Is He Worthy of Honor?

The current tempest involving England’s royals has caught the attention of many. It does not interest me much as I no real investment in England’s royalty. I am glad to live in this republic where our ideal is that the ‘will of the people’ should prevail over the will of a king.  It strikes me as strange that a person should govern based on inherited DNA.  But, there is a King who owns my loyalty and love!  His name?  Jesus Christ.  

The humanity of Jesus is a beloved fact for us. We can identify with the Man who loved, who fed hungry people, who healed the sick, and gave dignity to the outcast lepers! The story of His birth a Manger, knowing that He made a living as a craftsman, feeling the horror of His agony on the Cross- these things are compelling, as they should be. 

The ‘rest of the story’ is not to be forgotten, however.  IF we are ignorant of the Majesty of Christ, our faith may well waver under the pressure of life.  We run to the Savior for comfort. We find strength in the King to overcome!

 Here's the vision of the King that John saw and wrote down in the book of the Revelation.

"He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.
His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
And his eyes were bright like flames of fire.
His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace,
and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.

He held seven stars in his right hand,
and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth.
And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.

But he laid his right hand on me and said,
“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died.
Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave." (Revelation 1:12-18, NLT)

Christian, let me ask you a straight forward question-
Is Jesus only your Savior or is He truly your King?
Have you knelt in surrender to Him, giving Him your life and love?
Is He Lord of life, or simply "Lord" of convenience?

Christians say the creed – “He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead” - that acknowledges His Kingly authority but too often their lives show an attitude towards  His authority similar to my bemused interest in the royal family of England. To be sure, few would spit on Him or revile Him. The lack of reverence is shown in a lack of obedience or a failure of faith. Let me say it clearly – If we claim Him as King but live in quiet rebellion, we are abusing the King much the same as Pilate and his soldiers did.  Our self-will mocks Him before the world.

Pilate asked Jesus point-blank - "are you the King?"   Jesus acknowledged that He was, but not as a rival for Rome's political authority.  He said,  “I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36, NLT)   Later the governor takes Jesus before the mob and asks, "What shall I do with this king?"   The tone is obviously one of mockery.    The soldiers who took him from Pilate turned sadistic and beat him.   Mark says,  "They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thorn bush on his head. Then they began their mockery: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17-18, The Message)    The final indignity was the sign that hung above his head on the cross - "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

Positively, when we claim Him as King, serving Him in humble obedience, with deep reverence and worship, we crown Him and lift Him up. He is my King of life!  He has complete authority to send me where He will, to use me as He wishes, to make any and all demands of me as His loyal subject.  I bow my head, bend my knee, and confess that He is Lord.  And, He welcomes me into His Kingdom.   The crowning moment of my existence will be when I kneel before Him in Heaven.  How about you, dear friend?

Here is a word from the Word. It is worthy of our meditation.  “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum." (Luke 6:46-7:1, NIV)

Would you join me in claiming Him as King and Lord?

Hallelujah, Thine the glory!  Hallelujah, Amen!

_____________

Is He Worthy?

(Take a few moments to join this worship of the One who is WORTHY!)

Do you feel the world is broken?

We do

Do you feel the shadows deepen?

We do

But do you know that all the dark

Won't stop the light from getting through?

We do

Do you wish that you could see it all made new?

We do

 

Is all creation groaning?

It is

Is a new creation coming?

It is

Is the glory of the Lord

To be the light within our midst?

It is

Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?

It is

 

Is anyone worthy,

Is anyone whole,

Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?

The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave,

He is David's Root

And the Lamb who died to ransom the slave!

 

Is He worthy,

Is He worthy,

Of all blessing and honor and glory?

Is He worthy of this?

He is

 

Does the Father truly love us?

He does

Does the Spirit move among us?

He does

And does Jesus our Messiah

Hold forever those He loves?

He does

Does our God intend to dwell again with us?

He does

 

Is anyone worthy,

Is anyone whole,

Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?

The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave,

He is David's Root,

And the Lamb who died to ransom the slave!

From ev'ry people and tribe every nation and tongue

He has made us a kingdom and priests,

To God to reign with the Son!

 

Is He worthy,

Is He worthy,

Of all blessing and honor and glory?

Is He worthy,

Is He worthy,

Is He worthy of this,

He is!

 

Andrew Peterson | Ben Shive

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