(There is a comment on John 21:1-19, Easter 3c gospel, in the next blog.)
Your choice of music says more about you than you might think! Whether you listen or perform, is it loud and angry, romantic fantasy, something you don’t pay attention to, or just old fashioned? Would you admit to it, or insist on it?
Much the same is true of groups of Christians. Their choice of music says a lot. Is it so loud you drown everything else? Is it so old that only people in the “in group” can sing it? Perhaps more important, can there be new songs, but also the learning of old ones? Can one set of instruments to accompany give place to another? And, do the words matter? Do they say anything significant?
Lots of questions there, and you might begin to work our my preferences – which are not really the important thing. They do, however, give us a way in to that glimpse of heaven we have in Revelation 5:11-14. The picture is of vast numbers, singing praise to the Lamb who was slain – Jesus. He is at the centre, and is worshipped for his sacrifice. There is no doubt here what matters. We don’t know the music – it is not even clear if words are said or sung – but the content is significant.
Jesus is worthy to receive a number of very dangerous things:
- Power. We say that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We are cynical about politicians, the rich and the famous because of the power they hold. Yet Jesus is worthy to receive power – because he has shown how he will use it, truly in love for humanity, even his enemies.
- Wealth. Wealth brings power and freedom. Jesus has shown a new way of using both power and freedom. Not only is all wealth his by virtue of creation and redemption. He deserves it!
- Wisdom. His life choices were indeed strange to our eyes. A simple life, voluntary suffering, setting aside many ordinary pleasures and indeed things we would call rights. His wisdom is proved by its effects, and he is indeed worthy to receive more.
- Strength. How many people would you put in a position of control over you? There is one you can rely on never to abuse that, and more, to be worth serving and obeying always.
- Honour, glory and praise. Let’s take three together. Each is deserved by Jesus for his service to each and to all, yet in each case, more should be given. The Lord of Calvary should be honoured, as God should always be honoured – not with pious words, but with heartfelt respect. Glory is not “glitz”, or celebrity “spin”; it is the wonder and admiration due to self-giving love. Praise is more than a condescending “well done”. It is the use of words which remind us of just what has been achieved, and help us to live in thankfulness, and imitation, and deliberate response.
Revelation 5:10 is quite an anthem! But the next verse brings an echo to the heavenly chorus from all creation. Now the figure on the throne and the Lamb are linked, and we understand God the Father and God the Son (one of those Biblical references which will be later rationalised in the doctrine of the Trinity). And they are to receive: praise and honour and glory and power. That is the last three, and the first, of those dangerous things offered to Jesus.
That response asks us if we are ready to join in. Have we taken note of the sacrifice of Good Friday and the power of the Resurrection? Are we now ready to give “praise and honour and glory and power” – not words, but actions, priorities worked out in practice day by day? It makes sense, and although these are dangerous things to hand over, there is no-one better to hold and use them.
The four living creatures said, “Amen”. They didn’t mean “Worship over, what’s next?”, but “We agree, count us in, we’re all for it”. Are we?