TEXT: Revelation 22:8-9
8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
— PRAYER —
The Free State of Glory (Part 31): Worship God Alone
By way of review, last week, we learned from John’s testimony of the truth of the revelation he received. Just as in John’s day, there are many who claim to have divine revelation, but who do not. We must be careful about who we listen to and measure everything by the Word of God.[
As John the Revelator neared the end of his vision of the end times, he became so overwhelmed by the message that he had received that he fell down and began to worship the angel who was showing him the vision. The Bible says that the angel immediately rebuked him, saying, “I am thy fellowservant… Worship God.”
We might say to ourselves that John should know better than to worship an angel. We might consider such commands to worship only God the most basic commands in the Bible. But, there is a lot of worship of “fellowservants” going on in the church today (not to mention the worship of celebrities, politicians, culture, and human pursuits that goes on in the world). Over 50 years ago, John Lennon declared that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus.” Well, the Beatles are gone and Jesus is still here. But there still seem to be some people who are vying to be “more popular than Jesus.” And, unfortunately, many in the church are facilitating this worship of man more than the Messiah.
John Pavlovitz said the “modern Christian Church culture has become the newest star machine, churning out a seemingly endlessly supply of overstyled, attractive, charismatic men and women of God, who are perfectly bred for mass consumption. They seem totally fine with soaking up the spotlight and getting the lion’s share of the glory, leaving Jesus as only a quiet, gracious runner-up. We see entire churches built entirely upon a personality cult, with pastors spoken of in hushed, reverent tones, as if they were vying for a spot in the Trinity itself.”
The Christian leaders of today need to follow the angel’s example and remind themselves and those under their influence that they are just “fellowservants” and “brethren” within the household of God. And, like John, all of us need to resist the temptation to worship others in ministry, no matter how mightily God may be using them. The honor of worship belongs to God alone. It is He who enables and empowers His servants to speak His words and to do His work in the world. Worship God alone.
We would do well to remember the words of Psalm 95, put to hymn by Michael Perry:
Come, worship God, who is worthy of honor;
enter God’s presence with thanks and a song!
You are the rock of your people’s salvation,
to whom our jubilant praises belong.
Ruled by your might are the heights of the mountains;
held in your hands are the depths of the earth.
Yours is the sea, yours the land, for you made them,
God above all gods, who gave us our birth.
We are your people, the sheep of your pasture;
you are our Maker, and to you we pray.
Gladly we kneel in obedience before you;
great is the one whom we worship this day!
To those who don’t know God, who is worthy of all worship, I invite you to get to know Him today. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to make a way for you to begin a relationship with Him, guaranteeing the salvation of your soul and an eternal home in Heaven. Allow me to share with you how you can place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today:
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door.” Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
BCNN1 WP 