The TDF sermon for April 26, 2009 is an analysis of Worship in Heaven from Revelation 4 and 5.  If you’re looking for an outline of this passage, some insights about worship, or a glimpse into the future, I hope these notes will be helpful.

1.  When We Worship, We Are Approaching a Glorious Throne (Rev 4:1-3).  I believe that in the heart of heaven, there is a literal throne; and this throne is the ultimate power source for all the universe.  It’s described for us many times in the Bible, and whenever we worship, we are approaching this Throne of Grace and Glory.

2.  When We Worship, We Are Joining an Eternal Chorus (Rev 4.4-11).  Worship is continually, constantly, never-endingly occurring around the heavenly throne.  It’s likely that the 24 elders are symbolic of the universal church, and the 4 living creatures of the angelic world.  I don’t think our life in heaven is literally going to be one long church service.  I believe we’ll be involved in many things throughout eternity.  But whenever we want to, we’ll be able to walk up the broad boulevard in New Jerusalem, heading toward the City Center, and as we approach the throne we’ll hear the music and maybe even feel the ground vibrating under our feet and the air pulsating around us, and we can join in the worship that eternally surrounds the throne.

3.  When We Worship, We are Praising a Triune God (Rev 5:1-10).  Notice the Trinity in these chapters.  In chapter 4, God the Father is emphasized.  In Rev 4:5 we have a reference to God the Spirit (compare with Rev. 1:4).  Rev 5 is a description of God the Son.

4.  When We Worship, We are Glorifying a Worthy Lord (Rev. 5:11-14).  He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and praise.  The habit of worship is the gyroscope of the soul.  A person without patterns of worship is like a ship or an airplane without any stabilization or direction.  When we worship, we are aligning our minds to God’s truth, our imaginations to God’s glory, our emotions to God’s stability, and our souls to God’s songs.  When we worship, we are approaching a glorious throne, joining an eternal chorus, praising a triune God, and glorifying a worthy Lord, saying:  “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

The date of the Apocalypse is now officially set — December 21, 2012.  That’s the new Y2K.  Doomsday.  The day the world will end.  The Last Day.   The End. 

At least that’s the premise of a lot of people wanting to make money on the idea.

There’s a movie coming out – “2012” – starring John Cusack (you can see a preview at whowillsurvive2012.com).  And dozens of books about 2012 are rolling off the presses, along with 2012 clothing and survival kits.  And, of course, hundreds of internet sites are popping up about it, including a beginner’s guide to building 2012 Shelters.

Why December 21, 2012?

• That date marks the end of the 5126-year cycle of the Mayan Calendar, and those Mayans had a reason for ending their calendars on this date.
• It’s the day of the Winter Solstice.
• It’s the day when the Sun aligns with the center of the Milky Way. 
• Nostradamus reportedly made some predictions about 2012.
• So did the Hopi Indians.
• NASA-related Scientists are telling us 2012 will be a time of massive solar flare-ups that could disrupt the entire electrical grid of Planet Earth. 
• Claims are also popping up about strange alignments regarding earth’s wobble and polar shift reversals.
• Couple that with all the economic distress and international dangers we’re facing, and we have some fanatics touting December 21, 2012 as Doomsday.

Here’s what I think.  The year 2012 will likely be a dangerous, planet-shaking, war-triggering, earth-changing year.  All it takes is one massive solar flare-up, one nuclear bomb, one terrorist attack, one decisive war in the Middle East, or one blast of the heavenly trumpet announcing the rapture of the church.

But Jesus Christ plainly told us to anticipate His coming without setting dates for it.  “No one knows about that day or hour,” He said, “not even the angels in heaven.”  We’re to be ready at any hour.

He might not wait until 2012.

If you’re planning to preach soon from the book of Genesis or on the subjct of the Last Days (or if you need a great weekend getaway), you might check out the newly-opened Noah’s Resort Hotel in Hong Kong.  The brainchild of three brothers, all billionaires, it’s the first full-size replica of Noah’s Ark that has ever been built.  One of the brothers is reportedly an evangelical Christian, and he initially planned to build a biblical theme park.  But the idea of a hotel complex won out.  The Ark sits on 270,000 square feet of space and was developed in conjunction with five Christian organizations.  In addition to the hotel, it houses a restaurant, an exhibition hall, a children’s museum, and 67 pair of fiberglass animals.  The story is in the Wall Street Journal. 

Another reconstruction of Noah’s Ark was recently finished in the Netherlands, one that actually floats and contains actual barnyard animals.  This one is not full-scale.  It’s only one-fifth the size of the biblical original; but the builder, a 50-year-old Dutch man, wants to sail it to the London 2012 Olympics, and then on to America.  Here’s a picture:

Another new ark has arisen in the Canadian town of Florenceville, New Brunswick:

And there’s even a new one built on the actual Mount Ararat.  It’s being constructed by the environmental group Greenpeace to warn of impending climate disaster:

Another ark is half-built in Froastburg, Maryland.  Rev. Richard Green began it in the 1970s, but ran out of funds in the 1990s:

Does the growing armada of Noah’s Arks have a message for today?  Maybe it’s a reminder that we’re living in the Last Days!

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be (Matthew 24:37).

Long ago by God’s Word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  By these waters also the world at that time was deluged and destroyed.  By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment…. (2 Peter 3:5-6).

PS – For my sermon, Christ, the Ark, click here.

For the first time since my dad was in the Army during World War II, we are a military family.   As my daughter, Victoria, and I looked on, her husband, Ethan, took the oath of enlistment an was sworn into the Army National Guard.  Congrats, Ethan.  We’re proud of you.

Here’s an excerpt from Sunday’s sermon: 

The thing to remember about the Sunday after Easter is that it doesn’t exist.  It was no accident that Jesus arose from the dead at daybreak on the first day of the week; and it’s no quirk of history that Sunday instantly became the practiced Day of Worship for the early Christians.  It’s no wonder that we have been gathering every Sunday for the past 2000 years to worship our risen Lord.  To believers, every Sunday is a commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It’s a day of worship, praise, happiness, and joy with our Risen Savior!

Have you been thinking about heaven recently?  Revelation 21-22 gives us a vivid description of the place, and John 14 gives us a tremendous anticipation for going there.  Many other passages give glimpses and glimmers of heaven.

But today as I prepared for Steve Greenwood’s Ordination Service on April 26, I stumbled across the best definition of heaven I’ve ever found.  It’s in Hebrews 11:38-39, the passage that sums up the heroes of the faith:  These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

The spiritual heroes of Hebrews 11 were merely strangers and pilgrims on earth; God has planned for them and for us SOMETHING BETTER.

I was stuck by those two words.  The biblical definition of heaven is:  SOMETHING BETTER.

• SOMETHING BETTER than the trials and triumphs of this planet. 
• SOMETHING BETTER than the white-speckled landscape of dogwood trees out my back window. 
• SOMETHING BETTER than the bittersweet ups and downs of our present relationships.
• SOMETHING BETTER than the strain of present toil, the fret of earthly care.
• SOMETHING BETTER than today.

Despite the glorious description given in the last two chapters of the Bible, we can’t fully visualize the New Heavens, the New Earth, or the New Jerusalem.  Though we have much information, we yet have unanswered questions.  But even with our best days, loftiest vistas, and happiest times, we can be sure of this.  Heaven will be…

…SOMETHING BETTER!

In Matthew 2:23, Jesus was simply called “a Nazarene” – a resident of Nazareth.

This means that as a boy, Jesus undoubtedly developed good leg-muscles, for the town of Nazareth sat on a fairly-steep hillside, and any little trip required going up and down the slopes.  His arms were rock-solid, too, for the only water supply was a spring at the bottom of the hill, and one of His chores was certainly to haul water from the spring.

It was this spring, in fact, that kept Nazareth from becoming a large city.  There were no other reliable sources of water, so the entire town depended on this one spring.  Today it’s called “Mary’s Well,” and it still provides water for Nazareth.  According to old traditions, it was by this spring that Gabriel gave Mary the news that would change her world, and ours.

How odd that God would choose Nazareth for our Lord’s upbringing.  From an obscure village came the central figure of history.  From small-town Israel came the Savior of the masses.

Don’t ever feel limited by your background.  Perhaps you were born with few advantages.  Maybe in a small town.  Maybe in a dysfunctional home.  Maybe with an inborn difficulty.  Maybe you were ridiculed, abused, or injured in earlier years.  Can any good come out of that?  Jesus can make it so.  Sometimes our disadvantages and weaknesses become the very things God uses to bless us and to make us a blessing to others.

–Adapted from He Shall Be Called.  This book is out of print, but copies in hardback and paperback are still available here.

What a great Easter!  Wonderful crowds, worship, music, and excitement at church.  Many professions of faith on Sunday morning.  Great time at the Easter Egg hunt on Saturday.  Coloring eggs on the back porch.  My sister’s family joined us, and I wanted to post a few pictures.  Hope you’re glowing in the joy of resurrection life every day!

On this Good Friday, remember the woolen thread stitched like ageless embroidery into the fabric of Scripture by the needle of God’s grace.

1. The Bible opens by showing us the necessity of the Lamb (See the stories of Adam, Eve, and Abel in Genesis 3:21 & 4:3).
2. Abraham shows us the provision of the Lamb (Genesis 22:13-14).
3. Exodus describes the slaying of the Lamb (Ex 12:6-13).
4. Leviticus prescribes the spotless character of the Lamb (Leviticus 22:21).
5. Isaiah shows us the personality of the Lamb (Isaiah 53:7).
6. John the Baptist identifies the Lamb (John 1:29).
7. Philip shows us the transforming power of the Lamb (Acts 8:32-38).
8. Peter described the enthronement of the Lamb (1 Peter 1:18-21).
9. Revelation tells of the worship of the Lamb (Revelation 5:6-13).
10. The Bible ends by describing the eternal city and endless reign of the Lamb, and the everlasting life of those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 19:9 and 21:22-22:3).

O Jesus, Lamb of God, Thou Art
The Life and Comfort of my heart.

For decades now, liberal archaeologists have claimed there’s little or no support for the biblical account of the Exodus.  That’s never bothered me, because nomads traveling in tents don’t leave a lot of archaeological evidence.  Plus, these “reductionists” usually fail to mention the archaeological evidence that does exist.

But now things have changed some.  Reports from several news outlets tell us that Professor Adam Zertal of Haifa University has found structures at biblical Gilgal that are shaped like human feet and which were apparently built by the Children of Israel when they first entered the Land of Canaan.  The Jewish newspaper, Haaretz, reports:  “Two days before Passover, a University of Haifa archaeologist has unearthed foot-shaped structures he believes were constructed by the Israelites at the time of the Exodus from Egypt and move into the Promised Land.”  A current article in Science Daily adds: 

“Foot-shaped” structures have been revealed in the Jordan valley and are among the earliest sites that archeologists believe were built by the ancient people of Israel. The structures are thought to be symbolic of the biblical concept of ownership.  The ‘foot’ structures that we found in the Jordan valley are the first sites that the People of Israel built upon entering Canaan and they testify to the biblical concept of ownership of the land with the foot,” said archaeologist Prof. Adam Zertal of the University of Haifa, who headed the excavating team that exposed five compounds in the shape of an enormous “foot” — likely to have been used at that time to mark ownership of territory.  The finding is believed to represent the first time that enclosed sites identified with the biblical sites termed in Hebrew “gilgal”, which were used for assemblies, preparation for battle, and rituals, have been revealed in the Jordan valley.

The article goes on to say:

 Prof. Zertal emphasized that the “foot” held much significance as a symbol of ownership of territory, control over an enemy, connection between people and land, and presence of a deity. Some of these concepts are mentioned in ancient Egyptian literature. The Bible also has a wealth of references to the importance of the “foot” as a symbol of ownership, the link between people and their deity, defeating the enemy ‘underfoot’, and the temple imaged as a foot.

 

“The discovery of these ‘foot’ structures opens an entirely new system of linguistic and historical perceptions,” Prof. Zertal emphasizes. He explains that the meaning of the biblical Hebrew word for “foot” — “regel” — is also a “festival” or “holiday”. As such, the source of the Hebrew term “aliya la-regel”, literally translated as “ascending to the foot” (and now known in English as a pilgrimage), is attributed to the “foot” sites in the Jordan valley. “Now, following these discoveries, the meanings of the terms become clear. Identifying the ‘foot’ enclosures as ancient Israeli ceremonial sites leads us to a series of new possibilities to explain the beginnings of Israel, of the People of Israel’s festivals and holidays,” he stated.

It gives new meaning to God’s promise to Joshua:  “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses” (Joshua 1:3).

PS – You can also read about this in Christianity Today and in Israel21c.