C, Easter 3 - Revelation 5:11-12 "Worthy is the Word"

Revelation 5:11–12 (ESV)   Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!”

This weekend has brought to a climax, weeks of words.  Through all these words, every person has been asked to consider who and what is worthy of their support.  Words all working towards enticing you to choose who is worthy to be a winner.

How does one work out who or what is worthy?  What is worthiness?

When hidden reality was revealed to John, the question of worthiness was asked of him. 

John tells us, “Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, ‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’” (Revelation 5:1–5 ESV)

We too, might want to weep loudly with a world of words competing for worthiness within.  Vying for our attention is all sorts of stuff coming at us from every direction. Words from others, words from what one reads, words from what one hears!  Words in the airways, coming from the mouths of others, meet our ears and enter in.  We try to make sense of these words with our own internal words.  These are words we’ve heard in the past, and for whatever reason, hang onto as truth. 

Some of the things we’ve heard in the past have proven to be good at first but then have soured and left a very bad taste in our mouths.  On the other hand, some words sound wonky and unlikely to be right, but time or experience has proven them to be true for now. It seems the amount of information at our fingertips today has not made us more informed.  Instead, it seems to have made us more cynical and sceptical.

The electronic world in which we live has allowed us to become a knee jerk society.  Words seem to jerk us around, pulling at us, tugging on one’s inner strings, this way and that, to impatiently persuade in an instant.  Words appear to have lost their influence from a creative single truth.  Words have become a tool of persuasion.   Truth is no longer objective, but rather, it’s now optional!  

Many having been won over in the past by words less than truthful, become cynical and sceptical.  Hearing, seeing, authorship, reality, are less and less trusted in an artificial world where everything has become “subjective and temporary”.  No “objective or supreme” truth can be trusted.  In other words, we no longer trust anything apart from what’s within the self. 

We live in a world where truth has no foundation, which has led to a world of confusion and chaos.  The loss of objective truth outside of us, is most dangerous for everyone in the world, when truth is lost in God’s church, to the subjective chaotic lies branded as truths.

When worthiness is lost to subjectivity, people go back into the self, collectively and individually seeking self-worth.  We ask ourselves, “Who can open the scroll of truth in our society today?”  Some place their trust in this; others in that!   A war of words begins.  It’s politicised, polarising, and paralysing.   It’s a war of half-truths and sin.  One’s subjective truth is pitted against another, and if left to fester, brother is separated from brother, children are detached from parents, neighbour becomes nasty towards neighbour, race riots against race, one population plunders another, due to misguided self-worth. 

We find ourselves teetering on the edge, asking, “What is not a lie?  What’s truth?  Everything’s a lie!” 

In his revelation, John sees all this in himself and everyone else.  He sees the lie of his humanity, and the contradiction of words within himself and within the world.  He weeps that no one can open the scroll and unseal the Word of Truth.  But an elder proclaims to him, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5 ESV)

The Lamb of God has conquered!  He is the Tree of Life, the Root of David.  The Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God, is risen as God’s Ram from Mount Moriah having been sacrificed with his head in the thorns.  He is the Word made flesh, the Objective Truth made Subjective Flesh, the Son of God and the Son of Man.  Now his flesh has been raised in objective truth as the only Worthy Word!

What is truth?  What is not a lie? Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.  Who or what is worthy? Not you!  Not me!  Not our words!  Jesus Christ is worthy because the testimony of the water, in which you were baptised, because of the testimony of his blood, which you take and drink for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, and because of the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which is greater than any testimony of humanity (1 John 5:6-12).

Jesus is the only one worthy to open the scroll, the truth of his Word.  His life, death, and resurrection is the only true eternal testimony.  The word of neither women nor men, neither politician nor pastor, is greater than Jesus’ Word.

Unfortunately, many even inside the church have become cynical and sceptical towards the truth of Jesus’ Word.  We are all tempted to take his word and filter it through our human understanding, to make Jesus, worthy in a way we see fit. 

We are told in Hebrews chapter thirteen, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  (Hebrews 13:7–8 ESV)

In this unchanging sameness John looked and saw, “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.” (Revelation 5:6b–7 ESV)

Remember the pastors you have called here in this parish. These are repentant men sent by God to point you to the worthiness of Jesus Christ, and the scroll he has opened, not to themselves or for their own worthiness.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, these men have not called you to be illuminated by the world.  But have called you by the worthiness of the Lamb to illuminate him in the world with his sevenfold character in the Holy Spirit.

The scroll of the truth is open by Jesus Christ.  Let the Holy Spirit open your heart to the sevenfold character of Jesus’ worthiness, as God’s only begotten Word of Truth.  Through his death and resurrection, Jesus’ worthy character is one of power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, glory, and blessing.

With regards to power, not only does Jesus have power, but he has omnipotent eternal power. 

Jesus’ wealth is a wealth that survives your grave and is rich in eternal life. 

The wisdom of Jesus’ Word is unfathomable. But at the same time, its clarity is so simple a child can grasp it. 

Despite being the Lamb of God, Jesus’ might, is second to none.  Not even a foolish fox could devour this Lamb's worthiness!  You are little lambs under the Lamb of God, protected by the worthiness of his might!

Jesus’ worthiness has a greater value than silver or gold!  Therefore, you, priests of God’s kingdom, can give away your earthly kingdoms, trusting in the honour or prize of Jesus’ worthiness.

The glory of God’s children is in the worthiness of Jesus’ power, wealth, wisdom, might, and honour.  This glory begins with God, but it also ends with God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Test yourself to see you’re not a blockage hindering God’s glory.   Pray that God disciplines you as disciples of his glory.  As disciples of his glory, Jesus makes you worthy, that is, holy in the sight of God our Father.

Therefore, in Christ’s worthiness you are priests in God’s kingdom, eulogised by Jesus’ worthiness.  All the eulogising pomp and ceremony of ourselves in our death is now worthless compared to the goodness of Jesus, in the worthiness of what he has done for you.  You and I are not blessed in ourselves, but in the worthiness of him alone, his blessedness makes you and me a blessing to others.

So, let the sevenfold Holy Spirit of God that rested on Jesus and led him to death, and through it, rest on you.   As Jesus allowed the Spirit to lead him, let the sevenfold Spirit open your heart to Jesus’ worthiness.  To reject all other power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, glory, and blessing and be made worthy of eternal life by Jesus’ power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, glory, and blessing. 

Worthy is the Word of God, yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.

B, Pentecost 22 Proper 25 - Mark 10:46-52 "Superior Sight with Inferior Blindness"

Mark 10:46–48 (ESV) And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”  And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”  And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

As human beings we are always learning about inferiority and superiority, and how they affect our relationships with other people.

If we feel inferior around others, we tend to typecast ourselves as not being good enough or not worthy of being in certain company.  A person who sees themselves as inferior, pictures themselves as having little to no value in the presence of a person of great honour.

This produces one of two things.  Either, the inferior will have a sense of awe, and treat the other person with honour, showing them deep reverence and respect. Or, on sensing inferiority, instead of awe, will consider honour awful, and show contempt.  Like a tall poppy, we desire and devise ways to chop down superiority in a demonstration of disrespect.

The opposite of inferiority is superiority.  Where one is present the other is usually not far away.  They are like opposite sides of the same coin.  They have a relationship like rise and fall, up and down, in and out. Even if the relationship is chalk and cheese, there is still an association with each other, despite the difference.

When we feel inferior, our perception of the other person’s superiority causes reverence or irreverence, respect or disrespect.

A person who feels or sees themselves as superior, like the inferior, will have something being produced in them too.  Superiority wants to be honoured!  When we feel superior, we want to be lifted up, noticed, and appreciated.  There’s an expectation that all must fall down at one’s feet and pay homage. 

Alternatively, we might want to use the honoured position on someone, in some way.  From a perceived height, we might put down those who appear to be on the rise.  Or, we might have a desire to use our honour to help the inferior, either condescendingly or humbly. 

Inferiority and superiority!  Such is the pecking order in the chook pen of community, living in the hen house of humanity!

This same inferiority-superiority dynamic is at work when Jesus heals Bartimaeus.

Jesus is passing through Jericho, travelling to Jerusalem.  He is about to travel the road to his triumphal entry and death at the cross.  This is the road on which the parable of the Good Samaritan is set.  As Jesus passes through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem, he nears Bartimaeus, a blind beggar.

Bartimaeus, literally, son of Timaeus, hears the Son of Man, Jesus of Nazareth is going to Jerusalem. He cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

It is easy to overlook what is occurring here, but the same inferiority-superiority subtleties are playing out as the account unfolds!

It’s obvious that Bartimaeus is the inferior.  We might assume Jesus is the superior, and he is, in so many ways!  But, here in this narrative, in Mark, the superior are those who rebuke the blind beggar for crying out to Jesus, Son of David, for mercy.

In Mark’s Gospel account, his central theme is housed between two accounts of healing.  In Mark 8 Jesus heals a blind man at Bethsaida (8:22-26), then Peter confesses him as the Christ (8:29). Jesus begins the first of three revelations that he is going to suffer, die, and be raised (8:31, 9:31, 10:33-34) and tell Satan to “get behind” (8:33).  And coupled with this prophetic triptych of his death and resurrection is the theme of Jesus’ value as the Son of Man, the Suffering Servant of humankind.

So, we arrive here on the road to Jerusalem with those who have struggle to see Jesus as the Servant king, soon to be coronated on the cross, but with blind beggar Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, who only had eyes of faith for Jesus, Son of David.

The superiority of those travelling with Jesus and probably others who begged or traded on the same stretch of road as Bartimaeus, sought to rebuke the son of Timaeus for calling out to Jesus.

There is an irony here in the text that cannot go unmentioned.  The name Timaeus, has as its root, the meaning of honour. The word rebuke and the name Timaeus carry the same root word meaning of honour or value. Bartimaeus a blind beggar, the lowest of the low has the name “son of honour”.  Yet those who rebuke him are taxing or robbing him of his honour for calling out to Jesus.  Rebuking, literally in the Greek, means to devalue and discredit. And this is what the superior seek to do to the little honour they believe Bartimaeus holds. 

The irony continues as the superior seek to censure the inferior.  But Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, continues calling out, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” This is the beggars cry to have his honour restored.  In fact, of all the parties in this passage of Scripture, Bartimaeus reveals himself as the one who has the best view of Jesus, despite being blind.

And so, the relationship between the two unfolds!

Jesus doesn’t patronise Bartimaeus with condescension nor does Bartimaeus bestow any fake reverence or contempt.  Jesus honours Bartimaeus as equal.  Bartimaeus pleads for Jesus’ mercy  who is on his way to be anointed as the Christ on the cross.  Crowned on the cross as the King of Righteousness!

 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”  And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”  And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10:49–52 (ESV)

Notice how Jesus doesn’t call Bartimaeus!  Instead. he tells those around him to call the beggar.  So, they do! The superior ones tell him to take courage, “Jesus is calling you.”

Yet again, here there is more irony. Bartimaeus was already showing great courage!  Rather, Jesus was calling the superior ones around him to, “Take heart, open your eyes, have faith in the Son of Man, who seeks to serve you and save you from the slavery of your superiority.”

Jesus honours Bartimaeus with sight, and having restored his sight, Bartimaeus follows Jesus.

That’s all we hear about Bartimaeus.  One could arguably assume he saw and participated in Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday because we are told, “he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.” 

Bartimaeus possibly would have seen his sight restorer, Jesus, the Son of David, ride a colt into Jerusalem  to shouts of, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9–10 ESV)

Who are you in this passage of Scripture?  What part do you play?  Are you one who honours Jesus by letting him remove your blindness?  Like Bartimaeus, Jesus calls you and honours you through his servanthood, his death and resurrection. He is walking with you, right now, on your road through death to eternity with him.  Amen.

Let us lay aside our inferiority and our superiority. Let us honour Jesus as he serves us with forgiveness, through his Word, his sacraments, and through others who also share in his forgiveness. Amen.