING GOD PRAISE AND WHILE THEIR WORSHIP AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD IS UNINTERRUPTED AND UNCEASING ACCORDING TO V. 8, THEY DO NOT CEASE TO SAY, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALL-MIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.”

* SO THEIR WORSHIP IS UNCEASING, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN A CRESCENDO IS REACHED, THAT THE LOUDNESS OR INTENSITY INCREASES TO A POINT OF EXPLOSION OR A CLIMACTIC POINT WHERE THEY SAY WHAT THEY SAY IN V. 9.

** PERIODICALLY IT APPEARS THEIR RESPONSE IS GIVING GOD GLORY OR PRAISE.

*** BUT NOT ONLY EXPLODING IN GIVING GOD GLORY, BUT NOTICE NEXT IN V. 9, HONOR.

**** AND THE GREEK WORD FOR HONOR IS TEE-MAY WHICH MEANS HIGH RESPECT, VALUE AND REVERENCE, AND IS THE BASIS FOR THE NAME TIMOTHY WHICH LIT. MEANS HONORING GOD.

3. SO THESE LIVING BEINGS HONOR GOD IN THEIR PRAISE AND WORSHIP.

* BUT ALSO THEY GIVE THANKS TO HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE, TO HIM WHO LIVES FOREVER AND EVER.

** AND THE RESPONSE OF THANKSGIVING IS WORSHIP IN RESPONSE TO WHAT HE HAS DONE. WE PRAISE HIM FOR WHO HE IS IN HIS HOLY CHARACTER AND MIGHT, WE THANK HIM FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE.

*** AND WHAT HAS HE DONE FOR US TODAY?

**** WELL, HE HAS GIVEN US BREATH AND LIFE. IF YOU ARE UNSAVED, YOU ARE NOT IN HELL TODAY. IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN HE HAS SAVED YOU BY HIS SOVEREIGN GRACE AND HAD MERCY ON YOUR SOUL, RESCUING US FROM HIS WRATH.

4. BEYOND THAT, HE HAS GIVEN US FREEDOM TO WORSHIP AS A CHURCH TODAY, HE HAS GIVEN US A PLACE TO LIVE, OUR DAILY BREAD AND MOST OF US A CAR TO DRIVE.

* HE HAS GIVEN US HIS WORD – HIS TRUTH, HIS SPIRIT AND IN HIS WISDOM HAS GIVEN US THE CHURCH AS A FAMILY OF FAMILIES TO GROW US AND FULFILL OUR MISSION.

** AND I COULD GO ON AND ON AS WE COUNT OUR BLESSINGS THAT SHOULD MOVE US TO THANKS.

*** AND THE 4 LIVING CREATURES GIVE THANKS TO HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE. AND THAT GOD SITS ON THE THRONE MOVES THEM AND SHOULD MOVE US TO WORSHIP AND THANKSGIVING.

**** FOR GOD RULES FROM HIS THRONE AS KING AND IS IN CONTROL AS THE SOVEREIGN RULER OF THE UNIVERSE. AND WE SHOULD REST IN THAT TRUTH.

5. BUT ALSO THERE IS WORSHIP AND THANKSGIVING FOR GOD’S ETERNALITY AGAIN FOR HE LIVES AND RULES FOREVER AND EVER, HIS LIFE OR BEING IS UNDERIVED. HE IS SELF-EXISTENT, HE IS ETERNAL.

* SO GOD DOESN’T RUN FOR HIS OFFICE AS KING. HE IS NOT ASKING US FOR 4 MORE YEARS. HE IS NOT SUBJECT TO OUR VOTE TO BE IN POWER. HE IS NOT CONTROLLED BY OPINION POLLS.

** HE REIGNS AND LIVES FOREVER AND EVER AS THE SOVEREIGN POTENTATE AND RULER OF THE UNIVERSE.

*** AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME IN THE PAST, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME IN THE PRESENT, NOR WILL THERE EVER BE A TIME IN THE FUTURE WHEN HE IS NOT GOVERNING HIS UNIVERSE AS THE ETERNAL ONE WITH HOLY DECISIONS AND ALL POWER!

**** OUR RESPONSE: WORSHIP AND PRAISE. OUR RESPONSE LIKE THE 4 LIVING CREATURES, GIVING HIM GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE.

6. BUT ALSO ANOTHER APPROPRIATE RESPONSE, PROSTRATION, HITTING THE FLOOR, FALLING DOWN BEFORE GOD, WHICH IS THE RESPONSE OF THE 24 ELDERS IN V. 10.

* LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE PROSTRATION.

II. THE PROSTRATION, (READ V. 10)

A. NOW THE 24 ELDERS WHO ARE SITTING ON 24 THRONE EARLIER IN V. 4 OF THIS CHAPTER, FALL DOWN BEFORE THE LORD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE.

* AND THIS IS THE FIRST OF SIX TIMES THAT THESE ELDERS PROSTRATE THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

** NOW FALLING DOWN ON ONE’S FACE BEFORE ANOTHER IS THE SUPREME GESTURE OF HONORING SOMEONE FAR ABOVE ONESELF, APPROPRIATELY APPLIED TO WORSHIP OF GOD.

*** AND AS A SUBJECT WOULD FALL DOWN BEFORE EARTHLY KINGS IN THAT DAY, THE 24 ELDERS AND 4 LIVING CREATURES FALL DOWN BEFORE GOD WHO SITS ON HIS THRONE.

**** THIS IS AN ACT OF HOMAGE, OF REVERENCE, OF RESPECT. AND SUCH A POSTURE IS ONE OF REVERENTIAL WORSHIP, A NATURAL RESPONSE TO THE MAJESTIC, HOLY AND INSPIRING GLORY OF GOD.

1. IT APPEARS THE 24 ELDERS ARE PROMPTED BY THE 4 LIVING CREATURES TO FOLLOW IN PURE WORSHIP OF THE ONE WHO SITS ON THE THRONE.

* AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY JOIN IN AN OVERFLOW OF HOLY AND PURE WORSHIP AS A RESPONSE.

* NOW I MENTIONED TO YOU TWO WEEKS AGO THAT THE 24 ELDERS ARE A HIGH ORDER OF ANGELS OR HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE BEEN GLORIFIED.

** AND MY BELIEF IS THE 24 ELDERS REPRESENT THE CHURCH GLORIFIED IN HEAVEN WITH THEIR SAVIOR. AND I GAVE YOU A BUNCH OF REASONS WHY TWO WEEKS AGO WHICH I’LL NOT GO OVER AGAIN.

*** BUT REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE, THEY FALL DOWN BEFORE GOD WHO IS ON THE THRONE AND DO WHAT?

**** IT SAYS THEY WORSHIP HIM, THE GREEK WORD PROSKUNEO WHICH I MENTIONED IN MY INTRODUCTION EARLIER WHICH MEANS TO KISS THE HAND, TO KISS TOWARD, TO BOW DOWN, TO PROSTRATE ONESELF BEFORE A SUPERIOR.

2. IT IS THE ESSENCE OF HUMBLE ADORATION. SO THEY DROP BEFORE THE LORD, THE THRONE SITTER, IN HUMBLE ADORATION, AND GOD’S ETERNALITY IS EMPHASIZED AGAIN HERE AS THE ONE WHO LIVES FOREVER AND EVER.

* BUT THE 24 ELDERS DON’T STOP THERE IN THEIR WORSHIP AND ADORATION.

** THEY WILL CAST THEIR CROWNS BEFORE THE THRONE.

*** AND THE ELDERS ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH THEIR OWN HONOR OR REWARD, FOR ALL THINGS PALE INTO INSIGNIFICANCE AND BECOME MEANINGLESS IN LIGHT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

**** AND WHETHER THEIR CROWNS ARE THE REWARDS OF THE CHURCH GLORIFIED OR ARE EMBLEMATIC OF THE ROYALTY OF HEAVENLY BEINGS, THEY REALIZE THEY ARE UNWORTHY OF THESE CROWNS AND DIVEST, STRIP THEMSELVES OF THESE CROWNS AND CAST THEM BEFORE THE ONE WHO MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE OR RECEIVE THOSE CROWNS AS REWARDS.

3. AND IF THE 24 ELDERS ARE THE CHURCH GLORIFIED, WE REALIZE IN GOD’S PRESENCE THAT HE ALONE IS RESPONSIBLE THROUGH HIS GRACE TO RECEIVE REWARDS.

* WE WILL REALIZE, IF IT IS US, THAT OUR FAITHFULNESS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY HIS FAITHFULNESS.

** WE HAVE NOTHING WHICH WE WERE NOT GIVEN, AND WE ACCOMPLISHED ONLY WHAT HE WILLED AND ENABLED. ALL THEN IS OF GOD!

*** BELOVED, IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM AROUND HIS THRONE. AND PURE WORSHIP PERMEATES AROUND THE THRONE AND TO THE ONE WHO SITS ON THE THRONE.

**** BUT THIS PURE WORSHIP DOESN’T STOP HERE BY THE 24 ELDERS. IT CONTINUES IN V. 11 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FINAL POINT TODAY, THE PURPOSE. LOOK AT REVELATION 4:11 PLEASE.

III. THE PURPOSE, (READ V. 11)

A. NOW WE’LL SEE ADDITIONAL PURPOSE IN V. 11 FOR THE PURE WORSHIP THAT’S GIVEN BY THE 24 ELDERS AND IT IS BECAUSE GOD IS THE CREATOR.

* BUT BEFORE THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THIS GREAT TRUTH, WHICH IS THE MOTIVE, THE DRIVING FORCE OF THEIR DOXOLOGY IN V. 11, THE 2’D OF 14 IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, NOTICE WHAT THEY SAY.

** YOU ARE WORTHY OUR LORD AND OUR GOD.

*** WORTHY MEANING THAT GOD IS DESERVING, THAT IT IS BEFITTING TO GOD TO WORSHIP HIM, HE HAS MERITED ALL WORSHIP, AND THE WEIGHT OF HIS WORTH IS A DRIVING IDEA HERE. HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE WORSHIPPED.

**** AND WHAT IS GOD WORTHY OF? WELL, TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER.

1. AND HERE THE 24 ELDERS REPEAT WITH WORDS THE ACTIONS OF THE 4 LIVING CREATURES IN V. 9.

* FOR THE 4 LIVING CREATURES GIVE GOD GLORY, HONOR AND THANKS TO GOD IN V. 9.

** BUT HERE IN V. 11, THE 24 ELDERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORTHINESS OF GOD TO RECEIVE GLORY, HONOR AND CHANGE ONE WORD.

*** INSTEAD OF THANKS, THEY ADD POWER.

**** AND GOD’S CREATIVE POWER TO CREATE EVERYTHING OUT OF NOTHING COMES INTO VIEW HERE.

2. FOR THE WORD POWER IS THE GREEK WORD DUNAMIS FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD DYNAMITE.

* AND MOST LIKELY HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOD’S GREATNESS, DYNAMITE POWER IN EVIDENCE WHEN HE CREATED ALL THINGS.

** GOD IS WORSHIPPED FOR HIS MIGHTY POWER IN PURPOSING CREATION AND THE CREATIVE ACT AND POWER OF CREATION.

*** AND WHY IS GOD WORTHY TO RECEIVE GLORY, HONOR AND POWER?

**** FOR HE CREATED ALL THINGS. GOD IS THE OPERATING CAUSE OF THE CREATION OF ALL THINGS. HE AND HE ALONE IS THE ONE AND ONLY CAUSE OF CREATION.

3. AND ALL THINGS IS A SCRIPTURE TERM FOR THE UNIVERSE AND EMBRACES ALL THE THINGS CREATED WITHIN THE 6 LITERAL DAYS OF GENESIS 1&2.

* FOR THIS IS THE ONLY CREATION PERIOD OF WHICH SCRIPTURE SPEAKS.

** SO THE REASON FOR THE VERY EXISTENCE OF CREATION LIES IN THE WILL OF GOD. SO WORSHIP RISES FROM CREATOR TO CREATION, READ PSALM 33:8&9.

*** AND BELOVED, ALL THINGS EXIST THAT EXIST BECAUSE OF GOD’S CREATION AND SUSTAINING POWER AND THAT BRINGS HOLY REVERENCE AND AWE.

**** FOR NOTICE AT THE END OF V. 11, THE NIV RIGHTLY STATES, “BY YOUR WILL THEY WERE CREATED AND HAVE THEIR BEING.”

4. SO GOD’S CREATIVE WILL AND POWER INCLUDES BOTH THE ORIGINAL ACT OF CREATION (THEY WERE CREATED) AND HIS ONGOING PRESERVATION OF THE CREATED ORDER (THEY HAVE THEIR BEING).

* WHICH REMINDS US OF COLOSSIANS 1:16-18 WHERE IT SAYS:

** V. 16 - “FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED, BOTH IN THE HEAVENS AND ON EARTH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, WHETHER THRONES OR DOMINIONS OR RULERS OR AUTHORITIES – ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM.

V. 17 – HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER.”

*** READ V. 18.

**** NOW WHY DOES WORSHIP RISE FROM CREATION TO THE CREATOR? BECAUSE HE IS THE PREEMINENT HOLY ALL-POWERFUL ETERNAL GOD WHO HAS NO BEGINNING AND END. PURE WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE TO WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE.

IN WRAP UP AND IN APPLICATION: (1) WE’VE SEEN CLEARLY TODAY, THAT WORSHIPPING GOD IS THE SUPREME ACTIVITY OF THE 4 LIVING CREATURES AND THE 24 ELDERS.

* AND I MIGHT ADD TO WORSHIP GOD IS THE SUPREME ACTIVITY OF THE BELIEVER AND THE CHURCH GATHERED.

** FOR BELIEVER, THE PRIMARY REASON WE’RE REDEEMED IS TO WORSHIP GOD, NOT TO MAKE US HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL.

*** LISTEN, IF ALL GOD WANTED TO DO WAS KEEP US OUT OF HELL, HE COULD HAVE JUST NOT CREATED US.

**** BUT HE CREATED MAN AND SET OUT TO REDEEM HIS ELECT, BECAUSE HE SEEKS AND IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP.

(2) SO WORSHIPPING GOD IS SYNONYMOUS WITH CHRISTIAN EXISTENCE, WITH BEING A BELIEVER, SO HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?

* AND THIS TRUTH OF GOD BEING PREEMINENT IN ALL THINGS THROUGH WORSHIP IS VERY, VERY PRACTICAL.

** FOR YOU SEE, ONLY IN THE DEPTHS AND ACT OF WORSHIP, AS WE STAND IN AWE OF GOD’S MAJESTIC GLORY AND POWER, DO ALL THE COMPETING CLAIMS FOR AFFECTION PULLING ON US LOSE THEIR GRIP.

*** TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, IT’S THROUGH PURE WORSHIP THAT ALL THE COMPETING CLAIMS FOR AFFECTION AND ATTENTION RECEDE INTO THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE.

**** GOD ALONE IS GOD AND HE ALONE MERITS FIRST PLACE, PREEMINENCE, OUR FIRST LOVE OVER EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING.

(3) BELOVED, GOD’S GREATNESS SUMMONS OUR ATTENTION.

* AND THAT GOD IS LORD OF HISTORY, THE SOVEREIGN OF THE UNIVERSE AND HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL HELPS US VIEW EVERYTHING IN LIFE THE WAY WE SHOULD.

** PURE WORSHIP AND PRAISE PUTS PERSECUTION, POVERTY AND PLAGUES INTO PERSPECTIVE.

*** DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD IS ON THE THRONE BRINGING ABOUT HIS PURPOSES, AND THIS WORLD’S PAINS ARE MERELY THE BIRTH PANGS OF THE RULE OF CHRIST ON EARTH AND A NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH.

**** PURE WORSHIP DRIVES AWAY FEAR, ANXIETY AND ANYTHING THAT DISTRACTS US FROM OUR ULTIMATE PRIORITY WHICH IS WORSHIPPING OUR GREAT, HOLY, POWERFUL, ETERNAL GOD WHO IS THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE.

(4) MAY WE ASCRIBE TO HIM THAT HE IS WORTHY OF GLORY, HONOR, THANKS AND POWER TODAY AND MAY WE FALL DOWN IN OUR HEARTS BEFORE HIM TODAY.