Read: Revelation 4:1-11
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power. (v. 11)
It is fitting to conclude our reflections on Jesus’ birth by hearing again the glorious song “Worthy are you!” What Jesus did to redeem the cosmos is so stunning, the hosts of heaven will never stop singing about it. They are singing right now! Remember that what John of Patmos saw was not a vision of the future. Instead the Spirit of Christ pulled back the curtain to give John a glimpse of what is going on in heaven right now. The song is ongoing!
A couple of times this month we have seen passages like John 1 and Colossians 1 that make it clear that it was the Son of God who had been the one to speak all those “Let there be” lines in Genesis 1. It makes sense then that the first song John heard is one that gives Christ Jesus the glory on account of his having created all things. First the heavenly choir thanks Jesus for making all things and then second (in Revelation 5) they will praise the Lamb for redeeming all that he had made.
This is the song we will join in the new creation. But this is also the song we are to be rehearsing right now. As C. S. Lewis once said, in this life we can but tune up our instruments in preparation for joining the music of heaven one day. But what a privilege it is already now to join the song: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God!” —Scott Hoezee
As you pray, join the heavenly chorus of praise!
About the Author
Scott Hoezee is an ordained pastor in the Christian Reformed Church of North America. He served two Michigan congregations from 1990-2005 and since 2005 has been a faculty member at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he serves chiefly as the Director of The Center for Excellence in Preaching. He is the author of several books, including most recently Why We Listen to Sermons (Calvin Press 2019) and is the co-host of the “Groundwork” radio program.
