{"id":25950,"date":"2020-09-02T09:40:33","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T13:40:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=25950"},"modified":"2020-09-02T10:27:29","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T14:27:29","slug":"worship-wednesday-truth-is-he-worthy-he-is-andrew-peterson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=25950","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Truth – Is He Worthy? He Is – Andrew Peterson"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Worship at Movement Church<\/a><\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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[Adapted from the Archives – here<\/a> and here<\/a>]<\/div>\n
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We live in a culture of disruption right now – where grace does not seem to abound and only what divides, destroys, and deceives seems celebrated (at least in our city streets and in our media). Through the noise, we must continue to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God”<\/strong><\/em> (Micah 6:8<\/a>).<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n
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We must remind ourselves of what is true, what is noble, what is right, pure, admirable and excellent (Philippians 4:8<\/a>). We say NO in answer to God’s question of “Is the LORD’s arm too short?”<\/strong> (Numbers 11:23<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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The Prophet Isaiah<\/a> warned (and gave comfort) that God does and will intervene. He will make right; He will save. May we be with Him in this…praying, standing for righteousness, leaning into those who are hurting, serving the suffering, and forgiving those who would do evil (God will judge; we are to pray and to love in word and deed).<\/div>\n
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\u00a0<\/span>Indeed, the Lord<\/span>\u2019s arm is not too weak to save,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
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and his ear is not too deaf to hear.<\/span><\/strong>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>But your iniquities are separating you <\/span>from your God,<\/span>
\nand your sins have hidden his face from you <\/span>so that he does not listen.<\/span>
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>For your hands are defiled with blood <\/span>and your fingers, with iniquity; <\/span>your lips have spoken lies, <\/span>and your tongues mutter injustice.<\/span>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>No one makes claims justly; <\/span>no one pleads honestly. <\/span>They trust in empty and worthless words; <\/span>they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 <\/sup>…<\/span>Their works are sinful works, <\/span>and violent acts are in their hands.<\/span>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>Their feet run after evil, <\/span>and they rush to shed innocent blood.<\/span>
\nTheir thoughts are sinful thoughts; <\/span>ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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8\u00a0<\/sup>They have not known the path of peace, <\/span>and there is no justice in their ways. <\/span>They have made their roads crooked; <\/span>no one who walks on them will know peace. <\/span>9\u00a0<\/sup>Therefore justice is far from us, <\/span>and righteousness does not reach us. <\/span>We hope for light, but there is darkness; <\/span>for brightness, but we live in the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

11 <\/sup>…<\/span>We hope for justice, but there is none; <\/span>for salvation, but it is far from us. <\/span>12\u00a0<\/sup>For our transgressions have multiplied before you,<\/span>
\nand our sins testify against us…<\/span><\/p>\n

14\u00a0<\/sup>Justice is turned back, <\/span>and righteousness stands far off.<\/span><\/strong>
\nFor truth has stumbled in the public square, <\/span>and honesty cannot enter. <\/span>15\u00a0<\/sup>Truth is missing, <\/span>and whoever turns from evil is plundered.<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe Lord<\/span> saw that there was no justice, <\/span>and he was offended.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

16\u00a0<\/sup>He saw that there was no man<\/a>\u2014<\/span><\/strong>
\nhe was amazed that there was no one interceding; <\/span>so his own arm brought salvation, <\/span>and his own righteousness supported him.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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17\u00a0<\/sup>He put on righteousness as body armor, <\/span>and a helmet of salvation on his head; … <\/span>18\u00a0<\/sup>So he will repay according to their deeds: <\/span>fury to his enemies, <\/span>retribution to his foes, <\/span>and he will repay the coasts and islands. <\/span>19\u00a0<\/sup>They will fear the name of the Lord<\/span> in the west<\/span>
\nand his glory in the east; <\/span>for he will come like a rushing stream<\/span>
\ndriven by the wind of the Lord<\/span>. <\/span>20\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cThe Redeemer will come to Zion,<\/span>
\nand to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.\u201d<\/span>
\nThis is the Lord<\/span>\u2019s declaration.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

21\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cAs for me, this is my covenant with them,\u201d says the Lord<\/span>: \u201cMy Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children\u2019s children, from now on and forever,\u201d says the Lord<\/span>. – Isaiah 59<\/a>
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For believers and non-believers alike, we can still the madness surrounding us\u2026and consider Jesus.<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Who is he? What is there in him that must be, at least, examined?<\/div>\n
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Consider.<\/div>\n
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So much of Scripture is plain and clear in its teaching such that any of us could follow it and apply it to our lives. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, written by the Apostle John<\/a> under the direction of the Holy Spirit\u2026is not like any other text. It is full of the mystery of God and yet can yield great truth to the least theological of us. Read what John, in his last days on earth, wrote about Jesus:<\/div>\n
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\u201cThen I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals.<\/span> I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, \u201cWho is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?\u201d<\/strong><\/span> But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>I wept and wept because no one was found worthy<\/strong> to open the scroll or even to look in it.\u00a0<\/span>Then one of the elders said to me, \u201cDo 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.<\/strong>\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: The Henry Luke Journey<\/a><\/p>\n

Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing in the midst of the throne\u2026<\/span><\/strong> He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

When he took the scroll\u2026<\/span>they sang a new song:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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You are worthy to take the scroll <\/span><\/strong><\/em>and to open its seals,<\/span><\/strong><\/em>
\nbecause you were slaughtered, <\/span><\/strong><\/em>and you purchased people<\/span><\/strong><\/em>
\nfor God by your blood <\/span><\/strong><\/em>from every tribe and language<\/span><\/strong><\/em>
\nand people and nation.<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Revelation 5:1-9<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The passage above from Revelation 5<\/a> is derived from a God-infused vision that John experienced and then transcribed for us to learn from it.\u00a0 We don\u2019t know for sure what the scroll represents \u2013 is it the purposes of God? Is it the finale of world history? Is it the judgment for the sins of all humankind? We don\u2019t know for sure, but what we do know, is the scroll could not be opened\u2026except by One worthy. Not just able to open it, but worthy to open it.<\/p>\n

Jesus, the sinless Savior, was\/is worthy. He is given many names in Scripture. The spotless Lamb of God is one. The perfect sacrifice. He alone could give His life for ours. He alone could pay our sin debt to a holy God. He, without sin, gave Himself in our place for us to be reconciled to God. Jesus is also called the Lion of Judah<\/a>. One day He will come for us in the might and majesty of a conquering king \u2013 this lion of God, unmatched by any foe, wholly able to deliver us to the Father.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singer\/songwriterAndrew Peterson<\/a><\/em> wrote the song Is He Worthy<\/a>?<\/a><\/em> for a congregation to participate responsively with the worship leaders. The reading or singing of this song is liturgical in form\u2026something I\u2019m not used to\u2026but appreciate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cOne of the things I like best about liturgy is the more or less constant involvement of the congregation. The word \u201cliturgy\u201d means \u201cthe work of the people.\u201d It\u2019s not so much about us coming to sit while the pastor and the elders do everything, but about all of us together rehearsing the story of redemption, edifying each other by reading Scripture aloud, reaffirming what we believe, embodying worship by kneeling or singing together\u2014all of it culminating, of course, in the Lord\u2019s Supper. I can\u2019t overstate how much I crave the moment at the end of the service when I kneel at the front and a friend of mine places the unleavened bread in my open hands, looks me in the eye and says, \u2018Andrew, this is the body of Christ, broken for you.\u2019<\/em>
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Every week my wayward, hungry soul is confronted by the love of Jesus. Like clockwork.\u201d \u2013 Andrew Peterson<\/a>
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\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: GodTube, Andrew Peterson<\/a><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s worship together<\/a> with this glorious anthem by Andrew Peterson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[Verse 1]
\nDo you feel the world is broken? (We do)
\nDo you feel the shadows deepen? (We do)
\nBut do you know that all the dark won\u2019t stop the light from getting through? (We do)
\nDo you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)<\/p>\n

[Verse 2]
\nIs all creation groaning? (It is)
\nIs a new creation coming? (It is)
\nIs the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? (It is)
\nIs it good that we remind ourselves of this? (It is)<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nIs anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
\nIs anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
\nThe Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
\nHe is David\u2019s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave<\/p>\n

[Refrain 1]
\nIs He worthy? Is He worthy?
\nOf all blessing and honor and glory
\nIs He worthy of this?
\nHe is<\/p>\n

[Verse 3]
\nDoes the Father truly love us? (He does)
\nDoes the Spirit move among us? (He does)
\nAnd does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves? (He does)
\nDoes our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nIs anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
\nIs anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
\nThe Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
\nHe is David\u2019s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave<\/p>\n

[Bridge]
\nFrom every people and tribe
\nEvery nation and tongue
\nHe has made us a kingdom and priests to God
\nTo reign with the Son<\/p>\n

[Refrain 2]
\nIs He worthy? Is He worthy?
\nOf all blessing and honor and glory
\nIs He worthy? Is He worthy?
\nIs He worthy of this?
\nHe is!
\nIs He worthy? Is He worthy?
\nHe is!
\nHe is!*<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2026You are worthy.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are worthy to take the scroll <\/span><\/em>and to open its seals,<\/span><\/em>
\nbecause you were slaughtered, <\/span><\/em>and you purchased people<\/span><\/em>
\nfor God by your blood <\/span><\/em>from every tribe and language<\/span><\/em><\/strong>
\nand people and nation<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Revelation 5:9<\/a><\/span>\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: The Rabbit Room<\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube Video – Psalm 34<\/em> – Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir<\/a><\/p>\n