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Worship . Sermon #3 in Revelation series. Worship. Worship. King: “I will give you one more chance ….”. Worship.
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Worship Sermon #3 in Revelation series
Worship • King: “I will give you one more chance….”
Worship • “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the god we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18
Worship • “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!’” Daniel 3:28 • How would I have responded to the demand to worship the golden image?
The Earth Beast • Revelation 13:11 - Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed….
The Earth Beast • 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived….
The Earth Beast • 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
Identification of the Earth Beast • Dragon is imposter of Father God… • Sea Beast is imposter of Jesus Christ… • Earth Beast?
Identification of the Earth Beast • Earth Beast exercises the authority of the Sea Beast (vs. 12). • Holy Spirit exercises the authority of Jesus (John 15:26). • Earth Beast causes men to worship the Sea Beast (vs. 12). • Holy Spirit causes men to worship Christ (John 15:26).
Identification of the Earth Beast • Earth Beast causes fire to come down from heaven (vs. 13). • Holy Spirit appears as fire at Pentecost (Acts 2:3). • Earth Beast uses miracles to bring worship to the Sea Beast (vs. 13). • Holy Spirit uses miracles through the apostles to point to Christ.
Identification of the Earth Beast • The Earth Beast has an identity problem: Revelation 13:11 – “Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.”
Identification of the Earth Beast • Primary role, enforcer of worship: Revelation 13:12 - “It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.”
Application: do we know who we worship? • Matthew 7:21 - “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
Application: do we know who we worship? • No shortcut… • No secret knowledge… • Performing miracles doesn’t guarantee anything… • Speaking in tongues is cool but… • Knowing the 7th day is the Sabbath is true but…
Application: do we know who we worship? • 1 John 4:2 – “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist….”
Application: do we know who we worship? • WARNING: Maintaining this priority is the battle of our lives! • The danger of the urgent and the easy…. • Sticky note ministry….