Christ’s mighty works of doing the impossible has beautiful expression in Revelation 5. A powerful angel challenges the world: “Who is worthy to open the scroll? Who can look inside?” As John looked around heaven and earth, he saw that no one and nothing was worthy. So, he wept. He knew the scroll had the utmost importance. He wept for sadness. He knew it was meant to be opened, but no one was worthy. He wept for despair. He saw no one in all heaven and earth who was worthy. John wept.
Human existence is plagued with insurmountable obstacles. Sometimes by no fault of our own – sometimes through our own knack for self-destruction – we come to stand before an unconquerable obstacle. In that time, we tremble and we weep.
But then someone draws John’s attention to the Christ. Did you notice how Christ’s presence previously went unnoticed? Intriguing! I believe Christ was already present in John’s experience. However, I also believe that we, like John, may become so overwhelmed by the unconquerable that we fail to see the presence of the one who conquers.
Christ conquers human wisdom. He conquers nature, especially death. Christ is Lord of all things. We can be assured that we will have trouble in this world. But take heart, dear one, Christ has overcome the world. (John 16:33) No one else is worthy, but Christ is. John had to keep his eyes open in his despair to see the one who conquers.
You will come before an unconquerable obstacle. You may already be there. But look for Christ who is worthy, the one who conquers all things. It may not be pretty. In fact, I can almost promise it won’t be. But He will help you overcome if you let Him. In that time, there will be great rejoicing.
Rev. Drew Haynes, Pastor of Campus Operations
