Shock and Awe: Reverence for the Lord (Full Sunday Service Stream)

Oct 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Falling at His Feet: When Familiarity Meets Holy Awe

John thought he knew Jesus intimately—until the resurrected Lord appeared with eyes like fire and a voice like roaring waters. Spiritual complacency shatters when we confront the gap between our comfortable assumptions about Christ and the terrifying glory of His true presence. Like John, we must let fresh revelations of Jesus’ holiness destabilize our religious routines. True worship begins when our curated images of God crumble before His consuming fire. [43:27]

I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. (Revelation 1:12-17, ESV)

Reflection: What comfortable assumptions about Jesus need shattering in your life? Where have you substituted manageable ideas about God for the awe of His actual presence?

Day 2: The Fading Flame: When Passion Becomes Routine

The church at Ephesus kept correct doctrine but lost the white-hot love that once fueled midnight prayer meetings and radical generosity. Time’s slow erosion turns fiery faith into dutiful rituals, like a marriage reduced to discussing utility bills. Christ’s warning pierces: we measure spiritual health by activity, but He measures by affection. The greatest threat isn’t persecution—it’s the silent cooling of once-passionate hearts. [45:21]

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. (Revelation 2:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: What once-thrilling aspect of your walk with Christ now feels like routine maintenance? How would your spiritual life change if pursuing Jesus’ heart mattered more than checking religious boxes?

Day 3: Entertained, Not Transformed: The Danger of Sunday Spectators

Ezekiel’s crowds adored his preaching style but ignored his message—an ancient version of rating sermons like Netflix shows. When worship becomes about emotional highs or intellectual stimulation rather than costly obedience, we become spiritual consumers. God rejects applause that doesn’t alter Monday’s choices. The test of true hearing isn’t tears during the song set, but repentance in the parking lot. [01:00:53]

As for you, son of man, your people talk about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses; they say to one another, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ They come to you as people come, and sit before you as my people, but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. (Ezekiel 33:30-32, ESV)

Reflection: When has a sermon moved you emotionally without changing you practically? What truth have you applauded recently that still awaits your obedience?

Day 4: Holy Fear in a Shaking World: Anchoring to the Unshakable

Earthquakes of cultural change and personal crises reveal what we’ve truly built upon. Reverence isn’t cowering before a tyrant—it’s clinging to the only immovable Rock while false securities crumble. Like sailors lashing themselves to the mast in a storm, holy fear chooses allegiance to Christ’s kingdom when every wave screams compromise. This awe becomes our stabilizing joy. [01:07:51]

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29, ESV)

Reflection: What earthly security have you been gripping like a life preserver? How would anchoring to Christ’s unshakable kingdom change your response to current fears?

Day 5: Lip Service or Life Service: When Hearts Drift from the Altar

Isaiah’s warning cuts through religious pretense: we can sing loudest in worship yet chase money hardest at work. Jed York’s lonely prostitution sting exposes the hollow center of self-sufficient lives. Christ confronts our divided hearts—the danger isn’t rejecting Him outright, but seeking Him marginally. True reverence closes the gap between Sunday declarations and Tuesday decisions. [01:04:15]

And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men…” (Isaiah 29:13, ESV)

Reflection: Where does your spiritual vocabulary outpace your actual surrender? What current life circumstance is testing whether your worship is lip service or life service?

Sermon Summary

The fear of the Lord becomes the wake up call for a church that has grown casual with God. A spiritually impactful life that changes other people has to begin with a person being impacted by the Lord personally, day after day. John’s vision in Revelation shows that even the disciple who ate with Jesus, walked with Jesus, and loved Jesus could see the glorified Christ and fall at His feet as though dead. Christ will not stay in the nice little box that people think they have built for Him.

The churches in Revelation show what the hands of time can do to a once-passionate faith. Ephesus lost its first love. Pergamum lost purity by adding other doctrines and other things to Jesus. Sardis looked alive physically but was dead spiritually. Laodicea had prosperity and resources, yet remained impoverished in its soul, neither hot nor cold.

Casual love grows cold slowly, much like a marriage can become filled with bills, schedules, news, weather, sports, and family talk while the love itself fades into the background. A casual relationship with God stops reading the Word, stops fellowship, stops learning, and eventually checks the box of being Christian without actually loving Christ deeply. The Word of God cannot become something that gets ignored while videos, TikTok, Instagram, and somebody else’s thoughts become the source of spiritual strength. The blood of martyrs reminds the church that access to Scripture is a gift that cost people dearly.

Entertainment also becomes a danger when people come near God’s Word with no intention of doing what it says. Ezekiel’s listeners loved the experience of hearing the prophet, like listening to love songs with a beautiful voice or fine music on an instrument, but their hearts chased lust and money. Isaiah’s warning exposes lips that honor God while hearts remain far from Him. A heart can have everything it could possibly want and still be spiritually lonely.

Reverence puts God back in His rightful place. Hebrews calls believers to worship with holy fear and awe because the kingdom received in Christ is unshakable, even while the kingdoms, governments, and fears of the world shake all around. God is not to be taken lightly, for He is a consuming fire. Reverence makes repentance personal, turning attention away from fear of the world and toward the God who should be feared, honored, and obeyed.

The Lord’s Table then brings repentance into focus through Christ’s broken body and shed blood. Jesus commands His people to remember Him, not merely by hearing words or enjoying a moment, but by turning from shallow love, mixed priorities, and pretending. Communion proclaims Christ’s death until He comes again and calls His people to be transformed through obedience.

Key Takeaways

1. Spiritual impact starts with personal impact The call to influence others for Christ cannot be separated from being deeply changed by Christ. A person cannot keep giving away what has become distant, casual, or merely remembered from years ago. The Lord’s present work in the heart becomes the source of lasting spiritual fruit in the lives of others. [40:55]
2. Time can cool first love The hands of time often do more damage than an instant crisis. Love can fade through ordinary distractions, busy schedules, unchecked habits, and a faith that becomes common rather than extraordinary. Christ calls His people to recognize coldness before they wake up and ask, “Who is this person that I’m living with?” [48:29]
3. God’s Word demands personal digging The Bible cannot be replaced by clips, feeds, influencers, or someone else’s spiritual labor. The privilege of holding Scripture carries the weight of those who suffered so ordinary people could read it. Personal faith grows when the heart thinks, reads, listens, and responds to God’s Word for itself. [53:18]
4. Entertainment cannot produce obedience Ezekiel’s hearers enjoyed the sound of truth but had no intention of doing it. A moving service, good music, and emotional goosebumps can become a substitute for repentance if the heart leaves unchanged. God looks beyond the enjoyment of religious moments and searches for obedience. [60:53]
5. Reverence makes repentance personal Holy fear and awe put God in His rightful place as the consuming fire and the ruler of an unshakable kingdom. Reverence exposes shallow love, divided hearts, and the habit of fearing what frightens the world. Christ’s Table then calls the believer to remember His sacrifice and change the way of thinking.

## [70:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:15] - Dad Jokes and a Good Book
[38:50] - Forgiveness and the Awe of God
[40:55] - Being Impacted by the Lord
[41:49] - John Sees the Glorified Jesus
[44:23] - Four Churches That Lost Something
[48:29] - When Love Becomes Ordinary
[50:53] - The Danger of Growing Casual
[52:56] - Stop Letting Others Feed You
[56:46] - First Culture Problems and Revival
[59:09] - Ezekiel’s Entertained Listeners
[63:58] - Lips That Honor, Hearts Far Away
[66:42] - Reverence the Lord
[70:16] - Repentance and the Lord’s Table
[75:52] - Remembering Christ Through Communion

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Revelation 1:17
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last,” [43:32]

Hebrews 12:28-29
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” [01:07:51]

Ezekiel 33:30-32
“As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, 'Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.' And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.” [01:00:10]

Observation questions

What was John’s response when he saw the glorified Jesus, even though John had walked closely with Jesus during His earthly ministry? [43:32]
What four spiritual losses were identified in the churches at Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis, and Laodicea? [45:11]
In Ezekiel 33:30–32, how did the people respond to Ezekiel’s messages, and what did God say about their intention to obey? [01:01:42]
According to Hebrews 12:28–29, what kind of worship fits people who have received an unshakable kingdom? [01:08:35]

Interpretation questions

Why might John’s overwhelming response to Christ matter for believers who feel they already know Jesus well? What does it challenge about trying to keep Jesus comfortable, predictable, or contained? [44:03]
The churches described had not necessarily rejected faith openly; instead, their love cooled, purity became mixed, spiritual life faded, or comfort replaced dependence. Why are these slow changes often difficult for a person or church to recognize? [48:39]
Ezekiel’s listeners enjoyed hearing God’s word but did not plan to act on it. What is the difference between being moved by a worship service and being changed by God’s truth? [01:02:48]
Hebrews connects gratitude, worship, holy fear, and awe with receiving God’s unshakable kingdom. How does reverence for God help shift a believer’s attention away from fear of the world and toward obedience to God? [01:09:40]

Application questions

Is there an area where faith has become more like checking a box than loving Jesus deeply? What ordinary distractions, routines, or pressures may be slowly cooling that love? [52:29]
What currently has the greatest influence on spiritual thinking: Scripture itself, social media clips, podcasts, friends, or past experiences? What could make personal time in God’s Word more regular and thoughtful this week? [53:08]
When listening to God’s Word, what helps move from “That was encouraging” to “What will I obey?” Is there one clear act of obedience God may be putting in front of someone right now? [01:03:01]
Are comfort, financial security, approval from others, or familiar routines competing with dependence on Christ? How might that competition show up in decisions, spending, relationships, or prayer? [49:45]
What fears in the world—news, finances, family concerns, health, or the future—most easily take over the heart? How could holy fear of God reshape the way those fears are handled? [01:09:49]
Jesus’ sacrifice calls believers to remember Him honestly, not while pretending or holding onto mixed priorities. What would personal repentance look like in a specific area of life this week? [01:12:05]

Sermon Clips

49s

#FirstLove

“What happened? The love for many grew ordinary, grew ordinary. There was no extraordinary love for them anymore. It it just became ordinary. It just became common. It just became normal. They didn't have any extraordinary love for people. They lost their first love and they became distracted. They made small theological compromises along the way that diluted the uniqueness of Jesus. They developed a wonderful reputation with outsiders at the cost of their connection with Jesus.”

43s

#PersonalRevival

“We want a deep revival. We do. We constantly hear... I hear a lot of times, oh, God, bring a revival bring a revival to the to the community. Bring a revival to this nation. Pray for the revival of this nation. I hear the times, but look, we want it for everyone else. We want it for everyone else, not for us, because we think we've got it made. We think we're on the right path. We're like John. We think we know Jesus. We've got him in his box, and good, but we need to turn around and we need to drop as though dad so that we have that personal revival so that we can hear the message that Jesus has for us.”

32s

#BibleBlessing

“Do you really know the privilege and the honor that you have to have this in your hands? You know that for hundreds of years, hundreds of years, people spilled blood, their own blood, so that you could have this in your hands, so that you could have access to the word of God because it was it was shielded from us. It was protected from us, and the ordinary common normal person could not get it. It took forever to get it translated into normal language.”

32s

#FaithfulThroughLife

“Each of them had a had a a great attribute that they lost. They had a fantastic relationship, then life happened. And as they've been pastoring for years, I think that describes us. Many of us have a great relationship with God. We we start out well. We we get baptized in the baptismal, we start out fervently and passionately, and then life happens. And our passion wanes, and our purpose falters.”

34s

#KeepTheFaith

“The instant threat won't, but the hands of time will do that. is true with you spiritually. You take church casually. You take you take the reading of the word and you stop doing it. And and you stop listening, you stop getting involved in fellowship, you stop getting... Connecting with one another, and and it just becomes something casual to you. And you check off on the box, I'm a Christian. But truth is your love has grown cold.”

52s

#SpiritualAwakening

“Are you looking for a spiritual loophole? You add things to the word of God so that, well, your theology can fit into it. Spiritual loophole. Are you looking and are you spiritually lukewarm? Yeah. You come to church, but you're not seeing God answer the prayers, and yet you're not down on the dregs. Are you spiritually lukewarm? Are you spiritually lifeless? Lifeless. Someone call it dead. Dead. you just take advantage of your relationship with God, but you don't put any work into it. Those are the threats that we all face.”

53s

#HeartOfRepentance

“In the quietness of this room, Lord, I pray that repentance would happen. Repentance of pretending, repentance of shallow love, repentance of mixed priorities, repentance of adding things to you. Lord, thank you for this opportunity to truly remember you for what you've done and truly say I'm sorry for the things that I've made it. This is as good as it gets, holding you, consuming you, being forgiven by you. Jesus, thank you for this opportunity to take these elements today.”

38s

#ExamineYourHeart

“This sermon is is for all of us, and I'm preaching it to myself as well as to all of you. But I don't want you to just listen to the sermon and walk away. I really want you to do some thinking this morning. May the Lord's spirit speak to you and guide you and direct you as you hear these ideas and going, is my love for Jesus growing cold? Am I distracted? Am I... Have I added things to him? So that so that he's no longer... It's all about him. It's all about him plus something else.”

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