The Worthiness Of Jesus ( 2)
“And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth,” ( Revelation 5: 9- 10 NLT).
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him,” ( Colossians 1: 16 NKJV).
WORSHIP deservedly belongs to our God alone. His pedigree, sacrifices and accomplishments make Him worthy of our worship and praise. Revelation 4: 11 rightly stated this fact: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created,” ( Revelation 4: 11 NKJV). Glory, honour and power are Christ’s due. God delights in having his name known and honoured. When we worship and sing His praise we acknowledge that God has the Creator’s patent right over all the earth.
Jesus is not only worthy of our worship, but also worthy to be the head of the church. The scripture says that God gave Jesus “as head over all things to the church, which is
his body,” ( Ephesians 1: 22- 23). As the head of the church, due reverence and honour belongs to Him. Jesus is head of the Church because of his primary role in our creation and redemption. Jesus founded the Church. He brought forth the Church and gave it life through his death and resurrection. To accept that Christ is worthy imposes some obligations upon all His children. A life worthy of the calling is a life that daily exhibits godly character has moral courage and personal integrity, behaves maturely, and expresses thankfulness and gratitude to God for all He has done. So, Paul challenges us today, to live lives worthy of His divine calling.
Due to Christ’s worthiness, we are to, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” ( Ephesians 4: 1). “Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,” ( Philippians 1: 27). “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,” ( Colossians 1: 10). “Walk in a manner worthy of God,” ( 1 Thessalonians 2: 12).
Because of His worthiness, we are called to live holy lives
like Him. ” But as He who called you is holy, you are also to be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “be holy, for I am holy,” ( I Peter 1: 15- 16 NKJV).
When we declare that Jesus is worthy, we are pledging our allegiance to Him, and doing so in a way that puts that allegiance above all other allegiances we have. Allegiances to nations, political parties, friends and family… all of these are subordinate to our allegiance to Jesus. He is worthy — and worthy above all others, “to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing.” To pledge our allegiance to Him is to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus and that puts a claim on our lives. We cannot think, act or speak in the same way anymore. We, who follow him are to adopt what we discern to be the values of Jesus, rather than other, competing sets of values. Only by the atoning work of Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit can we begin to think and live, as we should.