Worthy of Worship.

Opening: Dealing with Self-Pity This Week Personally.

1. Dwell on What is Hard & What is Inconvenient.

1. Finals Week at School.

2. Are We Meeting In-Person or Not?

3. I Have to Write a Sermon & Do Worship Team.

4. Massive Snow Storm & I Forgot a Shovel.

5. Why are We Moving This Week?

2. Sat Down to Write the Sermon on Thursday & Said: “Lord, Forgive Me.”

3. The Antidote to Wallowing in Self-Pity is Worship.

I. There’s a lot of Worship Happening in the Christmas Story.

1. Zechariah Proclaims: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.” (Luke 1:68)

2. Mary Rejoices: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47)

3. Shepherds Respond: “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (Luke 2:20)

4. Wise Men Anticipate: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2)

5. Angels Declare: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” (Luke 2:14)

II. Human Beings are Passionate Worshippers: Anatomy of Worship.

1. Worship is Not Just for the Religious. It is True of Every Human Being.

2. Worship Penetrates All of Life. Not Just Singing.

3. Worship is Our Response to God for Who He Is & For What He Has Done.

1. See (Remarkable).

2. Satisfied (Receive).

3. Sacrifice (Respond).

4. Worshippers are Passionate.

5. I Used to Think Christian Worshippers Were Strange & Then I Thought About How I Respond at Phillies Games.

III. Jesus in Revelation: The One Worthy of Worship. *CHRISTIANS ARE WORSHIPPERS*

1. Jesus: The One Who Satisfies. (Receive)

“From Him”: Verse 4.

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come (Father), and from the seven spirits who are before his throne (Holy Spirit), and from Jesus Christ (Son). Rev. 1:4-5

1. Grace: the acceptance we crave (great privilege of the NT age)

2. Peace: the wholeness & well-being that we crave (Shalom: great privilege of OT age)

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father Rev. 1:5-6

3. Love: literally “keeps on loving” :: the love that we crave (to him who loves us)

4. Forgiveness: the freedom from that we need (freedom from sin by the blood of Jesus)

we are washed or released from sin

5. Significance: the meaning that we crave (we are made into a kingdom, priests to God)

As Kings We Rule in This World as Christ Did - By Serving Others.

As Priests We Have Access to God - And We Tell Others About This Reconciliation.

2. Jesus: The One Worthy of Sacrifice (Respond)

“To Him”: Verses 5-6.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Glory (kabod: Weight)

Glory in Hebrew means ‘Importance’ & ‘Weight’

Everything has a Weight of Importance (More Glory = More Importance)

Glory Should Be Rightly Attributed (BABY DOLL CHAIR ILLUSTRATION)

Inappropriate Giving of Glory Will Crush Under the Weight of the Unworthy

God has Infinite Glory

Dominion (Rule/Lordship)

Something or Someone Will Rule Me. (Even Free Spirits are Ruled By Their Concept of Freedom)

If I Let Another Human Rule Me, I Will Be Crushed By Their Incompetence & Sin.

If I Try to Rule Myself, I Will Be Crushed When I Face the Reality of My Weakness.

If I Let Work Rule Me, I Will Be Crushed When I Lose My Job.

If I Let a Possession Rule Me, I Will Be Crushed When It Breaks or Proves Ineffective.

If I Let Money Rule Me, I Will Be Crushed When I Lose It.

If Jesus Rules My Life, I Will Lack Nothing & Will Gain Everything in Him.

3. Jesus: The One We See (Remarkable)

“See Him”: Verses 7-8.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.

1st Coming at Christmas

Born as a Child (Weakness)

Unknown to Many (Private)

Came to Save (Salvation)

2nd Coming at His Return

Coming on the Clouds (Power & Might)

Every Eye Will See (Public)

All Tribes Will Wail (Judgment)

Jesus, The Alpha & Omega, Sovereign Over All

IV. What Do You Worship? (Call it X)

1. What Satisfies Me? (Receive)

2. What Causes Me to Sacrifice? (Respond)

3. What Do I See as Captivating? (Remarkable)

V. What is Your X?

1. Is Your X Currently Crushed Under the Weight of Your Expectations?

2. Is Your X Worthy of the Title: “Most Important”?

3. Is Your X Ruling Your Life? If So, How’s That Going for You?

*X is Short for Christ. XMas is Not Originally Derogatory.*

Closing: Come to Jesus. Baptisms Coming in 2021.