Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Today we continue to press in on John’s vision of the throne room. And just like yesterday, we can’t help but be in awe of the majesty we see.

As the scene in heaven unfolds, there’s a scroll in the right hand of Him who sits on the throne–a scroll sealed with the gravity of seven seals. But there’s a dilemma: There is no one worthy to break the seals and open the scroll.

Cue the tension & John’s weeping. He’s coming to terms with our despair and inability to find salvation on our merit.

But then, in the midst of weeping, a voice echoes through eternity: “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered.”

BOOM.

King Jesus enters the scene, depicted not only as a Lion, powerful and regal but also as a Lamb, appearing as though slain. In this dual imagery, we find the heart of the Gospel–the victory through sacrifice, strength through surrender, a King who conquers not by the sword, but by the Cross.

The Lamb takes the scroll, and all of heaven erupts in worship. Angels, elders, and every creature sings a new song, their voices cascading like a symphony: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Jesus wins. Jesus has won. Jesus will win.

He is worthy. He is worthy of your praise. He is worthy of your life. He is worthy of it all. He has made a way for us to once again be with the Father. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.”

The path to the throne room, to the heart of God, is charted by the promises kept on the Cross, the seals broken by the only One who could.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• How does the image of Christ as both a Lion and a Lamb shape our understanding of His nature and work?
• In what ways can we add our lives to the praise that’s taking place in the throne room?
• What are the “scrolls” in our lives that only Jesus can open, and how can we surrender them to Him? 
• Prayer: Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb, You are worthy to unlock the gifts of our redemption. Thank You for the work that You accomplished on the Cross. Give us courage and humility as we live our lives for You. May each breath we take be praise to You, the One who was, and is, and is to come. Amen. 

Family Devo: Revelation 5

By: Amanda Carpenter

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.   

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset  

Head

In Revelation 5, John continues in his vision to tell us about the Lamb. John tells us he sees “a Lamb that looked as if he had been put to death” (Revelation 5:6). This is Jesus! Jesus appears with the scars He received from the cross. The creatures and elders worshiped Jesus saying He is worthy to open the scroll, a very important letter that contains God’s plan. The creatures and elders continue singing about Jesus, “With your blood, you bought people for God. They come from every tribe, people, and nation, no matter what language they speak. You have made them members of a royal family” (Revelation 5: 9-10). First of all, I want you to understand that Jesus is very much ALIVE!!! Second, because he died FOR US, we have the opportunity to be part of a ROYAL family. This makes us princes and princesses if we choose to believe and trust in Jesus. It makes me sad that Jesus has scars because of my sins, but I am oh so thankful that He loves me enough to die on the cross so I can live with Him in Heaven. I pray you accept Jesus’ invitation into the Royal Family. 

Heart

I like to play a game with my kids. It goes something like this, “I love you more than 

_______,” and we go back and forth to try to top the other person’s level of love. We often start with: “I love you more than Dr. Pepper.” Finish this sentence, “Jesus loves me more than___________” I bet you can’t top Jesus’ love for you! 

Hands

Choose one person today and tell them, “Jesus loves you more than ______________.” You fill in the blank. 

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for my sins. It makes me sad that You have scars because of my mistakes, but thank You for loving me enough to die on the cross for me. Amen.