Bible Study

Title: The Worship Experience
Date: Jul 28, 2010
Topic(s): Jesus, Worship/Praise/Worthiness
Scripture: Revelation 11:15-19, Revelation 4:8-11, Psalm 145, Revelation 7:9-12, Revelation 19:1-9, Revelation 5:8-13

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What's the greatest worship experience you've ever had? What was so powerful, so holy and so celebratory that it drove you to your knees? Or had you shouting and singing and praising God in ways you'd never imagined? Fix that picture in your mind--and then multiply it by a thousand. And you'll begin to have a sense of what worship will be like when we gather before Jesus, the Lamb of God.

What Does God Say?

Revelation is filled with those moments. Let's start with Revelation 5:8-10: "And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

'Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth'" (ESV).

The key to worship is in that first word of the song: "Worthy." It means "ascribing or expressing the worth of someone or something." In true worship, that someone is Jesus.

Why is He worthy? Well, as the song tells us, because He was slain; He ransomed us with His blood and He makes us a kingdom of priests. Throughout Scripture, we learn Jesus is worthy of our worship because He is the Son of God; He is perfect, holy, righteous, loving, merciful, just, faithful, etc. Everything about Him, all that He is, is worth our attention, our devotion, our praise and our worship. No other can compare.

Pick two or three of these worship scenes in Revelation to examine more closely.

Revelation 4:8-11
Revelation 5:11-13
Revelation 7:9-12
Revelation 11:15-19
Revelation 19:1-9

• Where is the focus placed?
• What are the words of worship? The actions of worship?
• What attitude is common among those who are worshiping?

My Thoughts

• How did your view of Jesus change as you read the preceding worship scenes?

• How might you apply the expressions of worship you read about in Revelation to your worship?

When we begin to grasp the awesome spectrum of His worthiness, then our worship grows beyond music or services or ritual. It becomes the response of a heart that acknowledges and embraces the immense treasure wrapped up in Christ the Lamb. It's not about us, what we have or even what or how we can give back to God; it's all about Him. That's what drives the creatures and elders of Revelation 5 to the ground before Him.

My Part

Worship is not limited to singing or prayer or even our actions when we're gathered with other believers. It can be private and personal or public and shared. But the focus is always the same: Jesus Christ.

• What do you currently do as worship?
• What can you change based on the examples found in Revelation?
• How will you share your experience of worship with other believers?

Look over your schedule for the next two or three days and see if you can make a time for focused worship on Christ. Borrow words from Scripture (like Psalm 145); use music; get on your knees or even face down, whatever will help you to recognize the Lamb as worthy of your worship. Don't make it about you and what you need or want but bring your praise and express the worthiness of Christ back to Him.

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