“ETERNAL HONOR”

Jeremy Stopford photo
Jeremy Stopford

SERIES: “HONOR” Message #5, Originally preached March 18, 2012

Rev. Jeremy Stopford, Retired Pastor

TODAY’S SPECIALS:  “Children Are Quick!“

TEACHER: Why are you late?

STUDENT: Class started before I got here.

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn’t have ten years ago.

WINNIE: Me!

TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on ‘My Dog’ is exactly the same as your brother’s. Did you copy his?

CLYDE: No, sir. It’s the same dog.

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?

HAROLD: A teacher

INTRODUCTION 

Today’s message concludes our series on “honoring God”.  We have learned that to “honor” means “to give the highest respect.”, “to draw attention to the one (One) you love.”

Today we are going to look at the end of honor – in glory.  And when that is offered, that truly will be ETERNAL HONOR.     

PRAYER

GOD WILL RECEIVE ETERNAL HONOR BECAUSE:

#1. HE IS CREATOR  (Rev. 4:9-11)

“The Jack Frost Syndrome” is eliminated in Heaven. You will have no one exclaiming “Jack Frost is nipping at my nose”, or “Mother Nature is upset”, or “wish you luck!” in Heaven.  All honor is to the true Creator!

I came across this song’s original lyrics, as written in 1873 by Lutheran minister, Joseph Seiss:

“Fairest Lord Jesus”

Beautiful Savior, king of creation

Son of God and Son of Man!

Truly I’d love Thee, truly I’d serve Thee,

Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.

Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands,

Robed in the flowers of blooming spring;

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,

He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.

Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight,

Bright the sparkling stars on high;

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels in the sky.

Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,

Son of God and Son of Man!

Glory and honor, praise, adoration

Now and forevermore be Thine!

SO…If God will receive ETERNAL HONOR because He’s your Creator, we need to heed the warning that the prophet Amos gave: prepare to meet your Creator! (Amos 4:12-13)

#2.  HE IS THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN (Rev. 5:12-13)

Can we look with John for a minute at the Throne of God in Heaven? Here’s what John wrote:

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders: and the number of them was

ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,”

[THAT MEANS A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE THRONE IN HEAVEN !!!]

John continues. What are those people saying with a LOUD voice?

“Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom,

And strength and HONOR and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12-13)

The Throne in Heaven is the scene of ongoing worship for all eternity. But we shouldn’t be surprised. When was the last time you read from the book of Zechariah? He prophesied a future conversation between the Messiah and Israel,

“And one will say to Him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then He will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends.’” (Zechariah 13:6)

One day, we will worship FACE TO FACE the Lamb Who was slain. But until then, we can worship Him FAITH TO FAITH, if only you have trusted Him as your personal Lord and Savior, the one Who was slain for YOUR sins.

#3. HE IS THE ONLY SAVIOR (Rev 7:9-12)

We shouldn’t be surprised that the the “One on the throne” & the Lamb receive equal worship. Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30)

John once again writes,

“…behold, a great multitude…standing before the Lamb,

Clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

And crying out with a loud voice, saying,

‘Salvation belongs to our God Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”

John continues:

[they] “fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying:

‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and HONOR

and power and might,

Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’” (Revelation 7:9-12, in parts)

There will be NO self-sufficiency in Heaven!  So why is there any now? Our sufficiency is Jesus alone!

The Lord Jesus will be the center of worship in heaven ALONE!  Is He of our hearts today?

#4. HE IS THE ONLY TRUE JUDGE  (Rev. 19:1-3)

This is a tough truth. Listen to a portion of this passage:

“I heard a voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

‘Alleluia! Salvation and glory and HONOR and power belong to the Lord our God!

For true and righteous are His judgments…’”

In Heaven, there will be no question Who the true Judge is. There will be no unfair judgments. And as a result, ETERNAL HONOR will be brought to our Savior!

The passage goes on to say,

“…and He has avenged…the blood of His servants shed…” 

In Heaven, there will be no more opposition to the truth! In Heaven, those of God’s servants whose blood has been shed through martyrdom will be avenged by the True Judge.

And ETERNAL HONOR goes to Him!

#5.  HE IS THE ETERNAL KING  (Rev. 21:22-26)

Have you read the last couple of chapters of Revelation lately? Listen to some of the descriptions of the Holy City:

No temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its tempe

No need of the sun or of the moon, for the glory of God illuminates…the Lamb is its light.

The kings of the earth bring their glory and HONOR into it

There shall be no night there

[The Kings] shall bring the glory and the HONOR of the nations into it

[The only ones in it are] ONLY those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life

Jesus is the Eternal King receiving Eternal HONOR. Have you read Philippians 2:9-11 recently?

“That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow,

Of those in heaven, and those on earth, and of those under the earth,

And that every tongue should confess that

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD

To the glory of God the Father.”

One wonders how the cults – much less those who “say” they love Jesus – will feel then? How will YOU feel?

CONCLUSION

If He is given ETERNAL HONOR in Heaven, why not give Him ETERNAL HONOR NOW

CLOSE IN PRAYER