Revelation #5 Series

HoHum:

Phillips, Craig, and Dean song “The Concert of the Aage”- The star become as lasers; And all the worlds align; Horizon to horizon; A rainbow begins to rise; Sudden sound like thunder; Come from everywhere; As the angel Michael; Kicks the countdown on the snare; Across the sea of faces; Shouts of praise begin to roll; As we see the silhouette; Of the King of heart and soul

Chorus: At the concert of the age; The great I Am takes center stage; The generations stand amazed; At the concert of the age

Then a voice like a trumpet; Blows through me like the wind; Gabriel cries, "Welcome home; We're ready to begin"; We know you heard Beethoven; And the king of rock-n-roll; But on behalf of the Father; We give you the King of heart and soul

Chorus

Discussion question: What’s the biggest celebration you’ve ever been a part of?

WBTU:

Our theme verse over the last several weeks has been Revelation 1:9, read Revelation 1:9-10

Compare this to binoculars. The 9th verse is the lens through which we have looked to see the suffering, victory, and steadfastness of Christ’s church in its mission for “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” The 10th verse is the other lends, through which we now view Revelation. This is the lens of worship. To look through vs. 9 is prophecy. To focus in with vs. 10 is to view praise and worship.

The Lord’s Day here is not the day of the Lord, the final day, but the first day of each week. When Christians across the world gather on the first day of the week to sing their hymns, that is choir practice for that future day when all the redeemed will sing praise to their Redeemer. The first day of the week also could be said to be a wedding rehearsal for the marriage feat n glory (Revelation 19:7). If musicians practice for the coming concert and ball players drill for the big game, Christians could be looked at as those in preparation for eternity.

John received his Revelation on a Lord’s Day, when he was separated from his flock in Asia Minor. What he saw, recorded, and sent to the congregations across Asia would be read to them on a Lord’s Day, the day when the Christians met.

From the NT and from the writings of the church fathers it is evident that the Lord’s Day spoken of here was the first day of the week when the Christians met for worship. Romans set aside the first day of the month to recognize the Caesar as “lord,” the Christians met on each first day of the week in recognition of the fact that Jesus’ resurrection on that day established Christ as Lord.

Revelation has many scenes of praise and worship. Choirs sing, and elders encourage praise of the Lamb. Listen to the hymns of praise to God as Creator in chapter 5. Give ear to the songs as Jesus the Redeemer in chapter 6. Hear what Handel heard in the music of chapter 19 to inspire the “Hallelujah Chorus.” That great choir “that no one could count” is made up of the saved “from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9).

Saved souls understand the significance of the “Lord’s Day,” the importance of the Lord’s “Spirit,” and the importance of the Lord’s “Voice” in the worship of every Christian. Earlier Jesus had said: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.” John 4:23. Revelation is a book focused on worship. Proper worship is done with the right object, the right attitude and in the right way.

Thesis: The right object, the right attitude and the right way

For instances:

Must worship the right object, or more correctly the right God

The emphasis in the first 21 chapters of Revelation is on worshipping the one true God. In Revelation 22 the author makes a mistake in who he is to worship. Read Revelation 22:8-9

In 96 AD Domitian insisted on being called “god and lord.” These very words are what Thomas called Jesus after the resurrection (John 20:28). An earthly emperor demanded for himself these titles upon penalty of death. John likely refers to this situation the church was facing as he described the world worshiping the beast (Revelation 13:4,8, 15; 14:9, 11; 16:2; 19:20) and the second beast encouraging that kind of worship (13:12). Those who followed Jesus learned to appreciate good emperors, but they would not make them a god. They would gladly pray for Caesar, but they would die before praying to Caesar. Others may say, Caesar is lord,” but citizens of God’s kingdom only confess “Christ is Lord.”