Sundays of Hope and Joy
There are days the brokenness just seems to be too much. As we make our way to Jerusalem with Jesus, taking time to contemplate the weight of our sin and the depth of his sacrifice, there are days when it threatens to overwhelm us. Add to that the hurt and pain of a broken world, especially as we’ve seen it in recent days, and there are times it seems beyond our ability to bear.
It is.
It is absolutely far too much to bear, but for some reason we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that’s what we’re called to do. That’s what brings us to a breaking point—when we allow the weight of all the brokenness to nearly crush us because we think it’s ours to carry.
It’s not.
Then just when we feel we can’t take another step in our Lenten journey, we come to Sunday. Another “mini-Easter” that reminds us that the the final word doesn’t belong to our sin, and it doesn’t belong to the cross. Just as it doesn’t belong to the forces at work in our world that seek to drown out the truth of what Christ has done. The final word belongs, for now and always, to God.
In the fifth chapter of Revelation, John has a vision of a scroll sealed with seven seals, the opening of which will initiate the final judgments of the end times. Scholars are not in agreement regarding the actual contents of the scroll, but it’s clear it contains a revelation of God’s divine plan for the final redemption of the world. It is mysterious and even a little frightening, but it is also good. God’s plan is always good.
But John is worried. So are the angels gathered around. Why? Because there appears to be no one worthy of breaking the seal on the scroll and revealing its contents. The weight of sin and the schemes of the enemy seem to be having the final word, because only one who can claim victory over those forces is worthy to open the scroll and see God’s plan to fruition. In response to the weight of this moment John begins to “weep bitterly” (v. 4) for fear that nobody will be able to come forward.
But just when all seems lost, the One appears whose victory is sufficient to the task. He comes to take his rightful place and carry out his prescribed work. He alone is worthy, because he alone is the Lamb who was slain. He took sin and death upon himself and forever destroyed their hold over God’s children. He takes the scroll in his hand and those gathered to witness break forth in worship:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”—Revelation 5:12 (NIV)
In a fallen world, and in the face of our own fallenness, we need reminders of the worthiness of Christ and the sufficiency of his work. That’s what the “mini-Easter” of Sunday does for us. When we are discouraged, echoing John and the voices who feared nothing could be done to bring about our redemption, we need to be told again that something has already been done by the only one who is worthy. He alone is able to take the brokenness upon himself by virtue of his sacrifice, and he alone is worthy to rob it of its power by virtue of his resurrection. And one day, he alone will return to welcome the ones he has purchased for God into his presence forever. Reminded of this truth, we can join our voices with the heavenly choir:
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is
Song: Is He Worthy? (lyrics here)
Questions for Reflection
1) Among the questions asked in this song is: “Do you feel the shadows deepen?” What shadows are deepening in your life? How are you holding those shadows before God? How does the statement “He is worthy” speak into those shadows?
2) The majority of the lyrics in this song are questions. How are questions worshipful? What questions would you bring to God as an offering of worship today?
3) Read and reflect on these verses. Let them lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”—Colossians 1:15-17 (NIV)