Out of the Darkness: The Light is Worthy
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For several weeks, we have been singing that great song from Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive, Is He Worthy? We have explored each of the three verses through the lens of a series of messages “Out of the Darkness...” The 1st verse: Do you feel the world is broken? Do you feel the shadows deepen? But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through?Do you wish that you could see it all made new? “Out of the Darkness…The Light breaks through.” Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light.” The 2nd verse: Is all creation groaning? Is a new creation coming? Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? “Out of the Darkness…The Light Gives Life.” John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” The 3rd verse: Does the Father truly love us? Does the Spirit move among us? And does Jesus our Messiah hold forever those He loves? Does our God intend to dwell again with us? “Out of the Darkness…the Light Returns.” John 14 “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” Today, we come to the climax of the song. The chorus. Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole? Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll? The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave, He is David's Root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave. Is He worthy of this? He is. Let’s dig in here:
The worthy Lion of Judah.
The worthy Lion of Judah.
Earlier, we read part of Revelation 5. Let me give a bit more of that passage for context. Revelation 5:1-5 “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” There is much debate about the precise content of this scroll, but that is not my focus today. What I want us to see clearly is that ONLY One is worthy to open the scroll: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. “Lion” is a term used often in Scripture to symbolize power, authority, royalty. And of course, we see the reference to the tribe of Judah and the Root of David, a reminder of the family ancestral line that produced the Messiah (Matthew 1 and Luke 3 begats!) But do not overlook that part of His worthiness is that He PREVAILED. Verse 5 notes His power and victory. He conquered the grave. Jesus…the Lion of Judah. Worthy, because He prevailed! But hear the next few verses!
The worthy Lamb who was slain.
The worthy Lamb who was slain.
Revelation 5:6-9 “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne...stood a Lamb as though it had been slain...Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.” This is the beauty of this vision that God gave to John. Poetic. Using fantastic imagery. Here John sees the Lamb who died to ransom the slave. Jesus. For you and me. Only He is worthy.
The One worthy of worship.
The One worthy of worship.
Watch the scene that unfolds in John’s vision: Revelation 5:11-13 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” The Lion. The Lamb. The powerful, victorious royal Lion of Judah. Worthy. The gentle, sacrificial Lamb slain for you and me. Worthy. A king. A servant. Jesus. The Light is Worthy.