LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“The Purpose for Everything”
Deuteronomy 6:4-25, Revelation 4:1-11
2/9/25
As considering why have or need church, look at 6 “great ends” from Presby heritage
up to #3 today: goes beyond purpose for church: purpose for all creation
maintenance of divine wp = make sure God being wp’d
church perhaps most visible and obvious place see it happen
but happening all around us, all the time
if want to sleep through rest of sermon, here’s the punch line
purpose for all creation, focus for all aspects of our lives, is wp
to praise God & celebrate his goodness
Before to go grand cosmic scale, start w/ ourselves: look at Deut 6
4-5: worship God w/ entire being: heart, soul & strength
thoughts, emotions, actions all focus on loving God
like Ps 103:1: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is w/in praise his holy name”
temptation to compartmentalize life
this is what I give to family, to work, to church, to God, keep for self
Deut: every single part of who/what you are, every moment of life, devoted to God
constant struggle for us to learn how to do that
6-9: importance of keeping message of God’s lordship alive in your life
write them on your heart: devotion to God at core of being
tell children, talk about it on road, at home (faith not just for church)
surround yourself w/ sacred reminders: cues to remember God in life
go through day as though Jesus sitting right beside you (in a sense, he is)
10-12: Wp God because remember what has done for us: surround w/ blessings
Deut written as speech Moses gave to people just before entering Promised Land
gift that they did not earn or deserve
houses filled w/ good things did not get, wells didn’t dig, trees and vines didn’t plant
remember that God gave, and be thankful
sometimes tempted to say: “God didn’t give what I have: worked long & hard to get it”
1st response: where did you get strength & endurance to do all that work?
2nd: most important thing we have more precious than possessions around us
grace we know through JX: God’s love and acceptance, despite what we have done
God calls us friends when we act like enemies
offers us eternal life, when focus selves on things that lead to death
that’s why we worship God: all he has done for us
13-19: sad reality that we often give credit to others for what God has done
call “others” idols: constant temptation for us
to give our allegiance, our devotion: yes, our wp: to everything other than God
What wp looks like in our personal, individ lives
but when wp Lord, become part of something much bigger than selves
switch to Rev 4 to get creation-wide view of what happens when we wp
vision God gave to John: “behind the scenes” peek at reality
starts w/ description of throne of heaven, & One sitting on it
God himself, of course
goes on to describe what surrounds that throne
rainbow, like rainbow God sent to Noah as sign of covenant
God’s throne is surrounded by reminder of his gracious love for us
Next, 24 more thrones in circle around God’s throne, w/ 24 elders sitting on them
patriarchs of 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of the church: leaders of the people of God
have thrones, but don’t spend any time sitting on: constantly falling down in wp
have crowns, but never wear: constantly laying them down before God
give to God any honor or respect they might deserve
sing about how worthy God is to receive glory, honor & power
God’s throne surrounded by another group as well: circles keep expanding out
“four living creatures:” fantastic beasts: description rich in symbolism
covered w/ eyes: symbolize insight & wisdom
4 symbolizes entire creation (four corners of the earth, four winds of heaven)
creatures represent all God made: descriptions capture chief virtues of creation
lion = nobility; ox = strength; human = wisdom; eagle = swiftness
like the 24 elders, never stop singing God’s praise
who was, who is, who is to come
There, surrounding throne of God, are reps of people of God, reps of all creation
only thing they do is praise God
might think have more important things to do, but that’s the whole point
there is nothing more important for them, or us, to do than to wp God
if had time, could go onto Ch 5: circles of praise around throne of God continue
next come thousands upon tens of thousands of angels
guess what they’re doing? singing praise to God
finally, John’s vision extends beyond heaven itself to see all of creation
heaven, earth, sea, even underworld
every creature in all places singing praise to God
every aspect of creation is alive w/ praise & wp of God
message we find not just in Rev 4&5: Psalm 148 catalog of every element of creation
all praising God: not just people, but even things we consider inanimate
find elsewhere (volunteers): Ps 19:1, Is 44:23, Ps 98:7-8, Is 55:12, Is 43:20
And this is where 3rd great end of church comes in:
“maintenance of divine wp:” ensure that wp is maintained, continued
easy for us to become distracted, forget our place in great circle of praise
our job as church to keep everyone’s attn focused on reason for being
have church to make sure that we’re paying attn to wp all around us
and find our place in great circle of praise
Deuteronomy 6:4-25, Revelation 4:1-11
2/9/25
As considering why have or need church, look at 6 “great ends” from Presby heritage
up to #3 today: goes beyond purpose for church: purpose for all creation
maintenance of divine wp = make sure God being wp’d
church perhaps most visible and obvious place see it happen
but happening all around us, all the time
if want to sleep through rest of sermon, here’s the punch line
purpose for all creation, focus for all aspects of our lives, is wp
to praise God & celebrate his goodness
Before to go grand cosmic scale, start w/ ourselves: look at Deut 6
4-5: worship God w/ entire being: heart, soul & strength
thoughts, emotions, actions all focus on loving God
like Ps 103:1: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is w/in praise his holy name”
temptation to compartmentalize life
this is what I give to family, to work, to church, to God, keep for self
Deut: every single part of who/what you are, every moment of life, devoted to God
constant struggle for us to learn how to do that
6-9: importance of keeping message of God’s lordship alive in your life
write them on your heart: devotion to God at core of being
tell children, talk about it on road, at home (faith not just for church)
surround yourself w/ sacred reminders: cues to remember God in life
go through day as though Jesus sitting right beside you (in a sense, he is)
10-12: Wp God because remember what has done for us: surround w/ blessings
Deut written as speech Moses gave to people just before entering Promised Land
gift that they did not earn or deserve
houses filled w/ good things did not get, wells didn’t dig, trees and vines didn’t plant
remember that God gave, and be thankful
sometimes tempted to say: “God didn’t give what I have: worked long & hard to get it”
1st response: where did you get strength & endurance to do all that work?
2nd: most important thing we have more precious than possessions around us
grace we know through JX: God’s love and acceptance, despite what we have done
God calls us friends when we act like enemies
offers us eternal life, when focus selves on things that lead to death
that’s why we worship God: all he has done for us
13-19: sad reality that we often give credit to others for what God has done
call “others” idols: constant temptation for us
to give our allegiance, our devotion: yes, our wp: to everything other than God
What wp looks like in our personal, individ lives
but when wp Lord, become part of something much bigger than selves
switch to Rev 4 to get creation-wide view of what happens when we wp
vision God gave to John: “behind the scenes” peek at reality
starts w/ description of throne of heaven, & One sitting on it
God himself, of course
goes on to describe what surrounds that throne
rainbow, like rainbow God sent to Noah as sign of covenant
God’s throne is surrounded by reminder of his gracious love for us
Next, 24 more thrones in circle around God’s throne, w/ 24 elders sitting on them
patriarchs of 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of the church: leaders of the people of God
have thrones, but don’t spend any time sitting on: constantly falling down in wp
have crowns, but never wear: constantly laying them down before God
give to God any honor or respect they might deserve
sing about how worthy God is to receive glory, honor & power
God’s throne surrounded by another group as well: circles keep expanding out
“four living creatures:” fantastic beasts: description rich in symbolism
covered w/ eyes: symbolize insight & wisdom
4 symbolizes entire creation (four corners of the earth, four winds of heaven)
creatures represent all God made: descriptions capture chief virtues of creation
lion = nobility; ox = strength; human = wisdom; eagle = swiftness
like the 24 elders, never stop singing God’s praise
who was, who is, who is to come
There, surrounding throne of God, are reps of people of God, reps of all creation
only thing they do is praise God
might think have more important things to do, but that’s the whole point
there is nothing more important for them, or us, to do than to wp God
if had time, could go onto Ch 5: circles of praise around throne of God continue
next come thousands upon tens of thousands of angels
guess what they’re doing? singing praise to God
finally, John’s vision extends beyond heaven itself to see all of creation
heaven, earth, sea, even underworld
every creature in all places singing praise to God
every aspect of creation is alive w/ praise & wp of God
message we find not just in Rev 4&5: Psalm 148 catalog of every element of creation
all praising God: not just people, but even things we consider inanimate
find elsewhere (volunteers): Ps 19:1, Is 44:23, Ps 98:7-8, Is 55:12, Is 43:20
And this is where 3rd great end of church comes in:
“maintenance of divine wp:” ensure that wp is maintained, continued
easy for us to become distracted, forget our place in great circle of praise
our job as church to keep everyone’s attn focused on reason for being
have church to make sure that we’re paying attn to wp all around us
and find our place in great circle of praise
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | [email protected]
724-538-8672 | [email protected]