Why Worship
WHY WORSHIP?
Text: “The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God as he sat on the throne, and they cried: Amen! Alleluia.”
Rev. 19:4
Why are we here this morning? What’s our motivation for coming on a Sunday morning to this sanctuary?
· Is it just habit? Something we do every Sunday morning.
· Do we come - because we like to associate with the people of this congregation?
· Or, do we come for a deeper, - more spiritual reason?
Many of us will likely say – we’re here to worship God. But how much thought do we put into this act of worship?
To be honest, - there are probably a multitude of reasons why various ones are here this morning. For some, the worship of God is paramount; something which they feel strongly drawn to do. It’s extremely important. Not be here – would leave an emptiness in their lives.
Some of the rest of us, may simply yearn for the solitude and the peace of mind that comes from spending an hour or so in singing, prayer and meditation. For when our lives become consumed by the pressures of work and family, - a time of quietness is refreshing. It allows us to catch our breath [as it were] and to revitalize our minds and souls.
But whatever it is that motivated us to be here this morning, - [when we could be out enjoying a day off], --- here we are - actively participating in the act of worship.
The question I would like us to consider this morning, is – ‘What should worship mean to us?
Should we expect to be - happier, or stronger; - more resolute or more at peace – because of what we’re doing here this morning? [Not that I’m suggesting that the main object of worship is the effect it has upon the worshipper.]
But how does worship affect us? What is it - we’ll take away from here this morning – that will have a bearing upon what happens in the coming week?
It’s not very often that I turn to the Book of Revelation for sermon material. That’s not because this book is unimportant for our understanding of God; - but simply because with its dramatic imagery, - this book is easily misunderstood. It’s possible to read into it, messages which simply weren’t intended by John when he wrote the words so long ago.
But when it comes to understanding worship, - I think the book of Revelation can be very helpful. Particular this 19th chapter which contains the words of our text, :
“The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God as he sat on the throne, and they cried: Amen! Alleluia.”
To the question: What is worship?” John provides a very dramatic answer. It’s not the answer we might expect,-- but it’s all the more powerful because it is - unexpected.
His message is this: if you want to learn about worship and its relevance of life, - then consider the worship of those who have gone on before us into heaven. How they worship – can teach us how to worship.
Listen to how he describes the heavenly worship, as he saw it in his vision:
“I heard….”, he writes. [Now remember - this wasn’t the product of an idle day-dreaming on a warm summer day. To understand the context in which John heard this revelation – you have appreciate that - he was in prison, at a time in history when the Roman empire was running red with the blood of Christian martyrs. These were dangerous times; and John himself was a prisoner on the island of Patmos. So he had reason to fear for his life.]
But what did he hear?
“I heard,” he says, “what sounded like the roar of a vast throng in heaven and they were shouting: - ‘Alleluia! Victory and glory and power belong to our God! ……… Amen! Alleluia!”
Of special importance here – are the last two words:
· ‘Amen’ – which means – so let it be! God’s will be done.
· And ‘Hallelujah’ – which we would translate in – ‘praise God’, or ‘praise the Lord most mighty!’
John received this majestic picture of heavenly worship in a vision; - a vision which he then shared with the members of the new Christian Churches, scattered across the Roman Empire. His purpose was to teach – the importance and meaning of worship.
So, lets consider - what John and his vision tells us about worship.
I ACCEPTING THE WILL OF GOD
The first essential element of worship is, says John, is – acceptance. Its the ‘Amen – so be it, Lord.’
John’s observed - that those who’ve entered heaven – no longer rebel against God. In their worship, they – joyfully accept the will of God.
That’s something that’s very difficult for most of us.
There are many times, - when what we want out of life – isn’t necessarily what God wants for us. We want to gratify all our desires. But God speaks of – sacrifice and selflessness.
In worship - we come face to face with this dilemma. In our worship, - we hear God speak, and hopefully (as we open our hearts to God) - we gain strength and motivation to respond to God’s will.
This struggle between - what we would like, - and what God wants, -- is what Jesus wrestled with on the Mount of Olives. Do you remember how He knelt in prayer, shortly before His arrest, -- with anguish called out “Father, if it be your will, take this cup away from me.” ---- But then, in the triumph of his character over temptation, he continued: “But, not my will but yours be done!” [Luke 22:42]
These are extremely difficult words. And they’re not what we are tempted to pray, when some grim challenge lurks in our path. We’re more likely to pray: “Take it away, Lord”. //
Remember the day, - Jesus took His disciples into His confidence, - and told them that soon He was going to pay the supreme sacrifice – and give up His life in order to prove the power of God?
Peter’s immediate response was: “No Lord, - this shall never happen to you.” -- You see, Peter refused to say “Amen,” to God’s will. He didn’t understand it, and he wasn’t prepared to accept it.
That’s a very human response.
But in worship, we have the opportunity to learn -- that even when life brings us to the breaking-point, and hurts us terribly – the response of a believer ought to be - “Amen, so be it!”
It’s God’s will that ought to come first; - not our’s.
In worship, we’re helped to take the first step and learn to ‘accept the will of God’.
II COMMIT TO THE PURPOSE OF GOD
Now there’s a danger that - this first essential element of worship, - will only be a ‘head thing’ – something we essentially agree with in an intellectual way, - but not something which leads us to action. But accepting God’s will has to be more than a thinking process.
But when we come to John’s second element of worship, - we’re called to action. – Here is where we have to commit ourselves to God’s will; - and get involved in God’s work in the world.
John’s vision, - contains a graphic description of Christ riding forth on a white horse to defeat evil and conquer the world. But God’s not alone, - for John describes a host of Heavenly Beings streaming out after Him; fully committed to following tirelessly, wherever Christ leads.
That’s what worship is – motivation to follow. Worship is intended to prepare us to be strong followers of our Lord; - willing and able to go wherever Christ sends us.
That means, -worship is not so much a retreat from the world into the solitude of the sanctuary, as it is - preparation and challenge – to return to the world with new purpose.
It’s the action side of the words: “Amen, so be it!”
You remember how the disciples first responded to the death of Jesus. They were absolutely consumed with fear. The Bible tells us – that this sorrowful group of men who languished for seven weeks, - afraid to even venture out into the open, for fear of being identified as followers of Jesus.
Yes, they now accepted the will of God. What else could they do! - Jesus had given them advanced notice of God’s plan; and then they’d seen that plan carried out on the cross.
But while they may have reluctantly accepted God’s will, - they weren’t committed to God’s plan. It wasn’t until the Day of Pentecost when, - gathered in the Upper Room, (where, as the Bible describes), “they were constantly at prayer together.” That something happened that changed the course of their lives, and that of human history as well.
“Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like that of a strong driving wind, which filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues like flames of fire, dispersed among them and resting on each one. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” [Acts 2:2-3]
Now they were committed!! Now they were ready to get involved totally - in God’s mission to the world.
You see, - the Holy Spirit came to those disciples - while they were in worship. And this is the aspect of worship - which has inspired countless thousands of other dedicated men and women down through the ages, - who have heard the call of Christ in worship; and with the power of the Holy Spirit have responded with a resounding - ‘Here I am Lord, send me!’
III CELEBRATION IN THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD
Acceptance; Commitment; - and now - the third component of worship is – ‘celebration’ - celebration in the fellowship of God.
This is the part many Christian like the most. – It’s the fun side of worship; experiencing the fellowship of the Body of Christ.
This is the “:Hallelujah!” – that John describes in his vision. He describes those who dwell in Christ – as being – eternally happy. All the sufferings and sorrows of the earthly life are swallowed up in gladness.
Listen to John’s vision:
“Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: “Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-supper of the Lamb!.” And John adds:- “These are the very words of God.” [Rev. 19:9]
Many of us would put the celebration first in our worship. After all, this is the place where we meet with friends, and enjoy the fellowship of the congregation. And if the truth be known, there are some congregations for whom – fellowship is the primary (if not the only) motivation for their involvement in the church.
But what John tells us is that, - ‘fellowship’ isn’t the first component of our worship. The celebration he speaks of - comes only after the faithful have ‘accepted’ and ‘committed’ themselves to the will of God. The joy of worship evolves out of ‘acceptance’ and ‘commitment’.
This certainly raises the mark on ‘fellowship’. Fellowship isn’t merely getting together with like-minded friends. It’s rather, - a spontaneous celebration of joy, as Christians become excited about serving their Lord.
This lofty - celebration in the fellowship of God - is a common thread we find throughout history. For whenever committed Christians have gathered together for worship over the centuries, - it is a joyful, happy experience they describe. Even in the midst of unbelievable hardship and danger, Christians have found that worship uplifts their spirit, and renews their energy.
IV ASSURANCE OF THE VICTORY OF GOD
However, it’s not until we come to the fourth (and final) element of worship that we discover the deep root of - the celebration and joy experienced by worshipers.
They’re celebration and joy arises out of the assurance that Christ is victorious.
John uses very colour imagery to describes Christ’s victory:
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hands. He seized the dragon, that serpent of old, - the Devil or Satan, - and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the abyss, shutting and sealing it over him, so that he might seduce the nations no more till the thousand years were over. [Rev. 20:1-3]
Our world may be in a terrible mess. There may be suffering and cruelty and injustice everywhere – but John’s vision assures us - these evils will not endure, - for God has assured us that good will triumph over evil.
Thehe imagery of John’s vision may be a bit much for our modern ears. We have trouble with things like dragon and the Devil. - But it’s not a fantasy John is describing. It’s not the wishful thinking of a desperate man. It’s not just words intended to lift the spirits of Christians struggling in the new churches.
What John is talking about, is a reality that’s already happened. He’s talking about the Cross; about the Resurrection. God in Christ has confronted the evils of this world, - and triumphed over them.
And what’s even more important, - we’re on the winning side!
John’s message to Christians everywhere is – we’re fighting a defeated enemy. ///
About 50 years after John wrote his book, a terrible martyrdom took place in the city of Smyrna, during the reign of Statius Quadratus. The aged bishop – Polycarp, - was brought to trial. His judge ordered him to renounce his faith and to curse the name of Jesus.
But defiantly, Polycarp answered with these words: “Fourscore and six years have I served Him, and He never did me wrong. How then can I revile my King, my Saviour?”
And so they took him into the amphitheatre and burned him. But the young Church in Smyrna hurled its defiance in the face of the Bishop’s murderers; -- for when it wrote down in the annals of the Church what had happened, - it was very careful to put in the precise date, along with this statement: “Polycarp was martyred, Statius Quadratus being proconsul of Asia, - and Jesus Christ being - King for ever!!”
It is the victory of Jesus Christ over the powers of evil, - that gives life, and meaning, and power – to our worship. That’s why we’re here this morning; - to accept the will of God; - to commit ourselves to God’s work; to celebrate in the fellowship of God; -- but most of all, - to rejoice in the victory of our Lord.
And the faithful cried out: Amen! Alleluia!
