- Open the Eyes of My Heart
- Holy is the Lord
- How Great is Our God
- Offering (with Christmas Offering)
- How Deep the Father's Love for Us
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Have you ever noticed there are 31 Proverbs? That's a Proverbs for each day of the month. What a great place to start if you're looking for a daily devotion to add to your reading! And so this is where this idea comes from for "a way to worship" for today:
BLESS: Psalm 34:1 MSG
The Glory of Celebration (Part One)
At Christmas, perhaps as much as any time of the year, our celebration is marked by our music. The songs we sing at Christmas time (usually for the only time during the year) are powerful expressions of the joy and the wonder of what we celebrate! Consider…
“How Great Our Joy”
“Joy to the World”
“The Birthday of a King”
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
Each song adds its voice to the celebration, and our hearts, like spiritual tuning forks, resonate with the sound. We understand it. We get it. And, every year, once again, we are affected by the simple splendor of these wonderful songs of celebration.
I would like for us to recognize this week that this is also an expression of what heaven will be like. It will be an awesome celebration—and one that will be punctuated by majestic anthems of praise and glory to the living God! What does that do with Christmas? This week we want to see the celebration in heaven—and it is a celebration made possible in eternity because the Son of God came at Christmas to let us join the eternal celebration!
In Revelation 4-5, we see the worship in heaven, and it revolves around three songs of celebration. Each one begins with the word Worthy—a declaration of the greatness and glory of God. And, each one of these songs deserves our best thoughts today—-
Celebrating the Creator (4:11)
Notice how the celebration begins…
- “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God”
- “To receive glory and honor and power”
Why? What is at the root of the celebration? As they celebrate the One seated on the Throne of heaven, what is driving their praise?
- “For You created all things”
- “Because of Your will they existed”
- “And were created”
They extol the attributes of their Creator and Sustainer. They praise Him eternally and present their crowns to Him as an expression of the offering of their faithful service. Now, these crowns (received at the bema) are given in gratitude and celebration to Him! As we gave our gifts to one another yesterday, they desire to give their gifts to him in the heavenly celebration.
Above all else, heaven is a place of worship where the song of celebration echoes the theme,
“O worship the King, all glorious above
And gratefully sing His power and His love.
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise!”
The Glory of Celebration (Part Two)
This week, we are joining the multitudes around the throne in celebration of the greatness of our God. Yesterday, we celebrated the Creator (Rev.4:11). Today we join in…
Celebrating the Cross (5:8-10)
The Lamb is the central character of the Book of Revelation (appropriate for One born in a stable). In fact, the word “Lamb” appears 28 times in the book! Here, however, the key is that this Lamb was slain and is now alive (v.6), and it is that which forms the heartbeat of the second song of celebration…
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals”- Notice that the same word (“worthy”) is used to describe the Lamb as was used to describe the Father! It means that the Lamb is equal to, comparable, deserving of worship as the Father is. Why?
1. “For You were slain”- remember that His worthiness was not won on the Cross it was merely evidenced there. He did not become worthy by dying on the Cross, His death on the Cross had meaning and merit because He was, and is, worthy!
2. “Purchased for God with Your blood…”- it is the word “redeemed” (agorazo- to purchase off the market). The purchase price was His own blood, and the market to which we had sold ourselves was the slave market of sin. Yet, like Hosea and Gomer, he out of great love and forgiveness, purchased us from that slavery and set us free!
3. “Made them a kingdom of priests…”- Notice He did not redeem us for no purpose. His redemption achieves the loftiest of goals- taking us from the pits of slavery, to actively ruling and reigning with Him! Amazing!
Now, fully and finally, at the foot of the Throne and the Lamb, we see the cause of the celebration- and the fruit, not only of the victory of the Cross, but of the mystery of the manger as well.
- It is only here that we see the true wonder of Christmas and the power of the Incarnation and what it accomplished!
- It is only here that we embrace the depth and perfection of the divine redemptive plan that invaded earth at Bethlehem that first Christmas.
- It is only here that we understand the depths of divine love- a love that sent a redeemer, paid a redemptive price, and gave the redeemed an eternal role!
The celebration in heaven reveals the power and the glory of the Cross- and the manger that made that Cross possible. What a wonderful thought!
The Glory of Celebration (Part Three)
This week, we are joining the multitudes around the throne in celebration of the greatness of our God. Monday, we celebrated the Creator (Rev.4:11) and yesterday we celebrated the cross (Rev.5:8-10). Today we conclude by…
Celebrating the Glory (5:11-14)
A. The Glory of the Lamb- as He receives…
1. Power- “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’” (Matthew 28:18).
2. Riches- “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
3. Wisdom- “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
4. Strength- “Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle.” (Psalms 24:8).
5. Honor- “YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET… But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:7,9).
6. Glory- “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24).
7. Blessing- “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;” (Psalms 103:1-2).
B. The Glory of the Father (and the Lamb) (v.13) The worship now crescendos, and the celebration rises to its heights! To God be the glory- and they give Him all the glory by ascribing to Him…
- Blessing- we offer Him our praise and worship from a heart’s desire to bless the Lord!
- Honor- the respect and acclaim due to the conqueror of hearts- and of sin.
- Glory- enhanced glory as we live lives of worship and adoration and commitment and devotion!
- Dominion- absolute rule of the King of kings, not just over our world, but over our lives, hearts, homes, church- everything! Jesus Is Lord Of All!
- Forever and ever!- the key is that His dominion lasts forever, never again to be disrupted by the power of sin or the forces of darkness. The final victory of the Cross is so complete that, when fully implemented, will create a celebration that will encompass forever!
What a celebration in Heaven—all made possible by a celebration on a Judean hillside 2000 years ago declaring that the Lamb had arrived in a stable! Years later, John the Baptizer would see this One and declare, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” So it is, and so it must have been, because…
- In the Garden of Eden- lamb for a man
- In the Passover- lamb for a family
- In the Tabernacle- lamb for a nation
- In Bethlehem (and Calvary)- the Lamb for the world!
“O come, let us adore Him!” We will in heaven, so let the celebration begin now!
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