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Good morning. How are y'all doing today?

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Awesome. I want to start by saying if this is your first time joining us here in

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our sanctuary at Hosanna Christian Fellowship or if you're joining us

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online for the first time, welcome. We're so glad you're here to worship with us

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today. For those of you that don't know, I am Pastor Nathan and today we are going to

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be continuing our look at worship as we're learning important principles from

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what is taking place in heaven in Revelation chapter 5. And as we spoke

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about last week, we kind of started developing that idea that worship is

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such a wonderful and powerful and important aspect of our faith. It's

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unfortunately something that a lot of Christians tend to neglect in one

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way or another and yet it is foundational and actually at the top of

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the list of what God desires from his people. And so, you know, the whole idea

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of gathering here on Sundays as the body of Christ, you know, getting here to

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worship as one body, this is, it's awesome. It's great. It's a wonderful

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opportunity but I really, really look forward to being with you all in heaven

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worshiping right in God's presence right before him. It's just, yeah, I can't wait

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for that. So the last few weeks as we've been going through Revelation, we've seen

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a whole lot of stuff. Starting in chapter 4, we saw the Apostle John caught up into

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heaven as he was invited up there by God and the first thing he saw when he got

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there was this glorious throne and the one who sits on the throne and there he

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described it as having this glory coming off the throne of God as having

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the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian and then around that throne he saw a

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rainbow with the appearance of an emerald just surrounding the whole

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throne and then before the throne this beautiful sea of glass. And then there as

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he continues to look he sees these four very strange living creatures that are

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surrounding the throne there. One with the, looked like a lion, one looked like an

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ox, one with the face of a man, and one that looked like an eagle. And we saw

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there in chapter 4 that when these four creatures gave glory, honor, and thanks to

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God Almighty, the 24 elders which represent the entire body of Christ

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would fall down before God in worship, casting their crowns before his feet

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because really before God Almighty what worth do we have to deserve crowns, right?

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He is the one that deserves all the glory and so they cast their crowns

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before him and then we get to chapter 5 where John sees a scroll in the hand of

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the one who sits on the throne, God Almighty, but he also sees that in that

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moment there was nobody around that could open that scroll. Nobody around that

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could take that scroll and read it. And that scroll representing the

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authority, the ownership of all of creation, right? Creation that was

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languishing under the yoke of sin and death and decay and mankind, us who are

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trapped and bound under the slavery of sin and that scroll that

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represented the reclaiming of all that, the dealing with that finally in that

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moment John saw that nobody was worthy to open that scroll and so he weeps and

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he weeps until one of the elders approaches him and says, hey bro don't

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cry, look the lion of the tribe of Judah is worthy. He has conquered, right? And so

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then John looks up expecting and what I see there is expecting to see a

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lion, right? Look the lion of the tribe of Judah there. He looks up and instead of

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seeing a lion he sees one as the lamb who had been slaughtered, the one who

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paid the price. The redemption clause fulfilled it to purchase back not just

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creation but to purchase back us, to give us the right and the ability to find

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salvation in him and so John then watches as this one takes the scroll and

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all of heaven erupts in worship. Glorious picture. And so the whole scene teaches

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us all kinds of principles about our own worship of God and we started that last

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week in our previous message. We saw that worship is really a great stabilizer for

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the Christian life because it keeps us focused. Worship keeps us from straining

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off into self-absorption or self-righteousness or self-promotion and

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self-glory because worship keeps us in that place where it's all about him, what

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he did, what he accomplished. It's all about Jesus, all about him and his work

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and so worship keeps our sights firmly fixed on the one who redeemed us, the one

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who died for us, the one who paid the price for us, the one who fights for us,

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the one who is even now praying for us, the one who leads us, teaches us, guides us,

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right? Worship keeps our sights on him and him alone and that's important because

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life can be full of overwhelming circumstances, right? Life can be full of

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difficulties and challenges and the big question always before us is what do we

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do in those difficult circumstances? Where do we set our sights in those

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difficult circumstances? Where do we find hope and reassurance? Do we worship God

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in those difficult circumstances or do we give in to the negativity and the

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anxiety and the worry? That's the big question, right? And we're always to look

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to him because he overcomes all. He already did it. We have victory in Christ.

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And so chapters four and five of Revelation introduce us to worship what

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I'm calling true worship, the worship that we see taking place there in heaven

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and there we see order, right? Worship of God is not a chaotic mess. There's order

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to it. There's unity in the worship. We see that it was primarily a response to

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God. That's what worship is. It's not about us. It's not about my likes and my

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tastes and what I want. It's not about putting me in the right mood or

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making me feel a certain way. It's all about him and it's all about a response

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to what he has done. And then so in the last part of Revelation 5 as we're

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closing today we saw we see three songs of worship in verses 8 through 14. The

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first one we looked at last week where we saw the four living creatures and the

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elders fall down in worship at what Jesus had done. That was the context of

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that one. Their worship was in response to what Jesus had done taking the scroll,

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claiming the rulership, the authority, the ownership of all of creation,

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everything in the earth, and then through that satisfying the

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redemption clause, right? Redeeming all of it that was cursed by sin. Today we're

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gonna look at the next two worship songs here and we're gonna see the multitude

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of angels erupting in praise and not what he has done but at who he is which

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is another critical reason that we worship God because of who he is. And

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then the third song is all of creation praising the Lamb for his relationship

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with the Father. So through it all we're gonna be encouraged, continue to be

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encouraged at what true worship is, what it looks like, and our attitude in

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worship, and why we should always strive to have a lifestyle of worship. To not be

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people who only worship God on Sundays when we gather together but to worship

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him every day at all times in every circumstance because of how good it is

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for us. And so we're gonna open up today that way as we do with worship and I

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just encourage you guys to just let go of anything distracting you. Let Jesus

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fill your vision this morning. Let him be the sole thing in your sights as you

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lift up praise and worship to his holy name. Amen? Let's pray. Father, we love you.

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God, we're so thankful for who you are and what you've done. Lord, you redeemed

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us. You paid the price for all of our sin, past, present, and future. God, you made

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salvation possible. And God, without you there is no salvation and so Lord we're

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so grateful for that. And God, we want to praise you, Lord, not just for what you've

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done but we want to praise you for who you are. We want to praise you for

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everything you are, God, because you are worthy, you are holy, you are God Almighty,

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Lord. We love you so much. And so God, we ask this morning as we worship God, it

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wouldn't be about us. It wouldn't be, we wouldn't even be in the equation, Lord,

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but our vision would be full of you and only you, God, to praise you in your holy

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name for what you've done and who you are. So God, bless us this morning as we

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continue to study your word, speak to us, and encourage us, Lord, on how we can

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worship you better as we live our life here on this earth to your glory. We love

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you so much. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

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All right. We are in Revelation chapter 5. We're going to be starting in verse 11.

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Looking through to verse 14 this morning, so let's go ahead and read that for

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context. Again, we're right in the middle of John's experience in heaven,

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experiencing the worship that is taking place right there in God's throne room.

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So verse 11, he says, then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the

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throne and also of the living creatures and the elders. Their number was countless

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thousands plus thousands of thousands. And they said with a loud voice,

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worthy is the lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom

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and strength and honor and glory and blessing. I heard every creature in

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heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say blessing

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and honor and glory and power be to the one seated on the throne and to the lamb

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forever and ever. The four living creatures said amen and the elders fell

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down and worshiped. And so verse 11 here in this chapter of Revelation picks up

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where John is now noticing other attendees in this worship service other

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than the four living creatures and the 24 elders that he had kind of been fixated

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on at this point. Now you remember the 24 elders, they represent the entire body of

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Christ there in heaven worshiping God. And so as I said, he had so far been

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focused as he got there in chapter four and immediately saw the throne and

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immediately saw the one sitting on the throne, the glory coming from that,

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the glory of God that's there. He was caught by this image of these creatures,

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these four living creatures and the elders. And he had been focusing on or

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observing primarily their praise and worship as the four living creatures it

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says worship endlessly. And then the elders would fall down and cast their

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crowns and just this ongoing presence of worship there in heaven. But then as that

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worship service was taking place, he witnessed the redemptive transaction

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where Jesus took the scroll and fulfilled the redemption of all mankind

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and all of creation. And then again he saw the response of the four living

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creatures and the elders again falling down in worship just praising God for

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what he had done. Then we get to verse 11. It's almost like he like blinked and

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noticed who else was in attendance at this thing, at this event, this uncountable

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number of angels all around him. Notice there it says countless thousands plus

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thousands of thousands. In case you think you could count them, it says

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countless. It's an important note there. There was a guy once, a theologian in

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early church history who counted up the angels and was like there's exactly this

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many. And I don't remember the number. It was some insane number but

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countless. Countless is pretty self-explanatory there. But this is very

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similar to the experience of the shepherds at the birth of Jesus. You guys

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remember that story early in the Gospels as the angel appeared to the

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shepherds to declare that the Messiah had been born. And then it says there in

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the story that suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host all

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praising glory to God in the highest, right? And that word multitude there

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means in the original language all of them. So you can imagine the experience

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that those shepherds had out in the field, right? This angel appears and

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they're afraid and the angels like hey don't be afraid bro. I got something

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important to tell you. And so he tells them and then all of a sudden blink, boom.

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All the angels, the countless thousands upon thousands upon thousands and

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thousands, all there praising God. So this is the the same idea here, this

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experience that John is having there in heaven, this number beyond counting of

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the angels praising God, the largest worship service ever. Now angels are an

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interesting topic biblically and over the years there have been various

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different people that have claimed to have sightings of angels. They've seen

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angels here or there, right? People you know now you could go on YouTube and

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spend a really a ridiculous amount of time looking at that I have no personal

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experience in this, right? Looking at videos people have of oh I saw an angel

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in the clouds and I saw an angel here and it's always like pictures and the

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angels in the clouds and there's videos of this over here and people have

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pictures of angels and sometimes they see angels in their toast, right? As just

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people have sightings of angels all over the place. Now many of those

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sightings I think are fakes or hoaxes but some of those sightings are real

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because angels are real. They are real creatures that exist. In 2019 there was a

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poll of non-religious people and in that poll one in three believed, again

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non-religious people believed in guardian angels. One in ten in that poll

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reported having actually seen an angel. In another poll they found that 21% of

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those who quote never worship in church confessed to believe in angels which is

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very interesting. And then in another poll I found this really interesting even

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seven percent of atheists polled in one poll professed to believe in angels. I

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don't believe in God but angels yeah no I could I could I can consider that. Angels

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are an interesting topic. 34 of the 66 books of the Bible mention angels that's

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just over half of the books of the Bible mention angels in one form or another

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and it's interesting it's 17 Old Testament books and 17 New Testament

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books split right down the middle mention angels. In the Old Testament the

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word angel is used 103 times and in the New Testament the word angel is seen

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165 times. Now we have talked about in the past that the word angel itself in

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the Greek in the New Testament writings actually simply means messenger. That's

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what the word the original Greek word that is translated angel means

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messenger and that word technically can refer to either a human messenger or a

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supernatural messenger and so when we see that word especially in Revelation

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where he said to the angel of the church at Ephesus and then in chapter 1 where

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he said talking about angels there there's like it could be this

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supernatural angel which I believe is taking place in the beginning of

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Revelation 1 but then as he starts to talk about deliver these messages to the

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angels of the churches some think that that's referring to like the pastor of

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the church or the lead elder or an actual courier who has taken the letter.

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Anyways there's there's some some disagreement on that but we do see that

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that's this word messenger is both used to refer to human a human messengers and

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angelic beings that we commonly refer to as angels and throughout the book of

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Revelation when we do see the word angel it is often referring to what we would

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understand as these supernatural beings these supernatural messengers whose

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purpose is to praise God in heaven and we see that over and over again but also

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sometimes to do God's bidding here on earth. Now angels they're they're

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beings created by God to do God's will that's what we see throughout scripture

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they do God's will wherever God would send them and they do that according to

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his will at all times. Now angels were surrounding Jesus throughout his life we

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saw angels there in Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus we see angels ministering

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to Jesus when he was in the wilderness during his temptation we see angels are

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the ones that moved the stone from his tomb at his resurrection and just

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angels were everywhere supernatural beings these angels were everywhere

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present in Jesus's life while he was here on earth. Now what is interesting

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about angels is most of the time they're invisible we can't see them which is

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probably a good thing because in scripture every time they do appear

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visibly the first thing they have to say is don't be afraid that's the first

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thing out of their mouth because something about their visible presence is

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frightening to mankind is scary and so they always say don't be afraid and some

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of that might come from not just their presence but but even knowledge of who

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they were because angels are kind of like God's first police if you will they

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kept man out of the garden after the fall with a flaming sword they were

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visited Abraham Abraham talked to them and it says that he fell in fear when he

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saw them but then he did invite them over for dinner we see angels serving

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as God's dispensers of judgment in Sodom and Gomorrah angels are the ones that

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sprung Peter out of jail in Acts chapter 12 and so they're real they're

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active they're present but not always visible now I think they're invisible

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when they are here working often because of man's propensity to worship that

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which inspires awe that which is supernatural that which is almost too

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much to behold or unexplainable and so I think that's why angels are mostly

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invisible because man they see an angel they want to worship it oh you're some

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supernatural being I'm gonna fall down at your feet and worship you which

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incidentally I think is the source of most of the cults in the world today

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some demonic being appearing to somebody posing as an angel and poof well it was

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the angel Moroni right and so now you have Mormonism and it's it's a cult and

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so many other faiths have sprung from false angels appearing to people but as

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a species as a human species will worship angels some of us get tied up in

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worshiping saints we'll worship pretty much anything besides God you know we

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will find anything to put before us to worship but we struggle sometimes

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getting to that point of just worshiping God with true worship and it's not that

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that means we're messed up or we're some you know hopeless people because even

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John the Apostle was tempted to worship an angel we see it in Revelation chapter

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22 where after the angel has been revealing these things on behalf of

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Jesus to John throughout this whole book here it tells us that John fell down to

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worship at the foot of the angel who was showing them these things and then the

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angels like don't do that don't worship me I'm your fellow servant worship God

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and him alone and so John struggled to that as well but for reasons that can be

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good or bad it's just we as mankind sometimes feel like we have to go to

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middle management first right we feel like we can't go to God directly I mean

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he's God right he's busy he's running existence and so like we have to like

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make an appointment with a secretary first or we you know and this is where

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in Catholicism there's an idea there that like don't bother Jesus go talk to

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his mom and so they're pray to Mary first right and it's like no Jesus is

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available he's God he's accessible to all of us at all times but sometimes we

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feel like well we can't go straight to the boss you know and I remember early

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in my days here working at the church when I first came on staff at Hosanna I

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was running junior high ministry and so my hair was always dyed different colors

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it was blue it was green it was yellow you know I had earrings in my ears I was

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just I was a junior high pastor right it's like I kind of fit the fit the

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bill there but I remember I had a very like I'm gonna go straight to the boss

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attitude and our assistant pastor at the time pastor Ken Van Mersbergen he was my

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boss he was my direct report but anytime like I didn't feel like he was like

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hearing me I would bypass him and go to Pashogary all the time and it would just

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make him so mad at me you know and I learned you know respect and chain of

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authority at that point but but some of us don't struggle with that but a lot of

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us do we we have to we have to go through the steps we can't go to God

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directly or we feel like we can't go to God directly and so Satan will put stuff

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in front of us it's like oh worship this worship this worship this worship this

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and it's everything but God sometimes now Daniel in his book the book of

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Daniel he refers to angels as watchers watchers and that's an interesting

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phrase because you think well if they're watchers what are they watching you have

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any idea it's us they're watching us they're watching you and me they are

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curiously interested in what goes on on this earth here and we see that

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throughout scripture and and as watchers they're kind of like heavens

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surveillance teams right if you will they're they're they're they're

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checking out what's going on in this earth and you know I just want to

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encourage us to all think about that for a moment you know God is omnipotent God

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is everywhere God sees everything but the angels are also watching to see what

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God is doing in and through our lives but this uncountable number of watchers

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is watching you and me and for some that brings comfort right oh the angels are

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watching out for me that's that's so comfortable other of us are like oh no

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they saw me do that they saw me do what you know and so it's it's it's it's

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worrisome for us I read a quote that said secret sin on earth is open scandal

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in heaven and so but as watchers that the greatest thing that the angels are

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interested in and what we're gonna see is a part of why they're worshipping God

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and what their worship of God is all about the thing that that is of greatest

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interest to them is the salvation that God has extended to you and me in 1st

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Peter chapter 1 verse 10 it says this concerning this salvation the prophets

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who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and

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carefully investigated they inquired into what time or what circumstances

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spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance

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to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow it was

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revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you these things

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have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by

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the Holy Spirit sent from heaven angels long to catch a glimpse of these things

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they long to catch a glimpse of these things why because God treats no other

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being in all of creation quite the way he treats you and me we are such a

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special thing to God Bible calls us the apple of his eye he has extended to us a

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grace and a salvation that really doesn't extend to anything else in

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creation and that is just of great interest to the angels they've heard the

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prophets prophesy about the Messiah to come they heard that the Messiah would

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come and die for the sins of mankind of sins of the whole world they heard about

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how you would come to redeem the very world and everyone in it the very

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creation that was fallen to the curse of sin they they they they heard about

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this that all who would believe in Jesus would be saved and forgiven and set free

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and and they they heard all of this and then they watched it take place and I

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think as they were watching and in waiting and even today in some of our

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lives as they're watching your life and waiting for you to respond to God I

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think sometimes they wonder and they're perplexed as they watch us turn away

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from the resources God has given us as they watch us turn away from the access

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that we have to God through the blood of Christ and we want to put you know all

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these barriers between us and God I think they're perplexed as they see us

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insisting on doing things our own way and our own effort and falling on our

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faces over and over and over again going but God has offered them so much so much

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why why do they try and do things any other way the Bible tells us in Hebrews

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that some of us had even entertained angels without knowing it think about

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that right some of us have entertained angels without even knowing it so that

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tells us that when angels appear to us visibly it's not always the scary don't

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be afraid mode sometimes it's just somebody we've helped or somebody we've

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engaged with we don't know but if you haven't yet or if you never know or if

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you don't get to experience angels here on earth what Revelation 5 shows us is

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you will get to in heaven you are going to be worshiping with them in heaven

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they will be worshiping with you the countless numbers of angels praising God

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Almighty for who he is and so what do they do in their worship look in verse

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12 it starts out there and it says they said with a loud voice now I want to

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stop there because I want you to notice something that is different from what

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the elders did in verse 9 now if you have your your tablet or your app or

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your Bible open look at verse 9 what does it tell us that the elders did in

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their worship it says the elders sang a new song but here we see it says that

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the angels simply said with a loud voice subtle distinction but two different

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words it was the same at the birth of Christ that that time where all the

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angels the multitude appeared and in were proclaiming you know glory to God

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in the highest but when you go back to the Gospels there it doesn't say that

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that multitude of angels sang glory to God in the highest it's the same word

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that says they said they simply spoke it they simply declared it and that's what

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that word said means means to declare it's just simply a spoken declaration

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it's interesting that the angels aren't singing they're not singing like the

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church does they're not singing like the elders do who represent the church

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they're speaking they're simply speaking saying and declaring things now that's a

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detail you might not notice you know as you as you read through some of this you

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might overlook this because after all don't all the songs tell us that the

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angels sing right every year at Christmas Hark the her herald angels

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sing that's what the songs say so isn't that what the angels are doing well

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those songs aren't scripture scripture is scripture and it's an interesting

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contrast because when we see the angels declaring worshiping God we always see

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this word that they are saying and it's an interesting contrast to the elders

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who represent the church who are singing now there's only one place in

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scripture incidentally where it seems to indicate angels singing and it's a

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somewhat cryptic reference it's in Job chapter 38 verse 7 and it says while the

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morning stars sang together that is the only place in all of scripture where it

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looks like it's saying that the angels were singing rather than saying and and

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again some debate whether morning stars there refers to angels or not so what is

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the point right why would the angels be singing and the angels sing or to add to

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that question if you notice the elders are singing to the lamb the angels are

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singing about the lamb subtle difference again but an important difference I

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think verse 9 the elders saying you are worthy here in verse 12 the angels

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declare worthy is the lamb why the difference what is the difference I

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think the difference represents this the elders who are representing the church

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representing you and me representing the redeemed we have something to sing

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about we have something to to declare through music and song and vocals we

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have something to sing about that the angels don't the church the elders

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represented us they have been redeemed they have been saved from their lost

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sinful corrupted state they have been washed by the blood of Christ their

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price has been paid by his sacrifice they have been saved from the pit they

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have been saved from their selves they have been saved from the curse of sin

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they have been redeemed and it's the same for you and I today you see the

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angels have no personal experience of this type of salvation they were created

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by God and and the angels have never been through that situation of being

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redeemed from sin all who have experienced this salvation you and I we

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we know this this moment of being set free we know the recognition that this

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is who I was in this gross sinful disgusting state and God did all the

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work to save me and redeem me and it's just through faith I am forgiven right

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that is something to sing about and praise about the angels they don't know

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that experience Spurgeon said this it's superstitious to worship angels but it

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is proper to love them how free from envy the angels were Christ did not come

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from heaven to save their peers when they fell when Satan the mighty angel

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dragged with him a third part of the stars of heaven Christ did not stoop

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from his throne to die for them he left them to be reserved in chains and

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darkness until the last great day yet angels did not envy men either how free

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too they were from pride they were not ashamed to come and tell the news of

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Christ's birth to humble shepherds mark well how they told the story and you

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will love them too but the point of this and the reason I'm bringing this out

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here is you and I are not angels so sing okay praise God sing out to him in

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worship right the fact that God is who he is is not simply a statement of fact

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for us it's an experience we have experienced as his children right you

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we've met people in life who who try and explain an experience that they've never

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had and you could tell if you've been through it right you've been through

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something and someone's trying to say well this is what it's like and you're

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like you've never actually experienced that have you you know you may have the

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facts right you may have an accurate description of things but you haven't

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quite experienced what I've experienced years ago when we had a Sunday night

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ministry here at Hosanna called eternity now and that was one of those

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opportunities where pastor Gary yet this let this crazy young guy named Nathan

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kind of carte blanche do what he wants with this night and so I just was like

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oh we're gonna have like concerts and we're gonna do all these crazy things

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and and and and he was just supported that I'm just I'm so blessed you know

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looking back on it I'm like wow what a risk he took but still it was like it was

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it was a wonderful time where God was doing this amazing work and the other

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day we were in a leadership meeting we're talking about these times where

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we've stepped out of our comfort zone to to show people that God loves them right

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we're talking about I'm having a heart that is outward focused right because

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sometimes we could get inward focus as Christians and I was telling the story

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of the you know some people that would come to Sunday nights would come

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specifically because I was very transparent possibly too transparent but

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I was very transparent about who I was before I was a Christian and the

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struggles I went through and the things I did and and at the time though I would

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have people come up to me after every service and go wow you really get it

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because you said you did XYZ and that's what I'm in right now or that's what

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I'm struggling with and so it gave me a bridge to people now that is not to

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diminish the fact that hey everybody go out and have horrible experiences so you

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can connect with people evangelistically that's not what I'm

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saying but the idea is is that these angels here had never experienced

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salvation and I think that's a part of what they're doing in their declaration

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they're just simply stating a fact of truth now it's an important fact it's a

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real fact it's a valid fact but they're just declaring what has been done we're

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the ones who have been redeemed we've been saved we have something to sing

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about we don't just observe worship we don't just see God and speak of

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objective truth we've experienced his salvation personally we recognize the

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pit that we have been saved from and and and quite honestly as humans we are the

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ones that have the capacity to lose the wonder of God and salvation we're the

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ones that have the capacity to lose that we we're the ones who often need to be

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reminded about who God is and what he's done and then we marvel all over again

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at what Jesus has done for us and then when we find ourselves in that place

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where we're marveling all over again right we come back to that place where

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we're falling down in worship and we're just singing all over again but for the

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angels the truth of God is simply an ever-present unchanging truth of reality

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it's not something you'd be like wow it's like duh he is worthy worthy is the

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lamb it's just it's just fact of reality and so their declaration of who God is

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is is not necessarily born of a recognition of what God did for them in

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their sinful state and then having an emotionally or experientially moved

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response to God for that but rather it's just a straightforward statement of fact

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worthy is the lamb worthy is the lamb now again it's not to say that there is

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an awe and reverence in that statement of fact I'm sure there was awe and

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reverence and all of that but there isn't that almost shocked at what he

427
00:34:44,240 --> 00:34:49,160
did response that we can sometimes have right and I think sometimes when we

428
00:34:49,160 --> 00:34:55,200
realize God saved me oh man the emotion the the the the singing that could well

429
00:34:55,200 --> 00:35:00,160
up from that is just powerful and what it is they declare so matter of factly

430
00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:05,320
what it is that the angels are declaring here as if it's an impossible notion to

431
00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:10,240
even consider otherwise we see in verse 12 they said with a loud voice worthy is

432
00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:14,320
the lamb who is slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength

433
00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:25,560
and honor and glory and blessing worthy is the lamb that's just fact that

434
00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:30,960
there's no negotiation in that fact again sometimes we're the ones that are

435
00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:37,640
like you are worthy question mark and the angels are like worthy is the lamb

436
00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:43,320
that's just period that's just truth they are declaring God's worth and

437
00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:48,760
singing about it when they say that worthy is the lamb now back in verse 9

438
00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:52,320
the elders use the same word right they said you were worthy to take the scroll

439
00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:55,600
and so we see worthy in the elders worship this acknowledgement and the

440
00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:59,280
singing of his worthiness and now we see the declaration from the angels of the

441
00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:03,680
worthiness of God in both places later on in verse 14 it's gonna tell us that

442
00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:08,160
as the four living creatures said amen the elders then fall down and worshiped

443
00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:12,960
now I'm pointing that out because this word worthy and the word worshiped they

444
00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:18,840
have the same root they the the English words come from the same route they have

445
00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:23,840
the same etymological root if you want the fancy words for it now the

446
00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:28,080
English word that we have today worship when we say worship it comes from two

447
00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:37,080
old English words a word for worth and then the word spece worth spece this was

448
00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,680
the old English word that our modern word worship comes from now that word

449
00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:47,680
spece in the old old English was meant the condition or the existence of

450
00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:54,560
something that word eventually became the word ship and so when we say

451
00:36:54,560 --> 00:37:00,480
friendship I have friendship with you what I'm saying is that that you exist

452
00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:06,360
in the condition of friend with me friendship right that's this idea that

453
00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:10,120
we have of that and then even in today's modern slang when we weren't where we're

454
00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:14,200
gonna ship people what are we saying we're declaring that oh we think they're

455
00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,040
dating we think they're in a relationship we're shipping these people

456
00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:22,480
so but this idea of of worth spece people used to say hey let's worth

457
00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:27,880
spece this object because we want to ascribe to it worth that word worth

458
00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:32,720
the spece eventually got shortened to worth ship and then it eventually got

459
00:37:32,720 --> 00:37:36,520
shortened all the way down to were ship and that's the modern English word that

460
00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:41,320
we have today so the idea of this word is imputing assigning to acknowledging

461
00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:46,300
the worth or value of something or someone when we worship something what

462
00:37:46,300 --> 00:37:51,960
we're doing is deeming it worthy and we worship that which we deem worthy and so

463
00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:56,560
the important point here is that we should be people who worship God for no

464
00:37:56,560 --> 00:38:03,920
other reason than he is worth it he is worthy of praise no other reason

465
00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:07,720
sometimes we get caught up right oh God I want to worship to today because you

466
00:38:07,720 --> 00:38:11,720
did this thing for me God I want to worship you today because right we we

467
00:38:11,720 --> 00:38:16,080
we have these values that we assign to things and if you do this God I will

468
00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:19,680
worship you and if you perform this way I will worship you and that's not true

469
00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:24,400
worship we worship God for what he's done yes but we worship God for who he

470
00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:28,960
is just because he is worthy of it and when we do that we find ourselves

471
00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:33,880
worshiping God regardless of whether we get anything out of it because worship

472
00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:37,880
again is not for us it's not about what we get it's not to make us feel good

473
00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:46,240
it's for him it's a response to a worthy God that's why we worship but again

474
00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:49,600
that's not to say that we don't get anything out of worship because it does

475
00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:53,920
affect us it does change us it does move us but that's not our reason for

476
00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:59,360
worship AW tozer said this whoever seeks God as a means toward a desired

477
00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:06,720
end will not find God for God will not be used so worshiping it's

478
00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:12,080
imputing it's subscribing it's assigning it's declaring worth to God or the

479
00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:17,560
worth of God that's what we do when we worship now in verse 14 if you drop down

480
00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:21,440
real quick you'll see that word worship there as the angels are worshiping God

481
00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:26,480
and that word worshiped in the Greek is proskeneo it's an interesting word that

482
00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:30,760
we get an idea of the attitude of worship as we're ascribing worth to God

483
00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:35,080
because this word proskeneo means to kiss the ground when prostate

484
00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:40,240
prostrated before a superior it's the idea of bowing down before the king and

485
00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:45,760
kissing the ground or kissing their feet right I'm an extreme act of humility

486
00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:50,000
there but many scholars today they look at this word proskeneo and they simply

487
00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:56,160
render it down to the idea of to kiss toward is this idea of proskeneo this

488
00:39:56,160 --> 00:40:00,560
idea that we get this word worshiping from in verse 14 it's an intimate word

489
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:05,840
is the point it's a loving term it's a term of relationship is what how it's

490
00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:09,320
rendered here there's reverence in that there's reverence for the authority and

491
00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:13,800
reverence for you know the the authority of the one you're worshiping but it goes

492
00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:18,400
even deeper than just a reverence it goes all the way down to directing

493
00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:24,360
affection to someone that you're in love with that's the idea of worshiping and

494
00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:28,960
it ties back to the idea of worth and think about that next time you get the

495
00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:32,000
opportunity to worship God we're gonna close service today in worship right

496
00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:36,920
think about that you're praising him with your heart bowed in humility you're

497
00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:41,800
praising him bowed down in honor and reverence to him yes but even more so

498
00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:46,240
as you're bowed down with that with that heart of humility it's you directing

499
00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:52,280
intimate affection to the love of your life that's worship that's worship of

500
00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:57,720
God for some this concept is a little uncomfortable it's too close it's too

501
00:40:57,720 --> 00:41:02,600
familiar right sometimes we can find ourselves like we're we're we're more

502
00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:07,920
comfortable or we might prefer to remain in this whole your God I'm your servant

503
00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:12,880
relationship right your king I'm the subject like let's let's keep it there

504
00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:17,680
why because there's a comfortable amount comfortable amount of space between us

505
00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:22,400
and him when we keep it in that place now yes he is king yes we are his subject

506
00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:29,080
yes he is God but when we don't cross the line into that intimate expression of

507
00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,640
love for the one who is the love of our life what we're really doing is yeah

508
00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:40,240
we're giving him 97% but we're holding back 3% John 15 15 says this Jesus

509
00:41:40,240 --> 00:41:45,280
speaking I do not call you servants anymore because a servant doesn't know

510
00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:50,680
what his master is doing I have called you friends because I have made known to

511
00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:54,760
you everything I have heard from my father you did not choose me but I

512
00:41:54,760 --> 00:42:00,080
chose you what Jesus is saying to us his people is he's like look you're my

513
00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:06,840
friends yes I'm God yes I'm your king yes I'm your Lord yes I'm your master

514
00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:15,880
all true but I've called you my friends come closer come closer don't don't keep

515
00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:20,640
this distance between me and you even in worship no like ascribe the worth to me

516
00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:25,960
that that that I'm your friend that I'm I'm I'm you know I'm so deep and close

517
00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:31,400
and come closer again AW tozer said the average Christian thinks of God as being

518
00:42:31,400 --> 00:42:38,040
at a safe distance and often looking away and I think maybe he's like that

519
00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:45,800
for some of you here today that God is a bit distance distant in your life maybe

520
00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:50,240
even in your worship you hold him at arm's length you know you you haven't

521
00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:53,960
stepped past of your king on the subject you haven't stepped into that intimacy

522
00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:59,160
because it feels safe for you maybe you've been wounded at some point in

523
00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:02,160
life through through an intimate relationship with somebody you're like

524
00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:06,720
nah I'm good I'm not gonna really give you my heart because I'm worried what

525
00:43:06,720 --> 00:43:13,340
you're gonna do with it God is saying trust me God is saying worship me come

526
00:43:13,340 --> 00:43:19,560
close to me and I could speak from personal experience when you do that you

527
00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:25,080
experience a love that surpasses everything you you experience a depth

528
00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:29,280
of relationship that that that just goes beyond comprehension that when you

529
00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:34,320
finally let God in or more importantly when you finally step in to what God has

530
00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:43,320
for you it's beautiful it's beautiful so Jesus is saying he's like I want

531
00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:48,800
friendship I want closeness I want intimacy I want to go past duty I want

532
00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:53,080
to go past the rigidity in our relationship you know it's it's yeah I'm

533
00:43:53,080 --> 00:43:58,840
your king but I'm also your groom and in you church you're my bride you're my

534
00:43:58,840 --> 00:44:06,800
bride so so kiss towards me a scribe worth to me in worship and so let Jesus

535
00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:14,320
be close to you don't be afraid of him he'll never forsake you he'll never

536
00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:26,480
leave you alone Jesus loves you so much and so we see the angels here imputing

537
00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:31,000
or ascribing to Jesus several things that he is worthy of receiving it says

538
00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:35,440
and that word receiving means things that that that he has come into

539
00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:39,760
possession of because he is worth it right by taking that scroll and so they

540
00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:46,240
ascribe power they say you are the one worthy worthy as a lamb who is slaughtered

541
00:44:46,240 --> 00:44:51,880
to receive power that word power there means controlling influence over reality

542
00:44:51,880 --> 00:45:00,040
Jesus is worthy of that why because he created reality riches that word doesn't

543
00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:05,600
just mean material wealth or having money it means an abundance of everything

544
00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:10,560
Jesus you were worth everything you were worth having abundance of everything in

545
00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:14,680
the context of our worship God you are worthy of having abundance of my focus

546
00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:18,360
and abundance of my attention and abundance of my priority and abundance

547
00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:22,840
of my money and abundance of my time and abundance of my skills you are worthy

548
00:45:22,840 --> 00:45:29,000
of that Lord they say wisdom next that means a transcendent capacity to apply

549
00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:33,920
knowledge and experience correctly I love how correctly is at the end of that

550
00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:38,880
definition right that he is the one who knows how to do what is right in all

551
00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:44,520
times in all ways what does that mean to us in our worship that we're trusting

552
00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:48,280
him and following him and we feel God through his word through speaking to us

553
00:45:48,280 --> 00:45:51,840
is leading us to do a thing and we're like I'm not so sure about that guess

554
00:45:51,840 --> 00:46:00,280
who's right God because he has all wisdom they say strength next that means

555
00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:05,680
an exceptional capability to get done what needs to get done worthy is the lamb

556
00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:10,600
to receive what all strength he claimed the ownership the title deed of the

557
00:46:10,600 --> 00:46:14,600
earth he purchased everything he shed his blood for you and me we've responded

558
00:46:14,600 --> 00:46:18,520
to him in faith in that and worthy is is is him to have all the strength to get

559
00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:24,240
one that needs to get done we couldn't get done our salvation he did we can't

560
00:46:24,240 --> 00:46:27,800
get done the impossibilities of reconciliation in our in our

561
00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:33,240
relationships or marriages and reconciliation in in in at work or

562
00:46:33,240 --> 00:46:38,000
whatever it may be he can though he has the exceptional capability to get done

563
00:46:38,000 --> 00:46:42,800
what needs to get done and that's why we worship him to ascribe that worth to

564
00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:48,520
him we love you God we're so grateful for what you can do honor that means of

565
00:46:48,520 --> 00:46:55,000
great value of course we ascribe to him of how much value he is glory that means

566
00:46:55,000 --> 00:47:00,680
splendor and greatness and a recognition of prestige blessing that means to be

567
00:47:00,680 --> 00:47:08,600
well spoken of worthy is a lamb to receive what to be well spoken of and

568
00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:13,320
that comes down to a lot of not just what we say but how we live our lives

569
00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:17,920
right we say I worship God I ascribe to him the worth that that he is you know

570
00:47:17,920 --> 00:47:23,040
he he exists in a state of worthiness in my life and so okay well how does your

571
00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:29,280
life your behavior how you're living speak to that does your life say that

572
00:47:29,280 --> 00:47:34,440
that that God is worth being well spoken of or do your behavior speak ill of the

573
00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:40,480
Lord it's something to think about but it's interesting here because this is a

574
00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:45,840
sevenfold ascription of all the things that Jesus deserves and has but things

575
00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:50,960
he didn't receive the first time he came to earth a sevenfold ascription

576
00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:54,840
right that seven again coming up in Revelation where that that concept of

577
00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:59,520
seven is this biblical idea of completeness this is a complete

578
00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:04,800
ascription of God's worthiness everything that he is do and interestingly

579
00:48:04,800 --> 00:48:08,040
enough you go through this lesson you read through his life here on earth and

580
00:48:08,040 --> 00:48:14,720
he didn't get any of that he laid it all aside but now in verse 13 we get to the

581
00:48:14,720 --> 00:48:18,840
third song I heard every creature in heaven on earth under the earth on the

582
00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:23,080
sea and everything in them say blessing and honor and glory and power be to the

583
00:48:23,080 --> 00:48:28,880
one seated on the throne and to the lamb forever and ever so first we saw the

584
00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:32,480
living creatures and the elders worshiping God then we saw the angels

585
00:48:32,480 --> 00:48:38,040
worshiping God and now it's basically all of creation the creation he redeemed

586
00:48:38,040 --> 00:48:41,920
from the curse of sin right every creature in heaven on earth under the

587
00:48:41,920 --> 00:48:46,480
earth on the sea and everything in them everything everything in all of creation

588
00:48:46,480 --> 00:48:50,800
here on earth is worshiping God so we saw the elders worshiping God in

589
00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:54,320
response to their redemption right for what God has done we see the angels

590
00:48:54,320 --> 00:48:59,400
worshiping God for who he is he is God Almighty he has rulership and claim over

591
00:48:59,400 --> 00:49:03,480
everything and then here creation is now worshiping him really focused on the

592
00:49:03,480 --> 00:49:06,760
relationship between the lamb and the father and this is kind of like the

593
00:49:06,760 --> 00:49:11,080
grand finale right the whole worship service has been building up to this but

594
00:49:11,080 --> 00:49:14,120
it's interesting they say blessing and honor and glory and power be to the one

595
00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:21,080
seated on the throne and to the lamb you see the acknowledgment of the father and

596
00:49:21,080 --> 00:49:26,560
the son this is fulfillment of Philippians chapter 2 in that sense

597
00:49:26,560 --> 00:49:30,200
where the lamb who is slaughtered who paid the price to redeem everything is

598
00:49:30,200 --> 00:49:34,600
now going to be worshiped as God because he is God right in Philippians chapter 2

599
00:49:34,600 --> 00:49:39,680
verse 9 it says for this reason God highly exalted him speaking of Jesus and

600
00:49:39,680 --> 00:49:43,600
gave him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every

601
00:49:43,600 --> 00:49:47,760
knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue will

602
00:49:47,760 --> 00:49:55,880
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father so everything

603
00:49:55,880 --> 00:50:04,080
everyone every possible thing in existence is going to acknowledge who

604
00:50:04,080 --> 00:50:11,320
Jesus is one day that he is a Lord over all creation that he is the only

605
00:50:11,320 --> 00:50:16,440
deserving one everyone's gonna confess that you'll confess that I'll confess

606
00:50:16,440 --> 00:50:23,520
that so will every atheist confess that every agnostic confess that every living

607
00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:31,040
thing will confess that all will confess all will bow because Jesus is Lord now

608
00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:38,760
you can do that now voluntarily as a recipient of salvation and being adopted

609
00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:42,680
and part of God adopted into and part of God's family or you could do it later

610
00:50:42,680 --> 00:50:52,880
forcibly as a member of the conquered enemy you can bow now before you're

611
00:50:52,880 --> 00:50:58,240
banished out of God's presence forever or you can or you can bow then be right

612
00:50:58,240 --> 00:51:00,960
before you're banished out of God's presence or you could bow now and just

613
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:06,440
give him the recognition the worth that he has in receiving that free gift of

614
00:51:06,440 --> 00:51:09,680
salvation that he offers you and then enjoy his presence forever as we're

615
00:51:09,680 --> 00:51:17,760
seeing here in Revelation but you will bow you will confess that is the reality

616
00:51:17,760 --> 00:51:24,840
either way every knee will bow and every tongue will confess but what I want to

617
00:51:24,840 --> 00:51:28,880
notice here is the worship it's directed again at the one seated on the throne

618
00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:34,520
and to the lamb so we've been through chapter four and five weaving in and out

619
00:51:34,520 --> 00:51:38,640
of the picture of the Trinity I've seen here in heaven right when he first got

620
00:51:38,640 --> 00:51:41,760
there to heaven he sees a throne he sees the glory on the throne it says glory

621
00:51:41,760 --> 00:51:45,800
emanating from the throne and then he describes it with Jasper and carnelian

622
00:51:45,800 --> 00:51:50,600
which was a nod to the Messiah and the sacrificed lamb of God right and then

623
00:51:50,600 --> 00:51:53,680
right before that throne he says I see these lampstands that are the Holy

624
00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:58,200
Spirit right and so we see this picture of God and his tri-unity existing there

625
00:51:58,200 --> 00:52:02,080
and then we see a separation of that when we get to chapter five where the

626
00:52:02,080 --> 00:52:05,520
one on the throne has a scroll in his hand and then the lamb steps up to grab

627
00:52:05,520 --> 00:52:09,760
that scroll so now we see the father and the son separately in their in their

628
00:52:09,760 --> 00:52:16,200
persons they're in heaven and here we see the worship going to both of them as

629
00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:23,640
God God the father and God the son being worshiped together as God and again we

630
00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:28,360
don't have time to go into an exhaustive teaching on the Trinity there's a lot of

631
00:52:28,360 --> 00:52:32,560
that on YouTube pastor Mike winger has some great videos on that as well if you

632
00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:36,400
want to look at those but the idea here is we see elements of the tri-unity of

633
00:52:36,400 --> 00:52:41,920
God and the glory going to both the father and both the son separate but as

634
00:52:41,920 --> 00:52:47,040
one God and that's the final lesson here that I get out of this for worship is

635
00:52:47,040 --> 00:52:51,920
for worship to be true worship it has to have the right object it has to have the

636
00:52:51,920 --> 00:53:00,720
right object and Jesus God the son is God and deserves the worship but Jesus

637
00:53:00,720 --> 00:53:05,240
God the son is not the father he is not the spirit but he exists in perfect

638
00:53:05,240 --> 00:53:11,320
unity with God the father and God the spirit together as one God and if you're

639
00:53:11,320 --> 00:53:14,840
going man that's a little bit hard to wrap my brain around welcome to the

640
00:53:14,840 --> 00:53:22,160
club okay the Trinity the triune existence of the Godhead is something

641
00:53:22,160 --> 00:53:27,220
that the scripture teaches and it also teaches simultaneously that God the

642
00:53:27,220 --> 00:53:33,280
father God the son God the spirit are separate personas how that renders

643
00:53:33,280 --> 00:53:39,680
together I don't fully know but I believe God's Word and I believe it

644
00:53:39,680 --> 00:53:44,320
renders together in God's infinite perfection and knowledge and my little

645
00:53:44,320 --> 00:53:48,200
puny human brain I'm gonna stand here and go God if I can't understand it it

646
00:53:48,200 --> 00:53:55,440
must not be true I don't understand necessarily how a jet engine works does

647
00:53:55,440 --> 00:54:01,840
that mean jet engines don't exist no but the point is here is that scripture is

648
00:54:01,840 --> 00:54:06,000
very clear that there is one God and very clear that God the father and Jesus

649
00:54:06,000 --> 00:54:09,440
the son and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons and we see pictures of that here

650
00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:13,680
in Revelation in the very throne room of heaven and so verse 14 will close on

651
00:54:13,680 --> 00:54:19,360
this the four living creatures said amen and the elders fell down and worshiped

652
00:54:19,360 --> 00:54:26,120
you know the worship that God accepts is the worship that God defines and

653
00:54:26,120 --> 00:54:30,880
instantly is the worship that God deserves and that worship is worship of

654
00:54:30,880 --> 00:54:36,320
himself and nothing else it's worship of God Almighty as he is defined and

655
00:54:36,320 --> 00:54:41,680
described himself in his word you could redefine God all you want you can

656
00:54:41,680 --> 00:54:47,680
disagree with me all you want but if your definition of who God is is in

657
00:54:47,680 --> 00:54:52,420
disagreement with his word then you are in idolatry you have created a God of

658
00:54:52,420 --> 00:54:59,320
your own making God's Word defines who he is God's Word tells us who to worship

659
00:54:59,320 --> 00:55:08,120
and it is God himself so when you worship are you thinking of God who he

660
00:55:08,120 --> 00:55:14,120
is what he's done or are you thinking of other things right I've been there it's

661
00:55:14,120 --> 00:55:21,280
easy to get distracted in worship it's a labor to be like focus right when you

662
00:55:21,280 --> 00:55:27,520
worship are you trying to please God are you trying to please someone else right

663
00:55:27,520 --> 00:55:30,720
sometimes we could get caught up and especially you know maybe you're single

664
00:55:30,720 --> 00:55:35,440
and hey that person over there I think is cute so I'm gonna try and sing you

665
00:55:35,440 --> 00:55:42,240
know I want them to want them to hear my worship you know no you know the memes

666
00:55:42,240 --> 00:55:45,960
there's all these memes online of you know high school boys how they impress

667
00:55:45,960 --> 00:55:48,840
the high school girls and they're carrying like as many chairs as possible

668
00:55:48,840 --> 00:55:54,080
to set up in the in the in the youth room are you trying to please God in

669
00:55:54,080 --> 00:55:59,600
your worship is he your soul and only focus it's not about I hope the worship

670
00:55:59,600 --> 00:56:03,360
leader hears me and asks me to be on the worship team no it's God my praise goes

671
00:56:03,360 --> 00:56:10,080
to you and only you and it's for you in the context of a life of worship what is

672
00:56:10,080 --> 00:56:19,040
your life about what are you living for are you living for God his glory are you

673
00:56:19,040 --> 00:56:26,840
living for other things what holds the most worth to you because that is

674
00:56:26,840 --> 00:56:32,880
ultimately what you will worship I had the opportunity to talk to a young man

675
00:56:32,880 --> 00:56:38,160
the other day he was a door-to-door salesman and of course last week and I'm

676
00:56:38,160 --> 00:56:41,680
challenging you guys to pray this prayer God give me somebody to talk to about

677
00:56:41,680 --> 00:56:44,600
you or to encourage in the faith right because he'll bring them right to your

678
00:56:44,600 --> 00:56:50,720
door and representing this company and I step out and in the conversation he's

679
00:56:50,720 --> 00:56:53,240
like you know hey what do you do I'm like I'm a pastor and he's like I just

680
00:56:53,240 --> 00:56:57,360
gave my life to Jesus three months ago and so then we stood there for an hour

681
00:56:57,360 --> 00:57:01,160
as I got to just encourage this young man on business right I used to be a

682
00:57:01,160 --> 00:57:04,240
businessman I was an entrepreneur and he was like yeah I really struggle with

683
00:57:04,240 --> 00:57:06,920
chasing the dollar and trying to live for Jesus and I'm like hey let's talk

684
00:57:06,920 --> 00:57:11,360
about that you know and an hour goes by and I just get to pray with him and

685
00:57:11,360 --> 00:57:15,920
encourage him on how to be a Christian in his in the world of sales right and

686
00:57:15,920 --> 00:57:21,520
it was just this wonderfully beautiful thing where I was like look money is not

687
00:57:21,520 --> 00:57:26,480
the thing to worship it's gonna let you down you can't take it with you the nice

688
00:57:26,480 --> 00:57:32,840
car the boat the house you can't take it with you God's not against money don't

689
00:57:32,840 --> 00:57:37,900
don't misunderstand me there I think the kingdom of God needs Christian

690
00:57:37,900 --> 00:57:40,820
millionaires because those are the people who are building hospitals and

691
00:57:40,820 --> 00:57:46,400
orphanages and funding missionaries and so much but but the people that God will

692
00:57:46,400 --> 00:57:49,480
raise up and give those type of resources to are also the people who say

693
00:57:49,480 --> 00:57:55,800
money's nothing God is my priority right and it's like what is of worth to you in

694
00:57:55,800 --> 00:58:00,040
your life because that's the thing that's gonna get your worship and the

695
00:58:00,040 --> 00:58:05,840
reality the truth the statement of fact of of all existence is Jesus is worthy

696
00:58:05,840 --> 00:58:12,180
Jesus is worthy he is the one that gets our worship he the word that is God that

697
00:58:12,180 --> 00:58:18,920
came to this earth became flesh dwelt among us he is worthy he deserves our

698
00:58:18,920 --> 00:58:23,680
worship he deserves the acceptance and the acknowledgement that all his that

699
00:58:23,680 --> 00:58:27,100
all is his he's the one that that has all the power and the riches and the

700
00:58:27,100 --> 00:58:29,920
wisdom and the strength and the honor and the glory and the blessing but even

701
00:58:29,920 --> 00:58:33,440
more than just the statement of fact even more than just the acknowledgement

702
00:58:33,440 --> 00:58:40,000
that that he is worthy even more than that because he bled and died for you

703
00:58:40,000 --> 00:58:44,720
and me because he was slaughtered to pay the price for our sin and to redeem us

704
00:58:44,720 --> 00:58:50,300
from all the curse of sin and to redeem all of creation back to him from the

705
00:58:50,300 --> 00:58:54,760
power and the control of Satan because he's done all of that we go beyond way

706
00:58:54,760 --> 00:59:01,960
beyond a simple acknowledgement of truth we go beyond a simple statement of fact

707
00:59:01,960 --> 00:59:10,480
we fall down we bow down in humility and thankfulness and sing to him from the

708
00:59:10,480 --> 00:59:15,080
depth of our hearts in gratitude for what he has done for us because of who

709
00:59:15,080 --> 00:59:22,200
he is as those who have experienced the truth those who have experienced the

710
00:59:22,200 --> 00:59:26,960
salvation those who have been brought in not just as subjects not just as

711
00:59:26,960 --> 00:59:34,000
servants but close immediate intimate family and friend of Jesus and that's

712
00:59:34,000 --> 00:59:38,360
what we worship him for that's why we worship him that's how we worship him

713
00:59:38,360 --> 00:59:42,000
it's so as we close today's service and worship I just want to challenge all you

714
00:59:42,000 --> 00:59:48,840
guys don't just sing a song some of you are like amen you're out the door as

715
00:59:48,840 --> 00:59:55,320
fast as possible maybe stay today maybe stay today now if you gotta go you gotta

716
00:59:55,320 --> 01:00:01,240
go I understand that but but if you don't have to leave maybe join together

717
01:00:01,240 --> 01:00:06,480
with the body here at hosanna this morning and ascribe the worth that is

718
01:00:06,480 --> 01:00:11,440
to your God amen let's pray or let's pray and then we'll praise father we

719
01:00:11,440 --> 01:00:17,640
love you we thank you God for who you are we thank you for what you've done

720
01:00:17,640 --> 01:00:26,600
God you are worthy Lord and as the angels declared worthy is the lamb Lord

721
01:00:26,600 --> 01:00:30,160
you were worthy to receive all power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor

722
01:00:30,160 --> 01:00:37,920
and glory and blessing Lord as all of creation cries out to you in worship

723
01:00:37,920 --> 01:00:42,840
that that all the blessing and the honor and glory and power go to you God Lord

724
01:00:42,840 --> 01:00:52,520
we we we join with that acknowledgement but God more so we sing out from the

725
01:00:52,520 --> 01:01:02,520
depths of our heart in gratitude for our salvation Lord we don't just

726
01:01:02,520 --> 01:01:09,880
acknowledge you as God we've experienced you as our God we don't just declare the

727
01:01:09,880 --> 01:01:15,000
facts of who you are Lord we've experienced who you are and we are so

728
01:01:15,000 --> 01:01:23,480
grateful for that is so God may we be people who sing loudly to you and in

729
01:01:23,480 --> 01:01:29,360
that we declare everything about what you've done and who you are God Lord

730
01:01:29,360 --> 01:01:34,080
that we would bow our hearts and that we would bow our minds that we would be low

731
01:01:34,080 --> 01:01:39,200
in humility acknowledging who you are God but not in the separation of of of

732
01:01:39,200 --> 01:01:45,040
king and servant only but in acknowledgement of that and the fact

733
01:01:45,040 --> 01:01:52,840
Lord that you call us friend and so Lord may we come close to you to praise you

734
01:01:52,840 --> 01:01:58,160
to experience that intimacy that you desire with us your children God we love

735
01:01:58,160 --> 01:02:04,680
you so much bless our lives Lord as we draw close to you teach us how to live

736
01:02:04,680 --> 01:02:12,000
as we draw close to you guide us as we draw close to you lead us as we draw

737
01:02:12,000 --> 01:02:20,320
close to you and God help us not to stray by keeping you as the sole focus

738
01:02:20,320 --> 01:02:28,000
of our worship Lord we love you we thank you it's in Jesus name we pray amen all

739
01:02:28,000 --> 01:02:30,760
right let's worship guys