Lord of Heaven (part 3) Sermon Questions, Audio & Video

On Sunday, May 8, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 5:8-14.  This message was part 3 of the “Lord of Heaven” series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for further reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read Revelation 5:8-14
  3. When you imagine heaven, what MOST excites you about it or makes you want to visit?
  4. The posture of heaven is bowing low before Jesus.  Right now, would you consider your posture towards Jesus is more:  (1) You are above Him – you want to go your own way and express your own independence; (2) You are beside Jesus – He is a good example to you, and just one of several influences in your life; (3) You are below Jesus – bowing before Him in obedience and service?
  5. How does the presence of prayers in 5:8 encourage you to continue to pray today even when you feel like you are not getting an answer?
  6. Jesus has purchased us (redeemed us) with His blood shed on the cross SO THAT we might be His, and live following Him in holiness.  Is Jesus your King and Lord in your life?  In what areas are you most tempted to do your own thing, instead of following Him?
  7. The scope of the Great Commission is visible in heaven. What are ways you can participate in helping to fulfill the proclamation of the Gospel among all the peoples of the earth?
  8. Have you ever contemplated that the Father and Son are working together on their plans in the world.  In 5:13, they are both praised for their works together.  The loving Father sent His loving Son to redeem us and invite us to follow Him and be with Him forever.  How does remembering this encourage you about the security of our salvation?
  9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen to the sermon audio offline, click the link:

The Lord Of Heaven #3 5.8.22

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

 

To watch the service stream, use YouTube online:

 

Lord of Heaven (part 3) Sermon Preview

Five big facts that we cannot forget:

1. Jesus is King.  That is who He is … King Jesus.  Technically, King of Kings Jesus.  

2. And King of Kings Jesus is fully God AND fully man – a paradox our logic can’t package and confine, but truth none-the-less.  The omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent One came to earth.

3. The King of Kings Jesus, the Son of God, came to the earth and died on the cross for the sins of humanity so that we might be redeemed from the bondage of our sins and the death they demand and reconciled to God.

4. King of Kings Jesus, the Son of God, who died for our sins, is currently reigning from heaven right now over the hearts and lives of His followers.  Christians are not just people who are a part of a belief system or who attend a social club on the weekends.  They are a purchased people who are citizens of a DIFFERENT KINGDOM THAN ANY KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD.  Their ultimate allegiance is to God, not any other man.  This means that our salvation is a free gift, but our current life is intended to follow and obey the God who loves us and gave Himself for us.

5.  King of Kings Jesus, the Son of God, who died for our sins, and is currently reigning from heaven over the hearts and lives of His followers, has commissioned us to proclaim His Gospel message among all the peoples of the earth.  This is why we are still here.  To demonstrate through our lives what our King’s love and life looks like, and to pronounce with our words the way that all can connect and follow Him as well.  And this message is to go out to every tribe, tongue, and nation.  That is not an optional activity … it is the true scope of the mission.

These 5 facts must never be forgotten.

And … to help us remember it, songs are being sung about them right now in heaven.  If you strain your ear you can hear it?  What, you can’t make out the tune or the lyric?  Then tune your heart to Revelation 5:8-14, and turn the dial of your schedule to Wildwood Community Church at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 this Sunday morning as we will be amplifying this heavenly song for all to hear.  You can’t miss this.  Join us Sunday, and bring friends for the third and final part of our “Lord of Heaven” series.  See you then … and bring friends.

Lord of Heaven (part 2) Sermon Questions, Audio & Video

On Sunday, May 1, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 5:1-7.   This message was part two in the “Lord of Heaven” series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read Revelation 5:1-7
  3. Imagine a universe where Jesus was not CURRENTLY ALIVE AND EXALTED?  What would we lose if Jesus were simply retired to heaven and not risen and reigning and preparing to return?
  4. John weeps in heaven because of the (apparent) lack of anyone who can open the scroll (see 5:4).  Based on what we discussed in today’s message, what does the scroll represent, and why do you think it was such a big deal to John?
  5. Have you ever felt like the “weight of the world was on your shoulders”?  When was that?  How did it make you feel?  In Revelation 5, we are reminded that ONLY JESUS is worthy and able to take the “weight of the world” … we were never designed to carry it!
  6. In Revelation 5:5, we see the Elder encourage John with a picture of Jesus.  What stood out to you MOST about the description of Jesus that follow?  Further, who can you encourage to look to Jesus based on this description so that they also may be encouraged?
  7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen to the message offline, click the link:

The Lord Of Heaven #2 5.1.22

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

Lord of Heaven (part 2) Sermon Preview

I am both an OU fan and graduate. I also love sports, and follow the Sooners wherever I can. In this day and age of the “transfer portal,” coaches changing schools, and the very real threat of injuries, fans like me often play the “what if” game.
  • November of last year, it was “what if our coach leaves?”
  • December of last year, it was “what if our quarterback leaves?”
  • This spring it has been, “what if our new quarterback gets hurt?”
  • In basketball, the revolving door of transfers in and out over the past few years have us always asking the question, “what if these guys go pro or transfer?”
I could go on, but you catch my drift. We often worry about what happens if SOMEONE (insert the name of the star of the moment) is not around. This is part of the sport of being a sports fan.
 
Now, I want to make a hard turn, and ask a very important question: What if Jesus were gone? What if He transferred out of the land of the living at the moment of His earthly death on the cross? What if there were no resurrection, no ascension, no contemporary life of Christ, no exaltation, no glorification, no presence of Jesus in heaven above? Where would THAT leave us?
 
I’ll tell you where it would leave us – weeping bitterly and feeling without hope.
 
Why?
 
Well, we will look at that this Sunday morning at Wildwood in part 2 of our “Lord of Heaven” sermon series as we explore Revelation 5:1-7. At one point in the Apostle John’s tour of heaven, he breaks down and weeps bitterly … over and over again. Why was He weeping in heaven? Because He was imagining a reality without the resurrected and reigning Christ … his initial survey of paradise did not spot the All important One. But when he sees Jesus, O man … well, you just need to see it for yourself.
 
See you Sunday at Wildwood in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 worship service … and bring friends.  

Lord of Heaven (part 1) Sermon Questions, Audio, and Video

On Sunday, April 24, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 4:1-11.  This message was part 1 in the “Lord of Heaven” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for group discussion or personal reflection.  You will also find the sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read Revelation 4:1-11
  3. Imagine you were to visit heaven today.  What would you MOST want to see there?  How do you imagine heaven?  What do you think you would see there?  What would you hear?
  4. In what ways do you feel like you are seeing “hell on earth” at times?  How does seeing this vision of heaven from Revelation 4 encourage you?
  5. “Throne” is a very prominent word in chapter 4 (and the entire book of Revelation).  It indicates the seat of power … the driver’s seat (if you will) for the world.  What are some of the things you experience in your life today that cause you to wonder “who is really in charge of this world?”
  6. Warren Wiersbe identifies worship as “using all that we are and have to praise God for all that He is and does.”  What are some ways you can worship God with your time, talent, treasure, emotions, words, lifestyle, etc.?
  7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen offline, click the link to download:

The Lord Of Heaven #1 4.24.22

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To see the service, use YouTube online:

 

Lord of Heaven (part 1) Preview

Let’s suppose for a moment that somehow, someway, you were tasked with planning a single trip for EVERYONE you KNOW.  I don’t just mean your closest circle or family. I mean for EVERY.ONE.YOU.KNOW.  I know this is fantasy, but humor me for a minute.

Now, a couple of parameters:

  1. Money is no issue, so truly pick any place.
  2. The only catch is that your goal is to pick the place that everyone (or nearly everyone) would like.

Where would you go?

Some places you might be considering:

*  The mountains (but some people like the beach)

*  The beach (but some people like the mountains)

*  Europe (but some people don’t like to travel far)

*  Branson (but some people want to go farther than that)

*  New York (but so many people)

*  That island where Tom Hanks got stranded in “Castaway” (not enough people there)

Any other ideas?

The reality is that almost any place you pick … even some pretty amazing places … will not be the preference of a decent number of people.  So, is there any place where we really ALL want to go?

I actually think there is an answer to this riddle.  

Heaven.  We all want to go to heaven.

Now I know that for some of you, you are scoffing at the notion.  “I thought we were only talking about REAL places, Pastor?  Not made up places!”  But, if heaven were a real place, I think all would want to go there.  We would want to AT LEAST visit … but honestly, after visiting, we all would want to live there!  And here is the great news.  Not only is Heaven a real place, but we are going to visit there the next 3 Sundays at Wildwood.  Now, we are not going to actually physically GO to heaven, but we are going to take a tour of Heaven with the Apostle John as our guide.  

After spending the first 3 chapters of the “Revelation of Jesus Christ” reminding us all that Jesus is the “Lord of the Church,” John now reminds us that Jesus is also the “Lord of Heaven.”  In chapters 4-5, John records what he saw when Jesus invited him to tour Heaven and the Spirit prompted John to write down what he saw so we could see it through his eyes.

What do the physical surroundings of heaven look like?  Who is there?  What does it sound like?  What is the focus of heaven?  And what encouragment/direction does all this give to you and I who are living our lives on earth today?

John’s tour of heaven is far more than one of those HGTV shows where you see someone else’s fancy house you will never enter.  This tour is designed to show us life changing, perspective altering realities to shape the way we live and who we are living for.  Join us at Wildwood the next 3 Sundays (beginning this week April 24) at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 as we embark on our new sermon series “Lord of Heaven.”  See you Sunday!  … And bring friends. After all, heaven is a place we all want to go, and Jesus has paid the high cost for us to travel there.