Only Jesus Is Worthy — Stop Putting Leaders on a Pedestal
In Revelation 5, John has a vision where nobody is found worthy to open God's scroll, but then a Lamb appears on the scene, and everybody falls in the Lamb's presence and worships. We read in verse 9: "They sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals.'" (Revelation 5:9)
In verse 12 the angels were singing: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12)
Matching Up to Open the Scroll
In the earliest New Testament documents, the Greek word for "worthy" is the word axios. It's a word that means "deserving", or "of equal weight". In fact the root of this word means "to balance" or "to weigh" - so the idea is that if you were to measure (or weigh) each person's life, they would not measure up to the standards needed to open God's scroll.
John weeps, when he realises that nobody is worthy, nobody measures up. I want to remind you today, that I as a pastor and Bible teacher am not worthy - I don't measure up to God's standard for opening the scroll. Your favourite preachers and teachers - they are not worthy. They don't measure up. The people you respect and admire most - they don't measure up.
Please, don't put people in the place that only God should take. Don't put your spiritual leaders in a place that belongs only to Jesus.
Don't Put Leaders on a Pedestal
In the early days of the church, people were starting to put leaders on a pedestal. Paul, one of the big leaders of the day, writes this to the Corinthian church:
"Are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labour. For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building." (1 Corinthians 3:3-9)
Paul is not worthy. Apollos is not worthy. They are God's servants, yes, but they aren't worthy. Only God's Son, Jesus Christ, who died as a perfect Lamb - He is worthy.
The reason that only Jesus is worthy - only Jesus measures up - is because only Jesus lived a sin-free life.
Only a Sinless Saviour Measures Up
In the letter to the Hebrews, in the New Testament, the writer explains that Jesus is more worthy than any high priest in the old Jewish system. He writes this: "Since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin." (Hebrews 4:14-15)
Jesus alone is worthy - morally perfect, without sin.
Don't ever give glory to another human being! It belongs to the perfect, sinless Jesus. He is worthy. He measures up!
So the cry of our hearts every day is WOW - how amazing Jesus is - not just because of how I benefit from Him, but because of who He is - the spotless, pure, worthy Lamb.
Only Jesus measures up. Not your pastor, not your favourite preacher - only the sinless Lamb of God is worthy.