Part 2: Worshipping God's Way

Dr. George Bannister

How to Become the Kind of Church God Desires: • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

Revelation 1:9–20

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How to Become the Kind of Church God Desires: Part 2- Worshipping God's Way

Introduction:

A- Illustrations:

1- Quote:

● Gordon Dahl once observed, "Our problem is that we worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship."

* LifeWalk, May/June, 1991; Worship, p. 2

● "If worship does not change us, it has not been worship."

--Richard Foster

B- The Apostle Paul defined what a life of worship should look like:

()”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.* 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:1–2 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. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1–2 NLT

() “9 I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.* Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book* everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man.* He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.* 19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.* 20 This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels* of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Revelation 1:9–20 NLT

I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

C- You and I have been called to experience real worship.

I. REAL WORSHIP MUST BE DONE WITH THE PROPER ATTITUDE () “9 I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.”

A- I must recognize who I am (vs. 9a-b).

1- I am a family member (vs. 9a).

a- I am a member of the family of God if I have been born into God's Family.

born into God's Family.

➔ I have recognized that I have a sin problem ().

➔ I have reconciled myself to the fact that my sin has a penalty (). I have realized that Jesus paid the price for my sin on the cross ().

➔ I have received the free gift that Jesus offers me through repentance and faith

(,,).

2- I am a companion with other Christians who are in persecution (vs. 9b).

a- Allowing the trials and tribulations of life to help me become more like Jesus.

become more like Jesus

() “Therefore, since we have been made right

Romans 5:1–5 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

in God’s sight by faith, we have peace* with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved

what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved

our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved

privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and

joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 3 We can

rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we

know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance

develops strength of character, and character strengthens

our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead

to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us,

because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts

with his love.”

B- I must remember whose I am (vs. 9c-d)

1- I am a citizen of the Kingdom where Christ is Lord

(vs. 9c).

() “But we are citizens of heaven, where

Philippians 3:20 NLT

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for

him to return as our Savior.

2- I am committed to follow Christ, no matter what it costs.

(vs. 9d).

() “And he said to them all, If any man will

Luke 9:23 NLT

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his

cross daily, and follow me.”

C- I must realize where I am (vs. 10).

1- I am in a world where I and my Lord are misunderstood

and rejected (vs. 10a).

() “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”

before it hated you.”

2- I am in this world for specific reasons (vs. 10b).

() “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 NLT

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

a) I am here to aid in the spreading of the Word of God.

b) I am here to bear testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ, His will and His ways.

II. REAL WORSHIP MUST HAVE THE PROPER ATTENTIVENESS (). “10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.* Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book* everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man.* He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

Revelation 1:10–16 NLT

It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

A- I must be attentive to who He is (vs. 13-16).

1- He is the one who has the final word (vs. 11a).

2- He is our High Priest and Mediator (vs. 13).

() “For there is one God, and one mediator

1 Timothy 2:5 NLT

For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”

() “Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

Hebrews 4:14 NLT

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.

that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.”

3- He is the Holy One (vs. 14).

() “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the

Isaiah 6:3 NLT

They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

whole earth is full of his glory.”

4- He is the one who knows all about me (vs. 14b).

() “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Matthew 10:30 NLT

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.

5- He is the one who will judge me (vs. 15).

6- He is the all-powerful one (vs. 15b, 16b).

()

Matthew 28:18a NLT

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

7- He is the one who upholds those who serve Him

(vs. 16a).

() “God has said, I will never fail you. I will never

Hebrews 13:5 NLT

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

abandon you.”

B- I must be attentive to what He says (vs. 11-12).

1- Adequate preparation must be made so that His voice can be heard (vs. 10a).

can be heard (vs. 10a).

a- Personal worship is a prerequisite for public and corporate worship.

corporate worship.

b- Repentance and confession of sin must take place in order to clear the way to hear fro God.

order to clear the way to hear fro God.

() “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”

Psalm 66:18 NLT

If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

c- Seek to be tuned in to the Holy Spirit... under His control...

control...

() “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is

Ephesians 5:18 NLT

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

excess; but be filled with the Spirit”

2- Always be listening expectantly for the Lord to speak

(vs. 10b)

a. We must come expecting to hear from Him.

3- All attention must be focused upon Him when He speaks (vs. 12).

a. All that distracts us must be put aside.

b. All worship is directed to him and is for him.

a. Examples in

Revelation 4–5 NLT

Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.” Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.” Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

1. The worship of the four living beings ()

Revelation 4:6–8 NLT

In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

2. The worship of the 24 human elders ()

3. The combined worship of the heavenly crowd ().

Revelation 4:9–11 NLT

Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

III. REAL WORSHIP MUST HAVE THE PROPER ACTION (). “17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.* 19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.* 20 This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels* of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Revelation 1:17–20 NLT

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

A- I must humble myself before the Lord (vs. 17a).

1- I must be willing to put away all forms of pride.

() “And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

2- I must be willing to lay myself at his feet in total surrender and yieldedness.

and yieldedness.

() “ Do not let any part of your body become an

Romans 6:13 NLT

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves

completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have

new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do

what is right for the glory of God.”

B- I must respond in faith to Christ and move in His assurance (vs. 17b-18).

assurance (vs. 17b-18).

1- I must allow His strength to become my own (vs. 17b).

2- I must accept His comfort to overcome fear (vs. 17c).

3- I must appropriate His victory as my own (vs. 18).

C- I must obey what He shows me to do (vs. 19-20).

1- Obedience means doing whatever Jesus says I should do (vs. 19a).

(vs. 19a).

() “If you love me, obey* my commandments.”

John 14:15 NLT

“If you love me, obey my commandments.

() ““So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’

when you don’t do what I say?”

2- Obedience means doing things in the way and in the timing that Jesus says (vs. 19b).

timing that Jesus says (vs. 19b).

a- Partial obedience is disobedience!

3- Obedience is made possible because of Jesus' power, not my own (vs. 20).

Conclusion:

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