In this first sermon of the series, Pastor Mark preaches from Revelation 4 on how we will worship in Heaven as the people of God in the presence of God giving praise to God.
How Do We Worship in Heaven?
-Religions WE go up. Bible God sends down – ladder, angels, fire, Jesus, HS, wisdom, gifts
-Jesus’ prayer – Heaven & earth connected”
Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
-Jesus’ prayer answered in worship 1. Heaven, 2. Church, 3. Home, 4. Life (XMAS big)
Revelation
- Jesus – 1:1 “The revelation of Jesus Christ”
- 4 Visions “in the Spirit” – 1). 1:10-3 2).4:2-16 3). 17:3-20 4). 21:10-22
- ?? How is Jesus being worshipped right now!
Security feed – see your home when you’re not there
The People of God, In the Presence of God, Giving Praise to God: Revelation 4:1-11
The People of God
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
- John – Jesus best friend, Sunday “the Lords day” – XN Sabbath & worship
- Old, alone, boiled alive, exiled –
Revelation?
1. Western Church = Eschatology – history & eternity (backward & forward)
2. Eastern Church = Doxology – Heaven & earth (up & down)
- Earthly World (BODY) – churches & nations (Rev 2, 3, 6, 10, 12-13, 16-19).
- Heavenly World (SOUL) – presence God (Rev 1, 4, 5, 7, 11, 14, 15, 19, 21-22).
- “Looked” – dream (asleep), vision (awake)
- Door into heaven = travel between realms
- Spiritual Realm can connect to a Physical Place (by HS)
Metaverse & VR – a counterfeit – a real-world that is not physical for mainly worship evil
In the Presence of God
Revelation 4:2-8a At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within…
Spirit-Filled Worship
4:2 “I was in the Spirit” = connects 2 worlds
· Trinity = unceasing worship (1X CROSS)
· Imago Dei = unceasing worshipper = someone/something
- Worship God
- Worship Someone/Something
= Commandments 1-2 (1 God, worship Only the 1 God)
Throne
- LITTLE THRONES – Jesus’ people
- BIG THRONE – Jesus – center point uniting 2 Realms
A. Judgement B. Grace
196X Bible, 45 of 61 NT in Rev 17 of 22 chapters & Rev 4 highest concentration
- Priest (Lamb 5:5-6) 2. Warrior (Lion 5:5-6) 3. King (Lamb/Lion (5:5-6)
= Glory vs Humility (over churches and nations, angels and demons, living & dead)
The People of God in the Presence of God
“Divine council”; “the assembly of the holy ones”, “council of the holy ones”, “hosts”, “the seat of the gods,” “mount of assembly,” “court…in judgment,” “heavenly host.”
-Where God & all His Family convene for
1. Father/Son/Spirit – 2 Big Thrones & “7 spirits of God”
2. God’s Divine Family Worshipping – “4 living creatures”
-“stars”, angels 300X Bible 90% books, + “sons of God”, “the gods”
3. God’s Human Family Worshipping – John “in the Spirit) (24 elders? 12 tribes + 12 disciples?)
4. Production
- Lighting – jasper, carnelian, rainbow, emerald, lightning
- Sound – rumblings & peals of thunder
Beauty – sights, sounds, smells, colors = production
= environment/atmosphere is important to engage the whole person
= worship should not be a concert? Or a concert should not be your counterfeit worship?
Giving Praise to God
Revelation 4:8b-11 …day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
– Gen 1-2 – 2 Realms as 1 – The people of God in the presence of God giving praise to God
– Gen 3 – Sin separates the realms
– Rev 20 – Jesus returns – reigns, sentences Satan, White Throne
– Rev 21-22 – Kingdom/New Jerusalem comes to earth = 1 Realm (Eden & Tree of Life)
– Beginning – Middle – Beginning (THRONE COMES DOWN & KING SITS ON IT)
JOHN – on earth but looks up to welcome down on The Lord’s Day worshipping “in the Spirit”
- Supernatural?????? “day and night they never cease”
- Song – at least 10 new songs & instruments, singing shouting, praying
- Surrender – clapping, cheering, kneeling, raising hands, falling face down
- Stewardship – lay down crown ($ & power) proskuneo fall down & kiss Jesus’ feet
– We were made to stand in awe of something greater (Sunsets, Beach, Grand Canyon)
CLOSING PRAYER