WORTHY are You

 

Main Verse

Revelation 4:9-11 NASB

⁹ And when the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹ "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

 

WEEKLY TOPICS:

 

• Kick Off (October 1):

WORTHY ARE YOU: Knowing the God We Worship

Revelation 4:9-11 NASB

⁹ And when the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹ "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

In his book Knowing God, Jim Packer says, "The study of God, who He is, what He's like, is the most practical project anyone can engage in. Knowing about God is crucially important for the living of our lives," he says, "we are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing the God whose world it is and who runs it. The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it is a disappointing and unpleasant business for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life, blindfolding as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what's around you. This way," Packer says, "you can waste your life and lose your soul."

Revelation chapters 4 and 5 were written at a time when the church was suffering terribly for its faith in Jesus, and more suffering was on the way. In a world that is often busy and filled with temptations and trials, it is helpful to keep a long-term perspective. Seeing the end motivates us to keep our eyes on Jesus and run the race He has set before us with endurance. Let this image of the throne room in heaven encourage you to press on for the Lord and not give up.

We must look beyond this world's realities to see God's greatness and glory and majesty and grace. And by that, we can see His worthiness as we know Him more and more.

 • Week 1 (October 8):

GLORIFYING THE ETERNAL GOD

Revelation 4:9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever.

When the Apostle John penned the word "when" in this verse, it points to the fact that the living creatures' praise of God is not simply a one-time occurrence. However, their praise is ongoing. They give "glory and honor and thanks" to the eternal God, who occupies the throne of heaven. They recognize that God's glory is the manifestation of His holiness.

Because He is glorious, no one can compare to Him, so He deserves the honor that is rightfully His. Because He is beyond compare, His subjects should thank Him for the love, grace, and mercy He bestows on them.

How well do we recognize God's glory, honor, and right to receive our thanks? Our eternal God is worthy of it all!

 • Week 2 (October 15):

HONORING THE REIGNING GOD

Revelation 4:10 The twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne.

The first thing John sees is a throne and God on the throne (verse 2). That is very important. It reminds him and the reader that God is sovereign. He reigns as King of the universe. Everything that will happen in the rest of the book is allowed or orchestrated by Him.

And that is one of the critical lessons of the Book of Revelation. Our God reigns, and He has a plan for history. He is bringing everything in the universe to His perfect planned conclusion. The cosmos is not random chaos. But it is under His divine control.

He governs all things, working all things according to the counsel of His will, and our primary purpose as a church is to honor the reigning God who sits on the throne while we await His second coming.

• Week 3 (October 22):

PRAISING THE ALMIGHTY GODRevelation 4:11 "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

Before we proceed in verse 11, look at what the elders and the living creatures are about in verses 5-8. The thunder and lightning that pour from the throne provide the symbols of which the song is the explanation. They adore God for His holiness; they adore God for His power. "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty" - infinite in His power. And they adore Him for His immutability, His unchangeability - "who was and is and is to come!"

And as they sing praise, notice the elders' response in Revelation 4:11. They cast their crowns before the throne and sing, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created." The living creatures celebrate God's being, holiness, power, and immutability. The elders celebrate, however, for His work, particularly His creative work. The reason the Almighty God is worthy of honor and glory and praise is that He made all things. The elders caught up in adoration and praise.

When we see God as the Almighty, we are struck by His power and the fact that He is a great, mighty, and awesome God. God's identity as Almighty establishes the sense of awe and wonder we have toward Him and the realization that He is God above all things without limitation.

 • Missions Sunday (October 29):

PROCLAIMING WORTHY IS THE LAMB!

Revelation 5:12 "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."

In chapter 5, our attention turns from Creation to Redemption, from the Father to the Son, from the majesty of God to the loveliness of Christ.

Here now is the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, endowed with that same Spirit, and He sends Him out into all the world to execute His sovereign rule and mission of saving the lost. Jesus, who was conquered by the cross, now rules by the Spirit of perfect power and infinite wisdom. One day, He will execute His rule as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, terrible in holy justice. And all who do not trust Him will face His wrath one day. But today, He rules as the Lamb, tender and merciful, one who has been slain for sinners. And He sends His Spirit into all the earth to bring all men and women to embrace Him, trust Him, and cling to Him.

We, too, are now invited to take up the song and cry not just with our lips but with our hearts and lives from this day until we come to stand before Him, proclaiming, "Worthy is the Lamb! Worthy is the Lamb! And may all that I am and all that I have be unto His praise and for His glory!"

 Come and Enjoy the series!