The Worthiness of Jesus

And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons 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.”

Revelation 5:9-10 (NIV)

In Revelation, the Bible’s final book, John records a vision, full of mysterious imagery, that pulls back the curtain on history, revealing events from heaven’s perspective. In a moment of profound sadness, John sees a scroll that must be opened to set in motion the next phase of God’s redemptive plan. The crisis: no one is worthy to open it.

“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.” - Revelation 5:1-4 (NIV)

This moment encapsulates the story of the Bible before the advent of Jesus. Over and over again, God raises up heroes to fulfil his purposes: patriarchs, prophets, priests, and kings; yet all of them fail. No one is found worthy. The nation of Israel slides constantly back into injustice and idolatry. The people are sent away from the promised land and into exile. A small number return and rebuild, passing on stories of God’s rescuing power and the promise of a saviour to come. Finally, Jesus is born.

Jesus’ appearance marks the turning point in John’s vision: 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.” - Revelation 5:5 (NIV)

I can think of no truth with greater daily significance for my life than this: Jesus is worthy.

Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived the only human life without compromise. He has succeeded where every human in history has failed. He is victorious over sin and evil, pain and death. 

Let’s take a few minutes to think about how the “worthiness” of Jesus transforms every aspect of our lives, past, present, and future. I promise it will cheer you up!

The Worthiness of Jesus Redeems My Past

The older I get (I’m pushing 40), the more I struggle with unfinished business from the past: regret and resentment. I’ve heard it said that depression is a preoccupation with past losses, and anxiety is a preoccupation with future losses. I’ve battled both, struggling to reconcile all of these things in my mind.

As a child, I was supremely self-confident. I excelled at school, which gave me a false sense of my ability to succeed on my own. Adult life has cured me of this, which is a good thing. However, my failures often leave me frustrated and low, and a few major hurts have been hard to forgive.

A few years ago, I was pouring out my complaint to God, explaining that there was no way that my husband and I could be “good enough” to be worth investing in or using in His kingdom. We were too broken, too limited, too easily distracted. I remember hearing God speaking to me so loudly, almost as if he had been waiting eagerly for the clarity of this moment: “OF COURSE YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH! That’s the whole point. Jesus is good enough.”

The Christian life isn’t about me overcoming, me winning, me achieving. The Christian life isn't about me at all! It’s about Jesus. He is the one who has won the victory. 

Because Jesus resisted temptation and overcame sin, he can give me his righteousness. When our little girls get in trouble and feel ashamed, we remind them, “Ask Jesus to take away your bad and give you his good.” Through Jesus, real change is possible for me too.

Because Jesus paid the penalty for my forgiveness and bought me new life,  I can forgive those who have hurt me, no matter how deep the hurt and how damaging the consequences. I am free to forgive: God is my justice and my defender. He redeems everything bad and uses it for my good.

When Satan reminds you of your guilt and shame, tell him about the worthiness of Jesus. Yep, I failed. But Jesus succeeded. My life is no longer defined by my failure, but by his triumph. I don't get what I deserve; I get what Jesus deserves. So there, Satan!

The Worthiness of Jesus Reveals My Purpose

The Westminster Catechism famously summarizes the purpose of Christian life:  What is the chief end of man? A Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

What an excellent conclusion. The purpose of my life is to bring glory to God; to demonstrate his worth; and to enjoy Him; to experience His goodness for myself.

Once again, the purpose of my life doesn’t revolve around me, but around Jesus.

All around us, people are running on different hamster wheels of futility, pursuing wealth, comfort, pleasure, health, beauty, achievement, fame, reputation, and romance. The tragedy of human life is that there is nothing we can aim for that will not one day be lost in death. Nothing, that is, except bringing glory to God and deepening our loving connection with Him.

To gain true riches, a life of genuine eternal impact and value, we don't have to stress and strive. The branches produce fruit because they are connected to the vine. My concern should be how to stay deeply embedded in Jesus; how to put my whole life in his hands so that he can bear his fruit in me. 

Yes, I’m broken, but that’s not a barrier to God. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV). God knows my limitations. His glory is in his incredible grace: that he dignifies a fragile, flawed person like me with purpose and uses me to accomplish his victory.

The Worthiness of Jesus Guarantees my Future

The best news of all? The victory has already been won. 

No matter how dark life gets, no matter how many things have gone wrong, no matter how much we lose, nothing can change what Jesus won for me through His death and resurrection.

On the day I stand before God, I will give an account of my life. If I have truly put my whole trust in Jesus, I will receive the consequences, not of my sin, but of Jesus’ righteousness. 

I think maybe we skip past these promises because they are too much to take in. An eternity in God’s presence, sharing His joy. Adoption into God’s family. An inheritance along with Jesus in a new world without sorrow or pain. We are not worthy of these things. However, this incredible future is actually real  - because of the worthiness of Jesus.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” - Revelation 5:12 (NIV)

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