I was sitting having a coffee and a bit of spoiling time, for the girl was having her birthday, when one of my friends from church came up and said hello. She was around the corner doing the same thing with her children, and we joined them for a few minutes. At the end of that one of the daughters asked what I am preaching on next fortnight. Which is the disciples abandoning Christ, from John 6.

Their comment is that I did not choose an easy passage. It is not easy. But nothing much in the Christian walk is. We could not walk if it was not for Christ and it is his work and his goodness, not ours that allows us to be liberated.

For as Moose freed the people of Israel from Chains, so Christ freed the world from sin. There is no one who is worthy apart from him.

When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?
O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

(Psalm 114:1-7 ESV)

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.”

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I 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. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”

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 honor and glory and blessing!”

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

(Revelation 5 ESV)

It’s Sunday. We need some music. Service is in 30 minutes. And yes, both tracks here reflect the scriptures,

For Christ is worthy of Praise. He is the creator. through him all was made, and all will be made. It is through the power of God that the Egyptians were humiliated and the Philistines driven out of the land. It is by the power of the spirit that we have any victory in this, and that we are liberated from the consequences of our own actions.

If the land skipped and rejoiced when Israel was freed, how much more will all of creation be when all nations and all Peoples are called to Christ, and the evil of this age is put aside, for a new heaven, a new earth, and the true Jerusalem. We have durned England’s Green and pleasant land black with our satanic mills. We are not worthy. We cannot save ourselves. Only Christ can. And only Christ will.

For he alone is worthy.