NOTES: Awake to Wonder, Part 2

Awake to Wonder 2: A Holy Mystery

Date; Sunday February 19, 2023

Text: Rev. 4:1-11

Revelation 4:1–11 (ESV)

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

        “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!”

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11     “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

        for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.”

Let’s Connect

•    Walking with Jesus means we will not understand every thing there is to know about God and His ways.

•    In this life, we will have to acknowledge our intellectual limitations in order to be humbly and theologically correct.

•    But our faith can flourish in the presence of holy mysteries because we are living “in the Spirit.”

“The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?”

2 Chronicles 2:5-6

Think of one thing from the past you would love to have a recording of?

Today’s text offers us an inside experience within the throne room of God.

Text Explained

God’s Invitation to experience Him (vs. 1-2):

God’s Majesty (vs. 2-8):

Words of worship to God (vs. 8-11):

Let’s Relate

Worship: the activity of loving God with all our heart.

We’ve been invited into a supernatural worship!

John 4:23–24 (ESV) 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Supernatural Worship: The core of my life—everything I am—responds with love and honor toward God.

Let’s Be Challenged:

Embrace Him in the holy mystery!

“…and there I find you in the mystery, in oceans deep, my faith will stand…”