If you missed Sunday's broadcast, please catch up by following the link below. (For the foreseeable future, we will be running our Sunday morning services digitally. Please go to our website on Sundays at 10:30 to join in)
‘…Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Philippians 2:9-11)
Jesus left glory, became a man, became a slave, to die to serve and save us. Now He’s returned to and sits in glory and still bears the scars of His sacrificially love.
At the name of Jesus
When we worship Jesus, as we bow the knee, as we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, we worship the Servant King. Our lives are to be full of thinking, singing and thankfulness and imitation of Jesus.
A revelation of Jesus’ glory
In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John helps us to see the exalted greatness of Jesus through his use of symbolic (apocalyptic) language. He wrote,
‘Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.’ (Revelation 5:6-7)
Lamb of God
Do you see the Lamb of God? The one who ‘humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!’
On the throne
He ‘stands at the centre of the throne’ - He shares the throne with God (3:21). He is fully God, along with the Father and the Spirit. He rules all things!
His encirclement by the 'living creatures and elders' is symbolic of all creation and all God's people worshipping Him.
Seven Horns, eyes, Spirit
The number seven speaks of fulness and so ‘seven horns’ speaks of Jesus perfect power and authority. His ‘seven eyes’, symbolise His all-seeing and all-knowing nature. the 'second-fold' Spirit is the Holy Spirit going out into the world to fulfil Jesus' will.
He is worthy to open the scroll
This speaks of Jesus being the only one who can complete the work of God in creation - the defeat of evil and restoration of all things through the cross.
RESPONSE
We should all have a big vision of Jesus and hearts filled with awe that He has served us in such a way. Let’s read and worship out of this heavenly composition,
“In a loud voice they were saying: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour 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, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.’ (Revelation 5:12-14)