Prelude
Tonight we will examine the 5th chapter of Revelation and try to understand what Worship is.
Turn with me to our passage this evening and follow along as we take a look at Revelation 5:9-14.
Scripture
9And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. Revelation 5:9-14
Prayer
Introduction
Years ago Mike Royco reported this true story in the Chicago Tribune.
A man named Bill Mallory traveled to India to discover the purpose of life.
But he didn’t find the answer there.
So after returning, he noticed a sign at Chevron gas station that simply said, “As you travel, ask us.”
So every time he pulled into a Chevron station, he would look to the sign and say, “I’m a traveler. I’d like to ask you a question. What is the purpose life?”
These were the real answers he got. I’m not making this up.
The first guy said, “Sorry. I’m new here.”
The second guy said, “I don’t remember anything in the manual about that.”
Another guy said, “I’m not much for church myself, sir.”
One guy gave him a leering look and a wink, whatever that meant.
However, most people just gave him a blank stare, cleaned his windshield; but he kept asking at all the Chevron stations.
One day Mallory got a phone call from Chevron Customer Relations. He said, “We understand you’ve been asking our dealer questions and getting unsatisfactory answers.”
The man suggested that he write out his question and send it to Chevron Corporate with a self-addressed stamped envelope.
So Bill Mallory wrote, “What is the purpose of life?” and sent it to Chevron Gas Company.
A couple of weeks later, the envelope was returned. The only thing in it was an application for a credit card!
If you want to know the purpose of life, you’re not going to find it in a gas station.
You’re not going to find it on a talk show.
You’re not going to find it in a self-help book.
You’re not going to find it at some seminar.
If you want to know the purpose of life, you have to either talk to the creator who made you, or look in the owner’s manual.
You were made by God and you were made for God.
And until you understand that, life isn’t going to make sense.
Now, we’re in this series called “40 Days of Purpose.” Today, we’re going to look at the first of God’s five purposes for your life.
God has five reasons for creating you, and today we’re going to look at the first.
For Thy Pleasure
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11 (KJV)
Look again at Revelation 4:11 and circle the phrase “for thy pleasure.”
The Bible says you were created for God’s enjoyment.
God made you just to enjoy you.
God planned you for His purpose.
And the only reason that you’re alive is God wanted you alive and He gets enjoyment out of watching you.
If you are parents or uncles or aunts I’m sure that there were times that you enjoyed watching those kids, as they grow up. Well most of the time!
I’m sure that it is the same with God, well most of the time He enjoys watching you and me.
You see we were made for God’s pleasure.
The day that you were born, God was there in that room, smiling down on you. Smiling at your birth because, He created you to enjoy you.
He made you for His purpose.
He wants you to bring him enjoyment and since he created you He wants you to love Him back.
We find a story in Matthew 22: 37-38 where Jesus was walking down the street a man came up to him and said, “Lord what’s the most important commandment in all scriptures?”
Jesus said and if you permit me to paraphrase what he said, the most important commandment in all of the scriptures is this!
If you don’t get anything else, get this.
This will summarize all of the scriptures.
“Love the Lord your God... This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)
God is saying to you today; if you don’t get anything else out of this message, get this!
The number one purpose in life is to learn to love me, because I made you to love you and I know you.
And I want you to know and love me back.
Now, there’s a word for this. It’s a word we misunderstand so a lot of people don’t use it properly. It is the word “worship.”
Worship is knowing and loving God back.
Now the problem is, worship is misunderstood today.
When I say the word “worship,” what do you think of?
You may say prayer!
You may think of singing!
You may think of a ritual or communion or going to church, or something you do in church.
But worship is far, far more than all of these things.
My 1st Purpose in Life is to Worship God.
It’s your primary objective. It’s your highest priority. It is your number one purpose in life.
Now, probably the best verse that defines worship, your very first purpose is this: “Because of God’s great mercy to us... Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him.
This is the true worship that you should offer.” Romans 12:1 (TEV)
I want to expound on this verse, as we look at real close.
There are two things that I want to point out to you about worship:
1. Worship is My Response to God’s love.
Worship is just the way I react, I respond, to God when He loves me.
That’s what worship is. Notice it says “because” “because of God’s great mercy,” His love to us, then we worship Him back.
You see God takes the initiative.
God always makes the first move.
God doesn’t ever ask you to make the first move.
He always makes the first move.
You see He creates us.
He saves us.
He forgives us.
He blesses us.
He protects us.
All these things and then because of all these things, we worship Him.
Second thing:
2. Worship is Giving Back to God.
Worship is giving back to God.
He gives to us, and we give back to Him.
Whenever you give back to God that is whenever you offer anything to God, that’s called worship. And that brings pleasure to God.
It brings enjoyment to God.
When you are grateful to the Heavenly Father that brings pleasure to Him.
Now, the question I would like to ask you is this; when the scriptures say, “offer.”
What do you offer to God?
I mean what do you give to God who has everything!
You think that you have a hard time finding a Christmas gift for someone that has everything.
What about finding a gift for God! Think about it!
He made the world.
He made you.
He made the universe.
What do you give Him?
You give him your love. And He’s very specific about how to give it.
Mark 12:30 Says to; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”
I want to point out that:
God Wants Me and you to Love Him…
Three ways:
• Thoughtfully “with my mind”
• Passionately “with my heart and soul”
• Practically “with my strength”
1. Worship is Focusing My Attention on God.
“You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working...You notice everything I do and everywhere I go.”
Psalms 139:1-3 (CEV)
“Focusing on yourself is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, and ends up thinking more about self than God.” Romans 8:7 (Msg)
“Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.” Romans 12:2a (Msg)
“Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.” Matthew 6:6 (Msg)
“Worship Him continually.” Psalms 105:4 (TEV)
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, whose thoughts are fixed on You!” Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)
2. Worship is Expressing My Affection to God.
“We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 (KJV)
“I don't want your sacrifices -- I want your love! I don't want your offerings --I want you to know Me!” Hosea 6:6 (LB)
“He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you.” Exodus 34:14b (NLT)
“Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life.” Romans 6:13 (NLT)
3. Worship is Using My Abilities for God.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.”Colossians 3:23 (TEV)
“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” Romans 12:1a (Msg)
“So we make it our goal to please Him...” 2 Corinthians 5:9 (NIV)
Conclusion
Now, the greatest mistake you can make in life is to miss your primary purpose.
So let me ask you a question, what do you think about most?
Because whatever you think about most is what you love the most.
What do you think about when you just let your mind drift?
You let it wander, what does it naturally gravitate toward?
Whatever that is, is what you worship?
Did you know that your checkbook and your schedule, your Daytimer are theological documents?
Without even knowing you, if you were to show me your checkbook stubs and you were to show me your schedule, I could tell you right now what you love, because the way you spend your time and the way you spend your money shows what you love the most.
The Bible says you were planned for God’s pleasure.
You were made to know and love God.
So I challenge you to make as the No 1 goal of your life before everything else, getting to know and love God, because that brings Him pleasure.
You see we should “make it our goal to please Him.”
