Matlock | 26/04/26 | A Revelation Of Future Worship | Caroline McKen

Matlock 

Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/354059/episodes/19095473-matlock-26-04-26-revelation-worship-caroline-mcken.mp3

Caroline continues our series on Revelation looking at worship in Revelation 7. 

Transcript

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Welcome to the Church in the P podcast. We hope you enjoy this message. For more information, visit churchinthepee.org. Or come and join us at 10 a.m. every Sunday. Father, we thank you for Caroline. Thank you, Lord, for the words that you have put in her heart, Lord. I thank you, Lord, that it will it will not tickle ears, but it will change hearts, Lord, this morning. I pray that there will be a power in her words this morning, Lord. I pray that there will be a stimulation to our minds not to go back to ways that we've been before. So, Father, I pray that you will put power in her every syllable this morning, Lord God. And I pray that you will bless her now in Jesus' name. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

We good? Oh yes. Right. Okay, so there should be some slides coming up. Um and I apologize for you can tell, speaking to Emma earlier, you can tell that a teacher made this these slides because they are absolutely rammed, packed full of information. So don't be distracted. You know, um, if you want to just ignore what's on there and just listen, then that's absolutely fine. I think stick with me more if I'm reading and listening at the same time, so it might help some of you there. Um, so I was asked to speak on Revelation 7. I was a bit nervous about it actually because I find Revelation just a difficult book anyway. But when Phil said on worship on uh Revelation chapter 7, I was like, Yeah, I can do this. Um I've titled it A Vision, Revelation 7, a vision of future worship. And already in the previous chapters, we've already seen um accounts of worship and what worship's going to be like in heaven. He's given a revelation of future worship. So in chapter 4, we looked at the four living creatures that were worshiping around the throne, and and they were um exclaiming day and night, they never stopped saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. So from that I get a sense that worship is uh continuous and never-ending, because it was day and night they would they would repeat that refrain. Further along in chapter four, we see the effect of that, the chain reaction of this continual worship. And in Revelation 4 verses 9 to 11, whenever the living creatures gave glory, honour, and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him, who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say, You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. So worship is our response to the revelation of who God is. Okay, so we've got the continuous worship from the um the creatures, um, and then we have the elders falling down before God as a response to that continuous worship. In chapter five, we saw we see Jesus, the Lamb of God, worshipped because he was deemed worthy of his sacrifice. So in Revelation 5, 9, you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain, and with your blood you perch you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. And further down in verse 11, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise. So worship is an act of thanksgiving for the sacrifice that Jesus made for our lives. So we can see already, before we even get to chapter seven, that there's we're seeing this picture of worship and and um what its function, its purpose. And then we come to chapter seven, and this vision of future worship continues. So, what do we learn from this? The first thing that we learn in those first four verses is that worship begins with belonging. After I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea. Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. Then I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand from all the tribes of Israel. So John first sees these angels holding back judgment until God's servants are sealed on their foreheads. And that seal represents ownership, it represents protection. You know, in ancient times a seal was something that belonged to a king. Okay. So we see here God acting first. He steps in and he acts and he claims us as his own. He marks us with his seal. And as a response to being chosen, redeemed, and loved by God, we respond in worship. In 1 John 4.19, it says, We love because he first loved us. So it's really important to know that we worship not to earn God's love. We are already chosen, he has already put his seal on us, but we worship as a response to God's love because he has claimed us as his own. So I hope that is encouraging because sometimes, I don't know about you, but sometimes I've had to really strive in worship. You know, I've come with all of my uh baggage and I've really struggled and I've not felt worthy, and I've been striving. Because you can't, if you don't feel worthy, then you don't feel that you can be in God's presence. Um, but you don't have to worship to earn his love. You already have it, you've already been chosen, and your worship is a response to that love that has already been freely given. So hopefully that will take a bit of pressure off you. Secondly, this is the bit that I love. Being of multicultural heritage, this I really love this uh section here. So worship includes all people. So John sees a multitude of people worshiping before the throne. After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands, and they cried out in a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. What a beautiful vision of a diversity that is. Zach Hicks in his book Before We Gather describes a scene and is as an example of multi-ethnic, multicultural diversity of the richest kind in complete harmony. Wouldn't that be lovely to see? Um, you know, that level of intercultural relationship in all churches. But yet we still have so many divided churches all across the world. Many aren't welcoming of other cultures, they aren't welcoming of other races. Um, but that's not what God intended. God is a God of diversity. If we just think about all of every all of his creation, how diverse is his creation? You know, I I I love gardens, I'm a terrible gardener, so I couldn't name any of the plants in my garden right now, apart from some of the most obvious ones. Yeah, it astounds me every time I look out the diversity of uh flowers and trees and plants and weeds as well, sadly, and and birds, and you know, God is incredible. He made that diversity, and he not only did that with plants and animals, but he did it with humans as well. We can see that heaven is not culturally narrow, but it is beautifully diverse. So our worship should reflect God's heart, it should be welcoming, it should be unified, it should be outward looking, not you know, this is our little town and our little community, and we're all the same. We should be looking outwards, we should be looking at you know other uh cultures and um just have that unified heart because there are Christians all around the world praising God today that uh that look different than us, then that speak differently, um, have a different way of doing things, but we're all united in our worship for God. Thirdly, worship is God-centered and Christ-centered. So then the angels, so Revelation uh 7, 9 to 12, then the angels and the living creatures join in. So we've got the the four living creatures, and we've got the elders, and then we've got the multitudes. So we've got this, all these people worshiping, and then the angels join. Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, Amen. Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen. So worship is not about us, it's not about how we feel, and it's not about our preferences. So, you know, it is a struggle sometimes. Like I say, you can come in with feeling not, you know, feeling low, feeling down, focusing on your problems. You might come in and it's not that it would ever happen in this church, but you might come in and see a worship leader up there and think, oh no, it's him, oh no, it's her. And it might not be your preference, there might be songs that might not be your style. It doesn't matter. What matters is that God is at the centre, Jesus is at the centre of that worship. Sometimes we feel hopeless and lost, sometimes we're mad at God because He hasn't answered a prayer, or we feel unworthy or sinful. When we approach worship based on how we feel, then it can hinder drawing close to God. So I find what is really helpful when I come in with my attitude and my I'm a bit annoyed because this hasn't happened and something stressed me out, or I'm mad at this person, it's always good to take a moment before worship, especially if we don't feel like worshiping, to do what we need to do to remove the obstacles and the hindrances. So whether that's a confession of sin or a laying down of burdens or a surrendering yourself to God's love, this helps us to refocus and make worship about God again and not us. So our worship should be focused upwards and outwards towards God first, not here, but upwards, outwards, and then God begins to deal with the inside. Fourthly, worship flows from redemption. So when John's attention is brought, sorry, then John's attention is brought again to the people in the white robes. So in verses thirteen and fourteen, then one of the elders asked me, These in white robes, who are they and where did they come from? I answered, Sir, you know. And he said, They are they, these are they who have come out of the great tribulation, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. So, because this multitude of people from all of these nations, tribes, and tongues dressed in white, are aware of their redemption, and it's and we see that in the verse, uh, in the words, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Because of that, they are passionate about God. We read, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple. So, if our worship feels a bit dry sometimes, then we need to revisit the cross. Remembering what Christ has done reignites authentic worship. Um, I loved this morning that um some of Steve's choices seem to line up with what I was going to talk about today. Um, this idea of songs linked to the cross, linked to the blood, linked to the Lamb. When I'm leading, I always try to include a gospel type song in my worship. Um, just to remind us, because it's important to remind ourselves that not only what Jesus did, but the consequences of his sacrifice, which is our redemption. So worship is an overflow of a redeemed life. Okay. Fifthly, worship leads to eternal satisfaction. So in verses sixteen and seventeen it says, Finally, the elder reveals to John God's heart and care towards his people, and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. Never again will they hunger, never again will they thirst, the sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, he would lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. So worship doesn't just honour God, it brings us into his presence, where there is peace and provision and joy forever. When we worship, it leads us into deeper fellowship with God, where every need is met and every sorrow healed. And this is echoed in Psalm 16, 11. You make known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. He will, and in Isaiah 25, 8, he will swallow up death forever. The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces, he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. Worship brings us into the presence of God where all things are made right. I honestly don't know if I would be here today if it wasn't for worship, because that's pretty much saved me in so many situations. Um the, you know, without going too much into my testimony, but the the pain of you know abandonment, divorce, being a single parent, having to raise my kids, one with special needs and also lots of mental health problems. Um yet the one thing that the devil has not been able to take away from me is my worship. That even when I've worshiped through tears, even when I've worshiped through pain, it has saved my life in so many ways and so many levels. Because regardless of what is going on around you, worship brings you into the presence of God, and that's where all things are made right. He wipes away those tears, he heals that brokenness. And I know it's hard to do that when you're in the middle of it, but I just encourage you, no matter how you feel, just worship. So um I think will you do you have a song for the end? Yeah, yeah, because I think it would be good to worship. Sorry, I hate putting people on the spot like that, but um so this is a wonderful insight into a vision of future worship. But what about right now? How do we begin to even echo that worship um of what worship is like in heaven here every Sunday at church? Um it wouldn't be lovely, wouldn't it, to see? Well, I don't know, I'd freak out about the the four beasts probably, but but it'd like been lovely to see the angelic hosts there. Um but you know, how do we get a taste of that here? And also, not just on a Sunday, but every Monday to Saturday when you're at home, when you're at school, when you're at work. Because worship isn't just for Sunday mornings, worship is for every day, every moment. So I'm just gonna give you some things that I find useful, and maybe they'll help you. Um, but the most important thing for me is about being consistent, okay? Um this is not a brag, but I worship every day in some way, shape, or form, whether that be and for me, like the worship that I enjoy the most is sung worship. So it'll either be picking up my guitar and singing in the morning, neighbours probably love me, um, or listening to worship music. And you know, we've all got busy lives. You know, I've probably got 20 essays that need marking at the same time that I'm worshiping God, but at the end of the day, I know that I need that's that's what I need in my in my day. I that's how I need to start my day in order to get through to the end. So sometimes I haven't got the time is not a good enough excuse because we would find the time for other things, we need to set aside that time. And if you just say, I'm gonna try and worship every day, chances are you'll fail with that because it's not very specific. But um, I'm reading at the moment this book called Atomic Habits. I don't know if anyone's read it, um, and it's all about how we can create good habits and break bad ones. And one of the things that uh this guy says that establishes good habits is a set time and a set place. That once we have that idea of I'm gonna worship in the morning or I'm gonna talk to you, I'm gonna pray in the afternoon or in the evening, and you know, we can't it can't be rigid completely because life gets in the way. There has to be that flexibility. But if you set aside that daily time to worship, schedule it in like you would an appointment almost, um, and find ways to worship that suit your character and style. Some people they don't they struggle with singing or they they might not enjoy it as much. Worship isn't just about singing, it's one way to worship. You know, you can worship by meditating, you can worship by reading scriptures out, you can worship, you know. I when I walking is one of my favourite ways to worship, you know. I work and I just thank God for everything that's around me and all of nature. You know, there are so many different ways. Find one that suits your character and your style. Lay everything down, worries, distractions, hurts, and other people. Okay, that has to be laid down in order for you to engage in worship. Spend some time upwardly focusing, so not on what's going on in your life right now with the people around you, but to uh oh, sorry, I've just skipped one out. Confess. Make sure that your heart is right before God so that the devil can't condemn it. Because he loves more than anything to make you feel rubbish about yourself and make you feel that you can't get before God and worship. So lay everything down. And confess so that he can't condemn you. Upward focus, adoration, and praise and thanksgiving. You know, it is sometimes a really good thing when life is falling apart to actually look at all the good things that are going on and to thank God for the air that you breathe and the um you know the view that you've got in front of you and you know the nature all around you, the people around you, your families, you know, be grateful. There are things to adore and praise and thank God for. Focus on the cross and redemption. So, as mentioned earlier, you know, if your if your um worship feels a little bit dry, then just think about again the cross and redemption, salvation, what God's done for you. Because it will just bubble up. You know, when you think about what God has done, you will be grateful, and um, that's when you will worship and want to worship Him. And surrender, okay, this can be tough for some people, it can be tough for me, but that act of surrender, like I can't do anything about anything right now, God, but I surrender to you because all I want is what you have and what you want to give to me. So little acts like raising your hand or kneeling or bowing, whatever surrender means to you, but surrendering yourself is an act of worship. You are putting complete trust in God and your life in His hands. So to finish, um, imagine what it would be like if individually, each one of us having grown in our own personal worship, where we encounter God in a real and intimate way on a daily basis, then come together on a Sunday as a unified body. Just imagine, it would be incredible, and I just do think that it would truly be like heaven on earth, it would be like that vision of future worship that we see in Revelation 7. So I'm gonna stop there. Did you want to say something? Yeah, so um, I just think that this would be a really good time to worship and just.