On Earth As - Week 4

Amen.

We're wrapping up our series today on Earth As. And

it has been one of my favorite sermon series that

we've ever done.

I have so enjoyed this series.

Just seeing what God has been doing in your lives

and just... the attention that you've been giving those everyday actions.

I've had so many conversations with people and just about,

you know, I never thought about things that way.

Well, today I want to talk about worship.

I want to bring this message or this series to

a close by talking about worship. So if you've got

a Bible, go to Revelation chapter eight. I mean, Revelation

chapter four, verse eight. Revelation chapter four, verse eight.

If you're there, say amen. Revelation chapter 4.

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

Y'all say, amen. Revelation chapter 4, verse 8. Let's read together.

Revelation 4:8

It says, The four living creatures, each having six wings,

were full of eyes around and within, and they do

not rest day or night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord

God Almighty.

Who was and is and is to come.

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks

to him who sits on the throne, he who lives

forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him.

Thank you, Jesus.

The 24 elders fall down before him who sits on

the throne and worships. Him who lives forever and ever,

cast their crowns before the throne saying, You're worthy, O Lord,

to receive glory and honor and power. For you created

all things and by your will they exist and were created.

Let's pray.

Father, what an honor it is to bow ourselves before you.

To live in a place where we can do it

with very little fear to our physical body. Lord, I

pray that you help us expand our understanding and commitment

to worship. That we would not leave here as people

who attend a worship service. But we would leave here

as people who live a lifestyle of worship. Lord, have

your way in our hearts and lives.

In Jesus' name. Amen. You know, this amazing....

That we have in Scripture. First of all, it can

be a little alarming because we're introduced to these creatures

and we don't exactly understand what they look like and

how the things that are happening can be happening because

they don't look like anything that we've ever seen. It

says they have eyes around and within.

Amen. They got six wings.

These are things created and they're there before the throne.

And they're saying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Holy, holy,

holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is

and is to come.

Now watch this.

They're not singing the newest song on the radio. They're

not looking for the new song that everybody's singing, the

new thing that's been written by the big guy. They

sing the same thing for eternity. Holy, holy, holy is

the Lord God Almighty who was and is and.

Is to come.

They're not chasing fads. They're not chasing... You know, I

don't know if there's drums, but if there are, they

play the same thing all the time.

Amen?

It's the same. Holy, holy, holy is the.

Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.

And then here's the thing. Those creatures are standing around.

They're saying that. And then it says the elders, when

they say it, they fall down on their face and

they worship the Lord. So they say, holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and

is to come. Over and over and over, and worship

is going up before the Creator. And He wants His

will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Now, here's the thing. I'm a pretty.

Realistic, practical person as much as I am anything. And

I understand that some of you probably would not make

it on your job. You would not make it on

your job if you were standing there and you said.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was

and is to come.

And you duck down behind the cash register.

Probably not. Or worse, you drive a school bus.

Amen.

And you're down in the floorboard. But here's the thing.

We have such a misunderstanding of what actual worship is.

We have a misunderstanding of what it is.

That is a.

Picture of worship, and we take the wrong principle from it.

We take the principle that it's about what's being said

and what's being done, but the reality is the fact

that it's always happening. It's always happening. It's always going on.

And then we read those things in the New Testament,

like the Apostle Paul says that, I pray continuously. And

there's this thought process behind the scriptures that we read,

that there is ongoing spiritual things that are happening. When

we look at worship, there's a major word that's used

in the Old Testament, used 170 times, that means worship.

It's shakah, which means to worship. To lay before the

Lord with your face towards the ground. To lay before

the Lord with your face towards the ground. Literally, to

pay homage to one that is superior is what the

Word says. To pay homage to one who is superior.

Then we move over in the Old Testament and it's proskuneo, proskuneo.

And it literally means to kiss the ground before a superior.

That's what the major word for worship is in.

The New Testament.

So we have this posture of worship, this posture that

we take where that we are always bent before the Father.

And see, here's the thing.

You already worship.

The question is, what is standing over you when you're

bowed down? We're all worshiping something. We're all bowing to

something because we all realize we're not the end-all be-all.

And if you think you.

Are, ask your spouse. They will let you know you're

not the end-all be-all.

Amen?

Amen?

We can get some context from the people who know

us the most and love us the most. We're not

the king of the hill the way we think we are.

And we all have those things in our lives that

we're bowing to. You know, I mean, most of us

have a hard time not bowing to money.

Amen? I mean, after all, money is what makes the

world go round. Right? If you want to live somewhere,

it costs... You want to drive a nice car, it costs...

You want to drive a junkie car, it costs... You

want to buy gas, it costs lots of money.

I went to the gas station yesterday and it was $ 4.

29.

I mean, I thought they were pumping gold out of

the end of that thing.

It was crazy. It was crazy.

And we look around and we think to ourselves and

those things are fixated in our minds. How can I

make it if? You know, the money just doesn't stretch

as far as that. I used to be able to

make it to the end of the month and now

I can make it to the 22nd.

I don't know if the month.

Got longer or the money got shorter, but we're not

making it anymore.

And then we start thinking about it. Listen, we start

fixating on how we can get more.

Not realizing that the supplier is the same one who

supplied it before and he can supply it then because

it's not about that. It's about the supplier. It's about

the person.

It's about the man. It's about the God. It's about

the Savior. It's about the.

King who can send someone to your house with a

bag of groceries right when you need it. Or someone

who can just show you a deal right when you

need to have the deal. We used to have a

young man that went to school at Emanuel College. It's

not Pastor Clay. He's not here anymore. He would leave

his house in Gainesville with the gas light on in

his car. And he would pray all the way to

Franklin Springs to college. He would go to class, he

would get back in his car with the same gas

light on and pray. all the way till he got

home that God would not allow his car to run

out of gas. Let me tell you, you can't make

it that far with your gas light on.

And he.

Now, I got stranded on the side of the road

a couple of times going to Emanuel College and back.

I still had a level of faith, I guess.

But nonetheless, he never got stranded on the side of

the road because he just believed the supernatural power of

God would sustain him. Now, I'm not saying that you

should live your life like that. I'm just saying, Christopher,

that's just the way he did it. And that's just

what he thought. And God just got behind it. And listen,

it was an amazing thing. And he would tell that story.

Everybody would laugh, but he was serious. I watched it

happen because.

God is able.

But the same thing that stands over you, if it's

not God will answer you under its own power. If

God is standing over you when you're laying and kissing

the ground before the superior, then God answers in his power.

But if money's standing over you, it'll answer in its power.

If your boss is standing over you, it'll answer. If

a person's standing over you, it'll answer in their power.

And let me tell you something, they don't have the

ability to do what Jesus can do. They just simply

can't do it. But then that's not the full picture

of worship. Because there's another word group, it's the words

abad and latreo, which means to serve. Still interpreted worship,

but instead of the posture of worship, it is the submission.

To authority. It's not a posture, it's an action.

And when we start talking about in the world in

which we live, being in constant worship before the throne

room of God, it's understanding that the actions that proceed

out of our lives either are worship to God or

they're worship to something else. Every single action that proceeds

out of our life is going to point its homage

towards one thing or another. In Romans chapter 12, in

Romans 12 · chapter mention

verse 1, it says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by

the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a

living sacrifice. Holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

You know, we read things, we just gloss over things.

He said, holiness is a reasonable service. Just think about

that for a second.

Okay. Holiness is a reasonable service.

But yeah, we have adopted this mentality in today's society,

in the modern world, where nobody can actually be holy.

And we come up with these cute sayings. Listen, I've

even said them. Righteousness is God's gift to you. Holiness

is your gift to God. Yeah, and you should give

Him a gift every day. Holiness is my slant towards God.

Grace is not an excuse for me not to attempt.

Grace is a covering for in those rare moments that

I don't.

Amen?

So we are always looking in ways to serve God.

Verse 2, And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. that

you may prove what is that good and acceptable and

perfect will of God. Worship is a conscious and voluntary decision.

It's a conscious.

and voluntary decision. In other words, I'm going to choose

to do it unto God. I'm going to choose to

do it pointed towards the Lord. And I do it

not because I feel I have to, but because I

want to. Let me say that again. I don't do

it because I have to. I do it because I

want to. When you know you've stepped into the layer

where you're attaining, where you're chasing after spiritual maturity, it's

when you stop doing things because you're afraid God's going

to get you. And you do them because you know

God loves you. Somebody needs to tweet that. You don't

do it because you're afraid God's going to zap you,

God's going to get you. You do it because you

know Jesus loves you and he's calling you up and

he's calling you above and he wants so much more

for you than what you're actively engaged in in your lives.

In Colossians chapter 3 verse 23 it says, and whatever

Colossians 3:23

you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and

not to men. Now first of all, if there is

If there is the ability for people to think that

it's done to men, that means that it must look

like things that men can appreciate or think you're doing

it for them. So when you're on your job and

you're working and you're trying, it's possible that your boss

thinks you're doing it for them. But he says, but hey,

here's the thing. This is what turns those actions into

worship is that I'm heartily doing it unto God. That

everything I do is pointing towards God and God's blessing

is upon it and his presence is attracted to it

because I'm pointing it towards him. And I don't get

there early and stay a little late and work a

little harder than everybody else because I want somebody to

notice me. It's because Jesus has blessed me and he's

gifted me and the talents.

That I have, I'm going to pour out.

And when I have that mentality behind it, then it's worship.

And you're taking those opportunities to go above and beyond.

And this is what the Lord hears. When you do that,

this is what the Lord hears sitting on his throne.

The beasts are saying, holy, holy, holy. And then you're

out there and you're just, listen, you're getting after it.

You're doing everything as unto the Lord. And while you're

doing it, it rises.

Up before the throne room as holy, holy.

Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is

and is to come. And you are falling on your

face before the throne room when you're standing right there

on the assembly line doing what you.

Got to do because you got to do it. Amen.

But it becomes.

Worship when the attention is pointed in the right direction.

And then he goes on to say in verse 24,

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward

of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ. But

he who does wrong will be repaid for what he

has done. And there is no partiality. So listen, when

you're pointing it in the right direction, God's blessing comes.

When you point it in the wrong direction, whoever is

standing over you will issue punishment. It's why there's a,

you know, you read online all the time. I got

there early and I stayed late and I was the

best worker. And, you know, my boss even told me

I did a good job and then his nephew needed

a job.

So they fired me and they hired him. He's a

lazy sloth. Right? Because people were trying to impress men.

Because people were trying to impress the powers that be

on this earth rather than offering our life as worship

unto God. And when everything we do is unto God,

we really start checking about what it is we're doing.

Do you have things in your life that you would

never do if you were standing face to face with Jesus?

Are there things in your life that you would be

embarrassed about if people here knew they were happening in

your life? But the Lord watches and He sees. And

it's either worship or it's not. It's either worship to

Him or... pointed in some other direction. So when we

are conscious of our decisions and we do everything as

unto the God, then we become that picture of Revelation

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, laying down in front of the throne room,

submitting our hearts every single day before God. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 10:31

chapter 10 verse 31 says, Therefore, whether you eat or

drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory

of God. I mean, it's just it's amazing what's in

the Bible. It's like, man, there's stuff there. And when

I do the stuff, the other stuff happens. When I

do the stuff, the things that happen in heaven happen

on earth.

Now, I don't know about y'all.

I would do a show of hands, but some of

y'all would raise your hand, and that would just lead

to further questions. I don't know about y'all, but I've

never just like walked out in the yard and saw

a six-winged beast with eyes everywhere, you know, singing in

my yard, right?

Completely supernatural. Watch this.

When our lives become constant, worship, we start seeing the supernatural.

We start seeing the fact.

That God rips a hole in reality because He wants

to be close to those.

Who want to be close.

And we start seeing things happen around us that are unexplainable.

We don't understand why we have the favor that we have.

We don't understand why he does the things he does

or why I get to be in the places that

I get.

To be and go the place.

Supernatural drawing of a life of worship. See, because here's

the reality. You can raise your hands and never lower

your head. Because worship is simply about submission. It's not

about the songs we sing. It's not about the instruments

we play. It's not about any of those things. It's

about who we're bowing our lives before. Whether it's in

posture or whether it's in action, it doesn't matter. All

that matters is that we are submitted fully to Him.

The band can come and get ready. In Matthew chapter

Matthew 15:7

15 verse 7, it says, Hypocrites, well, did Isaiah prophesy

about you saying, These people draw near to me with

their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their

heart is far from me, and in vain they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

He said.

It's possible. It's possible to say the right things, but

that worship is in vain.

It's possible to say the right thing.

Listen, it's possible to lift your hands at the right time.

It's possible to, I mean, you know, every church has

their thing, right?

I mean, you know, it's possible to learn to sway

or to spend.

I know my feet didn't get off the ground. But

my heels won't get off the ground for you, but

at least my heels get off the ground for Jesus.

Amen?

See, all those things can be in vain if our

heart is not set to worship. The conditions can be perfect. Listen,

these guys are good. These guys are good. They make

it easy to worship. Listen, I've been in some worship

services where it was work.

Amen? They make it easy. And here's the thing, sometimes

making it easy does a disservice to you.

Because you think you can just come in and sing

the songs that somebody else wrote to music that somebody

else plays.

Kathy, should I say it?

In a building that somebody else's offerings pays for. I

send my kids to Ministries that somebody else serves in

and volunteers for.

But oh, I'm a worshiper.

Oh, I jump up and down and I twist and

I shake and I shout.

I got all the gifts. I got all the gifts.

I got all the gifts. Where's my heart? Where is

your heart?

Because it's not about holy, holy, holy is the Lord God.

Almighty with my mouth.

It's about those creatures believe it and they never stop

saying it.

Their complete existence.

Are about those words and the holiness of God and

lifting Him up and the elders exist to fall down

before Him.

If there are areas of your life, listen to me church.

If there are areas of your life that don't measure up,

that you know are not in alignment with Scripture, you

need to repent of those things and bring them under

the submission of Christ.

And make your life a life of worship. If there's

things you're holding on to.

That you know you need to let go of, you

need to let go of those things and bring your

heart into submission to Christ because that's the only true worship.

Everybody stand with me.

We're going to take just a moment.

Everybody close your eyes. If you're here and you say, Pastor,

there's some things in my life that I need to

bring to the Lord. There's some things in my life

that I need to turn over to Jesus. Slip your

hand up and say.

That's me. I need to give something. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Amen.

We're going to wait just a moment because my guess

is there's about 40 or 50 more people that need

to lift their hands. Because this is not.

This is not just... This is common to man. That

we fall short.

That we miss the mark. The key is bringing myself

back into submission to Him.

This is what we're going to do.

I'm just going to step down And the band's going

to play. If you feel like you need to come

and lay things down before the Lord, I want you

to come. Now listen, don't come stand in front of

me because this is not that kind of prayer.

This is you kneeling in the altar.

I'm just going to come and I'm going to put

my hand on your back and I'm going to agree

in prayer.

Altar team, don't come. Don't come, altar. Oh, no, you're not.

You're coming to pray. Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

But that should position you The altar team is coming

to pray. So as the band sings, come and find

a place in this altar and begin to seek the Lord.

Begin to repent and ask Him to forgive you and

cleanse you, wash you, make you a new creation. Rekindle

that power and that passion that you had for Him.

And if you don't come, worship, sing. Allow Holy Ghost

just to fill you up this morning. Clint, let's do it.