Is he Worthy?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Outline
Outline
Big Idea: Jesus alone is worthy because of WHO He is and What He has accomplished.
Who is worthy? – Vs. 1-2
None are worthy – Vs. 3-4
There is one – Vs. 5
The Lamb Who was Slain – Vs. 6-7
Response of Worship – Vs. 8-14
Introduction
Introduction
Sermon Illustration: The Medals and the Man
Years ago, a young boy wandered into a small military museum with his grandfather. The walls were covered in medals, photographs, and uniforms from heroes long gone. One display caught the boy’s eye—a shining Medal of Honor, enclosed in glass.
“Grandpa,” he asked, “what makes someone worthy to get that?”
His grandfather leaned in, eyes distant, voice quiet. “That medal isn’t given for trying hard. It’s not for showing up. It’s not even for being brave once. It’s given to someone who did what no one else could—someone who laid down his life to save others. That medal isn’t about the ribbon or the shine—it’s about the blood behind it.”
Then he pointed to a faded photo beside the medal. “That man. That’s the one who earned it.”
The boy stared at the medal again—but now, with reverence.
Transition to the Big Idea:
In Revelation 5, all of heaven stares at something greater than a medal.
After the question, “Who is worthy?” goes out…
and silence fell…
And John wept…
One will enter who gains the attention of all.
They behold the Lamb.
The scroll is His mission. The deed to earth which He alone will be worthy to take, to open, to claim.
The question: “Who is worthy?”
Not who is willing. Not who is present. Not who is strong. BUT Who is worthy…
The question was asked last week in our small group time, why was Jesus not worthy? Why was God not worthy? Why was there NO ONE found initially…
The question was for US, for us to look, to see, to be reminded…it was to draw our attention to God.
THERE IS ONE WORTHY, but He did not initially step forward for a reason…It was to draw our hearts to the need, to give us that pregnant pause, to allow us to feel all that we would feel, to experience all that we would so that when He chose to reveal Himself, the SALVATION and GLORY of that moment would be magnanimously more!
One will step forward. Only one steps forward—not just because of who He is, the Lion of Judah, but because of what He has done—the Lamb who was slain.
Jesus alone is worthy—because of who He is and what He accomplished.
Sermon Body
Sermon Body
Big Idea: Jesus alone is worthy because of WHO He is and What He has accomplished.
1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,
4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
The question is asked… and heaven holds its breath. But the silence that follows is deafening. Not a single being in heaven or earth or under the earth steps forward. Not one. And John weeps.
But just as the tears fall… hope breaks in. One of the elders turns to John—and to us—and says: Weep no more. There is One. One with the strength, the royalty, the righteousness to step forward.
There is one – Revelation 5:5
There is one – Revelation 5:5
5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
His weeping was premature. It was inappropriate.
No human or angel could do it, but there is one who could.
There is ONE - The Lion of Tribe of Judah
The “Lion of the tribe of Judah” occurs only once in the Bible - here in Rev 5:5. The phrase draws from Israel’s history and from the Old Testament.
Genesis 49:8-10
8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
9 Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
The lion was a prominent animal in the ancient Near East, used in the artwork of many nations to signify royalty and power.
In Egypt, there were lioness cults in the Nile Delta and gods such as Horus were depicted with lion features.
Ancient Mesopotamians associated the lion with the goddess Ishtar and both Egypt and Mesopotamia described their rulers as “lions” to portray them as mighty warriors.
“Judah,” (Tribe) in Genesis 49:9, is alluded to in this “lion” imagery.
9 Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
Specifically, a cub…but a lion still…
It is prophesied that….
The tribe of Judah should be victorious and successful in war.
One would come from Judah, that would be MORE than a cub, who would rule in might - Jesus.
Judah will be superior to the rest of the tribes; not only in itself more numerous and illustrious, but having a dominion over them
It should be a strong and courageous tribe, and so qualified for command and conquest
There is a reason why Lewis chose a lion to depict Aslan.
The lion is the king (ROYALTY) of beasts, the terror of the forest when he roars; when he seizes his prey, none can resist him; when he goes up from the prey, none dare pursue him to revenge it.
Judah is the LION, the mighty tribe who has the right and the might to rule.
It will be the royal tribe, and the tribe from which Messiah the Prince should come.
Matthew Henry
Much of what is here said concerning Judah is to be applied to our Lord Jesus.
(1.) He is the ruler of all his father’s children, and the conqueror of all his father’s enemies; and he it is that is the praise of all the saints.
(2.) He is the lion of the tribe of Judah, as he is called with reference to this prophecy (Rev. 5:5), who, having spoiled principalities and powers, went up a conqueror, and couched so as none can stir him up, when he sat down on the right hand of the Father.
(3.) To him belongs the sceptre; he is the lawgiver, and to him shall the gathering of the people be, as the desire of all nations (Hag. 2:7), who, being lifted up from the earth, should draw all men unto him (Jn. 12:32), and in whom the children of God that are scattered abroad should meet as the centre of their unity, Jn. 11:52.
(4.) In him there is plenty of all that which is nourishing and refreshing to the soul, and which maintains and cheers the divine life in it; in him we may have wine and milk, the riches of Judah’s tribe, without money and without price, Isa. 55:1.
This title depicts the ROYALTY, the MIGHT, the POWER of The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
The Jews expected the Messiah to be JUST SUCH A MAN.
Problem is…they expected a political messiah. They expected him to use his might and power against Rome to deliver them from Romans occupation.
But that is not what Christ did.
So they missed him.
His power and authority and might would come to bear in full later…namely now, at the end of time, during the Tribulation, at the end of Tribulation.
He is also called…
Root of David
A title derived from Isaiah 11:1, 10.
1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
Matthew 1 (Joseph) and Luke 3 (Mary) genealogies reveal that he was in fact a descendent of David BOTH my Mary and Joseph’s side.
Paul declares in Romans 1:3…
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
The title, “Son of David” was a distinctly messianic title.
Later in Revelation 22:16, this same title will be paired with “the descendent of David.”
This clarification makes clear that what we are speaking about is that David was the DESCENDENT or offspring of David.
The meaning behind this word, “root” is offspring or descendent.
Meaning, he has EVERY kingly and divine right to rule. He WAS FROM DAVID.
Christ has the authority to take the scroll and open it because
Not only is He righteous - which we are not
But he is royalty - which the angels are not.
…He IS of David’s rightful authority.
This LION of the TRIBE OF JUDAH, David’s line, IS DESCENDED from David through BOTH of his parents.
Thus, He is worthy.
But He is also worthy for another reason…
A reason that is noted from HOW John beholds him. Not a as Lion, as you might expect, but instead, as Lamb. Slain. Yet standing.
The Lamb Who was Slain – Revelation 5:6-7
The Lamb Who was Slain – Revelation 5:6-7
6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
As Christ enters this throne room, his appearance declares the other reason he is worthy…
We are told that between the throne and these four living creatures
And AMONG the 24 elders…
A Lamb standing, as though it had been slain
Lamb - Capital P.
Lamb – Slain. Pet lamb, child lamb. Images back to the Passover and the lamb the Israelites had to bring into their home in preparation for Passover.
OT sacrifices
Standing, ALIVE, on his feet, though looking to have been slain – Defeat over death
And this lamb is?
Jesus.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David
(Pause)
And here is the paradox that heaven offers - one that should take our breath away!
THE LION is actually a LAMB that was slain.
Jesus is the Lion—in authority and might!
Jesus is the Lamb—in atonement and grace!
Mighty in power. Tender in grace. He alone is worthy!
Church, can you say this with me?
Interestingly, Christ is only referred to as a lamb, once in the OT. Even though every sacrificed lamb pointed towards Him, He is only referred to as one, once, in the OT. (Isaiah 53:7)
In the NT, outside of Revelation, he is only called a Lamb, four times (John 1:29, 36; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19)
In Revelation, He is called a Lamb, 31 times.
He is presented as a Lamb, one who had the appearance being slain, and yet he was still standing. Alive. Victorious. Death defeated.
We are told He has seven horns.
Seven Horns
The horn is proverbially a symbol of courage, strength, and might.
Number seven – perfection/completion
His strength is unmatched and unbeaten.
Seven eyes which represent the seven spirits of God.
This denotes his perfect and complete knowledge.
His omniscience.
There is nothing that He does not see, does not know, does not understand with perfectly clarity.
Nothing is hidden from the sight or understanding of God.
He took the scroll
What makes him worthy to open the scroll?
Because He was/is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
He IS the Root of David
AND
Because he was slain for the salvation of mankind.
John Stott, in, The Incomparable Christ, notes why Christ was worthy to open the scroll.
Victory - The reason why the Lamb was able to open the scroll is because he has triumphed (5:5).
Redemption - The repeated use of the title ‘the Lamb’ will immediately have reminded Jewish readers of the Passover. For just as the Passover lamb was sacrificed, its blood sprinkled and the people spared, so Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us, so that we might be redeemed and might celebrate the festival of redemption.
Suffering - For the sufferings of the Christ, although unique in their redemptive significance, were nevertheless the prototype of the sufferings of the people of God. Because he suffered, his people are called to suffer. Because he went to the cross, he calls us to take up our cross and follow him. So John moves on from the Lamb slain (in ch. 5) to the souls of the martyrs, slain because of their faithful testimony (in ch. 6). Thus those who are called to suffer for Christ, whose sufferings are so hard to understand and to bear, learn to see them in the light of the sufferings of Christ.
Weakness - specifically of power through weakness. This paradox is seen in its most dramatic form in Christ and the cross, and in John’s vision in Revelation 4 and 5. For at the centre of God’s throne (symbol of power) stands a slain Lamb (symbol of weakness). In other words, power through weakness, dramatized in God on the cross and the Lamb on the throne, lies at the heart of ultimate reality, even of the mystery of almighty God himself.
The Lamb who was slain…he is worthy…because he alone did what none other could.
His worthiness is verified by WHO He is and WHAT He has done
And with His entrance this heavenly scene, all heaven breaks loose into a rapturous cacophony of worship!
The crescendo of praise that began at the beginning of chapter 4, reaches momentous explosion now.
At the moment the Lamb takes the scroll, heaven explodes—not in destruction, but in adoration. It’s as if all of creation has been waiting for this one act—for this Lamb—to begin the final chapter of redemption.
The earlier silence gone! An eruption of worship fills the heavenly space!
Response of Worship – Revelation 5:8-14
Response of Worship – Revelation 5:8-14
Close your eyes. Listen as I read…Try to picture what John is seeing.
8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Can you picture it?
This incredible explosion of worship…too glorious for us behold.
Frankly to glorious to depict, though with Ai, I tried.
They sing of His worth
His wealth
His might
His wisdom
His glory and honor
His blessing
EVERY creature joins in…
Declaring His worth, his honor, his glory, his blessing
AND EVERY LIVING creature falls down in absolute worship!
Macarthur
The spontaneous outburst of worship results from the realization that the long-anticipated defeat of sin, death, and Satan is about to be accomplished and the Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth in triumph and establish His glorious millennial kingdom. The curse will be reversed, the believing remnant of Israel will be saved, and the church will be honored, exalted, and granted the privilege of reigning with Christ. All of the pent-up anticipation of millennia finally bursts out at the prospect of what is about to take place.
The presence of the harps and the bowls of incense strengthen this picture.
Harps were often connected to OT worship and prophecy (e.g., 2 Sam. 6:5; 1 Chron. 15:16, 20, 28; 16:5; 2 Chron. 5:12; 29:25; Pss. 33:2; 71:22; 92:1–4; 144:9; 150:3; cf. Rev. 14:2; 15:2 — 1 Sam 10:5; 2 Kings 3:15; 1 Chron 25:1).
The bowls of incense were like those used in the temple, which represented the priestly intercession for the people. (1 Kings 7:40, 45, 50; 2 Kings 12:13–14; 1 Chron. 28:17; 2 Chron. 4:22; Jer. 52:19; Zech. 14:20)
Elsewhere in scripture, they are used to denote the prayers of the saints. It represents the prayers of believers that prophesied and promised that redemption would come. (Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:9–10; and Revelation 8:3–4)
Together, they emphasize here that the promise, redemption, judgment…it is all coming to pass.
And so, they sing a new song. SALVATION IS COMING
The Worship and song was THAT OF THE ELDERS, the believers, those of the redeemed (Not the angels)
The Angels always seem to SPEAK their praise…they did not sing it.
Look throughout scripture, you will not see anywhere where angels sing. They only ever speak. The redeemed sing.
The focus of the song – redemption; also indicative of the fact that it is sung by those who have actually been redeemed.
The worship is centered on the Lamb that was slain.
The slain Lamb is the center of our worship - forever!
IT IS THE REASON HE IS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND TO UNFOLD THE REDEMPTION OF ALL HIS CREATION.
It is reason why HE ALONE is worthy to do this.
HE ALONE is righteous enough
HE ALONE had the divine right
HE ALONE has paid the cost necessary
Church, Can you behold this scene?
Do you see His holiness?
Do you see His worthiness?
Do you see His glory?
ARE YOU, church, part of this song? Does this song of praise and worship reflect the depth of your being as you behold God?
Big Idea: Jesus alone is worthy because of WHO He is and What He has accomplished.
Church… this isn’t just a future scene. It’s a preview of the worship we’re invited into now. The question isn’t just ‘Is He worthy?’
—it’s ‘Have you responded to His worth?’
Conclusion
Conclusion
Does this truth move your heart to praise, to worship? Does it move you to humble yourself, to submit to Him? Does this truth bring you to brokenness?
Play Video – Is he Worthy (Shane and Shane)
Big Idea: Jesus alone is worthy because of WHO He is and What He has accomplished.
Church, I have saved the application point until the end - on purpose.
Because, only after we have attempted to behold Him can we make it.
Church…
Will you acknowledge his weight and worth?
Will you too, cast down your crowns?
Will you praise His name? Not just then, but now?
Will you SURRENDER, your ENTIRE self to Him?
Will you TRUST Him, not only with all you have, BUT ALL WHO YOU ARE?
Will you trust Him with your identity, Your desires, passions, and convictions?
Will you ABIDE in Him? Will His words abide you?
Will you live for Christ and Christ alone, who is worthy because of WHO He is and WHAT He has accomplished?
Pray
Application Questions
Application Questions
How does understanding that Jesus is the only one worthy change your perspective on worship?
What does it mean for you personally that no one in heaven or on earth is worthy apart from Christ?
How can the truth that Jesus is worthy encourage your faith during trials and tribulations?
How can acknowledging Jesus’ worthiness influence your daily decisions and priorities?
How can you encourage your friends to recognize and respond to Jesus’ worthiness?
What changes might you make in your life to reflect the glory and honor that Jesus deserves?
