Sermon Tone Analysis

HEAVEN - SEEING THE UNSEEN

HOW WILL WE WORSHIP IN HEAVEN?

Sunday March 8, 2016

Scripture Reference: Revelation 5:6-14

Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders.

He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth.

7 He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.

8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.

Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people.

9 And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it.

For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God.

And they will reign on the earth."

11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders.

12 And they sang in a mighty chorus: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered- to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing."

13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea.

They sang: "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever."

14 And the four living beings said, "Amen!"

And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

Revelation 5:6-14 (NLT)

Intro.

A. Last week we finished talking about the wonderful reality of someday seeing God and what an amazing and exciting thing this that will be.

The other day I was at the police department and was speaking with one of the officers that played Santa on the sleigh that they take around the city.

He was telling me what a delight it was for him to play that role and to see the reaction on the faces of the children when they saw him.

The wonder in their eyes that they were seeing Santa Claus.

Then he said, "You know that will probably be how it will be for us when we see God."

We will be struck with awe and wonder when we see the face of God.

As Job said "I am overwhelmed at the thought."

1.

Today I want us to consider what our worship will be like when we get to Heaven.

B. Have you ever had one of those times when you experienced the Presence of God is a powerful and unusual way?

Some of you probably had that expere4ince when you first accepted Christ into our heart.

[] I had one of these experiences when I was in Bible college.

(Share the experience.)

1.

That was a wonderful encounter and Divine encounter.

Sadly though as wonderful as these experiences are they are usually as quickly gone as they came.

We all have responsibilities and obligations that we have to tend to that distract us away from these special moments with God.

What will it be like though to never have any of these distractions again?

What would it be like if we didn't have lesser things like family, jobs, or other tasks to distract us from the Presence of God?

2. Now you might say, "Well I don't see family as a lesser thing."

Well I would remind you of something Jesus said, "If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.

38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.

39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."

Matthew 10:37-39 (NLT) I am certainly not telling you to neglect your family, but I do ask you to consider this.

If we are supposed to be living now like we were in Heaven can you imagine yourself saying when the opportunity was given to worship God, "Oh I am sorry I can't make the worship service I have some family obligations?"

I understand that I might be stepping on some toes right now, but I only ask you to consider this, if you were in Heaven today what would your priorities be?

Again we can respond by says, "Well things will be different when we reach Heaven."

I might suggest that this is one of the things hurting Christianity today.

We seem to be telling God that we are putting off our complete allegiance to Him until we reach Heaven, but I see nowhere in the words of Jesus we just read where he said we could live as we chose now, but in Heaven things will be different.

C. Now some have the idea that Heaven will be an endless and perpetual worship service.

I don't believe that, but here is what I do believe.

If it was would that not be enough for us?

1. Sadly I think there are those that think that endless worship of God would be monotonous and boring after a while.

If you think this way can I suggest that you visit our Facebook page a read an article I posted entitled "If Christianity bores you then you haven't met Jesus."

If you are not a computer person I have printed copied of this article and put them on the Welcome cart.

I want to share with you just a small portion of that article.

"A life in Christ brings purpose, restoration, grace and eternal identity.

The adventure that awaits a follower of Jesus is one this world simply cannot match, let alone keep anywhere near to.

Every day is a new experience, a new facet of God's glory and another opportunity to deepen one's personal relationship with The Creator.

There is always room for growth, which means there is always room for adventure.

So, if you think Christianity is boring, then you haven't met Jesus."

Seeing God is not something that is static, it is something that is dynamic.

If this life in Christ now is an adventure, then I think none of us can possibly imagine the adventure that is in store for us when all the roadblocks of sin have been forever removed!

I don't think any of has the capacity right now to realize what it will be like to explore the fathomless mysteries of God one we reach Heaven.

This is anything but boring.

2. In Heaven we will finally be home with the God we love and the God who loves us.

Tell me this, do lovers ever get bored with each other?

If they do I would suggest it is only because they stopped being lovers.

People who love God will never get bored being in His Presence.

**Now let me say this again and I will repeat this several times today.

We should be living NOW as if we were in Heaven.

Yes I understand that we still have the issues of temptation and sin to deal with.

We do have those responsibilities and obligations I spoke of earlier so I know this won't be perfect, but here is the BIG problem I see.

What I see happening are Christians who are adjusting the things of God around this life instead of adjusting the things of this life around God.

In other words we are trying to make God fit into our lives instead of fitting into His life for us.

Now let me just tell you this.

God does not adjust well.

I am being facetious of course, what I really mean is that God does not adjust to us at all.

Trans.

Well that was my introduction.

Sorry I hate to scare you.

Let's talk about what worship will be like in Heaven.

I. HEAVENLY WORSHIP.

A. Experiencing True Worship.

1.

We know we will be worshiping in Heaven, but I think few of us and include myself in this, understand what that worship will be like.

Whether we like it or not in this fallen world in which we live we need some help in our worship.

We use lighting, video, and other types of technologies to assist us in our worship.

These things are part of the results of what I mentioned earlier about all the distractions we have in this life.

We are so easily distracted that often times we need help to be drawn into God's Presence.

But imagine this; joining countless multitudes from every nation, every tribe, every language in the praise of God.

The bible gives us a little hint of what this will be like, let's see.

"Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: "Praise the LORD!

For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him.

For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself."

Revelation 19:6-7 (NLT)

2. Have you ever been to a gathering of believers that numbered in the 1000s?

Maybe something like the Harvest crusade or a Billy Graham crusade.

If you have then imagine what it would be like if that group was 100 or 1000 fold larger.

It might sound like a crashing wave or the crash of thunder.

Let's look at Revelation 5:13 again.