Is Your Lord Large Enough? Series

IS YOUR LORD LARGE ENOUGH?

Revelation 4.1-11

S: Change

C: Worship

Th: Choose the Fire

Pr: WHOLEHEARTEDLY FOLLOW AND WORSHIP GOD.

?: Why?

KW: Reasons

TS: We will find in our study of Revelation 4 three reasons why we should follow and worship God.

Type: Propositional

The ____ reason is GOD’S…

I. POSITION

II. POWER

III. PERFECT

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• I need God to be the center of my life.

• I need to allow God to be at work in my life.

• I need to approach God’s person with humility.

Version: ESV

RMBC 18 May 08 AM

INTRODUCTION:

On the screen is something that is familiar to most Americans – Mount Rushmore.

The Decker family was privileged to see this tremendous sight many summers ago.

Finished in 1939, it is located in South Dakota and it is quite a work of art.

Many of you know all four faces – the first being our first president George Washington; the second – the main author of the Declaration of Independence – Thomas Jefferson; the last is Abraham Lincoln – considered by many to be our greatest president.

But the third is not as well known – Theodore Roosevelt.

He became president in 1901 when William McKinley was assassinated here in Buffalo.

So, Roosevelt took his first oath of office for the presidency, not in Washington DC, but on Delaware Ave, here in Buffalo.

1. What gets your attention?

I just finished reading The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt – a very interesting book, and one of his characteristics is that he knew how to get people’s attention.

There is a story of when Roosevelt was governor of New York, there was a parade in New York City.

It was full of dignitaries – the most important men of the time – including the widely popular president in is first term, William McKinley.

But there was one man that received the wildest reception – Roosevelt.

The thunderous roar of the crowd was heard blocks away, as he came down the avenue on his horse.

The man never failed to get attention, and turned out to be one of our finest presidents.

Why did he get such attention?

There was something about this man that made him different than others.

Some have concluded that there was an intrinsic greatness about him, and people either loved him or hated him.

Which brings us to this truth, that…

2. We have a choice when we encounter greatness.

We see that is what happened to Jesus when He came to this earth.

People either followed Him or hated Him.

Once you met Him, it was hard to stay neutral about Him.

We have been talking about choosing during this series of messages.

Our theme has been “Choose the Fire.”

And fire has represented many different things about the person of God – including truth, power and purity.

Today, we turn to the book called the Revelation of John.

And in the fourth chapter, we are challenged by the example of the activity in heaven to…

3. WHOLEHEARTEDLY FOLLOW AND WORSHIP GOD.

Now Revelation is a different kind of writing called an apocalypse that was familiar in New Testament times.

Literalists have to be careful with Revelation because it is a symbolic type of literature.

But we can say this with confidence…

Revelation was written to encourage Christians.

It is a description of the struggle between God and Satan.

The description is of ugly, painful, and difficult times.

But there is good news at the end.

God wins.

Satan is destroyed.

God is victorious.

Satan is crushed and rendered powerless for eternity.

The description of this struggle begins in Revelation 4 where we learn that we are to follow and worship God.

And here is why…

OUR STUDY:

I. The first reason is GOD’S POSITION (1-4).

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.” 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.

Hundreds of years ago, men argued whether the universe was heliocentric (revolving around the sun) or geocentric (revolving around the earth).

John settled the argument 2000 years ago; it is neither!

It is theocentric.

At its center is neither the sun nor the earth, but the throne of God.