He Is Worthy

The filigree with my neighbor that I think that our society pursues feeling good about themselves, ourselves and about the importance of self worth. The problem is when we look at statistics as to how we view ourselves. The statistics are very very depressing just to be explored by the report that it just might in United Kingdom which was surveying a young woman and I was really quite tragic in the United Kingdom apparently in the statistics are very similar here in the United States. About one in four of these young women have some kind of mental illness.

The report said some kind of emotional problem anxiety and depression are probably the most common problems with how they view themselves their body image problems with the stress of exams at school in the College of the University and also report said the impact of social media a was having a negative effect on money because right of about 1/3 of these young women spend at least four hours on social media and when they look at social media that has all kinds of consequences. As you can imagine, particularly regarding the number of likes they have another social media so you have you put a picture of yourself or with your friends and you get 150 likes and I only get 48 and that plunges me into great anxiety or icy of the social media that friends are having a party and there obviously enjoying themselves. And I haven't even been invited to it as I read the report I thought is very sad because we are a society with her in United Kingdom United States that really puts a great premium on personal autonomy on personal freedom of living the good life of trying to find significance in our self-worth of who we are and the great pursuits in the West is The Pursuit of Happyness how important it is that we feel good about ourselves that we are very very happy with the result is not just with young women. But across all ages. As we know only too well. There is depression and anxiety. It seems increasingly people have suicidal not only suicidal thoughts about the statistics for suicide are on the up dozen thought of that is out of course of the Christian gospel which really answers the question of how we can be freed from our self absorption, free from putting ourselves at the very center of the universe and deals with her failed attempts to achieve self-worth because the Christian gospel explains that none of us is worthy as you came to the concert you saw that the title is, he is worthy and giving us a strange title for the concert and I think it is as pastor Hathaway. Neither talked about it without the really want to collect. He is whirling is that that really connect with people that have thought of course it does because it is as we face the reality I think of were thinking people face the reality that none of us, in and of ourselves are worthy that we are really quite messed up. We see that more readily in others read it in the statistics look around in our society. We think of what's going on in Europe. We think what's going on in their own country. Here in North America and we realize that there's something very far wrong in the one hand we really emphasize freedom. Do your own thing and on the other hand we see this brokenness. We see these problems we see people who are very anxious. Her very depressed young people who should be living life to the full, as it were, and that having these terrible terrible struggles and rethink what a way to live within the Christian gospel. The gospel encourage us. In fact, commands us to look at ourselves, truly with reality, and to realize that we are broken by the Christmas message is a wonderful message is a unique message and all of the philosophies and religions of the world that God, who is a perfect God who the Bible says dwells in light looks down at her world and our dark world either broken world and world of great need. And as we messed up our lives and as we mess up her online site often impacts negatively the lives of those around us, even those that we love the most, and God is a wonderful thing. He's described as a God of love that would always very lovely people.

But God's love is so great and his mercy is so great that his grace is so awesome that seeing us in our darkness and their brokenness.

He does something about it.

He comes down to us in his son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is described as at his birth.

Emmanuelle would be singing. Invited God with us that God loved us that he has intervened and he sends his son not to condemn us or to judge us.

Although we would deserve that, but rather to redeem us to forgive us to rescue us for from our own self absorption and from our own sin and he does that through Jesus Christ is called redemption is called salvation is called the forgiveness of our sins.

And this brings us to the theme of our concert.

As we say he is worthy, where does that come from out in the last week of the Bible, the book of Revelation, which I find very intriguing book of John, who was the writer has a vision, and on one occasion a door is opened, and he sees into heaven. You wonder what heaven is like John is going to tell us he sees into heaven and the as he looks. He's amazed because you looking into the very throne room of heaven as it were, and as he loops, he hears a penetrating question by question, which reverberates on the whole universe. The question is this who is worthy to open the scroll robot with the scroll while the scroll contains the purposes of God.

The scroll contains the consummation of human history.

Ever wonder how the world is going to and was going to happen in the future. People speculate about it and try and work it out. What is contained in the scroll, but you can open the scroll the scroll, which contains the coming of the kingdom of God and John as he looks into heaven, and here's the question is very, very sad. In fact, the Bible says that he cries. He begins to weep because there is not one person in all of human history, and all of the heavens and the art was able who is worthy to open the scroll and the angel says to John, stop, stop weeping because someone is found who is worthy to open the scroll while who is this person is described where did in that magnificent song just a few minutes ago. He's described in a rather strange way this person is described as a line of the tribe of Judah. The roots of David wonderful description. Of course of none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, that he is worthy to say well what so unique about him that he's the only one who can open the scroll and that he is worthy on ask you what do you think of Jesus who is Jesus people give all kinds of answers that question don't thing is that he's a teacher is a historical figure. Some may even die for that he existed some kind of person who gave us insight into living room may in fact have had some supernatural powers, but what do you think of Jesus. That's really one of the most if not the most important question we could ask ourselves, who is see read the other day that at question was asked to Americans and very sadly I read within this recent survey, 73% of Americans with evangelical beliefs. According to the survey with over that may mean believe court. Jesus is the first and creators being created by God. Do you believe that I don't but in fact is heresy.

No, why is Jesus worthy because central to the Christian faith is that he is God, no, he's not a created being. If he's a created being. He is not the creator or and he's not eternal. There's a time when he didn't exist, but Jesus the son of God is the eternal God.

That's why he and he alone can open the scroll is worthy to tell us the future not only to tell us the future to control the future. He is the eternal God, and that is why he alone is worthy central to the Christian faith, then, is that Jesus is not just an ordinary man or not.

Just even a special religious teacher. He is God. God incarnate in the wonder of Christmas as we celebrate as it was all abuzz about Christmas budget international you never been part of Christmas is a what's different about Christmas. What's different about Christmas is that God comes into time and space.

He enters into human history and his John is looking at that scene, we hear John saying that I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain is not interesting. He sees alarm. This in fact is the Lamb of God. One of the descriptions given to Jesus during his lifetime that he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and how does he take away the sin of the world.

John tells us he sees the Lamb standing, as though he were slain. That is the marks of the cross. The marks of the crucifixion are on this one because it is through the day of the Lamb of God that there is offered salvation and forgiveness to you and me when he dies on the cross for our sins.

Central to the Christian faith and is that Jesus is God and that he dies on the cross he bears the sins of the world are brokenness are messed up lives as we try to live our own lives he comes and does what we could never do your tones for our sins, but John says he sees the Lamb slain by the Lamb is also standing. Of course, extending because he has been raised from the dead, but central to the Christian faith is not only the Jesus is God, but that he died for our sins. And he rose again.

And this makes all of the difference in the world and his John looks on he sees every creature in heaven on the same word the is the Lamb that was slain you trying to establish your own worth trying to change yourself.

Consider this the compass with me. God is your creator and God created you as a unique human being, I began the concert by reminding us that God knows each one of us that you are unique is no one like you and the God knows who you are as you said that he knows your name knows your Social Security number, knows everything about you. Yes, including all the ways you mess up the secrets that you have that you have successfully hidden God knows about them as well and still he loves you.

He has created you and as your creator, your purpose in life and your fulfillment in life is not by running away from God is what we want to do is and that we thing we can know better than God.

We can live it on like the ones going to tell me what to do. That's not the way a tall, it is by rather embracing God as he comes to us in the person of his son Jesus Christ as one who loves us. This one who alone is worthy because he can change me so that I can in his grace and that is redemption than begin to be the kind of person God created me to be uncreated to have fellowship with God uncreated to glorify God, uncreated to do his will, rather than running away from him and it is as I do that, that my joy in life and my purpose in life are brought into a godly perspective. Paul, one of the writers of the New Testament says that while we were weak at the right time Christ died for the ungodly and so great. Love Jesus comes dies for us rises from us and now he calls on us and then the name of Christ. I call on you to turn from your sin and your selfishness. The biblical word for that is repentance is to repent and then to trust Christ with all of your heart. You see his John looks into this scene in heaven. The Lamb is in the center of the throne room. God wants you and me to have Christ not on the periphery not just for that website, Christmas or Easter return of Christ at the very center of our life that he is the focal point. He's the center of gravity of my life so that all of my life revolves run Christ.

This one who made me this one who redeemed us so ask if you've never done that to come to him and to place your trust in him was a wonderful story in the gospel about Romans, ensuring a soldier and hears about Jesus and he needs Jesus, how because it's got a servant in his house is paralyzed and nothing can be done but this ensuring comes to Jesus and he says this to Jesus. I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed me think of Christ, of course, what and where these beauties perfect were sinful were not worthy. And Jesus, the Bible says Marvel to the space faith and the seventh was healed. You're not worthy. I'm sending a whirling, I need a Savior, to change me and asking tonight to place your trust to surrender your life to Christ. The shepherds came in find in Jesus, the Lamb of God, the wisemen came and finding Jesus the wisdom of God. Mary came in finding Jesus the son of God years ago was a boy of 12, I came to Jesus and finding him my personal Savior and Lord, we come to you be your guide will be your friend. He'll be your strength will be your wisdom and most of all, will be your savior and your Lord now in time and for all of eternity so that with all of the nations with every tongue and every tribe that for all of eternity. We will say no I wonderful.

I but that he and he alone is worth. What can I give him poor as I am. If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb if I what a wise man I would do my part it.

What can I give them give them my heart. You do that we will take the offering and asked the ushers to come forward as their coming and further the beginning of the service to the card on the program you take that just write your name and address therein, place it in the basket and then there's the response when they pray that you will have the opportunity to cry out to Christ to come in Savior, perhaps have never done that you know about him, but you've never place your trust in him and there's other boxes as you can see for yourself that you can indicate retaking and offering though it gives an opportunity to fill in this card and put it in the offering box.

If you don't have an opportunity to be here at the end of the concert for our members. For those who look at Calvary as our spiritual home. We ask that you give generously is in the Lord with your gas. There is certainly no obligation to give.

We want you to receive the gift of eternal life funds in Christ alone is worthy to be pray our father, we thank you for these great themes of the good news of the gospel and I ask that even know some will be praying Lord Jesus, insanely believe I am unworthy repent of my sin. Thank you Lord Jesus for dying on the cross for my sins. I believe that is the son of God.

He was raised from the dead and is alive. Come Lord to my heart, cleanse me on the list for you want to be your follower come save me. I ask. I pray father that many in fact all here tonight the children the students and adults that each one of us may realize that we are unworthy cry to Christ for salvation.

Thank you for this opportunity that we can give generously, as unto the Lord, we thank you for this evening in Christ name