by Pastor Steve Ellison
Among humans, there is anarchy, chaos, bias, mean-spiritedness, injustice, madness, hatred, vengeance, prejudice, envy, greed, resentment, lust, covetousness, anger, and bitterness, because God is not feared, Christ is not exalted, and the Holy Spirit is not followed. The Bible is clear that the “Lamb Who Takes Away the Sin of the World” is worthy of worship. I decided years ago, that if I knew that I had only two sermon opportunities left to me before dying, I would preach one on Revelation 4 and the other on Revelation 5. I also decided that if I knew that I had only one opportunity, I would combine those two messages. Revelation 4 focuses on the worthiness of Christ to receive worship because He is the Creator. Revelation 5 focuses on the worthiness of Christ to receive worship because He is the Redeemer.
In Revelation 4, John the Apostle has a stunning experience. In some way, he is granted access to heaven. He describes an impressive and imposing scene. Revelation 4:8-11 records some of heaven’s declaration of the worthiness of the Lamb, And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.” And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. (NASU) Because Jesus is the holy, holy, holy, almighty, eternal Creator, He is worthy to be called Lord and God and to receive glory, honor, and power. If His work/ministry ended here, He would be absolutely worthy, but according to Habakkuk 3 and Job 26, Creation is the obscuring of His power and glory. Redemption is the greater work.
Revelation 5 continues John’s record of heaven. And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth. Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. And the four living creatures kept saying, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:9-14, NASU) If people truly looked unto Jesus, the Creator and Redeemer, the vileness of human faults would pass away. Jesus is the only solution. Christ is worthy of worship. If we truly worshiped Him, we would see the wickedness in worshiping self. We would also see the futility in trying other solutions.
