According to Luke 7:1-10, some elders of the Jews came to Jesus, pleading with him to come and heal the Centurion’s servant. They pleaded with Jesus that the one for whom He should extend this favour “was deserving.” The Centurion loved the Jews and built a synagogue for them. Jesus is by far more deserving than the Centurion was. He is worthy to receive from us all worship, glory, honour, adoration, praise and thanksgiving. No one else is more deserving of our worship and loyalty than Jesus.
The book of Revelation is from Jesus and about Jesus. In Chapter 1:5-7. John describes the worthiness of Christ thus: ”And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, amen! Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen,” (Revelation 1:5-7 NKJV).
Jesus is worthy because he is “the faithful witness.” A witness testifies of what he sees and knows. John was a witness who testified about Jesus (John 1: 6-8,15). Jesus is a faithful witness of the new covenant. He testifies about the Father, just as John testifies about him.
Jesus is worthy because he is “the firstborn from the dead.”
Justina Holcomb commented that: “As ‘firstborn of the dead,’ Jesus is both first in time and first in preeminence. As the first to be raised from the dead, Christ is the founder and initiator of the new era God brings about through Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Jesus’ resurrection from death opens the way for all who trust in him to follow him in a resurrection like his when he returns.”
Another commentator stated that: “Firstborn’ refers to the high, privileged position that Christ has as a result of the resurrection from the dead . . . Christ has gained such a sovereign position over the cosmos, not in the sense that he is recognised as the first-created being of all creation or as the origin of creation, but in the sense that he is the inaugurator of the new creation using his resurrection.”
Jesus is worthy because he is the ruler over the kings of the earth. “He is the Prince of the kings of the earth.” By him, their counsels are overruled, and to him they are accountable.
Jesus’ unique sacrifice for humanity makes him deserving of our devotion. “He loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood.” John further said of Jesus, “and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” By making us priests, he gave us access to God and enabled us to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices, and for these favours, we are bound to ascribe to him dominion and glory forever.
We conclude thus: “All that we were, all we are, and all that we hope to be, is encapsulated in the unique Person of Jesus Christ. All that God has done, all that He is doing, and all He will continue to do in us and for us, is rooted and grounded in Christ – humanity’s great Champion.” This is why he is worthy and deserving.
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