Is Anyone Worthy?

Lead Vocalist (Joel)

Welcome & Announcements (Mike L)

Good morning family!

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Announcements:

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Now please take a moment of silence to prepare your heart for worship.

Call to Worship (Psalm 24:7-10)

Prayer of Praise (Shelly Robertson)

The First Hymn

Doxology (God Be Praised)

Prayer of Confession (Joey Flowers), Heartless worship

Assurance of Pardon (1 John 1:7-9)

Crown Him

Worthy of Your Name

Scripture Reading (Revelation 5:1-14)—page 1221 in the black Bibles

Pastoral Prayer (Mike L)

Prayer for PBC—Deeper love for Christ

Prayer for kingdom partner—Regions in Need – Mark Waite

Prayer for US—For the U.S. Military (Memorial Day Week)

Prayer for the world—Jordan

Pray for the sermon

SERMON

START TIMER!!!

In the classic film The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wants to go home. She’s told that if she travels to the Emerald City, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz can help her. So she sets out on the yellow brick road, joined by fellow pilgrims who also want to see the wizard. The Tin Man needs a heart, the Lion lacks courage, and the Scarecrow wants a brain.

When they finally arrive, the wizard appears terrifying. There are flashes of light, smoke, and a thunderous voice. And for a moment, it works. They tremble. They believe. They stand in wonder.

But then Dorothy’s dog Toto pulls back the curtain. And the wonder collapses. The great and powerful wizard is just a small, ordinary, and unimpressive old man. The one they thought was worthy of their fear and trust turns out not to be worthy at all.

And yet, in a strange twist, they discover they didn’t need him anyway. The Tin Man already had compassion, the Lion already showed courage, and the Scarecrow could think. Even Dorothy already possessed what she needed to get home.

It’s a charming ending, but it’s also a dangerous message. Because it teaches us to give our wonder to things that aren’t truly worthy. And then, when those things inevitably fall short, to believe we don’t need anyone or anything greater than ourselves. [1]

We feel that same pull today.

We are constantly drawn to what looks impressive: another blockbuster film, a binge-worthy show, a great athlete, a rising politician, a social media influencer, a new technology, a product that promises happiness. We are searching for something worthy of our attention… worthy of our trust… worthy of our hope.

But eventually, the curtain gets pulled back. And what once felt wonderful feels ordinary. What once captured our attention no longer satisfies.

And that raises a deeper question: Is there anyone who truly is worthy?

Worthy not just of our attention—but of our trust… our hope… even our worship?

Revelation 5 gives us an answer.

Last week in chapter 4, the Apostle John showed us a vision of the center of the universe.

And it’s not you. It’s not me. It’s not what’s going on in Washington D.C., Hollywood, New York, or Iran.

At the center of the universe is a sovereign God seated on His throne.

Now John continues that vision and He shows us something even more staggering.

All of heaven is searching for someone worthy.

And for just a moment, it looks like there is no one.

Until John sees a slain Lamb.

Not impressive by the world’s standards. And yet, He alone is truly worthy.

Jesus alone is worthy to unfold and fulfill God’s plan for the universe.

That’s the Big idea I hope to show you from God’s Word this morning.

We’ll see this unfold in Three Scenes:

In verses 1-4, we’ll see An Unopened Scroll,…

In verses 5-7, An Unexpected Savior,…

And in verses 8-14, An Unending Song.

Now as we walk through this vision, remember: John is showing us truth through pictures.

I don’t think it’s helpful to try to figure out exactly when in history these events take place. I don’t think that’s John’s point at all.

He is using all these pictures and symbols to tell us the truth about Jesus.

And our goal is that we would respond rightly to the truth that Jesus alone is worthy to unfold and fulfill God’s plan for the universe.

So with that in mind, let’s begin with...

Scene 1: An Unopened Scroll

Revelation 5:1—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.

Now remember, the One who is seated on the throne is God the Father.

Last week we looked over John’s shoulder as He caught a glimpse of the Father seated on His throne.

He saw glorious colors, an emerald rainbow, and flashes of lightning.

He heard rumblings and peals of thunder.

He saw these terrifying angelic creatures called cherubim surrounding the throne.

Now he looks and sees a scroll.

John tells us the scroll is sealed with seven seals, which means that it cannot be opened by just anybody.

And it’s written on both sides, meaning its contents are fixed. There’s no room to write anything else here.

Now John doesn’t explicitly tell us what’s in this scroll, but we can venture a pretty good guess based on the context.

In chapters 6-8, as the seals are opened, we see God’s plan for the universe unfolding.

His enemies are judged and His people are rescued.

So we agree with Joel Beeke who says, “The scroll is God’s comprehensive, detailed, unchangeable plan for His creation. From the falling of a hair from your head, dear believer, to the latest world-shaking events reported in today’s news, everything is on that scroll. The destinies of every atom in the earth, as well as the mighty galaxies of the cosmos, are all there. Nothing is left to chance, for God’s purpose embraces all His creatures and all their actions. Everything is in this book, including all of our human decisions; they, too, are part of God’s plan. . . . Nothing is missing. Nothing can be changed. Nothing can be added. Nothing is left to chance.” [2]

Christian, this should offer incredible comfort to you. You will never face something that surprises your God. He is never caught off guard. He knows all things, including all the things that haven’t even happened yet.

Now, as comforting as God’s perfect knowledge is, it must be paired with perfect power. In other words, if God KNOWS what is going to happen but He can’t CONTROL what is going to happen that really isn’t helpful, is it?

So God must not only KNOW what’s on the scroll, He must be able to open the scroll so that His sovereign plan will come to pass.

Revelation 5:2–4—And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.

In John’s day it would be a remarkable offense to open a sealed scroll unless you had authority to do so.

So too, this scroll cannot be opened by just anyone. The person who opens it must be worthy.

And yet, no one is worthy.

Philip Hughes says this scene shows “there is nothing more deplorable and more calamitous in the story of mankind than our total unworthiness as sinful creatures in the presence of our Maker. Nothing is more lamentable than the fact that by our own ungodliness we have deprived ourselves of all worthiness.” [3]

Unless this scroll is opened, God’s plan will not come to pass. Evil will not be judged. God’s people will not be rescued. There will be no new heavens and new earth, no world without suffering, sin, sorrow, and death.

As John begins to understand the significance of an unopened scroll, he begins to weep.

What makes you weep, friend? Do you weep when you fall into sin? Do you weep for those who don’t know the gospel? Do you weep when you see evil thriving in our world? Do you weep when you see God’s people—your brothers and sisters—attacked and mocked? Do you weep when you see God’s people failing to obey Him? You can tell a lot about what we value by what makes us weep.

Do you know the shortest verse in the Bible?

Standing outside the tomb of His friend, Lazarus, John 11:35 says “Jesus wept.”

Why would Jesus weep? If the Bible is true, Jesus is God in human flesh. That means He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants.

He can bring Lazarus back to life if He wants! And, if you know the story, you know that’s exactly what He did!

Why, then, did Jesus weep? Because that’s the right response in the face of death.

And the right response in the face of a world without rescue and justice is to weep!

So John weeps at the thought of an unopened scroll, a world where God’s purposes do not come to pass.

But that’s not the end of the story. Consider with me…

Scene 2: An Unexpected Savior

Revelation 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.”

Now before we look at what the elder said, let’s remember who these elders are.

The word elder here is not referring to old people, and it’s not referring to an elder or pastor in a local church.

We were first introduced to the twenty-four elders last week in Revelation 4:4.

There were twelve tribes of Israel in the Old Testament, and twelve disciples of Jesus in the New Testament.

And since twenty-four is simply two twelves, I believe the twenty-four elders represent all the people of God in both the Old and New Testaments.

It is probably significant that it is a believer, not an angel who speaks words to comfort the weeping Apostle. Only a believer can truly understand forgiveness and grace. [4]

And what does this believer say to comfort John?

Weep no more, John! There is someone who is worthy to open the scroll!

He calls this Worthy One “the Lion of Judah.”

That’s a reference to a prophecy made by Jacob to his twelve sons. He said this…

Genesis 49:9–10—Judah is a lion’s cub. . . . 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.

From this moment, God’s people began looking for a conquering king from the tribe of Judah.

King David was from the tribe of Judah, and for a brief moment it looked like He would be the One.

But David failed miserably.

And so did his son, Solomon.

Centuries passed, and the kingdom of Judah fell completely.

It looked like God had forgotten His promise!

Until the prophet Isaiah said…

Isaiah 11:10—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.

Did you catch the connection to our text in Revelation 5?

Not only is the Worthy One “the Lion of Judah,” He’s also "the Root of David.”

He is the Promised One! He has conquered! He is worthy to open the scroll!

Now, I know many of you are familiar with this passage. You’ve heard it taught and preached, you’ve read it many times, we even sing about it here at PBC.

But I want you to do your best to imagine yourself in John’s shoes for just a moment.

You’re weeping because you’re afraid God’s plans for the universe won’t be fulfilled.

One of the redeemed tells you to stop weeping. The great Lion has arrived!

So you turn your head in wonder. . . and you see. . . a lamb?

Revelation 5:6–7—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. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

Before we unpack the symbolism here, I want us to stop and think about the contrast between what John hears and what John sees.

John hears about a conquering, lion-like king.

But he sees a Lamb that looks like it’s been slaughtered.

What a powerful reminder that, in God’s world, things are not always what they seem. We live in a world that says what looks impressive is actually important.

Movies, TV shows, video games, sports, whatever’s trending on social media—all these things look impressive.

Meanwhile, so much of what we do here doesn’t look impressive at all. We’re ordinary people doing ordinary things like singing, praying, and listening.

Do not believe the lie that everything that looks impressive is actually important.

What happens all across the world in faithful churches every single Sunday is more important than everything that’s trending on X right now. That lowly, ordinary believer sitting behind you is far more important in God’s Kingdom than all the most impressive-looking people on the planet.

Do you value what God values? Or are you chasing after all the things that look impressive, while ignoring what’s actually important?

Jesus doesn’t look impressive, but He is infinitely important.

And, if we’re honest, the vision of Jesus that John sees here is a bit strange.

Why does Jesus have seven horns and seven eyes?

Remember, this is a vision and the details are symbolic.

Horns represent power, so the fact that Jesus has seven means He has complete and perfect power.

Don’t let Jesus’ appearance fool you. He was stricken, smitten, and afflicted. He seems weak to the world. But Jesus is not weak. He has all authority and all power!

The eyes represent wisdom and knowledge, so the fact that Jesus has seven means He sees everything by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Jesus looks like a Lamb that has been slain because He conquered by dying.

And the Lamb is standing because death wasn’t the end!

This is a symbolic picture of the central message of Christianity, what the Bible calls the Gospel.

EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL

Unbeliever: repent and believe!

Christian: you and I must continually fight the temptation to be bored by the gospel. Instead, we are to respond to the gospel the same we we see in our text.

Consider with me…

Scene 3: An Unending Song

Think about a moment in sports when everything changed in an instant—the final play, the unexpected turn—and suddenly the entire stadium erupts.

Now multiply that—not by ten, not by a hundred—but beyond anything you’ve ever heard.

Because that’s what John is describing here.

All of heaven, all of creation, erupting in worship of the Lamb.

Revelation 5:8–14—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. 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, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 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, 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!” 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!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

In these verses, John records three separate eruptions of praise.

In verses 8-10, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders are praising the Lamb.

In verses 11-12, an innumerable gathering of angels joins in praise.

And then, in verses 13-14, the entire created order—rocks, stars, zebras, kangaroos, oak trees, mountains, and oceans—join in praising the Lamb.

This is not just a moment of worship—this is the entire universe finding its voice.

But for the sake of time, I want us to focus on our song.

Let’s read it one more time…

Revelation 5:9–10—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, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Consider with me a few practical applications from this, the song of the Redeemed....

We should sing!

I’m not sure how significant this is, but it is interesting to me that singing is only explicitly mentioned in verse 9.

In verse 12, the angels are saying, “Worthy is the Lamb.”

In verse 13, every creature is saying, “Worthy is the Lamb.”

But verse 9 says that believers sing.

Do you sing, Christian?

I know that you can find churches where the music is a lot more like watching a concert. All the lights are focused on the stage. You can only hear the professional musicians.

But at PBC, the instruments we want to hear more than any other are the collective voices of God’s people.

I’m not sure if there will be preaching or praying or communion in heaven. But I know there will be singing in heaven.

If you aren’t singing when we sing, I would encourage you to ask the Lord to help you to love to sing!

We should never get over the cross!

Notice that the saints in verse 9 are singing a new song in heaven. But what is that new song about?

“Worthy are you… , for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,…

Even in heaven, God’s people don’t get over the cross.

I heard an old, old story How a Savior came from glory How He gave His life on Calvary To save a wretch like me I heard about His groaning Of His precious blood's atoning Then I repented of my sin Christ won the victory [5]

Christian, have you gotten over the old, old story? If you have, would you ask God to forgive you? Would you ask Him to restore the joy of your salvation?

But there’s another lesson we need to learn here as well…

Richard Phillips says it well: “If the death of Christ to ransom us from sin is the center of heaven’s worship, it must also be at the center of the church’s witness on earth.” [6]

The cross of Christ should be all over everything we do here. We should sing about it, pray about it, preach about it, talk about it, and constantly shape our lives to live in light of it.

We should remember our mission!

Why are we still here? Why are we not yet in heaven, rejoicing in our King in a world without suffering, sin, and death?

Because there are still some that God is going to save, who have not yet trusted Him.

Look again at the language in verse 9…

“… by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Do you see the definite language that is used here? It doesn’t say Jesus might ransom people from every tribe and tongue. It doesn’t say Jesus wants to as long as we cooperate. It doesn’t say Jesus will try His darndest.

JESUS WILL RANSOM PEOPLE FROM EVERY TRIBE AND LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE AND NATION!!!

Jesus put it this way in…

John 10:16—“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

This means that you and I can confidently tell our friends and neighbors and co-workers the truth. We can tell them there really is One who is worthy. We can tell them He died for them and He rose from the dead. We can invite them to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. And we can hold fast to the belief that some will come.

Because Jesus alone is worthy to unfold and fulfill God’s plan for the universe.

The day is coming when the curtain will be pulled back on everything this world calls wonderful. Every idol will be exposed. Every false savior will fail. Every impressive thing that captured our attention will be shown to be ordinary, temporary, and unable to save.

But when the curtain is pulled back on heaven, we do not find a fraud. We find a throne. We find a scroll. We find a Lamb standing as though slain. And He is worthy.

Christian, do not give your best wonder to things that cannot bear the weight of your soul. Sing to Him. Treasure His cross. Join His mission. Tell your neighbors, your children, your friends, and the nations: there is One who is worthy.

And if you are not yet a Christian, the question before you is not whether Jesus is worthy. Heaven has already answered that. The question is whether you will bow before Him now in repentance and faith, or only acknowledge Him later when it is too late.

One day every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea will join the song: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

So join the song now. Trust the Lamb who was slain. Worship the One who is worthy.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Is He Worthy?

Benediction (Revelation 5:12)