Application Guide: “What are You Falling For? Part 3” (Rev. 4-5)

Sept. 11^th, 2005: Kimber Kauffman, Senior Pastor of College Park Church, continued his theme on worship by elaborating on the worship scene in heaven in Revelation 4-5. By way of introduction, he reminded us of some of the main points brought out in his previous messages on worship, emphasizing again that worship must be central to the church and should be all about God, not ourselves.

1. We should not leave a Sunday morning service musing about our enjoyment of the worship, but rather should be asking ourselves, “How did God enjoy my worship?”
1. With what kind of mindset do you come on Sunday morning? Is it a mindless routine that makes you feel good? Is it something you look forward to with anticipation (as in Ps. 27:4 & 42:1-4)? How do you prepare yourself for Sunday?
2. What does it look like to aim at worshiping God rather than presupposing that we already are? How can we discipline ourselves to think about God’s glory and enjoyment in worship rather than our personal preferences? Is it possible to worship God while singing a song you don’t like?
3. What is it like to truly gaze at the magnificent beauty of Christ? Do you think God looks down on our worship and mourns because we’re missing out on something, because we don’t know Christ as intimately as we could?
4. Is it possible that we get so focused on the logistics, rituals, and definitions of worship that we fail to worship at all? How do we guard against this?

2. Every time someone in the Scriptures experiences a glimpse of heaven they are scared spitless and are deeply humbled (cf. Isa. 6; Rev. 1:12-17).
1. How do biblical encounters with God in his glory compare to popular testimonies about after-life experiences? How has the church often embraced a man-centered view of heaven?
2. Stop to contemplate the holiness of God. Do these scenes of worship in heaven provoke you to a holy fear and reverence of God? Do you long to be a part of this thrilling event even more than getting free tickets to the Super Bowl?

3. Biblical worship is grounded in the fact that God is Creator (Rev. 4).
1. Why is it so important to acknowledge God as Creator in our worship? Why is it a major component to the foundation of biblical worship?
2. How does (or should) the fact that God is Creator affect our worldview? How should it affect our view of ourselves as creatures? Our view of people as made in the image of God? Our view of the earth (is it good or bad?) and our responsibility to take care of it?

4. Biblical worship is grounded in the fact that Christ is Redeemer (Rev. 5).
1. How can we keep the fact that Christ has mercifully saved us out of bondage to sin from becoming old news and taken for granted? How can keep renewing this thought before our minds so that it continually brings joy and hope to our hearts?
2. God has saved us for the world, for his work (cf. Eph 2:10). As members of Christ’s Kingdom, what are we to be doing on this earth? How can we take part in the redemptive work God is doing on the earth?
3. What are ways you are sometimes tempted to think that you have something meritorious on your own strength to offer to God, to appease him, and to have a part in your own salvation? How can we combat these temptations?