REVELATION. 5:2, 12 WHO IS WORTHY?

 "Who is worthy to open the scroll" (Rev. 5:2)

No doubt Christians have been exasperated. From the street, this church building doesn't seem to be "New Age" or bear the hallmark "Brotherly Love" signs with emphases on global brotherhood that shun actual cornerstones of faith: repentance of sin and washing in the blood. No, this church boasts a cross and preaches Christ as being the only way of salvation, the Bible as being man's guidebook for all of life. It looks good--yes!

But perhaps personal separation standards at that assembly keep you off balance. Or you manage to find a place that you feel comfortable with even that; but the way the people view other ethnic groups/financial or educational backgrounds just doesn't feel right. Even if the church is OK with all of that, well, handling of finances, church hierarchy, power play is a strong undercurrent here--yuck. Other places free of that still battle with female roles, neglect of missions/family. SOMETHING is wrong. As they say, "You're never going to find a perfect church."

In the same way, you're never going to find a perfect pastor. There must be sheep all over the place who thought they found godly leadership where they could settle down and relax, being fed spiritual truth...then shockingly realized there are only redeemed SINNERS around them! Who is worthy to open the Word of God to them and care for their souls? It seems somewhere, somehow, something is lacking in everyone they find.

Perhaps that's it. We need to see, as it says in verse 4, there is no man who is worthy, and our expectation must be set, as we are told in verse 5, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Jesus, the Son of Man, is the ONLY ONE worthy. Altho' today, the qualities like confidence and competence are praised--Jesus, altho' He really was a lion, as we were just told, appeared before us as a harmless, approachable lamb.

If Jesus had hung up on the cross then growled like a lion, I don't think I would've dared near the cross or ask for pardon. But Jesus knew even criminals wouldn't hesitate to listen to a lamb's baa and reach out to stroke it. He let us think it was something good in our hearts, but He'd programmed that urge in our hearts to make it easier for us to reach out for His goodness! That is the wise humility of Calvary.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5:12)