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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 20

TITLE: THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD AND WORSHIP

TEXT: REVELATION 4:8

INTRODUCTION: (1) CERTAINLY IN OUR DAY, THERE IS A RENEWED INTEREST AND EMPHASIS ON WORSHIP.

* THERE ARE WORSHIP CD’S, WORSHIP SEMINARS, WORSHIP CHORUSES, WORSHIP GATHERINGS, WORSHIP CONCERTS AND EVEN WORSHIP DVD’S.

** AND CERTAINLY A RENEWED INTEREST AND EMPHASIS ON WORSHIP IS GOOD, FOR WORSHIP SHOULD BE A WAY OF LIFE TO THOSE WHO TRULY KNOW GOD, WHO TRULY KNOW CHRIST.

*** YET, WITH A RENEWED EMPHASIS AND INTEREST IN OUR ULTIMATE PRIORITY, THERE APPEARS TO BE A DE-EMPHASIS OF WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE BY SOME.

**** AND THAT IS A FRIGHTENING TREND TO ME.

(2) FOR YOU SEE ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP DEMANDS THAT GOD BE 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 HAS DONE IN CREATION AND REDEMPTION, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO WORSHIP HIM PROPERLY OR ACCEPTABLY.

** WORSHIP IS NOT OPTIONAL AND WORSHIP WILL NOT HAPPEN THROUGH IGNORANCE OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES AND WHO HE REALLY IS.

*** J. I. PACKER IN HIS BOOK “KNOWING GOD” STATED IN GENERAL IN THE FORWARD OF HIS BOOK KNOWING GOD, THAT IGNORANCE OF GOD LIES AT THE ROOT OF MUCH OF THE CHURCH’S WEAKNESS TODAY.

**** HE SAID AND I QUOTE: “CHRISTIAN MINDS HAVE BEEN CONFORMED TO THE MODERN SPIRIT; THE SPIRIT, THAT IS, THAT SPAWNS GREAT THOUGHTS OF MAN AND LEAVES ROOM FOR ONLY SMALL THOUGHTS OF GOD.” (END QUOTE)

(3) PACKER WENT ON TO SAY IN CHAPTER 1 OF HIS BOOK THAT, “OUR AIM IN STUDYING THE GODHEAD MUST BE TO KNOW GOD HIMSELF THE BETTER. OUR CONCERN MUST BE TO ENLARGE OUR ACQUAINTANCE, NOT SIMPLY WITH THE DOCTRINE OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES, BUT WITH THE LIVING GOD WHOSE ATTRIBUTES THEY ARE.” (END QUOTE)

* AND IN ESSENCE, PACKER WAS SAYING, WE NOT ONLY NEED KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND WHO HE IS, BUT THAT KNOWLEDGE SHOULD LEAD US TO KNOW GOD, TO LOVE GOD, TO WORSHIP GOD AND SERVE GOD.

** AND WORKING FOR GOD AND WITNESSING FOR GOD ARE VITAL, BUT LET ME SAY THEY ARE FRUITS OF WORSHIPPING GOD.

*** AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LEAD US TO WORSHIP GOD IS SEEING AND UNDERSTANDING HIS ATTRIBUTES.

**** STEPHEN CHARNOCK IN HIS CLASSIC BOOKS, AND I SAY BOOKS FOR I HAVE TWO VOLUMES OF HIS BOOKS, “THE EXISTENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD” WROTE, “THE RIGHT EXERCISE OF WORSHIP IS FOUNDED UPON AND RISETH FROM, THE SPIRITUALITY OF GOD. THE FIRST GROUND OF THE WORSHIP WE RENDER TO GOD IS THE INFINITE EXCELLENCY OF HIS NATURE, WHICH IS NOT ONLY ONE ATTRIBUTE, BUT RESULTS FROM ALL; FOR GOD, AS GOD, IS THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP.”

(4) NOW IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CHARNOCK SAID IS, ALL IS ALL THE ATTRIBUTES THAT MAKE GOD GOD.

* FOR AN ATTRIBUTE IS A QUALITY OR CHARACTERISTIC OF A PERSON. AN ATTRIBUTE IS A QUALITY, CHARACTER, CHARACTERISTIC OR PROPERTY ATTRIBUTED AS BELONGING TO A PERSON.

** NOW SPECIFICALLY, THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD ARE REVEALED IN HIS WORD. AND HIS ATTRIBUTES ARE HIS CHARACTERISTICS, HIS EXCELLENCIES OR QUALITIES, EXERCISED IN HIS WORK OF CREATION, PROVIDENCE AND SALVATION.

*** NOW THREE OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES ARE REVEALED IN OUR TEXT TODAY IN REVELATION 4:8.

**** THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD’S HOLINESS.

(5) THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD’S OMNIPOTENCE, OR THAT HE IS ALL POWERFUL, THE ALMIGHTY.

* AND THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD’S ETERNALITY, THAT GOD IS AN ETERNAL BEING WITH NO BEGINNING OR END.

** NOW THOSE ATTRIBUTES ARE THE REASON FOR THE WORSHIP AND PRAISE RENDERED BY THE 4 LIVING CREATURES IN HEAVEN.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD AND WORSHIP GO HAND IN HAND. WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE IN SEEING WHO GOD IS.

**** WORSHIP FLOWS FROM SEEING GOD IN HIS UNIQUENESS AND POWER THAT MAKE HIM GOD AND THE RESPONSE IS WORSHIP.

***** SEEING GOD’S CHARACTER, HIS ATTRIBUTES MOVES THESE BEINGS TO WORSHIP. WHAT COMES FIRST? TRUTH.

(6) TRUTH ABOUT WHO GOD IS LEADS TO WORSHIP. IT’S A REVELATION ABOUT GOD, LEADS TO THE HOLY RESPONSE OF WORSHIP AND ADORATION.

* BECAUSE OF THAT, I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY, THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD AND WORSHIP.

** AND UNDER THAT THEME AND TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 4 THINGS. NO. 1 THE PERFORMERS, THE 4 LIVING CREATURES, V. 8A; NO. 2 THE PURE ONE, IN REFERENCE TO GOD’S ATTRIBUTE OF HOLINESS, V. 8B; NO. 3 THE POWERFUL ONE, IN REFERENCE TO GOD BEING THE ALMIGHTY, V. 8C; AND NO. 4 THE PERPETUAL ONE, IN REFERENCE TO GOD’S ETERNALITY, V. 8A.

**** AND WITH THAT OUTLINE TO WORK FROM, LOOK AT V. 8A PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE PERFORMERS.

I. THE PERFORMERS, (READ V. 8A)

A. NOW THE PERFORMERS ARE THE 4 LIVING CREATURES. AND AS I USE THE WORD PERFORM I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT ACTING, BUT CARRYING OUT, FULFILLING THEIR FUNCTION OF WORSHIP.

* THEY ARE A HIGH ANGELIC ORDER, SOME SAY SERAPHIM, OTHERS CHERUBIM, BUT REGARDLESS THEY ARE AN EXALTED ANGELIC ORDER WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO WORSHIP GOD AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD, AND WE’LL SEE LATER ON IN REVELATION THEY ARE INVOLVED WITH COMING JUDGMENTS IN THE TRIBULATION.

** NOW THEY ARE CLOSEST TO THE THRONE OF GOD ACCORDING TO V. 6, SURROUNDING THE THRONE OF GOD, ONE ON EACH OF THE TWO SIDES, ONE IN THE FRONT, AND ONE IN THE BACK – AROUND THE 4 SIDES OF THE THRONE.

*** AND HERE IN V. 8 FURTHER IDENTIFICATION OR FEATURES ABOUT THEM ARE GIVEN.

**** NO. 1 EACH ONE OF THEM HAVE 6 WINGS LIKE THE SERAPHIM IN ISAIAH 6:2.

1. IN FACT, ISAIAH 6:1-3 SAYS:

V. 1 – IN THE YEAR OF KING UZZIAH’S DEATH I SAW THE LORD SITTING ON A THRONE, LOFTY AND EXALTED, WITH THE TRAIN OF HIS ROBE FILLING THE TEMPLE.

V. 2 – SERAPHIM STOOD ABOVE HIM, EACH HAVING SIX WINGS: WITH TWO HE COVERED HIS FACE, AND WITH TWO HE COVERED HIS FEET, AND WITH TWO HE FLEW.

V. 3 – AND ONE CALLED OUT TO ANOTHER AND SAID, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY.”

* NOW FROM ISAIAH’S VISION, WE SEE THAT THE SERAPHIM HAD 6 WINGS ALSO, WHICH SUGGEST TO SOME THAT’S WHAT ORDER OF ANGELS WE HAVE HERE.

** BUT IN ISAIAH’S VISION, WE SEE THAT TWO OF THEIR WINGS COVERED THEIR FACES, WITH TWO THEY COVERED THEIR FEET AND WITH TWO THEY FLEW.

*** NOW ROBERT THOMAS IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 1-7 HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THEIR 6 WINGS, AND I QUOTE:

**** “TWO WINGS COVERED THE FACE, DENOTING AWE, BECAUSE THE SERAPHIM DARED NOT LOOK AT GOD; TWO COVERED THE FEET DENOTING HUMILITY, BECAUSE THEY STAND IN HIS PRESENCE; (AND I WOULD ADD, STANDING ON HOLY GROUND); AND WITH TWO THEY WOULD FLY DENOTING OBEDIENCE BECAUSE THEY ARE READY TO CARRY OUT HIS COMMANDS.” (END QUOTE)

2. NOW IT APPEARS THAT 4 OF THEIR SIX WINGS ARE RELATED TO WORSHIP, COVERING THEIR FACE AND FEET, AWE OF GOD NOT LOOKING AT HIM ON HIS THRONE, AND IN HUMILITY COVERING THEIR FEET BECAUSE THEY ARE ON HOLY GROUND.

* THUS WORSHIP IS THEIR PRIVILEGE, CALLING AND PERMANENT OCCUPATION.

** BUT MOVING ON JOHN GIVE US ANOTHER DESCRIPTION OF THESE 4 LIVING CREATURES THAT THEY “ARE FULL OF EYES AROUND AND WITHIN.”

*** AND THIS IS A PARTIAL REITERATION OF V. 6 WHICH DESCRIBED THE FOUR AS BEING “FULL OF EYES IN FRONT AND BEHIND.”

**** AND THAT THEY ARE FULL OF EYES CONVEYS THAT NOTHING ESCAPES THEIR SCRUTINY, THERE IS A CONTINUAL AWARENESS AND ALERTNESS.

3. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY AWARE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD, NOTHING GETS BY THEM.

* AND BEING SO FULL OF EYES POSITIONED AROUND AND WITHIN, THEY ARE ABLE TO MOVE THEIR WINGS WITHOUT EVER DISRUPTING THEIR VISION.

** NOW THEIR FUNCTION, THE PARTICULAR ACTIVITY OF THESE LIVING BEINGS IS DESCRIBED AS INCESSANT, UNENDING, CONTINUAL PRAISE.

*** FOR DAY AND NIGHT THEY DO NOT CEASE TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP THE LORD, THAT IS THEIR FUNCTION, THEIR PRIVILEGE AND EVEN THEIR DUTY.

4. NOW THE QUESTION COMES UP AT THIS POINT, WHAT MOVES THEM TO CONTINUALLY WORSHIP? WELL 3 ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN V. 8.

* IN OTHER WORDS THE CAUSE OF THIS WORSHIP IS THE CHARACTER OF GOD.

** AND THE FIRST CHARACTERISTIC OF GOD, THE FIRST ATTRIBUTE OF GOD THAT THEY RESPOND IN PRAISE ABOUT IS HIS HOLINESS, OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THAT HE IS THE PURE ONE. LOOK BACK AT V. 8 PLEASE.

II. THE PURE ONE, (READ V. 8A&B)

A. NOW THIS THREEFOLD REPETITION OF THE WORD HOLY IS CALLED THE TRISAGION AND IS ALSO FOUND IN ISAIAH 6:3.

* AND HOLINESS IS THE ONLY ONE OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES SO REPEATED, USED THREE TIMES IN A ROW LIKE THIS.

** AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THIS EMPHASIS. NO. 1 HOLINESS IS THE SUMMATION OF ALL THAT GOD IS. IT IS THE CHARACTERISTIC THROUGH WHICH ALL OF HIS OTHER ATTRIBUTES FLOW THROUGH.

*** LET ME ILLUSTRATE. PEOPLE OFTEN SAY POWER CORRUPTS AND THAT ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY.

**** NOW GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL, WE WILL SEE THAT HE IS ALMIGHTY IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES, SO GOD HAS ALL POWER, HE HAS ABSOLUTE POWER, BUT HE IS NOT CORRUPT.

1. WHY HASN’T HIS POWER CORRUPTED HIM LIKE IT DOES HUMANS? THE ANSWER IS, GOD IS HOLY, IT CAN NEVER BE CORRUPTED FOR HOLINESS IS A PART OF HIS NATURE, HIS BEING AND IT IN A SENSE IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD THAT ALL THE OTHERS FLOW THROUGH.

* NOW WHAT ARE WE SAYING WHEN WE SAY GOD IS HOLY?

** WELL, THE BIBLICAL CONCEPT OF HOLINESS HAS TWO PRIMARY MEANINGS. THE FIRST MEANING IS SIMPLY APARTNESS OR SEPARATENESS.

*** THAT WHICH IS HOLY IS SET APART FORM COMMON THINGS. IT IS DIFFERENT, IT IS OTHER.

**** AND TO SAY THAT GOD IS OTHER IS TO SAY HE TRANSCENDS, THAT HE GOES BEYOND, THAT HE IS ABOVE, THAT HE IS BEYOND THE ENTIRE CREATION.

2. THERE IS SPIRITUAL APARTHEID, SPIRITUAL APARTNESS, THAT HE IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL OF CREATION. IT IS HIS UTTER OTHERNESS.

* WHICH LEADS US TO THE SECOND MEANING OF GOD’S HOLINESS, HIS PURITY.

** THERE IS NOT MORAL BLEMISH, NO DEFECT, NO STAIN OF WICKEDNESS OR SIN TO MAR HIS CHARACTER.

*** HE IS INCAPABLE OF SIN, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO SIN. SO GOD’S ACTS ARE HOLY BECAUSE HE IS HOLY. GOD CAN ONLY ACT CONSISTENT WITH WHO HE IS.

**** SO IN SUMMARY GOD’S HOLINESS IS HIS UTTER AND COMPLETE SEPARATION FROM SIN AND EVIL IN ANY AND EVERY FORM.

3. HE IS ABSOLUTELY UNTAINTED BY AN EVIL, ERROR OR WRONG DOING.

* AND THAT’S WHY IT SAYS IN EXODUS 15:11: “WHO IS LIKE YOU AMONG THE GODS, O LORD? WHO IS LIKE YOU, MAJESTIC IN HOLINESS, AWESOME IN PRAISES, WORKING WONDERS?”

** THAT’S WHY IT SAYS IN PSALM 47:8: “GOD REIGNS OVER THE NATIONS, GOD SITS ON HIS HOLY THRONE.”

*** AND THAT’S WHY IT SAYS IN PSALM 145:17: READ IT

**** NOW THAT GOD IS HOLY IN ALL HIS WAYS IS A CAUSE OF WORSHIP. THE RESPONSE OF WORSHIP SHOULD FLOW FROM OUR LIVES BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY.

4. FOR HE CANNOT BE UNJUST, UNRIGHTEOUS AND WILL ALWAYS DO WHAT IS RIGHT. OUR RESPONSE: WORSHIP!! HE IS UNLIKE US.

* AND BECAUSE HE IS HOLY HE IS FAITHFUL, JUST AND INCAPABLE OF WRONG. SO HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE JUDGE OF THE EARTH WILL DO WHAT’S RIGHT, GENESIS 18:25?

** BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY THING THE JUDGE OF THE EARTH KNOWS HOW TO DO. HE IS MORALLY INCAPABLE OF DOING ANYTHING LESS THAN WHAT IS RIGHT! (PRAISE BE TO OUR HOLY GOD).

*** AND HERE IN OUR TEXT AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 4:8, GOD IS WORSHIPPED AS THE THRICE HOLY GOD FOR EMPHASIS.

**** OR BECAUSE HE IS THE TRIUNE GOD, A FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, SO THE THREE HOLIES MAKE REFERENCE TO THE 3 PERSONS OF THE HOLY TRINITY, HOLY FATHER, HOLY SON, HOLY SPIRIT.

5. AND IN SUMMARY GOD IS THE PURE ONE. BUT NOT ONLY IS HE THE PURE ONE, HE IS THE POWERFUL ONE. LOOK BACK AT V. 8 PLEASE FOR OUR THIRD POINT THIS MORNING.

III. THE POWERFUL ONE, (READ V. 8A, B&C)

A. NOW THE SECOND ASPECT OF GOD’S ESSENTIAL NATURE THAT THE 4 LIVING CREATURES EXTOL HIM FOR IS HE IS THE ALMIGHTY.

* MEANING THAT THE ONE SEATED ON THE THRONE IS THE ALL-POWERFUL OMNIPOTENT ONE.

** NOW THE WORD ALMIGHTY SAYS IT ALL, A WORD USED TO TALK ABOUT GOD 58 TIMES IN THE NAS AND 8 OTHER TIMES IN REVELATION GIVING US A TOTAL OF 9 USES IN REVELATION ALONE.

*** AND ALMIGHTY LIT. MEANS ALL-POWERFUL. GOD HAS ABSOLUTE POWER WHICH IS GOVERNED BY HIS HOLINESS, BECAUSE HE IS NOT CORRUPTED FROM HAVING THIS KIND OF MIGHT.

**** AND BEYOND THAT GOD IS ALMIGHTY IDENTIFIES GOD AS THE STRONGEST MOST POWERFUL BEING UTTERLY DEVOID OF ANY WEAKNESS, WHO’S CONQUERING POWER AND OVERPOWERING STRENGTH NONE CAN OPPOSE.

1. NOW ONE OF THE AREAS THAT GOD’S POWER IS ON DISPLAY IS IN CREATION. PSALM 33:8&9 SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ PSALM 147:4&5.

* GOD HAS GREAT POWER AND HAVING CREATED THE UNIVERSE, GOD ALSO CONTROLS IT.

** AND DAVID DECLARED THIS IN I CHRONICLES 29:11&12 WHERE HE SAID:

V. 11 - “YOURS, O LORD, IS THE GREATNESS AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY AND THE VICTORY AND THE MAJESTY, INDEED EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH; YOURS IS THE DOMINION, O LORD, AND YOU EXALT YOURSELF AS HEAD OVER ALL.”

V. 12 – “BOTH RICHES AND HONOR COME FROM YOU, AND YOU RULE OVER ALL, AND IN YOUR HAND IS POWER AND MIGHT; AND IT LIES IN YOUR HAND TO MAKE GREAT AND TO STRENGTHEN EVERYONE.”

*** NOW GOD RULES FROM HIS THRONE WITH GREAT AND ABSOLUTE POWER. HE RULES AND REIGNS BECAUSE HE IS THE OMNIPOTENT ONE. HE IS SOVEREIGN BECAUSE HE IS THE ALL-MIGHTY.

**** AND BY THE WAY, HE RULES IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BECAUSE HE IS HOLY.

***** AND WE CAN REST IN THAT WHEN THINGS DON’T APPEAR TO BE GOING OUR WAY, FOR THEY ARE GOING HIS ULTIMATE WAY WHICH IS ULTIMATELY GOOD FOR ULTIMATELY HE IS THE HOLY ALMIGHTY ONE.

2. AND OUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE WHAT? WORSHIP!

* WHICH LEADS TO A THIRD ASPECT OF GOD’S NATURE THAT HE IS WORSHIPPED FOR, HE IS THE PERPETUAL ONE. LOOK BACK AT V. 8 ONE MORE TIME PLEASE.

IV. THE PERPETUAL ONE, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW THE THIRD ATTRIBUTE THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO HIS NATURE AS GOD IS HIS ETERNALITY, THAT HE HAS NO BEGINNING OR END.

* GOD IS THE GOD WHO WAS, BECAUSE HE HAS NO BEGINNING. WHAT WAS BEFORE GOD? NOTHING. WHEN DID GOD COME IN TO BEING? HE DIDN’T, HE HAS ALWAYS EXISTED, HE WAS BEFORE TIME.

** BUT ALSO HE IS THE GOD WHO IS, HE EXISTS PRESENTLY, AND WHO IS TO COME, HE WILL NOT CEASE TO EXIST.

*** HE IS THE ONE WHO SPANS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, THE ETERNAL, SELF-EXISTENT GOD, THE GREAT I AM.

**** AND THAT TRUTH LEADS THE PSALMIST TO SAY THIS IS PSALM 103: 15-17 IN CONTRAST TO MAN: (READ VV. 15&16)

V. 17 – BUT THE LOVINGKINDNESS OF THE LORD IS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO CHILDREN’S CHILDREN.

1. AND THAT GOD IS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING WOULD LEAD THE PSALMIST TO PRAISE THE LORD IN PSALM 106:48 WHERE HE SAID: BLESSED BE THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, FROM EVERLASTING EVEN TO EVERLASTING. AND LET ALL THE PEOPLE SAY, AMEN. PRAISE THE LORD!

* AND THEN THE PSALMIST SAID IN PSALM 90:1&2: (READ THEM).

** AND GOD AS GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAY: “I AM WHO I AM.”

*** BELOVED: THERE IS NOT TIME WHEN GOD STARTED TO EXIST. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, HE IS ETERNAL. AND WE ARE BECAUSE GOD IS.

**** AND APART FROM GOD I CANNOT EXIST; BUT APART FROM ME GOD DOES EXIST AND HAS ALWAYS EXISTED.

2. AND GOD DOES NOT NEED ME IN ORDER FOR HIM TO BE, BUT I DO NEED GOD IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE.

* AND THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE CALL SELF-EXISTENT BEING – GOD AND DEPENDENT BEING – MANKIND. OUR GOD IS ETERNAL AND WE SHOULD WORSHIP HIM LIKE THE 4 LIVING BEINGS FOR THAT ATTRIBUTE.

IN WRAP UP: (1) I HOPE YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR

STUDY TODAY, WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE TO WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE.

* AND THAT’S WHY KNOWING ABOUT GOD LEADS TO KNOWING HIM WHICH LEADS TO WORSHIP.

** DOCTRINE APPLIED LEADS TO DOXOLOGY.

*** AND IN ESSENCE, REVELATION 4:8 IS A DOXOLOGY. IT IS ONE OF 14 DOXOLOGIES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

**** BUT LET ME SAY, DOXOLOGY COMES FROM HAVING A HIGH VIEW OF GOD, A HIGH OPINION OF GOD.

(2) A. W. TOZER WROTE AND I QUOTE: “PERVERTED NOTIONS ABOUT GOD SOON ROT THE RELIGION IN WHICH THEY APPEAR. THE LONG CAREER OF ISRAEL DEMONSTRATES THIS CLEARLY ENOUGH, AND THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH CONFIRMS IT. SO NECESSARY TO THE CHURCH IS A LOFTY CONCEPT OF GOD THAT WHEN THAT CONCEPT IN ANY MEASURE DECLINES, THE CHURCH WITH HER WORSHIP AND HER MORAL STANDARDS DECLINES ALONG WITH IT. THE FIRST STEP DOWN FOR ANY CHURCH IS TAKEN WHEN IT SURRENDERS ITS HIGH OPINION OF GOD.”

* SO BELOVED WE MUST HAVE A HIGH VIEW OF GOD AND NOT BRING HIM DOWN.

** GOD IS THE PURE ONE, THE HOLY ONE.

*** GOD IS THE POWERFUL ONE, THE ALMIGHTY.

**** GOD IS THE PERPETUAL ONE, HE IS ETERNAL.

(3) AND OUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE WORSHIP AND HOLY LIVING.

* IN APPLICATION, I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD THOUGHTS.

** BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY, ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL I NEED NOT FEAR. FOR OUR DEEPEST FEARS FLOW OUT OF OUR BEING FRAGILE. GOD IS NOT FRAGILE.

*** WE MAY FEAR CANCER, PAIN, FLYING OR DEATH. BUT THOSE FEARS ARE RELIEVED WHEN I REALIZE GOD IS HOLY AND JUST, ALL POWERFUL AND ETERNAL.

**** GOD HOLDS THE POWER OF MY BEING IN HIS HANDS AND HE IS HOLY AND ALL POWERFUL, SO WHY DO I FEAR?

(4) GOD IS ABLE TO DO WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO AND HE WILL DO IT BECAUSE HE CANNOT LIE FOR HE IS HOLY.

* HE HAS THE POWER TO RAISE OUR BODIES FROM THE DUST. HE HAS THE POWER TO WIPE AWAY OUR TEARS FOREVER. HE HAS THE POWER TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL SIN.

** HIS PROMISES ARE NOT IDLE WISHES FROM A JOHNNY COME LATELY FOR HE IS ETERNAL.

*** HE HAS THE POWER TO KEEP HIS PROMISES AND BECAUSE HE IS HOLY, HE WILL KEEP HIS PROMISES.

**** THERE IS NO IF WITH GOD’S FUTURE PROMISES. HE WILL DO WHAT HE HAS PROMISED AND I WORSHIP TODAY FOR THAT.

(5) HE IS HOLY, ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL. LET US BOW BEFORE HIM TODAY IN WORSHIP.