Focus: He Is Worthy!

Text: Rev.5:12,13

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!… To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

The Lamb is worthy, and He is worthy not by mere words but by real deeds. He is worthy by His sacrificial and vicarious death on the cross of Calvary. The Lamb was slain as an act of personal volition and self-giving. That is why He is worthy. He was slain for the purpose of saving man from sin, Satan and death. By the death of the Lamb death is stripped of its power, and death has become a means for the believer in Christ to move from this side of life to the other side of life. Having been slain, He is now worthy to receive all the glory from the redeemed. The Lamb is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is now sitting on the throne of the universe, governing the affairs of mankind.

Our text says the Lamb was slain, but He did not remain slain. He was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, and as we speak, He is sitting on the throne by the right hand of the Father.

The Lamb is worthy to receive glory and power. Rev.4:11 says, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to RECEIVE glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." David says, "I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be PRAISED: so shall I be saved from mine enemies" (2Sam.22:4).

John wrote, "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to TAKE the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Rev.5:9). He is worthy to receive glory, worthy to be praised, and worthy to take the book and break the seal thereof.

Our worthy Lord has bought us with His blood, reconciled us to God, and made us a kingdom of priests. Our worthy Lord has made unworthy people, like us, worthy in His sight.

Jacob says, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands" (Gen.32:10).

John the Baptist said, "He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear" (Mt.3:11). The centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Mt.8:8). According to the parable of our Lord Jesus Christ, those invited to the wedding feast were deemed unworthy. He says, "The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy" (Mt.22:8). He sent to invite all sorts of unworthy people to the wedding feast. The prodigal son, in the parable our Lord Jesus, said to his father, "I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am NO MORE WORTHY to be called thy son" (Lk.15:21). John wept in heaven, for among all the saints, no one was found worthy to take the book and break the seal thereof. He says, "I wept much, because NO MAN WAS FOUND WORTHY to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon" (Rev.5:4). The worthy Lamb has counted us worthy through His graciousness. Paul says, "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us…" (Eph.2:4).

The saints sing and worship the Lamb because He is worthy. He is deserving of our praise. The basis of our worship is His worthiness. In the place of worship we contemplate on His:

*Wisdom

He is all-wise - the God of infinite wisdom.

*Omnipotence/omnipresence/omniscience

His unique attributes mark Him out as God.

*Royal radiance

He glows with kingly glory

*Sovereignty

He rules, and where He does not rule, He overrules.

*Holiness

He is utterly holy and absolutely unique.

*Infiniteness/infallibility

He's transcendent and unfailing.

*Providence

He controls history and takes charge of destinies.

God is deep and heavy. When we truly focus on God for who and what He is, we would indeed forget ourselves and be lost in wonder and worship.

Let's take time to contemplate on the worthiness of the Lamb of God, and as His kingdom of priests, let us worship Him in total self-forgetfulness. He is always worthy of our praise. We live and move in Him, by Him we fulfill our destiny and realize our eternal essence.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter