Worthy of Worship

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

April 22, 2007

Rev. Eddie Smart

Rev 5:11-14

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² singing with full voice,

          "Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered

          to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might           and honor and glory and blessing!"

¹³ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,

          "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb

          be blessing and honor and glory and might

          forever and ever!"

¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and worshiped.

      Marvin came to me looking for help. He needed a job. He wanted to become self-sufficient. You see he had two daughters and was living with his elderly parents. He had a history of losing jobs, and he had failed to complete his schooling. Marvin had no friends, and he was divorced. I suggested that Marvin seek professional counseling and referred him to a local counselor. When he returned to see me, Marvin said the counselor diagnosed him as narcistic. He was self-centered to the point of being emotionally unhealthy.

      The world pushes us in the direction of self-centeredness. We are told that we should look out for number one. We are told, “If you don’t take care of yourself, who will?” While a little might be o.k., too much is emotionally, mentally unhealthy.

      Sometimes our approach to worship is self-centered. We ask, “What’s in it for me?” We say, “That service didn’t do anything for me.” We approach worship with an attitude of receiving rather than giving. Self-centered worship places “ME” as the center of worship. We sometimes focus on ourselves rather than focusing on God. Who is the one worthy of worship? Worthy is the Lamb! Worthy is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” That would be God the Father and God the Son.

       Jill Briscoe once said, “I love what Corrie ten Boom once taught me.” She said, "Jill, people thank me so much, and it used to worry me  because I didn't want to get a big head. So I began to collect those compliments like flowers. 'Thank you,' I'd say, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you.' Then at the end of the day I'd kneel down, and I'd say, 'Here You are Jesus, they're all Yours.'"

      Corrie ten Boom gives us an example of how to turn the focus away from ourselves and toward God. In worship we focus on God and not ourselves.

      Worship is Responsive. In worship we respond to God’s grace showered on us.

      When we were serving in Arlington, I got the word-I forget now how–that Corky Webb was in Baylor Hospital in Dallas having heart by-pass surgery. The Webb’s were friends from way back. Corky worked with my Dad for Service Pipeline Company. We had taken family vacations together. They had two sons and a daughter near the age of me and my brother. We shared lots of good times together.

      So I went over to Baylor Hospital to check on these old friends. Corky was recovering from six by-passes. Modena was there by his side. She said something that would have surprised many people. Modena told me, “God is Good to us!” It was an amazing statement after all Corky had recently experienced a heart attack. He had just gone through serious surgery.

      But that was not all. It had only been a few weeks earlier that their son Jerry died. He must have been in his early fifties. Jerry was the son who experienced all kinds of medical problems in his younger years. If one of their children were to precede them in death they would have expected it to be Jerry.

      But several years before their other son, the one who was “healthy as a horse” died. Two sons who died out of turn. Now a heart attack and heart by-pass surgery. Modena told me, “God is Good to us!” and I believed her. Modena could see God’s grace in their lives, and she was responding to that grace.

      Worship is about being so focused on God and God’s grace that we become lost in wonder, joy, and praise. We respond with songs. We respond in prayer. We respond in hearing God’s word and doing something about it. We respond by sharing with others how God has been good to us.

      Today’s scripture from the book of Revelation is about worship that is responsive. John has a vision of many angels singing. Myriads of myriads & thousands of thousands. They sing in full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb!”

      Lamb? Who or what is the Lamb? Is this some of that strange symbolic language we find in this strange book? John in his gospel records John the Baptist referring to Jesus as “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”  There is a connection here to the Passover Lamb that was killed so that the people Israel might live. Just as the Lamb is sacrificed at the Passover, so at the time of one passover, Jesus would be sacrificed on a cross so that those who believe might live.

      The Lamb of God... The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world...The slaughtered Lamb...Worthy is the Lamb!

      The Lamb of God is worthy of our Worship. The angels worshiped the Lamb. The creatures worshiped the Lamb. The elders that were gathered worshiped the Lamb. Every creature in heaven & on earth, and under the earth and in the sea worshiped the Lamb...because “Worthy is the Lamb.”

      We gather today to worship the Lamb of God. The focus is not on those worshiping BUT rather on the one Worthy of Worship. So what is the word for those who say, “Worship, what’s in it for me?” Or “That service didn’t do anything for me.” Or “I don’t like the song.” Or “I didn’t get much from that sermon.”

      If I asked you to give me one quote from John F. Kennedy, I suspect a majority of you would say, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country?” In worship, ask not what God can do for you, ask what you can do for God.

      Focus not on you & your needs, BUT focus on God. Sing in full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb” and when you do you will experience the paradox of paradise. It really shouldn’t be a surprise. Jesus taught about this paradox. You have experienced the paradox in other relationships.

      How many times have you sought to meet the needs of another? Maybe a visit to a very sick friend in the hospital, you make the visit and report to others, “I was blessed more than I was a blessing.” Or “I went to be of help to them, and they helped me.” Or “I focused on their needs & yet it was I who received more.”

      Jesus talked about the poor being rich, the last will be first, the least will be the greatest.

      The paradox of paradise–“If you focus on others, you will have your reward.” You don’t get warm fussies by perusing them. You get warm fussies by giving them to others.

      In a marriage, the greatest happiness comes not from seeking our own happiness, but rather in seeking the happiness of our spouse.

Jesus said, the greatest commandment is to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. In worship we seek to express that love in response to the Lamb of God that was slaughtered for us. And when we do, it is us who feel loved.