WORTHY IS THE LAMB!
Revelation 5:12
Communion Meditation
(in two parts)
RMBC 12 Aug 01 AM
WORTHY…
ILL Notebook: Worth (small spender)
Every Christmas, Rhonda Ausk and her son divide up his savings to see how much he can spend on each family member’s gift. One year, after they counted out the money, Rhonda told her son that he had exactly $3 to spend on each person’s gift. “I have more than that,” explained her son. “I already got your present and I only spent a quarter.”
Now…don’t you think that she is worth more than that?
I am sure that his mom being of less worth is not what he intended to communicate.
Yet, it comes out a little bit that way, doesn’t it?
I wonder, however, if we ever treat God like that.
I wonder if we are giving him a quarter and spend the rest on everything and everybody else.
I’m not talking about money here.
I am talking about priority.
Is God really the most important relationship that we have?
This is one of the primary reasons we come to the communion table.
It is why we participate in it on a monthly basis.
It is why, from time to time, we designate a whole service to it, as today.
For we need to stop…
We need to stop and pause to consider the greatness of God.
Here again our theme verse of the day…
WORTHY IS THE LAMB, WHO WAS SLAIN, TO RECEIVE POWER AND WEALTH AND WISDOM AND STRENGTH AND HONOR AND GLORY AND PRAISE!
When we say Jesus is worthy of praise, we are saying that He deserves acclamation.
He has supreme value.
He is of supreme importance.
There is not greater quality.
He is excellence in every way.
Perhaps it seems odd to describe Him in this way.
But consider His worthiness.
Listen to what we just sang a few minutes ago…
Jesus! what a Friend of sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me,
Foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
So, how is His worth observed in your life?
What do you do or say that demonstrates the worthiness of Jesus?
In just a moment, we will hear the choir sing “Jesus Paid It All.”
The songwriter considered the worthiness of Jesus and here is what was written…
Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.
SERVING OF THE BREAD:
Listen to the testimony of John in Revelation 5…
Then I saw in 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. Then 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." 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, for ever and ever!" The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Before we receive the bread, let us come to the Lord in prayer remembering the cost and the worthiness of our Savior.
Prayer: Yates
In the gospel of Mark, it says…
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."
Let us partake together.
SERVING OF THE CUP:
Prayer: Alcott
Again, in the gospel of Mark it is recorded…
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."
Let us partake together.
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
…IS THE LAMB
It was not too long ago that we considered the words of John the Baptist when he said, “Behold the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.”
They are words that we need to continue to remember.
The lamb is extremely significant throughout Scripture.
Abel sacrificed a lamb.
It was a sacrifice for an individual.
Lambs were slaughtered on the night of the Exodus.
These were sacrifices for families.
On the Day of Atonement, a lamb was sacrificed.
It was a sacrifice for the whole nation.
So when John the Baptist said “Behold the Lamb,” it was a picture full of meaning, and not to be missed.
Jesus, the Lamb, came to sacrifice Himself on our behalf.
ILL Notebook: Sacrifice (old man and sea)
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church’s pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend.
With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak, "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two young men who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.
He continued, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life....to which boy he would throw the other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision.
The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son’s friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, ’I love you, son!’ he threw the line to his son’s friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."
"The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son’s friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us."
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.
Within minutes after the service ended, the two young men were at the old man’s side. "That was a nice story," politely started one of them, "but I don’t think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son’s life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."
"Well, you’ve got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn’t very realistic, is it? But I’m standing here today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me."
"You see....I was the son’s friend."
Sacrifice…
This is why I join the hymn writer in his declaration…
Crown Him with many crowns
The Lamb upon His throne,
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as they matchless King
Through all eternity
Worthy is the Lamb!
Let us pray!
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Amen.
