“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. ” – Revelation 5:12

Worthy is the Lamb!

This time of year has been called many things as the spring warms into the summer.  Graduation Season.  Wedding Season.  Cake Season.  Road Construction Season.  Mosquito Season.  But at this time of year we could add one more: Sheep Season.  

We are familiar with the picture of the sheep.  Every spring, on the fourth Sunday after Easter, congregations across our fellowship celebrate Jesus, the Great Shepherd, who tends to and who cares for you and I, his sheep.  The words and hymns of praise that flow from this Biblical imagery are of the greatest comfort to a believer.  We hear Jesus speak in John 10 of the close relationship he has with each of us as he leads us home to the perfect pastures of heavenly contentment.  Psalm 23 resonates in our worship as we know our Shepherd keeps us close to him through life’s troubling valleys.  We hear God declare it in Ezekiel 30:31, “You are my flock of sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and you are my people, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”

We are familiar with sheep from Israel’s Old Testament worship life.  Essentially a form of currency, Scriptures tell us that the altars of Israel received numerous sheep, rams, and ewes over the years as sacrifices.  According to the ceremonial laws given at Mt. Sinai, these animals were sacrificed regularly as part of the burnt offerings, peace offerings, and sin offerings.  Their innocent blood shed was a shadow of things to come – pointing ahead to the sacrifice made by Christ Jesus once and for all on the cross.

Another focal point is one that often gets less attention in our worship life. That is the picture of the Lamb from Revelation.  But it is one that is important as our faith looks forward to eternity.  This Lamb appears slain in Revelation 5:6.  Hebrews 10:10 tells us more when it says “by this (God’s) will, we have been sanctified once and for all, through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.”  Our Savior’s sacrifice as the Lamb of God gives us forgiveness and reconciliation with our Father in heaven.  The Lamb’s saving work is evident throughout the book of Revelation.  Through this Lamb we have been given victory over the devil (Rev 12:11).  Through this Lamb we will have a heavenly home and all we need for eternity (Rev 21:23).  Through this Lamb our names have been written in his Book of Life (Rev 21:27).

Go ahead and celebrate this season, for it is also the Season of the Sheep!  Worthy is the Lamb!