The Unveiling - Revelation
Worship-Heaven’s Way
Jerry Watts
Revelation 5:8-14
* Picture an acorn or a pecan with me. They both come from trees which are beautiful and large. In order for a tree to be formed, it is required that the fruit (acorn or pecan) die to itself. Most pecans just lay on the top of the ground, gathered by animals or humans, devoured, and that is it the end of it. But the pecan that has a long heritage is that one which is buried ‘in’ the ground and dies to itself. Once the pecan is buried, it then dies, and working with the soil, the hard exterior begins to soften and decay and new life springs forth. The new life forms a new tree which gives its fruit for years to come (up to 300 years). This is only possible by one pecan giving up its life for the new tree to be born.
* In John 12:24 Jesus says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it died, it produces a large crop.” Jesus is using an agricultural illustration to teach a spiritual lesson. He calls us to die to ourselves. Some of us need to find a place to be alone with God & die to ourselves.
* If we ever really die to ourselves, it will be evident in our daily lives, our family life, and in our worship. Worship is a hot topic. The amazing thing to me is that many want to ‘lead it’ while few really know what ‘it is.’ I submit we are kind of like the Children of Israel waiting on Moses to come off of Sinai; we have made our own God.
* Exodus 32 reveals a sad day in the life of the Hebrew children and is almost prophetic about us today. HOWEVER, in Revelation 4 we discover “Worship-Heaven’s Way.” As we read this scripture, we will discover that all the worshippers have one thing on their mind & that is giving awe to THE ONE, Jesus – The Lord & Lamb. (Read)
1. A Song –Yes, this service began with a song. It had no style. It was not an old song, scripture says, it is a “NEW SONG.” The content & the intent of this song overshadow what we THINK important! This song seems to have 3 short verses to it.
a. Of Worthiness – Not ‘our’ worthiness, but His. “You are worthy to take the scroll & you to open its seals.” Why? “Because You were slaughtered.” It is interesting that even Jesus is worthy ‘because’ of Calvary. Ascribing worth to Jesus is an act of worship.
* In fact, it should be our first act of worship. No other song should be sung until with voices, hearts, and soul, attention is given to Jesus. He is the Lion, He is the Lamb, and He is the Lord.
b. Of Work – Here is His work; “You redeemed people for God by your blood.” Jesus is our redeemer. He is worthy because by His death & blood, He has redeemed us. To redeem is to turn something of no worth in to a precious possession. Once again in the throne room, attention goes to the cross because it was by the cross of sin-sick lives are redeemed, restored, and revived! This is a reason to sing!
c. Of Witness – A witness is one who can tell out of their experience! From every tribe, language, people, and nation come a redeemed people who are now HIS Kingdom & HIS priest and will REIGN with Him. People (who had no hope) are made rulers through His eternal work from the cross in their lives! All the room SINGS!
* In college, I was a part of a contemporary Christian group which sang to all types of audiences. One of the most fun & up-lifting groups to sing to was ‘new-believers’. They still had the wonder.
2. A Shout – Would you cooperate with me and say something for me – “Jesus.” Last week, Dr. Daniel Simmons ended his message with these words, “I double dog dare you to get your people to SHOUT Jesus this week.” We do not shout His name enough. He is the Lion of Judah, He is the Lamb slain, & He is the Lord of Glory; HE is all of these & HE TOOK YOUR SINS so that you might be able to be found in the throne room – excuse me – but it’s worth a shout!
a. Of Identity – Two times in verses 12-13, Jesus is called the ‘Lamb’ and they were SHOUTING about it! Why are they shouting about a lamb? Because the lamb had to lay down His life for sin & when the lamb died the sinner didn’t have to. Jesus is the Lamb, He is the sacrifice, and because He died – you don’t have to! They knew who they were shouting for!
b. Of Authority - Look at all these attributes of Jesus & sense the excitement in the throne room; Power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, blessing, and DOMINION!! Jesus has been placed above all! His dominion is more pronounced that a “General” in the military. HE is the one in charge, holding the scroll, & ready to go.
c. Of Eternity – Why get so excited about Jesus, the lamb, lion, and Lord? Because His Kingdom NEVER ENDS, it goes on forever and ever – and He’ll be there to operate it. We can see this in the Old Testament as well as other places in the New Testament, Jesus was present when it all started & will be there when time stops! This is why the throne room is buzzing with excitement. The Lamb, the one who was dead and now is alive, the one who has the authority and the one who will live for time and eternity has taken the scroll. Worship should be a blaze with this same excitement the Victorious one is here!
* Jesus comes into our worship to show us who HE is.
3. A Submission – or even surrender. To look at this text is to easily make the argument of surrendering three different things.
a. Of Possessions – Look in their hands at the harps. Quite likely, this is all they possess – because there is no need of anything else (which is another issue altogether) But what they had they gave. This speaks to us about what we have versus what we give to Him. Part of worship is submitting to Him all that we are & all that we HAVE. Giving to God out of your abundance is dangerous. What happens when you lose the abundance (I.E. financial downturn, lose your job, time, etc). Pharisees gave like this.
b. Of Prayers – This is the next argument. They prayed as a part of this worship time. We have a brand new prayer room & nothing thrills me as much as walking down there to discover that someone is using it. Even in Heaven prayers are being made.
c. Of Praise – This is a very easy argument to make. In verse 9 they sang a NEW SONG followed in verse 14 by the living creatures & Elders saying, “AMEN” and falling down (again) in worship.
* Yet these three arguments, as Biblical as they are, are not what I would like to focus on for the next few minutes. It is ‘submission.’
* This is an ugly word in the American church among the American believer today. We don’t really want to hear it. In fact, it would be okay with most if we erased the word.
* The part that says, “Wives submit to your husband” – forget that or better yet, explain it away because that is not a part of who we are. The part that says, “Submit to one another” – don’t be talking like that because submission is a sign of weakness.
* Friday morning, I woke up around 4 with this message on my mind and it is like God gave me the word as to why we hate submission so much. It is because all of us have lived in a Democracy not in a Kingdom. In a Democracy, people rule-they get to have their say-they vote. In a Kingdom, the King rules. He has the power to bless and curse, to convict or forgive, and of life and death. It’s all about the King!
* Herein is our problem; God’s domain is a Kingdom and HE is the King. He has the power of life, death, curse, or blessing.
* In the model prayer Jesus prayed, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” Can you really pray that prayer in and for your life? Can you pray, “God, you have your way in my life?”
* When you submit to Him, like any King, you gain His favor & when you refuse to submit, you fall under His wrath. If you choose to live as though THIS IS YOUR KINGDOM – you’ll never win.
* As a pilot, I have a healthy fear of gravity. It is not that I think about the law of gravity whenever I fly – BUT gravity controls everything I do and every decision I make. Why? Gravity always wins.
* The question of the hour is this: Are you submitting to the King of this Kingdom you live in or are you trying to take over as King?
* Whether you choose to submit to God as King or not-matters little.
