|
|
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion January 14, 2008 Worthy is the Lamb |
A daily |
Frontline Devotion for Monday January 14, 2008 by Fritz Foltz
Revelation 5:4-8 I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’ Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered…Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne…singing with full voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered”….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 for ever and ever!’
If the major question facing early Christianity was “How can the executed Jesus be proclaimed the Christ?” John tackles it right at the beginning of his Gospel. He has John the Baptizer acknowledge he is not the Messiah and then introduce Jesus as “The Lamb of God.”
Many first century Jews were praying for a Messiah or Christ who like King David would raise an army to throw their enemies from the Holy Land. Instead they got a man who told them to love their enemies and then allowed that enemy to kill him.
John claims Jesus served the same role as the Passover Lamb whose blood was smeared on Hebrew doors to show the Angel of Death over which houses he should pass. Just as the blood of the Passover Lamb saved the Hebrews, so Jesus’ sacrifice saves the world.
Our Christ overcomes the sin of the world not by smashing sinners but by suffering himself at their hands. God sent a Messiah who gave his life that others might live. And because the Messiah was the Son of the Trinitarian God it is God himself who suffers for our sin. That is a justice beyond our understanding and certainly beyond our power. God does for us what we can not do or ourselves.
Revelation proclaims this mystery by introducing a surprise into the heavenly ritual. The Heavenly Host seeks someone worthy of beginning the events that will bring salvation to the world. In the midst of their failure, a cry goes out that the Lion of Judah has proven himself worthy to do this. Everyone turns expecting to see a knight in shining armor and are astonished to confront a bleeding lamb. In fact, John says it was clear he had been slaughtered. In awe at the great mystery all sing the Sanctus, “Holy, Holy, Holy.”
To proclaim Jesus the Christ demands an entirely new way of regarding power. It changes our entire perception of what it is to be a hero and what it is to be saved. God does not call us to bring suffering to sinners, but rather to suffer with and for them.
Take some time to ponder this mystery. Begin by acknowledging hate harms the hater as much as the hated, and sin brings suffering to the sinner as much as the one sinned against.
Let us pray: We give thanks, Father, that Christ has given himself for our sins, showing us you suffer with and for us. Give us the courage to share the sufferings of the sinners about us as well. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
|
All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
Visit the |
|||||||||||
