Thursday December 13, 2012

Every knee in heaven is bending
To the Lamb for sinners slain;

Every voice and harp is swelling
"Worthy is the Lamb to reign!”

Read Revelation 5:1-12

In Revelation 5, the apostle John portrays Jesus, the Lion of Judah (vs 5) as a wounded Lamb (vs 6). Referring to this word picture, preacher Charles Spurgeon asked, “Why should our exalted Lord appear in His wounds in glory?” His reply: “The wounds of Jesus are His glory.”

Typically the symbol of a lamb does not represent power and victory. Most people prefer symbols that invite admiration. Yet God chose to be incarnated as a baby born into a poor carpenter’s home. He lived as a itinerant preacher died “as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7) on a Roman cross. Everyone, including His disciples thought that His crucifixion spelled the end of the One who had dared to defy the established religious order of His day. But when Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He demonstrated mightily God’s incomparable power and glory.

The day is coming when Jesus will return in glory to rule what is rightfully His. On that day, all will bow before Him and say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing!” (vs 12). Jesus, the Lamb who is also the Lion, deserves our praise!

Prayer:

¥ Pray for the music team in your congregation. Include the leaders, the musicians, singers and technical people. Pray that God would bless these people for their dedication and hard work. Pray that God would continue to use them to lead us in our Sonday worship and that we would be blessed by their service and drawn closer to our Lord and Saviour.

¥ Pray for our cell groups. Ask God to knit each group together in a Christ-like love and to grow each cell in depth of knowledge and insight into the Word. Pray that our cell groups grow in number as well.