Worship In Heaven - Part 1

Christian about how much of your spiritual one is currently. By preaching prayer and worship the consumer but only one of those will be practiced in heaven around 34. Dr. Jeremiah takes a closer look at the praise and worship that we enjoy on earth is just a slow price of what's in store for us and eternal heart to introduce today's message worship in heaven is. Thank you for joining us this is Turning Point on David Jeremiah were in the midst of a series called revealing the mysteries of heaven.

Well let's find out what's going to happen when we gather around the throne for worship in heaven as most of you know I came from the Midwest. One of the historic education centers in the Midwest is in Wheaton, Illinois, and for years, Wheaton College laws the Westpoint of Christian education and the Chancellor. Wheaton College was a man by the name of way back in 1967) was preaching in the chapel of Wheaton College was preaching on the subject. Students that several years earlier he had had the opportunity to meet the king of Ethiopia, and in order to meet the king there was a strict protocol to which he had to attend. There were a number of items which had to be done in order that he might present himself properly to better replicate Dr. admin use that illustration in chapel that day to remind the young people that when they come to chapel each day at Wheaton College. They were to be coming into the presence of the king of King he earns them to understand what it meant to worship the Lord and he was offering the student body.

Several suggestions for making chapel more worship. Dr. Edmund suddenly collapsed to the floor and in the middle of his sermon on worship went into the presence of Almighty God not tell you something if you want to script your death that's glad like a scribe like the guy, preacher, as I reflect on that event I remember several commentators noting that in their opinion, Dr. Edmund would have one of the easiest transitions in the presence of God of anyone they had ever known. He said his transition would be seamless so worship God during his lifetime that entering into eternal worship would not be much of a shock to his system at all. He would just blow right into the worship of God because he had spent all of his life doing that very thing to be great if we approached worship as if we were getting ready for eternal worship experience worship that was similar to that experienced by the saints who are in glory and our worship services.

Today we have three parts. The pricing of God, praying to God and the preaching about God, the praying to God. The pricing of God in the preaching about God. It is a strange and interesting thing that when we get to heaven.

Only one of those three elements will survive sparsely know there's no prayer in heaven because there's no need to pray, we are in the presence of Almighty God were living in the light of his every good wish for us so there would be no need to pray in terms of supplication and there would be no need to pray for intercession because if we fail to intercede for loved ones while we were on earth. It will be too late when we get to heaven is not be any preaching in heaven either because the Bible says we will know him, even as we are no we will have a complete grasp of the things of God. Praising is the only one of the three elements of our worship that will survive into eternity. The Bible says were going to spend eternity in praise and worship. And if that is true, then praise and worship has to be a high priority with the Lord. It should challenge us as his people to take seriously the biblical instruction that we've been given and to continue to grow in our ability to worship and praise God.

What we are learning to do in our short time on this earth. We will spend an eternity doing in heaven. So, as our Bibles are open to revelation chapter 4 I like to give you just a little bird's eye view. If I might be like to praise God in heaven. I in our notes is the context of worship in heaven, and I want to just read the first part of the first verse of Revelation for John is writing he said after these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. Door opened in heaven. John is able to look from his place on earth through an open door into heaven. He is able to see something that no one has ever seen before from his place on the Isle of Patmos. John sees the worship that is taking place in heaven. And there is no better example in all of history of Christianity, no better example of an eternal perspective than that which John the apostle had specially in the years following Christ ascension to heaven. As you know John along with Peter and James was part of the inner circle of the Lord's disciples. John was with Jesus at all the critical moments in the life of Jesus, such as in the garden of Gethsemane. Remember in Matthew 26 were told that he took Peter with him and the two sons of Zebedee and John was one of those who came in he was there with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. He was with Jesus at the time of his crucifixion stole sermon on Mary and one of the disciples, the only disciple was still left standing at the cross was John and you read about that in John chapter 19 verses 25 through 27 and it was John who outran Peter on the rights of the empty tomb on resurrection morning Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb and so the program together and the other disciple, this is written by John. He calls himself the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first John was present when Peter and James together with John went to the Mount of Transfiguration and there they saw the glorified Lord. John was present when Jesus ascended into heaven. John have been privileged to be with the Lord in many of the most important moments of our Lord's life on this earth but John also experienced many difficult challenges in his life, and Your Pl. in Revelation four and go back to the first chapter of Revelation and notice what it says in Revelation chapter 1 and verse nine. Listen to these words as John introduces this book. He says I John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Here is John on this isolated island. He's in exile. Things could've been worse for him. You have some great moments but this really wasn't one of them probably lived much of his time without knowing what was going on with this fellow disciples and apostles Jesus had warned all of the apostles that one day they would drink the cup that he drank it he was talking about his death. John must've wondered what was going on. Even though he was the recipient of a great vision from the Lord hears John on this island exile from all of his friends along these old to and this is what the Scripture says in the midst of his exile. One day John's lonely existence was interrupted by the opening of the door into heaven. One moment the elderly John might have been lamenting is rheumatism.

Lori might've been tossing and turning for another restless night. His thoughts might've been absent friends as they face trial or prison. Perhaps he was reliving the wonderful base of experience in working with Jesus if he was anything like you and me. He was immersed in the disappointments of this world and then suddenly the door was thrown open and John was able mentally to walk through that door into the vestibule of heaven and to see what was going on in heaven. Can you imagine that I fail in my verbal dexterity to even describe anything close to what that must've been like in exile on the island of Patmos.

All of a sudden, to see heaven in all its glory.

The context of worship in heaven. Notice secondly as we look at this passage the center of worship in heaven verses two and three we read immediately. I was in the spirit and behold thrown second heaven, and one sat on the throne and he was sent there was like a jasper sardius stone in appearance and there was a rainbow around the throne and appearance like an emerald.

Now the key word in this verse is the word wrong. In fact, if you go through the book of Revelation you will find the root throne appears 46 times in that book. It's interesting because it's 14 times just in the fourth chapter. The word throne in this context speaks of sovereignty which speaks of authority which speaks of claimant speaks of control and when you read in Revelation about the throne of God. It is a reminder that while the events on this earth seem to be chaotic and without any meaning whatsoever and totally out of control. There is one in the universe who was seated on the throne. He is sovereign and he is in control. Hallelujah, we are not left without any direction.

Almighty God is seated upon the throne in heaven may appear that no one is in control. Maybe you filled out what in your life and you fill your life is out of control. I want you to know there is one who is in control and that's Almighty God and his John sees that throne. He tries to describe what he sees this a very difficult job because the primary focus of the throne is God himself and the Bible says no man is ever seen God and live so John could only see the appearance of God, and he symbolically tries to describe the image that he sees as he looks the door in heaven, and he says in verse three that he saw that look like a jasper and a sardius stone in a rainbow around the throne of a jasper is what we call a diamond, a beautiful many faceted stone that sparkled and glittered in the light. John said as he looked upon that throne. All I could see was the brilliance of a diamond and diamond was accompanied by a sardius or carnelian stone, which is the same as our Ruby and around the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald and as he gazed at the majesty and beauty of his eternal creator. All he could comprehend was that it was like a brilliant diamond and Ruby in an emerald was so magnificent it took his breath away my friend door to heaven would open today July could look through that door and see the throne in heaven we would be as hard-pressed to describe it as John was, but it would be something like what you describe the brilliance and beauty and glory of that place and the reminder to us that God is not on vacation.

He hasn't taken a sabbatical God is on the throne, he is seated in his Majesty.

There in heaven the context of worship and the center of worship and now notice the chorus of worship. What John is about realizing what is about to see is a worship service going on in heaven. And I want you to read with me verse four and then verses nine through 11, around the throne were 24 thrones, and on the phones I saw 24 elders sitting, clothed in white robes, met crowns of gold on their heads, and whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. The 24 elders fell down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever cast their crowns before the throne, saying you are worthy of the Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.

John was allowed to see heavenly worship. He wrote about the magnificence about occasion he gives us a glimpse of what it will be like someday to be part of that great worship experience when forever.

We bring honor and glory to our God. John noticed that there were 24 seats around the throne occupied by 24 elders. These are identified as the representatives of the church of the living God. Revelation 5 verses 8 to 10 says this now when he had taken the scroll of the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, and they sang a new song, saying you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for your slaying and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth will I wish we could hear what John apparently heard. I wish we could see what John tries to describe to us that he saw his massive overwhelming magnificent glorious praise of God in heaven. William Temple has defined praise like this, he says worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God to feed the mind with the truth of God to purge the imagination with the beauty of God in the heart to the love of God and to develop the will to the purpose of God.

This describes the worship in heaven and it should be the goal of every worshiper on earth. One day we will be a part of that gathering before the throne, which is you remember is at the center of heaven. It is the very center of the place we call heaven will be gathered around that throne to bring honor and glory to the Lord want to talk for just a moment about one of the interesting observations I've made in studying these passages on worship in Revelation and that is the crescendo of worship in heaven. Crescendo means to get louder and louder to get bigger and bigger to make more and more out of what started as small crescendo is to finish the and it's interesting that in the worship songs in the book of Revelation there is an obvious crescendo. There is a growing percentage of praise in the book of Revelation. First of all, in verse six of chapter 1. There is a twofold doxology to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen a twofold doxology when you come to chapter 4 verse 11 is a threefold doxology you are worthy of the Lord, to receive glory and honor and power.

When you come to chapter 5 in verse 13 will doxology blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and when you come to the seventh chapter and the 12 verse rose sevenfold doxology. Amen. Blessing and glory and roasted Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever.

Amen. You feel movement of worship of the book of Revelation starts out twofold. It ends up sevenfold. And there's this gigantic crescendo worship the Lord now probably have noticed if you observed worship in churches that we can love to do that in our music we like and be no start small and you keep changing keys and he gets louder and bigger and mightier. I just want you to know when we do that, that it's biblical. That's what the Bible says is going to happen in heaven emerges reversing trying to get ready for all that as you read through the book of Revelation and you get closer to the end of the book you see the price seems to become more massive and will look at a couple of the passages in a few moments. It's almost as if the crescendo worship and praise follows the timeline of God's purpose for his world.

Now if that is true. I want you to think about this for a moment. Never in the history of Christianity, has there been a greater emphasis on worship and praise than there is today. You may not like all of it. You may say I don't like worship and praise music but I want to tell you something every Christian radio station is being dominated by it. People are calling the Christian stations and saying we want more praise and worship music. If we're not careful, those of us who are in longform teaching on Christian stations are going to be pushed off by music. I don't think that's right. But what I'm trying to help you understand is this if it is true that the crescendo of worship and praise is the signaling of the end. What we are observing today in our culture is a good sign because worship and praise is at the highest priority.

It's ever been. You cannot have a church without great worship today because the culture will not allow it.

And these are the days when God's people are finding what it means to really worship God with all their heart and soul of mine because one day that's going to be in heaven heaven will be a grand crescendo worship throughout eternity.

Also, you want you know how much I love music and you know how exciting that is for me. I hope by the time I get there I really be able to sing base and be able to be part of that choir. The crescendo of worship. Then I want you to note the contrast of worship number five the great Christian apologist CS Lewis wrote allegorical the great divorce in this allegory is a man who rides the bus to Paradise and he finds it more fully and powerfully real than anything you could ever imagine. Everything is alive bursting with color and expressed in complete reality. But hell, he discovers, is nothing more than a flick of dust in comparison. It is concerned only with tiny things in the same way Lewis suggests our lives in this world become smaller and smaller in light of the grandness of eternity.

As John looks at heaven through this open door everything that he sees as a grand scale, gigantic in proportion forcefully wonder at it all and then we worship and suddenly everything in this world becomes small and insignificant in comparison. Getting a glimpse of heaven is like standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon or at the top of the Rocky Mountains and being speechless at the site, we suddenly see that God is much bigger than we had thought and wants bigger and better things for us in this world can ever offer John was allowed to experience two realities in one moment isolated on Patmos separated from friends and worried about the persecution of the church by the Roman Emperor Domitian. John was facing discouragement that in a moment of time, he is mustered out of that reality through the open door into heaven, and he sees the Lord seated on the throne and the picture of sovereign control and he sees the elders bowing down and worshiping that he sees the beauty and majesty of heaven and God gave this experience to John to encourage his heart worship took him from the loneliness of his discouraged heart right into the control room of the universe to see God's purpose and plan for everything that would happen in the future.

You and I are constantly bombarded with the reality of this world television and radio and newspapers are incessantly giving us to focus on this world and on our present reality and all its problems that this reality is in contrast to the unseen reality of heaven.

Christians often lose their eternal things are somehow less real. According to the Scripture that are not less real. They are more real, that which we know here on earth is temporal and eternal God sits in judgment on that which is temporal when John was ushered into the presence of God. Everything that was going on in his life was immediately brought next to the eternal reality of God. This is one byproduct of worship that should motivate us all the more when I see high my little stuff doesn't see anything truly is. The truth is a matter of perspective. If there was one time family since the very original from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Dr. David Jeremiah please write until his head.

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