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TRU-10

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Last time we saw what always makes worship unacceptable to God. This week we are looking at what always makes our worship acceptable and pleasing to God.

As we read these words, think about what you are looking at as we see a picture of the 24 elders; most likely, each of these 24 men seated on the inner circle of the Throne were formerly imperfect sinners, saved by grace, cleansed each day by the sacrifice of Christ, glorified at the moment of their death, and now in Heaven offering perfected worship.

Did you catch one very profound truth? Each servant of God that we will ever find in Heaven was once an imperfect servant of God, the entire time they lived on Earth.Biblical Worship

Truth # 1: All Believers, in Every Time Period, Have
Always Been Imperfect, All throughout Their Lives

One of the most amazing truths of God’s Word is that God accepts and uses imperfect people. The simplest and most accurate description of the Apostles would be: twelve imperfect men. The simplest and most accurate description of the John, Paul, Peter, Noah, Daniel, Moses, Hannah, and even Mary would be: they each were imperfect servants.

The same could be said for every servant, every saint, every Christian home, and every Christian marriage. The simplest and most accurate description of all we do, and are, is: imperfect.

Truth # 2: Imperfect Saints that are Surrendered Can
Offer Worship that God Treasures and Rewards

So what is it that makes what we do acceptable, pleasing to God, lasting, golden like the crowns of Heaven, and eternal? Submission. In the verses we have before us this morning portrays the submission God delights in.

The elders (who were formerly imperfect earthly saints) do a visual for us as they worship in Heaven: they humbly fall on their faces, bowing submissively before Christ the King, and as an offering of worship, lay their golden crowns as His feet.

They humbly fall on their faces in Heaven, because they had humbly worshipped on Earth. They submissively bow in Heaven, because they had submissively bowed on Earth.

They offer golden crowns in Heaven, because God declares their worship on Earth was tested as they offered it, and was found to be like gold. Remember what God has already told us in I Corinthians 3:10-13, that all of our good works will go through the fires of refinement to see what is true gold.