John Wept

What are we going to do about all the bad news we are hearing these days? We could stick our head in the sand, or panic, or point fingers of blame... Or do you weep in despair?

John wept! John - the Apostle - lived during a time of 'bad news' that makes our current situation look like a walk in the park. And what made it worse was that the only real solution seemed a dead end.

And what was the solution? God's will for the church in the present darkness. It was right in front of him, the book (Revelation 5:1-3), the book that would reveal God's will for his people, provide hope and a way to go forward when it looked like they were in a dead end - with the emphasis on dead! But he couldn't open it.

So John wept! What else could you do when you know there's a solution, but you just can't see it.

John wept, but the Angel spoke. He said look! 'See the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.' (Revelation 5:5).

So John looked, and he stopped weeping. Are you looking? Many of us are looking for answers to today's dilemmas. In particular many of us are looking for answers to the problems in our churches. We've been informed that Churches of Christ are in decline. I can't disagree. And we aren't the only ones. Just today another survey reported that religion in general is in decline in America.

But where are we looking? The angel announced, 'See the Lion of the tribe of Judah.' A symbol of strength & power. A truly powerful creature that could tear the enemies of God apart.

But look again. The Lion was announced, but John saw... a lamb! A symbol of weakness. A truly powerless creature whose purpose is to redeem the enemies of God.

Maybe we need to refocus our search. Do we tend to look for 'powerful' techniques and strategies that can turn around declining churches and 'make' them big & influential? Maybe we should look again to an unlikely source of help. True strength is found in a slain lamb.

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9-10)

Stop weeping and start singing the new song, the song to a lamb that was slain.