If You Don't Like Worship,
Your Gonna Hate Heaven"
Revelation 7:9-17

THEME: Ingredients of true Worship

      Children were taught to worship in the old days by sitting with parents.

I. THE COUNTLESS CROWD OF THE TRIUMPHANT WORSHIPERS (v. 9).

A. Life's distinctions disappear in the presence of God - "from every nation, tribe, people and language."

(1 Sam 16:7) "...The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

B. Being in the presence of God is essential for worship to happen - "standing before the throne and in front of the lamb."
C. Wearing white robes - the symbol of purity and holiness.

"Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.... Cleanse me ... and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow" (Ps. 51:2-7).

With the song writer we pray:
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow;
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

To the church at Sardis Jesus said:
"Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. {5} He who overcomes [sin] will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels" (Rev 3:4-5).

D. Celebrating victory with festive joy - holding palm branches.

II. THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS OF WORSHIP: (vv. 10-13).

A. Worship begins with genuine gratitude for God's grace of salvation: "salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb" (v. 10).

"...by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph 2:8-9).

B. Reverence is an essential ingredient to worship: "they fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God," (v. 11).
C. Praise is the concrete expression of worship.

III. WHO CAN TRULY WORSHIP GOD? (vv. 13-15a).

A. The faithful can truly worship God: "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation," (v. 14a).
B. Those with a clean heart can truly worship God: "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," (v. 14b).
C. Those who are willing to serve God can truly worship Him: "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple," (v. 15a).