Vision of Worship

Worship

Revelation is a challenging book because its hard to get past it’s grand imagery. Today’s text is a vision of worship around God’s throne. The worship scene begins in chapter 4, with four beasts, with six wings covered in eyes, 24 Elders laying down their golden crowns around the glassy sea. The vision of worship also includes a slaughtered lamb with 5 more horns than it should have. These symbols have meaning, and are sometimes difficult to understand. Today don’t get lost in the visions odd imagery, get lost in joining in worship around the throne of God.

There are several things we can learn from this worship scene. 1 Who and why we worship. God is still on the throne, and Jesus Christ the lion of the tribe of Judah, has won the victory, is the who and why. 2 Worship of God grows, what began in heaven grows to include every tongue, tribe and nation. 3 Worship of God knocks down dividing walls.

As we join around God’s throne may we remember God who created all things is the one seated on the throne. We can come boldly before his throne of grace because the lamb that was slain, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, has won the victory by rising from the dead. May our worship together grow, and knock down the walls of division so every tongue, tribe and nation can gather around the throne with us.

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy, may your kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven,.....

Who and Why

This vision of worship was written to churches who faced severe persecution from Roman emperors who demanded to sit on God’s throne and be proclaimed as LORD. Failure to do so , meant death. This vision of worship was a reminder to its recipients that God sits on the throne, his seat is taken, and can’t be filled by anyone else.

Revelation 4: is where this vision of worship begins. It sets the stage for worship. It answers the question of the setting and who.

The grand vision of the beasts with six wings would jog memories of Isaiah 6, when he was in God’s throne room.

Isaiah 6:1–5 “1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!””

God is the who of our worship. The four living beasts attest to this in the worship day and night. God the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come. The 24 elders lay their crowns before the thrown and also proclaim God as God, for he created all things, they exist because God created what he pleased.

This worship service takes place in God’s throne room. God is still on the throne, his seat is taken. Do not elevate anyone else to his seat.

Chapter 4 sets the place and who of this worship service, chapter 5 gives us the why.

Revelation 5:4-5 Tell us the lion of the tribe of judah, the heir to David’s throne has won the victory. Then a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered appeared. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Another reminder from Isaiah here Isaiah 53:6–7 “6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”

We are still basking in the light of the resurrection if the slaughtered lamb had stayed dead, we wouldn’t be here this morning and neither would this heavenly worship service. Christ sacrifice on the cross ransomed people for God from every tongue tribe and nation. We are here because Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. 1 Corinthians 15:3–4

Philippians 2:5–11 “5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

“3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

We are here gathered around the throne because God through Christ moved out of the tomb. We share in his victory.

Worship Grows

This vision of worship grows. What starts in heaven with four strange looking living beasts grows. To look at the whole vision starting in chapter 4 the imagery drawn, shows a movement of worship that looks contagious as it expands. It moves from God’s throne room to eventually encompass all of creation. Revelation 5:13 “13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!””

Another way to look at this and understand this vision of worship is throwing a rock in a pond and watching the ripple effect that takes place. True worship of God around the throne grows until God’s kingdom come, his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May our worship together grow.

Worship of God unites

On Good Friday we remembered at the death of Christ the veil in the temple was torn in two. The slaughtered lamb ripped down the barrier that kept people from the throne room of God. Worship of God unites what was once divided. The blood of Christ brings together every tribe, people, nation and language. It brings together what was scattered at the tower of Babel.

Sunrise service Iraq

May we worship in such a way that barrier walls come tumbling down.

This vision of worship serves as reminder that God is still on his throne. No one else belongs there but God. Politicians don’t belong there, our image of God doesn’t belong there, we don’t belong there. God and only God belongs there. Why? Because of what Jesus Christ the slaughtered lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world has done.

When we worship God in Spirit and truth there are ripple effects that advance the kingdom here on earth. Dividing walls can’t stand as we unite before the throne in worship.

Our Father in heaven may your name be kept holy, may your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...

What are the main elements of the worship scene described in Revelation 4?

How does the imagery of the four beasts relate to Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 6?

What does it mean that God is still on the throne according to this sermon?

Why is it important to recognize that God’s seat cannot be filled by anyone else?

What significance does the slaughtered lamb hold in the context of worship?

In what ways does the sermon suggest that worship should grow and unite people?