Jesus is Worthy

On Sunday, May 4, Holy Cross held a special family-focused Eucharist service, and the children received teaching moments to explain parts of the service. I prepared this version of my sermon first, aiming for about 10 minutes and keeping the language and imagery simple. The children responded well to the sermon and the handout, and I enjoyed them engaging in a back-and-forth with some of the questions.

Revelation chapter 5 is a picture of worship in heaven and tells us something important about our worship here at church. What happens when we come to church and worship? Our hearts are lifted up in heaven to praise Jesus.

Have you ever heard someone tell you, “grown-ups only?” Maybe there’s something you’re not allowed to do or somewhere you’re not allowed to go? Well, when I was a kid, I loved Thanksgiving at my grandparents’ house. But the big table in the dining room was for “grown-ups only.” My mom and dad, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, only they were allowed to sit at this table. I was so far away… in the living room… sitting with my sisters and cousins at folding tables. I always wondered, What’s going on at the grown-ups table? What are they talking about over there? I couldn’t wait to see what it was like to move all the way up to the grown-ups table but even though I could see it, that table felt like it was an infinity away.

In our lesson from Revelation chapter 5, Jesus gives John a vision of heaven, he gets to see what it’s like, but it makes John feel like heaven is an infinity away from where he’s supposed to be. There's no way he belongs there or will ever be good enough. Now… heaven is not in a galaxy far, far away—it’s that we can’t get to God on our own because of our sin. We make mistakes, and not one of us is perfect. Even if we could see heaven like John did, we’re not strong enough or worthy enough to enter it by ourselves.

And when John sees that no one is good enough or strong enough, it makes him really sad. But it turns out, there is someone, there is only one person who can rescue us. Do you know what his name is?

Jesus! In Revelation 5, we learn that Jesus is the bridge between us and God, between earth and heaven. Do you know why John gets to see this vision of heaven? Because he knows and loves Jesus. And Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” If you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen God. So when there was no way for us to be friends with God, Jesus became the way. Like a bridge, Jesus connects us to God and makes it possible for us to be in the heavenly places with him.

How does Jesus make a way?

In verse 5 of our reading, look what it says: “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered.” Jesus is the Lion who saves the day. Everyone knows the lion is the “king of the jungle.” Have you seen the Lion King? Well, the Bible describes Jesus as a lion because he is the one true King, and he rescues us from sin.

But how did Jesus rescue us from sin and death? When John looks to see the Lion he says, “I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.” The Lion saved the day by becoming the Lamb. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and he rose from the dead on the third day. And because Jesus is alive, he set us free and opened the way for us to be with God in heaven. Jesus is both the Lion and the Lamb.

Jesus is able to open the scroll? Now wait a minute… what is a scroll? Well, in this case, the scroll is the Bible. And it shows us that all of God’s promises in the Bible, they lead us to Jesus.

The whole Bible, beginning to end, points us to Jesus.

Revelation is the last book of the Bible. But in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we learn about the promised Lion of Judah who is going to be the King and Savior for God’s people. And in the second book, Exodus, the Passover lamb saves God’s people from death and darkness. So when Jesus died on the cross as our Passover lamb, his death gives us new life. So just like the Jesus Storybook Bible says, “every story whispers nis name.” It’s all about Jesus!

Each Sunday, we read Bible passages from the Old Testament, the New Testament letters, and we end with the Gospels. The Bible shows us our great need for God, and Jesus is the answer. So why do we stand and celebrate when we read the Gospels? Because they bring us Jesus. And Jesus shows us how all of the Bible is about him and his mighty power to save us.

And then, each Sunday, your pastors preach a sermon after the Bible readings. We preach sermons to help you and your church family to see how Jesus makes a difference in our lives. Nothing is the same anymore because Jesus is risen.

All of our problems Jesus took to the cross. And while Jesus alone is worthy to be our King, he shares with us his crown of glory.

Because Jesus is the Lion of Judah, nothing in your life is too big or too scary for him to handle. Jesus wins all the time. He rose from the dead and he rules as king from heaven. Nothing is more powerful than Jesus.

And because Jesus is the Lamb who became like us and died for us, nothing in our lives is too small for Jesus. You are not invisible and you’re not ordinary. You are special, Jesus gives you a crown to rule with him. That means everything in your life matters to Jesus. Sometimes life can feel scary, but John shows that in heaven, Jesus is in charge. Jesus beat death, so there is no reason to be afraid. When we trust in Jesus, he will always rescue us.

So what happens when we worship? Because Jesus is the bridge, heaven comes near to us. When we worship—when we sing, when we pray, when we listen to God’s Word, when we come to the Lord’s Table for Communion—our hearts are lifted up to heaven, where Jesus is.

Jesus loves you and he is with you. And he invites you to give him your heart in worship.

So, in a moment, when the priest says, “Lift up your hearts,” you can say, “We lift them to the Lord,” and really mean it.

Because Jesus is worthy. And he made a way. . . Just for you.

Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for your children both young and old who are gathered here today. May you shower our young families with blessings to grow in their trust of your Son, our King Jesus. And may we all to come to church each Sunday excited to lift up our hearts in worship to join the heavens in saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Amen.