The sermon centers on a simple but searching theme drawn from Revelation 4: God is worthy. Preached within the frame of a “Glory to God” emphasis, the message challenges a pervasive self-centeredness that distracts believers from giving God the glory due His name. The pastor observes that across life stages—youth preoccupied with self, adults consumed by busyness and bills, seniors intent on enjoying the remainder of life—people tend to orbit their own concerns. The stated aim is to redirect attention from self to God, letting the vision of heaven in Revelation 4 recalibrate worship, obedience, and identity.

Setting the Lens: Revelation 4 and the Throne Room

Reading Revelation 4:1–11, the preacher underscores that heaven’s reality surpasses imagination. John’s vision is both breathtaking and strange to earthly categories: the throne, the radiant stones, the rainbow like an emerald, the sea of glass, the four living creatures (lion, calf, man, eagle), the twenty-four elders, and the unceasing cry, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” The creatures, representing dominion throughout creation, yield allegiance to the King of kings, and the elders—associated with the tribes of Israel and the apostles—fall down and cast their crowns, declaring, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power” (v. 11). That climactic confession is the sermon's anchor.

The Burden Beneath the Text: Worth and Where We Look for It

The key term “worthy” (axios) connotes weight, value, and intrinsic worthiness. The preacher notes how many wrestle with insecurities about value—young people paralyzed by “what-ifs,” adults shrinking their contribution to a comfortable niche, church members assuming they can “only fill this spot.” He warns that if he were the enemy, he wouldn’t necessarily remove people from church; he would remove their sense of value while they remain comfortable, keeping them small and inert.

Against that, the sermon insists: a Christian’s value is not based on personal skill, possessions, past, or potential—it is based on what God does through that life. The point is illustrated with a story: the same old car is valued at $3,000 at a dealership, $7,000 at a used lot, and up to $100,000 among car enthusiasts. The application: value changes with context and ownership. In the hands of God—the One supremely worthy—even a “hunk of junk” becomes an instrument for remarkable work. Therefore, the believer’s worth is derived from, and magnified by, the worthiness of God.

Working Backward Through the Doxology: Power, Honor, Glory

The preacher then takes the three terms of verse 11 in reverse order—power, honor, glory—and shows how each shapes the believer’s response.

1) Power — What God Can Do (and What We Should Stop Trying to Do for Him)

“Power” (linked to the word from which “dynamite” comes) denotes God’s effective ability and strength. Throughout Scripture, God’s power is seen in creation by His word, in nothing being too hard for Him, in His rule over kings, in Christ’s claim that all authority is His, and in God upholding all things. In Revelation 1:8, God declares Himself “Alpha and Omega… the Almighty.”

Application: God’s power should reshape our posture from hurry to humble worship. We are prone to say “I know, I know,” like a child refusing instruction, and then fail. The exhortation is to stand still and let God work. When He answers prayer in ways that humble and surprise us, the right response is adoration: “Lord, You are so good.” Power moves us to worship—not merely for what He gives, but for who He is as the One who speaks and it is done.

2) Honor — How We Regard God (and Why Obedience Matters)

“Honor” means to hold in high regard. This is why His name cannot be treated lightly or tossed off as an exclamation; names carry meaning, and His name is above every name. The sermon points out that Scripture consistently commands reverence for God, forbidding other gods before Him and calling His people to honor Him.

Application: Honor and obedience are inseparable. “Children, obey… honor”—the pairing reveals that disobedience exposes a lack of respect, and a lack of respect reveals a lack of honor. The preacher applies this tangibly: if we struggle to give to God—not just money, but time and the talents God has entrusted to us—we struggle to honor God. Even Christ, the Son, honored the Father; how much more should His followers. Thus, honor affects our obedience; to revere His name is to rearrange our life in submission to His will.

3) Glory — Who God Is (and What Outshines Our Lesser Pursuits)

“Glory” (doxa) speaks to radiance, reputation, and regal majesty—the compelling weight of who God is. The sermon recalls how Moses’ face shone after glimpsing God’s glory; how the heavens proclaim His glory; how He will not share His glory with idols; and how heaven itself is lit by His glory in Revelation. Glory sets God apart from every rival object of worship.

Application: We often chase “lesser glories”—promotion, material accumulation, entertainment, self-gratification. These become our functional motives. But when we behold God’s incomparable glory, our appetite for lesser things is exposed as small, and our hearts reorient around His surpassing worth. Further, glory reveals God’s character: He does not lie, He provides, He transforms messes into messages. The preacher briefly testifies to God taking a boy without obvious advantages and choosing to use that life—because God’s character is good. Seeing who He is changes who we are.

A Threefold Response to a Threefold Worthiness

The sermon distills the practical arc:

• God’s power moves us to worship — We cease striving, stand still, and adore the Almighty who speaks and it is done.
• God’s honor affects our obedience — Reverence shows itself in submission: giving our time, talents, and substance; treating His name as holy; obeying because we esteem Him highly.
• God’s glory reveals His character — As His majesty outshines lesser pursuits, His goodness becomes our motivation, and His presence redefines our identity and purpose.

The refrain from verse 11 becomes both confession and commission: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” The preacher urges the church—especially in this season of thanksgiving and toward Christmas—to yield themselves to God consistently, recognizing He is the reason to be thankful and the best gift to be given. The call is not to try harder in self-focus, but to look up: when we see His worthiness, we recover our value and vocation in Him.