TAE- HEAVENLY WORSHIP.doc

TAE: HEAVENLY WORSHIP

SMWS- 08/23/09 Text:

SRBC # 01336

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

1) Did you know that what we’re doing here today- meeting together for a Sunday morning worship service- won’t be a part of life in heaven?

A) HAL-LE-LU-JAH!

1) Means we can all sleep in- still beat the Presbyterians and Methodists to Sports Page

2) And not feel guilty about it!

B) Now THAT will be heaven

2) OK- I made up the part about eating at Sports Page

A) But the point I was making happens to be true

B) There won’t be Sunday morning church worship- as we know it now- in heaven

3) Not that there’s anything wrong with what we’re doing now

A) Psalm 122:1 says: I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go (as the children of God) to the house of the LORD." (to worship the Heavenly Father in spirit and in truth)

B) Hebrews 10:25 says: Let us not give up meeting together (as a church family for the purpose of worship), as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another (through acts of worship and praise)--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (The time Jesus returns to set up His kingdom on the new resurrected Earth)

4) The fact is:

A) God expects us to come together REGULARLY to worship Him during this lifetime

B) BUT worship in heaven is going to have new meanings and depths and expressions we can’t even imagine here on the present earth

5) So this morning- in the time we have remaining- I want us to think about how we’re going to worship God in eternity

WHAT WORSHIP IS LIKE ON THE PRESENT EARTH

1) But before we can do that- we need to think about what Christian worship is like now- on the present Earth

2) Which is absolutely impossible

A) Can’t be done- it’s stupid and idiotic to even try

B) Truth is- you’d have a hard time describing Christian worship if you limited your survey to the churches in the greater Charlotte area

1) There’s just too much diversity

2) Too much variety

3) Too many different styles of worship- you wouldn’t know where to start

3) Unless you start with your own church…..so take out your bulletin

A) Let’s make some observations about the way we do worship here at Sunset Road

B) Now what’s the main thing you notice about this morning’s order of service? Besides the color (Listen for answers)

4) It’s PRINTED!

A) It’s spelled out on a piece of paper

B) Now that tells you several things about the way we do worship

5) For one thing, our church worship is…..

A) A scheduled event

1) It’s got the date and time printed right here

2) Sunday, August 26, 2009- 10:30 am. You can’t be more specific than that!

B) Centered at a particular place

1) Look- 2317 Sunset Road- the church’s address is printed right here on the bulletin

2) I typed it in there

a) But it really is a ridiculous thing to do!

b) I mean- if you’re holding the bulletin in your hands- you obviously knew where the church is located! C) Having a printed order of worship also tells you our church’s worship has a formal structure

1) Now we try not to be too formal in our worship- and we’ll never squelch the movement of the Holy Spirit

2) But let’s get real- we all know the benediction will follow the invitation

a) Always has- always will

b) It’s just the way things are

D) Finally- having a printed order of service means that for most of you worship will always be a passive experience

1) Granted-

a) You may sing a few songs

b) Pray silently at the appropriate times

c) And take notes during the sermon

2) But for the most part you’ll sit in your seat watching people do things up here

5) Here’s the thing: The observations we’ve made about Sunset Road generally reflect the way churches worship

A) It’s pretty predictable- it’s rarely dramatic

B) And for the most part- it’s divorced from everyday living

1) You come to church for a couple of hours

2) Then you go home to face another week

6) …..Which is not the way God intended it to be

WHAT GOD INTENDED WORSHIP TO BE

1) A few years ago Pam, Stephanie and I took a trip to San Francisco-

A) Great city- absolutely loved it

B) Would move there tomorrow if I could take my family- and all of you- with me

2) One afternoon we rented a Mustang convertible and drove the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Pebble Beach

A) I gotta tell you- I was stunned with the raw beauty of God’s creation. I’d never seen anything like it…..

1) Look to your right and you see the waves of the Pacific Ocean pounding the rocky cliffs of the shoreline

2) Look to your left- it looks like you’re driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway

B) Seeing the mountains and the ocean come together like that- it was…..glorious

3) So glorious I became acutely aware of God’s power and presence. And in my spirit I started singing: How Great Thou Art: Oh Lord my God- when I in awesome wonder- consider all the worlds thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee; How great thou art, how great thou art

4) Theologians- and people who study spiritual growth- call these kinds of experiences: the beatific vision

A) The beatific vision are those moments of pure worship where-

1) You step outside of yourself- and the drudgery of everyday living

2) And become acutely aware of the majesty and glory of God

B) I’m happy to say:

1) Beatific visions do happen on rare occasions here on the present Earth

2) But it was a normal part of daily life for Adam & Eve

5) Listen to what the Bible says in Genesis 3:8

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day….

6) Here’s one of those places where the Bible should have given us some more details- such as:

A) What was it like to meet God face-to-face? To see God’s glory with eyes that were unclouded by sin?

B) And while you’re at it- tell me how Adam & Eve reacted when God made His daily appearance in the Garden

1) Did they turn white as a ghost- fall down on their knees and cry ‘Holy’

2) Or did they run to Him- anticipating a joyous time of fellowship with their Heavenly Father?

7) I think- and granted this is just my opinion-

A) Adam & Eve would have run to God- with joy in their hearts

B) Because they knew they were going to have a fantastic time fellowshipping with God

8) See here’s where you need to understand a Biblical truth Adam & Eve understood instinctively

A) God is the ultimate source of all the joy- happiness- pleasure- satisfaction- fulfillment- excitement- laughter- fun and good times there are in creation

B) Everything else that bring you these things are derived from God- and are to be received as a gift from Him

Romans 8:32

31 …..If God is for us (and make no mistake about it- He is!), who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son (If we didn’t have Jesus we wouldn’t have anything), but gave him up for us all-- (since we have Jesus we have everything) how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

1 Timothy 6:17

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

1 Timothy 4:3-5

4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

9) Do you understand what the Bible is saying here? All the good things in life flow as a gift from a gracious and loving God. For instance……

A) A good meal is pleasurable because God is the ultimate pleasure

B) Marital sex creates feelings of intimacy and love because God is the source of intimacy and love

C) Rainbows are beautiful because God is beautiful

D) Sports and games are fun because God is fun

E) Good conversation with family and friends is interesting because God is interesting

F) Work is rewarding & fulfilling because God is rewarding & fulfilling

G) Babies are delightful because God is delightful

H) It’s a joy to listen to music because God is the ultimate joy

10) This what Adam & Eve understood- and it’s why they didn’t go to church at 10:30 on a Sunday morning and call it worship

A) Worship was…..

1) A part of the air they breathed

2) It was an on-going and spontaneous response to the presence and love of God

B) They couldn’t imagine anything they’d rather be doing than spending time with God

11) But let’s be honest- how many of you…..

A) Can think of something else you’d rather be doing this morning? Like…..

1) Reading the paper? Sailing on the lake?

2) Playing golf? Fishing?

3) Getting a facial? Swimming in a pool?

4) Working on that sexy tan at the beach? Getting screened for early signs of skin cancer?

B) Are thinking about what you’re going to be doing as soon as I pronounce the benediction?

12) See- that proves we’re not like Adam & Eve

A) We don’t think that fellowshipping with God could possibly be as much fun- or as stimulating- or as enjoyable

B) As about 20,000 other things you can think of

13) Folks- this is what sin has done to God’s original intention for worship

A) It changed it from being a joyous and spontaneous time of fellowship with God

B) And made worship into something that- let’s face it- many Christians think is boring- most of the time

HOW GOD WILL RESTORE WORSHIP IN ETERNITY

1) Thankfully that won’t be a problem on our eternal home on the new Earth

A) God’s plan is to restore worship to what it once was

B) And the way He’ll begin is by giving you your resurrection body

2 Corinthians 5:1-4

5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in (the physical body we occupy during this life) is destroyed (this is a graphic way of describing physical death- but Paul is making a comparison between the easily destroyed tent we live in now and the indestructible building we’ll occupy in eternity), we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (This is a description of our resurrection body- not made through the union of a man and a woman- but recreated and resurrected by God Himself)

2 Meanwhile we groan (Paul’s talking about the burden of living in this present world. In other places he talks about the joys and blessings of this life- but he always balances that with the reality of living under the curse of sin), longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

3 because when we are clothed (with our resurrection body), we will not be found naked.

4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal (or subject to disease and decay and death) may be swallowed up by (eternal) life (in the very presence of God).

2) Now- there are three things that will be accomplished when you receive your resurrection body

A) 1- You’ll be physically and spiritually ready to live on the new Earth for all eternity

B) 2- The image of God- which was damaged by sin- will be fully restored in you

C) 3- Your eyes will be opened and you’ll be able to recognize God’s presence and love in everything

3) So what does all of this mean?

A) It means you’ll be prepared to live in the very presence of God

B) It means you’ll be able to have the kind of joyful encounters with the Heavenly Father that Adam & Eve enjoyed prior to the Fall

4) Think about it:

A) Right now you couldn’t be in the very presence of God if you wanted to- God loves you too much to allow it

B) Remember what the Bible says:

1) If you see the face of God

2) BOOM!- you’re dead

5) But in the glory of your resurrection body you’ll……

A) Be able to enjoy face-to-face encounters with God…..anytime you want

B) Suddenly you’ll be able to see the majesty of Creation through His eyes. Everything….

1) From the tiniest blade of grass

2) To the grandeur of the Universe will proclaim the beauty and glory of the Lord

6) As one pastor put it: When we see things with the eyes God gives us in heaven- we’ll wonder if we ever really saw anything before

7) And you WILL worship

A) And no one will stand up here and have to tell you to turn to Hymn # 4- sorry Jackie

B) For that matter- I won’t struggle to preach and teach the Bible- Jesus will perfectly divide the Word of God

8) And once again worship will be….

A) Free and spontaneous

B) A natural outpouring of the love you feel for God

C) A part of the air we breathe….I can’t wait!

HEAVENLY WORSHIP

1) Now at this point some of you might be thinking:

A) OK Steve- I got it.

1) In eternity worship will be restored to a normal and natural part of natural life

2) I understand- going to church on Sunday will be a thing of the past

B) But what about all those worship services that are described in Revelation?

1) Can we go to any of them?

2) Can we be a part of what’s going on?

2) The best way to answer your question is to say:

A) YES- you can attend them- and be a part of them

B) As often as you want to be- which will probably be a good bit of the time

3) I mean look at the way the Bible describes one of these worship services

A) There’s one thing you can say about it

B) It isn’t boring!

Revelation 5:1-14

5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne (This is God the Father) a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.

4) This scroll contains God’s plans for eternity

A) How….

1) He will deal with Satan once and for all eternty

2) Jesus will return to Earth in triumph and glory

3) The new Jerusalem will descend out of heaven like a bride beautifully adorned for her husband

4) God will dwell with His people forever

5) Jesus will exercise sovereignty in the Father’s name

6) Resurrected human beings will rule the Earth under Christ’s authority- according to God’s own plan

B) Important stuff

1) Very important stuff

2) No wonder the scroll had been protected with seven seals

2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"

3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. (IOW: Any of creatures God had made- including human beings and angels)

4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David (Titles associated with the Messiah- the Christ), has triumphed (Jesus’ victory is in His birth- perfect life- death on the Cross- and Resurrection from the dead). He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain (Remember- Jesus is living in His resurrection body. The reminders of His death on the Cross are the nail prints in His hands and feet), standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns (the seven horns symbolize the fact that Jesus was the Christ- the son of the Living God and possessed all the power of God) and seven eyes (He also possesses the perfect knowledge of the Father), which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand (10,000 x 10,000 = 100 million. Imagine the sound they could generate). They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.

12 In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," (Amen means ‘so be it Lord’) and the elders fell down and worshiped.

5) I want to see that! I’d like to sing along with that choir!

A) And I’ll get to- so will you

B) But- as we’ve learned in previous sermons

1) I’ll be doing other things on the new Earth as well

2) And so will you

6) See- you can think of the worship services taking place in the throne room of heaven like a drop-in baby shower

A) They’ll be going on all the time

B) You and I can come and go as we please

1) You might be there a couple of hours- a couple of days- a couple of weeks- a couple of months- a couple of years

2) Remember- you’ll be living in eternity!

a) The clock won’t be ticking

b) You’ll have all the time you want to enjoy God and ALL of His good and perfect gifts

7) Besides that-

A) Whether you’re…./ or…..

1) Joining with the heavenly choir praising the Lamb that was slain

2) Taking an late night walk on the beach- under a sky filled with countless stars- listening to the quiet roar of the tides

B) You will have a fantastic time fellowshipping face-to-face with God- and you WILL worship

8) Let us pray

TAE-CALLED TO RULE WITH KING JESUS.doc

TAE: CALLED TO RULE WITH KING JESUS

SMWS- 8/16/09 Text: Within message

SRBC # 01335

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

1) Earlier this week I was returning to the office after making some hospital visits

A) To be honest-

1) I was kind of lost in thought

2) Struggling to come up with a way to begin today’s sermon on being called to rule with Christ

B) When suddenly- at the next light- I had an epiphany

2) In front of me there were two cars- each with a bumper sticker:

A) One said: Drill here. Drill now. Pay less.

1) In the background it had a picture of an oil rig

2) Pumping out good ole’ American crude

B) The second car’s sticker said: Love your mother

1) It had a picture of the earth

2) Embraced by a pair of loving arms

3) I realized those bumper stickers represented the yin and the yang of the ways Christians have understood the idea of exercising dominion (or ruling) over creation

A) On one extreme you’ve got folks who believe dominion means human beings can exploit the Earth’s resources in any way they see fit

B) Then you got folks whose idea of dominion sounds like it could be a manifesto from Greenpeace

4) The truth is:

A) Neither side is exactly right

B) And neither side is exactly wrong

5) And here’s why:

A) Both positions are so focused on the here-and-now- IOW: What happens here on the present Earth

B) They miss the incredible promise the Bible makes concerning the responsibility we’ll assume on the new Earth

6) This morning-

A) We want to learn what God has in store for us

B) To do that we’ll begin by understanding…..

GOD ’S ORIGINAL PLAN FOR HIS CREATION

Genesis 1:26-27

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness

1) Let us make man in our image

A) Since the beginning of time people have tried to understand what it means to be made in the image of God

1) Some people have defined it spiritually- or relationally

2) Others define it terms of intellectual capacity- or original righteousness

B) There’s something to be said about each of these ideas- but none of them can fully capture the majesty of what it means to be created in the image of God

2) But there’s one thing everybody agrees on: Being created in the image of God makes us different from every other bird or animal God made

Genesis 1:20-21; 24

20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."

21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.

3) Notice what the Bible says- Every other creature was made according to its kind

A) It’s like God made a template for….say….dogs

B) And then made sure every other breed of dog would fit that template

3) But human beings weren’t made according to our kind- we were created in the image of God

A) This is what makes human life sacred

B) That’s why the Bible says man is the image and glory of God

C) That’s why God gave human beings a authority over His creation

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

4) OK- let’s slow it down so we can take all of this in

A) As the Creator of the Universe, God made everything

1) He made it- He owns it- it’s His

2) He’s sovereign- He rules- He can do whatever He wants to do with it

B) And here’s what He wants to do with it:

1) He wants human beings- who were created in His image

2) To rule Creation in His name!

5) Now some Christians have a problem with this

A) They’ll piously say: But…but…but….God is my King. It would be presumptuous- it’d be a sin- for me to attempt to rule creation in His name

B) And they’d be right……

1) If it were their idea

2) But it’s not their idea- it’s not my idea: It’s God’s idea

6) Randy Alcorn puts it this way:

A) (When God created the universe His plan called for human beings to):

B) Create God-exalting societies in which we would exercise the creativity, imagination, intellect and skills befitting beings created in (His) image

(Alcorn- Heaven- page 226)

7) Let me simplify what all this means:

A) Adam and Eve were created to be the king and queen of Earth

B) They- and their descendants- (that’s all of us folks) were supposed to rule over creation-

1) In a way that would bring honor and glory to God

1) While never forgetting that ultimate sovereignty belonged to God- and God alone

FORFEITING THE PRIVILEGE TO RULE

1) Unfortunately- Adam and Eve blew it

A) By choosing to sin against God

B) They…….

1) Irreparably damaged the image of God they possessed

2) And turned their back on the privilege God had given them to rule over creation

2) For a better understand of this- you have to go back to Genesis 3:1-6

3:1 Now the serpent (the NT specifically identifies him as Satan) was more crafty (or clever) than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,

3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

3) So far- so good. Eve has answered correctly

A) As the rulers of God’s creation Adam and Eve were free to eat the fruit from any tree in the garden with one exception

B) God told them not to eat fruit from the tree that stood in the middle of the garden- or else you will die

4) Now I want you to think about this with me: Why would God put that particular tree there in the first place?

A) I mean….

1) If you got no tree- you got no temptation

2) You got no temptation- you got no sin

B) And if you got no sin- Adam and Eve can continue to rule over creation according to God’s Will and purpose for their life

5) But the tree had been placed in the middle of the garden- it was the only thing off limits to Adam and Eve

A) And here’s why it was there

B) The tree was a constant reminder that God was still God- that all creation ultimately belonged to Him

1) God had granted Adam & Eve the authority to rule over creation

2) But their authority would always be based on being obedient to God

4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.

5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

5) Notice what Satan is doing here:

A) He’s suggesting that Eve shouldn’t have to submit herself to anyone

B) God’s got a lot of nerve- denying you the fruit of that tree. He knows that when you eat it- you’ll be like Him- you’ll know what He knows- you’ll be your own god!

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her,

and he ate it.

6) Now I want you to understand what Satan had accomplished:

A) He hadn’t knock God off His throne

1) God was- is- and always will be- the Sovereign Creator of everything that is

2) The universe boldly proclaims His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords over all Creation

B) No- what Satan had accomplished was to knock Adam & Eve off their throne

7) In the cut-throat world of Wall Street finance stockbrokers will talk about a company being in play

A) Being in play means that through a combination of factors a particular company is ripe for a takeover

B) It’s up-for-grabs, available to the highest bidder

8) Essentially- that was the result of Adam & Eve’s decision to sin against God

A) By abandoning their God-given privilege- and responsibility- to rule the Earth

B) They’d gave Satan a chance to put the Earth into play…..and catastrophe was the result

Romans 1:20-32

20 …Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,

30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;

31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION: JESUS RULES (AND SO WILL WE)

1) There are some Christians who’ve read this passage of Scripture and concluded: God should just take all born-again believers to heaven- and be done with the earth and all the rest of creation. Wipe it out- who needs it?

A) People who think like that don’t understand what happened when the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us

B) Jesus…..

1) Not only died on the Cross so that your sin could be forgiven and you could be saved

2) He also died to reconcile to all things to God whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col. 1:20)

2) Now we talked about a lot of this a few weeks ago in a sermon entitled What God Will Do With His Creation

A) I’m not going to rehash all of that now

1) Although I’m sure Ben will be glad to make you a copy of that sermon

2) Assuming you ask nicely- and take him out for a dinner of meatloaf and mashed potatoes….

B) The gist of that sermon was: God is going to resurrect new (or restored- rejuvenated) heavens and a new (or restored- rejuvenated) earth for resurrected people (when you receive your resurrection body the image of God will be restored in all its glory) to live on throughout eternity

3) And here’s how it fits into what we’re talking about today

A) Having resurrected and restored the goodness of His creation God is going to implement Phase Two of His plans for eternity

B) Ephesians 1:9-10

9 And he (meaning God) made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,

10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment (at the Second Coming or the End of Time)--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head (or authority), even Christ.

4) Do you begin to see how all of this is shaping up?

A) In the Garden of Eden everything in creation was under God’s sovereignty who authorized Adam and Eve to rule in His name

B) On the resurrected new Earth everything in creation will be under Christ’s sovereignty who will authorize resurrected human beings to rule in His name

5) Turn with me to Revelation 5:9-10

A) Here the elders in heaven are praising Jesus as the Lamb that was slain

B) Look at what they say:

9 ……You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign (or rule- or exercise authority) on the earth.

6) Now listen to what these passages of Scripture say:

A) Matthew 5:5: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Or claim as a God-given right)

B) 2 Timothy 2:11-12: Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.

C) Luke 22:29-30: And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

D) Romans 8:16-17: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, (and entitled to a share- or portion- in the Father’s kingdom) if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

E) Revelation 22: 3-5

3 ….. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city (the new Jerusalem), and his servants will serve him.

4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

7) How many of you have friends- or family members- who are Mormons?

A) Most of them are good folks- make great neighbors

B) But have you ever talked with them about what they believe?

1) It’s very odd!

2) And the funny thing is- they use many of the same verses of Scripture we just looked at to ‘prove’ their beliefs

8) See- Mormons are taught they can obtain ‘godhood’ for themselves and their families

A) It goes something like this: At the Resurrection faithful Mormons will be rewarded with a place in the highest level of the celestial heaven

B) Once they’re in the highest heaven each Mormon- along with their family- will be given a separate planet to populate and rule over as a god

9) Folks- here’s where the truth of God’s Word shatters Mormon theology

A) God’s plan isn’t about human beings going off to distant planets to become our own gods

B) God’s plan- as revealed in His holy, infallible, inerrant Word- is for redeemed, resurrected human beings to rule and exercise authority-

1) Here on the new Earth

2) Under the sovereignty and authority of the Lamb that was slain on the Cross of Calvary

10) Ready to report to King Jesus? Me too!

A PARABLE OF FAITHFULNESS

1) In preparing this sermon- my mind kept going back to one of Jesus’ more familiar stories- The Parable Of The Talents

A) I’d always thought I had that one figured out

B) But now….I realize there’s something else I’ve been missing

2) Turn with me to Matthew 25:14-23

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants (or house slaves) and entrusted his property to them.

15 To one he gave five talents of money (roughly equivalent to what a blue-collar worker would earn in about 20 years of work), to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. (Notice- the master has entrusted each servant with responsibilities- but he also recognizes the different skills and abilities each man has) Then he went on his journey.

16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. (Don’t know what the guy did- but I’d love to have him manage my retirement account)

17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.

18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. (Which was the safe- low risk- no reward option)

19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

3) I want you to notice a few things about the master’s response to the reports of the faithful servants

A) First of all- He didn’t question how the servants earned the money

1) He had trusted them to act responsibly- and honorably- in his name

2) He saw no reason to doubt that they had represented him well

B) Second- The master invites the servants to share his happiness- or joy

1) The money was a bonus- but the man didn’t really need the extra cash

2) His joy came from knowing that his servants had faithfully and lovingly served him

C) Third- The master gave his servants greater responsibility

1) IOW: They didn’t get a gold watch and two extra weeks of vacation for their efforts

2) Instead the servants assumed more powerful positions within their master’s home

4) …..So- how does all of this relate to the idea of being called to rule with Christ in eternity?

A) First of all- God wants you to use the gifts- the talents and the abilities He’s given you to serve Him during this lifetime

1) It’s amazing- God has given you the responsibility of finding ways to know Christ and make Him known

2) And He trusts you enough to let you discover your own ways of fulfilling that responsibility

B) Second- Someday God will ask you to come and share the joy He feels because of the things you’ve done for His glory during this lifetime

1) Now we’ll talk more about this in a few weeks in a sermon entitled Standing Before King Jesus

2) But just imagine how exciting it going to be to hear God say: Come and share your Master’s joy!

C) And finally- God will judge your faithfulness in this lifetime to determine the level of responsibility you will assume in eternity

1) Bottom line: The greater your faithfulness here

2) The larger your rule in the kingdom there

5) That’s God’s plan

A) And if it humbles you- and awes you- and overwhelms you

B) Then you’re starting to understand what it means to be called to rule under the sovereignty of Christ

6) Let us pray