Big Idea: When we truly encounter God’s presence, we recognize that we give our lives and our selves to him not because he asks for it or because it’s required of us, but because he is worthy of it. To know who God is is to understand that he deserves everything.
I. Text: Revelation 4:2-11 (maybe touch on chapter 5 too)
Explain symbolism of text
Re-read a “translated” version
II. A picture of God
As beautiful (4:3)
As powerful (4:5)
As holy and eternal (4:8)
As creator (4:11)
As the Lamb (4:9, 12)
III. The response of God’s people
Constant worship and thanksgiving (4:9-10, 5:9)
Falling before him and laying down crowns (4:10, 5:14)
The great struggle of all of our lives is to get here. This is heaven – this is us at our best, in a redeemed state. But we work and strive to be like this, to come to a place where we fall down before God and give him our crowns. If you learn nothing else from this series, learn that God is awesome. Not awesome in the modern sense of the word, awesome in the sense that he inspires our awe. That he is so profoundly amazing that to actually see him and experience him should leave you breathless. Recognize that everything about who God is should move you to humble yourself. That the more you see that God deserves, the less you think that you deserve.
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looks great brandon. i love this passage and in your summary i think you really hit upon the essence of what this series was/is--to leave us in awe and breathless before such a great God.
ReplyDeleteone thing i would say is be sure to explain what it means to "lay down/give Him our crowns". i know we hear that a lot and might not fully understand what it means (because i know i don't entirely, haha)
i think really explaining the true meaning of awesome is good also like you did in your summary because its a word thats thrown around so much that its lost its full meaning.
but yeah, looks good!
Hey BK!!
ReplyDeleteI like it a cafe latte. It's awesome, in the modern term, but I'm sure God will reveal true awesomeness through this message.
My concern is the part where you talk about our lives being a struggle to get there. It is a little hazy to me. I understand that our response to God should be worship and thanksgiving, and laying down our crowns. But when I hear that I get discouraged in a way. I feel like I can never get there or stay there.
Can you clarify what it means or how to get to "heaven, us at our best, in a redeemed state."
Thanks guys... it definitely needs more detail at this point. I love the image of laying down our crowns, and I'll definitely try to make it clear what that means.
ReplyDeleteJon - I guess the point of the "redeemed state" was that we won't get there in our physical life. It's not meant to be discouraging, but the reality is that we won't ever get there as earthly, human people. I guess the point is that this isn't necessarily meant to be a model (although it could be). I just want to show that this is the proper response to God. The fact that we won't get to this level of perfection doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Does that make sense? Is that still discouraging?