Not Worthy


"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.'"  Revelation 5:9-10
 
Worthiness
 
My teenage daughter asked me the other day, "Hey dad, when you first met mom were you like 'Wow, I'm so outta my league.'"  "Ouch!", I responded.  "C'mon I'm not that bad am I?"  We laughed a little bit as she truly wasn't trying to put me down.  It just came out a little awkwardly.  The truthful answer to that question however, is "Yes".  I do not think that I am worthy to be her husband.  As a matter of fact, if I understand the Bible correctly, there is only one thing that I am actually worthy of and that is hell.  Thankfully, because of Jesus, I do not have to experience that which I am genuinely worthy to experience.  What is it about Jesus that allows us to not only escape what we deserve, but to also receive immeasureable more that we do not deserve?  In a word ... worthiness.  Specifically, his worthiness.
 
Paul tells us, in Colossians chapter 1, that by him (Jesus) all things were created, that in him all things hold together and that he made peace through his blood, shed on the cross.  As the creator and sustainer of life, as the perfect, blameless and spotless sacrifice for our unworthiness, we are declared "not guilty" by association.
 
This message is great news for us today!!  We are free to walk away from trying to prop up some prideful image of worthiness.  What a relief!  We can freely acknowledge that which we instinctively already know to be true; we are not worthy.  In addition, because Jesus is worthy and invites us into his worthiness, we can have peace with God now and forevermore!!    
 
 Grace and Peace,

Tom

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