I'd like you to turn in your Bibles, or to the Pew Bibles, to Revelation chapter 5, and we're going to be reading the 14 stanzas, or 14 verses, I should say, of Revelation 5. Over the past year from time to time, I've been going back and forth into a series back in Sheldon, the book of Revelation, and when I talked to Phil on the phone, Reverend Voss, he was mentioning to me that he had preached on the seven churches and the seven letters that are found in the first couple of chapters, and I said to him at the time, I said, I preached out of Revelation 2 and I said, I just don't know if I really want to go to Revelation for a one-time message before the congregation. Well, look what I did. I did it anyway. So here we are. We're going to be looking at Revelation 5 and reading those 14 verses found there. It's the Word of God. Then I saw on the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll? But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. See? The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Then I saw a lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song. You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain. And with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will reign on the earth. And then I looked and heard the voice of many angels numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise. Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in them singing to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever. The four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped. I certainly want to pray that the Lord would bless His Word to us this morning. Brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, I want to say a few words to the children, if I might, this morning. Children, do you ever notice that when you play your games, that there can only be one winner most of the time? Sure you notice that. And sometimes that's pretty sweet, especially when you win. but then there are those times when you lose. And that's a bitter pill to swallow. You know that there can only be one winner. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. And you have to learn to live with that. And you've got to be a good sport about it. And that's so true in so many sports, isn't it? There can only be one champion, one championship team, only one who can be considered the best for the season or the best of the day. not everybody is so worthy. Now, children, there is one person who is worthy to rule this world. And it's true that, as you probably know, we've got one president and we've got one governor and we've got one mayor who runs the particular governments that they're called to run. But there's only one who is worthy to rule everything. And it isn't the president, and it isn't the wealthy of the world, and it isn't the criminals, and it isn't me, and it isn't you. The only one worthy to rule this world is Jesus. The only one willing and worthy to carry out God's plan is Jesus. And that's why, children, we put our trust in Him. That's why, while you're here with us today, it's worthy of you to praise this worthy one. That's why we put that trust in Him. Because nobody else is worthy of ruling the world. Now, if you ever, children, if you ever want to get down on what's happening in your life while you're serving your Savior, Or, on the other hand, if you ever want to get a little proud because you think you can run your life by yourself, just remember who is running this world and running your life. And keep serving Him. And know that things will work out for the good because He's working everything to the good. Because He's the only one that's worthy to run God's world and to run your life. And that's what He's going to do. So keep serving Him. Keep praising Him. Keep trusting Him because He's the only one that's worthy of that trust. This is another one of those humbling passages, beloved, because it leads to the worship of the only one worthy of that worship. Worship's a humbling exercise for us when it comes right down to it because we are saying that there is somebody who is greater than we are. But divine worship, the worship of the one mentioned here, is even more humbling because it tells us that there is only one who is worthy of our praise. Only one who is worthy to run the world in which we live. Why is the one mentioned here in our passage the only one worthy? And for what is he worthy? That's what we're going to be looking at as we consider Revelation 5 and the only one who is worthy. First of all, we want to look at why he is the only one worthy. We read in our passage that a mighty angel proclaims to the world who is worthy to open the seals and to receive the book from the one who is on the throne. The sealed book is evidently the complete plan of God. His redemption, His vindication, His reigning, His renewal, all in His plan, all in His time. It is where the kingdom of God comes to its fullness as those seven seals that are on the book signify. Seven is that number of completion, but it seems to be especially a number of completion with regard to the kingdom of God. So who's going to bring about this kingdom? Who's going to bring about this plan? Who's going to be worthy enough of carrying out God's plan for this world? Who's worthy to carry out such a noble charge? Who's going to bring the true joy? Who's going to bring the regenerate from the dead of heart? Who's going to wipe away sin and death and sadness and pain and bring in that new heaven and new earth? Who's worthy of these things? Well, the angel shouts loudly so that everybody will have opportunity to hear and step forward to state their claim to such a worthy calling. But no one does. No one steps forward. The four creatures don't step forward. The angels don't step forward. The 24 elders don't step forward. We don't see kings or presidents with all their pomp and all their power and all their ability to make law and to govern. We don't see them going forward. We don't see the businessman who seems to be able to touch everything and have it turn into gold. Those people aren't coming forward. We don't see the university professor step forward with all his intelligence or the social engineer and all his dreams of utopia. We don't see the medical profession coming forward, raising his hand, saying, I'm the one who can bring this about. Or the person who counts on education to change the lives of people and change the character of the children by simply educating those who are ignorant. We don't see the movie makers move or the music man strike up his tune in affirmation. I don't step forward and neither do you. Because one way or another, we know that we're not worthy. And for a moment, John has to weep at this vision. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. He weeps at what otherwise would be. Were there no one to carry out this task? How could redemption and renewal and vindication take place? There'd be no hope for this creation or for its inhabitants. There would be no hope for John or for the future. There would be no protection from evil. There would be no inheritance to anticipate. All the discussion about how one becomes an heir, that was no doubt from what I hear, so well done in this past vacation Bible school. All that talk of inheritance to anticipate wouldn't be there. There would be no victory, nothing to look forward to. It would make life so miserable. And John's weeping reflects that hopelessness so vividly. You know, as long as people don't acknowledge that they are not worthy of running this world and they are not worthy of bringing the life change that they need and they are not worthy to bring about the renewal that this world needs and nothing else that they have that they own or possess is worthy of bringing that about. They should be weeping. There shouldn't be partying and celebrating and striving and competing and yearning for the brass ring of life. We're misled that way if we think there's reason for that. They really should be bawling their eyes out. They should be bawling their eyes out for this world is heading nowhere. There's no direction. And they're along for the ride. There's no hope because there's no one leading. There's no one directing. There's no one worthy of doing it. When you see the One worthy to run this world and to renew it, is there reason for a dramatic change in one's attitude towards life? From hopelessness to hope. In dramatic style, when all others have had their chance and they've been found wanting, including ourselves, there appears the one who is worthy and he is described as the lamb that was slain the lion of Judah and the root of David and I want to pick up on that for just a moment and then try to apply that if I can he is the lamb we read that appears to be slain I saw a lamb looking as if it had been slain with seven eyes and seven horns. What a vision that must have been for John to see. I mean, how can there be someone living who appears to have been slain? But that's the exact case for Jesus Christ, isn't it? The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who says in that magnificent vision of Revelation 1, Behold, I was dead, but now I am alive forevermore. Who else could be more worthy than the One who could overcome sin and death itself? Sin at the cross, death at the resurrection. He's indeed the Mighty One. That horn that we read about here was symbolic of that. And seven, the seven horns, It is a depiction of His complete power that makes Him worthy. He's the one worthy to have that sevenfold Spirit who certainly sees all that occurs in this world, but also is that one who can dispense that Spirit throughout the world to those who belong to Him so He can say, I am with you wherever you go. You need someone who can live forever. to carry out the mighty work of God's eternal plan. You need a slain lamb. You need a lamb that appears slain, but is alive forevermore. And that's what this slain lamb is able to do. And on top of that, we read about the Lion of Judah. See the Lion of Judah here. And that's the perfect complement to that sacrificial lamb. The lamb and the lion. The lion is symbolic of royalty and power, which historically was given to the tribe of Judah, the son of Israel. Christ is the powerful King in this way. Not those in Rome, not those who would seem to want to oppress the people of God. No, it's Christ, the Lion of Judah, possessing a royalty and power that nobody else is worthy to claim as He takes His place at the right hand of the Father. And with that, we also read about the root of David. Not just the son of David, mind you, but we read about the root of David. The reason that David is able to say, the Lord said to my Lord, sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool to your feet. Not only does this thought give us the idea of royalty, but it also points out to us the divinity of the One worthy to take the place at the right hand of God to hold the book and to break its seals open. Why is He alone worthy to do that? Why is He worthy? Because He's the slain Lamb. Because He's the Lion of Judah. Because He's the Root of David. He alone is able to break the seals of the book of God's plan wide open. Now, for a persecuted church, for a church that seems to be at its last legs at times or an exasperated church, for a frustrated church, for a tired church, for a discouraged church, for a faithful church, for a church that has been striving and is called to continue to strive in this world, for all those who are a part of that membership, it's that truth, it is that identity of the worthy one that turns its tears to songs of praise. That's the transforming truth for God's people. John no longer weeps in hopeless despair. The elder says, Don't weep! But see, put your eyes on Jesus. Put your eyes on the One who's worthy. You know, we're going to weep at times in our lives. And there's no doubt of that. But for the Christian, the joy of the Lord is always going to be His strength. We read that even youths grow tired and grow weary. And young men grow tired and fall. But those who hope in the Lord, they renew their strength. They will run and not grow weary. They will soar on wings like eagles. Those who hope in Christ will renew their strength that way. It will always be that way for God's people. It is that that always overcomes the world. It will always be stronger than the despair that sin would seek to inflict on us. We're not the ones who need to be endlessly weeping. That's what John reveals to us. We're not the ones who need to be thinking that all is lost. We are not like the world that has no hope. We are not the hopeless and the hapless. Because we're not the ones that are sinking. This world is not going the devil's way. We misunderstand that far too often. This world is going Jesus' way because it's not the devil who's in charge. He is not worthy of that. It's the one who's worthy of taking the book and who's able to open the seals who's in charge. And we're given this vision so that we will remember that life is worth living. That it is worth striving. Vacation Bible School is worth carrying out in faithfulness. It's worth serving. It's worth evangelizing. It's worth witnessing. It's worth laboring for the Lord. It is worth excelling in your callings because the worthy one is running the world. And God is calling us in this vision to remember that. So we will run and not grow weary. So we see why He's the worthy one. But for what is he worthy? It's indeed to carry out that plan of God. You know, a famous pastor by the name of James, well-known anyway, James Montgomery Boyce, died about a year ago, close to about a year ago from this date. And six weeks before that, six weeks before he died, he was diagnosed with liver cancer. And when he informed his congregation of his condition, he asked them at one point, if God does something in your life, would you change it? If you'd change it, you'd make it worse. It wouldn't be as good. Oh, how often, or at least at times, we would want to take the reins of universal dominion into our hands. You know, if I were God, then I know how I would handle this situation or that situation. I would know what to do. I certainly wouldn't have let it work as it has worked out. Not if I were God. Would you really want that job? Simple human? Sinful human? How thankful we need to be that the world is in the hands of Him who is worthy of breaking the seals. Are you thankful that way? How vital it is to be able to say that He has redeemed me from my wickedness and from my foolish attempts to play God in my life or even to wish it. Do you try to live without Him simply by ignoring His Word or His promises? By misunderstanding so easily what He's doing in your life because you basically just set this aside as to what it has to say about your life and how He runs it? No wonder we lose hope. Do you need to repent of that kind of ignorance and turn to Christ and return to the hope that the Bible speaks about? How easily we lose the vision of the One who's worthy of running this world and running our lives when our eyes aren't on Jesus, when we don't hear the call to see the Lion of Judah. How easy it is to lose sight and discontent and weariness of the fact that He is running our lives and that He does it so well. Do you need to seek forgiveness of that discontent in your life and to see again who it is that is leading you and this world along the way? for what is He worthy? To carry out the plan of God, but then also to receive naturally the universal praise that goes with it. A new song is sung, we read. It's new because this is directed to the Lamb that was slain. It's new because someone has been found who is worthy to carry out God's plan. It's new because redemption by His blood has been realized like it never was before. It's new because it is for all kindreds, tribes, nations, and not just for one nation any longer or one nation alone. It's new because there are not just select kings and priests here, but all those who by grace alone have become kings and priests and living sacrifices in Christ, devoted to Christ. And because of Him, they're able to be in His presence to worship Him. They're able to reign with the Lamb already in the fight against sin today. But one day with Him, ruling over sin and Satan and death and in that way being more than conquerors. More than what the kings of this world can do, those kings to which we must submit in the Lord or those presidents or those governing authorities, but more than what they can do or they can do to us. That's why there's a new song. And that's still the new song of today. That's the reason for joy in the midst of sorrow. Praise in the midst of trial. Peace in the midst of turmoil. Ever increasing praise we read here. Resounding, reverberating to include the Father and the Spirit. Thousands upon thousands, ten thousands upon ten thousands. Worthy is the Lamb that slain. Worthy is He to take the scroll. Worthy is He to receive all the power and the glory throughout creation. Certainly from you and me. If we claim to be those a part of Him. If we claim Him to be the Savior and Lord of our lives. Do you see yourself in this vision? Do you see yourself as part of this royal priesthood? Those who are devoted to the One who alone is worthy of that kind of devotion in your life, in everything you're doing. You're living in that age today, dear friends. What a wondrous Lamb who carries out His Father's plan. He's in everything. He works all things to the glory of His name and the good of His church. And Jesus wants us to keep that vision before us so that we would always keep hope. He wants us to know that He's always worthy of our praise. Always. If we envision that, we'll stay faithful. We will not tire of our worship. Not if we keep our eyes on Jesus. We will overcome whatever may come to pass in our lives. Life won't be a life of weeping, not like the world, but a life of holy joy that only Christ can bring about. Because He alone is worthy and able to bring renewal to our lives and renewal to this world. That's the hope of the believer. Is that your hope? For eternity? Yes. But also for the life that you're called to live today in every facet. This is the vision we're called to embrace. Because He alone is worthy. As the slain Lamb, as the Lion of Judah, as the Root of David. Only He can carry out God's plan. Only He is worthy of the new song. For only He has redeemed us to be that royal priesthood. The living creatures said, Amen. And the elders worshipped. And so must we. Jesus alone is worthy. Worthy to run this world. To run your life. Worthy of your praise. The living creatures said, Amen. Worthy is the Lamb. Is that your response? Oh, may it be so. May it always be so in your life. Because He alone, He alone is worthy. Amen. Let's pray a moment. Lord, we pray that Your Word may indeed have been blessed by Your Spirit to us this morning. And may we now give praise to You and to Your Son and to the Spirit as we hail the power of Jesus' name in our lives. In Jesus' name, amen.