Can you think of someone famous whom nearly everyone likes? There aren’t many people out there like that, are there?
I would say that everyone likes Coach Tony Dungy, but some people don’t like him because of his faith. I would say everyone likes Tim Tebow, but some people don’t like him because he’s good at everything he does.
Perhaps everyone likes someone like Johnny Carson or maybe Jimmy Fallon. Maybe some singers like Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, or Dolly Parton. A lot of people liked Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) and Betty White. How about Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter?
The truth is, it’s hard to think of someone whom everyone likes. However, one day, everyone in all the world will show admiration for and worship to the Lord Jesus Christ.
In fact, Philippians 2:10–11 says, “ . . . at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
We’re going to hear more about everyone worshiping Jesus a little later in today’s passage.
Not only are we going to hear about the world worshiping Jesus, but we’re also going to hear something about a scroll.
There is one big question in this passage about the scroll: Who Can Open the Scroll? Indeed, that’s the title of today’s sermon.
Before we go any further, let’s go to God in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.
(prayer)
As we walk through Revelation 5 today, we’re going to notice the presence of several things in the passage. I’ve listed six of these in three sets of pairs.
So, let’s walk through these.
First, notice . . .
I. The scroll and the seals.
Look at verses 1-4:
1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals. 2 I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it.
Ok, we hear about the scroll and the seals.
At that time, scrolls would have contained portions of writing on them, similar to books for us today.
The seals would have been used to keep the message secure until the time for it to be opened and read. If someone broke the seal, you knew that the message had been exposed.
Here’s a very simple illustration of how the scroll with the seven seals might have looked.
In chapter 6 and following, we’ll see the seven seals begin to be opened. At the opening of each seal, an event happens which is part of what God will do at the end of the earth as we know it.
However, in chapter 5, John doesn’t know that yet.
Imagine John’s curiosity in this moment.
God the Father is holding a scroll in His right hand (remember, the right hand shows importance). If you were John, wouldn’t you want to know what is contained in the scroll?
Apparently, John knew that he couldn’t open the scroll. Then, an angel appears and asks if anyone is able to open the scroll.
However, no one could break the seals. No one could open the scroll.
Verse 3 says, “ . . . no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it.”
What a tragedy! What is on the scroll? Who can open the scroll? This moment was so tragic to John that we learn in verse 4 that John wept and wept, for no one could open the scroll.
However, that’s not the end, is it?
Let’s notice now . . .
II. The Lion and the Lamb.
Look at verses 5-7:
5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.
Alright, surely you want to know what happened after He took the scroll. We’ll get to some of that in a moment and more in the weeks to come.
For now, notice two descriptors of the one who took the scroll: He is referred to as a lion and a lamb. Of course, this is the Lord Jesus Christ.
First, Jesus is referred to as the Lion from the tribe of Judah.
Judah was one of the sons of Jacob (or Israel), which would later become the tribes of Israel, which represented God’s people in the Old Testament.
Listen to this prophecy given about Judah way back in Genesis 49:9-10:
“Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the kill. He crouches; he lies down like a lion or a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.”
This prophecy describes the tribe of Judah as like a lion and as a tribe that will have a ruler come from it.
Well, John is connecting the dots for us, isn’t he? Jesus is the Lion from Judah.
Notice also that the elder calls Jesus “The Root of David.”
Being the Root of David means that Jesus is from the line of David’s ancestry (by the way, David was also from Judah). Of course, David was thought to be the greatest king ever for Israel. Yet, Jesus is an even better king.
Judah was a lion, but Jesus is a stronger lion. David was a great king, but Jesus is a greater king. Jesus is the Lion of Judah, and He is worthy to take the scroll.
Second, notice that Jesus is said to be like a lamb.
Now, in case you didn’t pick up on this fact, lions and lambs are very different.
Lions are fierce, strong, and dangerous. Lambs are small, weak, and vulnerable.
Yet, Jesus is like both.
You see, Jesus came the first time like a lamb by laying down His life on the cross.
This is why John the Baptizer said at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Lambs were sacrificed for the payment of sin, as Jesus was sacrificed for the payment of sin (more on that in a moment).
So, Jesus came the first time like a lamb.
However, Jesus is returning like a lion. He will come with strength, fierceness, and victory. He will not take on suffering when He comes again; He will deal out judgment on sin and blessings for God’s people.
So, we see in this wonderful chapter descriptions of Jesus as a lion and a lamb.
Finally, notice . . .
III. The wounds and the worship.
Let’s look at the rest of the chapter. Look at verses 8-14:
8 When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slaughtered,
and you purchased people
for God by your blood
from every tribe and language
and people and nation.
10 You made them a kingdom
and priests to our God,
and they will reign on the earth.
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands. 12 They said with a loud voice,
Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!
13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say,
Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Wow, what a passage, right?
Notice what happens when Jesus takes the scroll: The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, and they worship.
Finally, someone is worthy to take the scroll! It’s Jesus! He is worthy to take the scroll, and He is worthy of worship!
We also see objects of worship described that were used in the Old Testament.
We hear about harps and golden bowls filled with incense.
These objects are a reminder of worship in God’s previous temple, but the worship in God’s future temple will be so much better!
In verse 9, the elders and the creatures sing a new song to the Lamb of God.
In verse 11, we learn that countless thousands of angels join in the worship of Jesus the Lamb.
In verse 13, we hear of every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in those places joining in worship as well.
This is worldwide worship of the Lamb, Jesus Christ! How incredible this will be!
I love that we hear the reason that the Lamb was worthy of worship: It’s because of the wounds that Jesus is worthy of worship.
Look again at verse 9:
. . . they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slaughtered,
and you purchased people
for God by your blood
from every tribe and language
and people and nation.
Look also at verse 12. It says:
Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered . . .
You see, among the many reasons that Jesus is worthy of worship is that He was wounded for our sins. He was slaughtered. His blood was shed.
God established a sacrificial system to pay for (or atone for) sins. That payment involved wounds, blood, and death.
Hebrews 9:22 says:
“ . . . without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
When Jesus administered the final passover meal with His apostles (what we call “The Last Supper”), He said in Mark 14:22 and 24:
“Take it, this is my body.”
“This is the blood of the covenant.”
Jesus spoke of how He would be wounded.
Isaiah 53:5 prophesied this beautiful work of Jesus. It says:
But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.
Jesus was wounded for us so that we could be spared from the judgment of God poured out on us for our sins.
He was wounded so that we could be forgiven.
Because of that (and so much more), Jesus deserves and will receive worldwide worship.
That’s our bottom line for today:
Bottom Line: Jesus deserves and will receive worldwide worship.
Jesus is worthy of the worship of those creatures and those elders. Jesus is worthy of the worship of those thousands and thousands of angels. Jesus is worthy of my worship and your worship. Jesus is worthy of the worship of every king, queen, prime minister, president, dictator, and legislator on this globe. Jesus is worthy of the worship of your brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, and your grandsons and granddaughters. Jesus is worthy of the worship of your classmates, coworkers, neighbors, friends, and enemies. He is worthy of the worship of your wife, husband, boyfriend, or girlfriend. He’s worthy of the worship of every sinner and saint, prisoner and free, every nation, every tribe, every language, and every ethnicity. He is worthy of the worship of every Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, Socialist, Communist, and Anarchist. He is worthy of the worship of every Christian, every Muslim, every Jew, every Hindu, every Buddhist, every Sikh, every Bahai, every animist, every atheist, every agnostic, every polytheist, and every cult member.
Jesus is worthy of worldwide worship!
Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!
Jesus is worthy!
Challenge yourself this week in this one way:
Weekly Challenge: Commit to worship Jesus forever.
Verse 13 says:
Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
Worship the Lord God and worship the Lamb forever and ever.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.
