This afternoon we'll sing hymn 1005, the Tunis nativity 858. Come, let us join our cheerful songs with angels round the throne. Ten thousand, thousand are their tongues, but all their joys are one. Worthy the lamb that died, they cry, to be exalted thus. Worthy the Lamb, our lips reply, for He was slain for us. In 1005, the Tune Nativity, 858. ♪ Like a gentle soul ♪ ♪ With angels at her side ♪ ♪ With love so vast and vast ♪ ♪ As could be noticed by the world ♪ ♪ Ever kindling bright ♪ ♪ Were the angels' choirs ♪ ♪ Early in the morning's early light ♪ you ♪ Jesus is worthy, worthy is he ♪ ♪ For ever and ever be kind ♪ ♪ And blessings forever be with him ♪ ♪ Even on earth as it is in heaven ♪ evermind. Hail to heaven on high, and heaven on high, and heaven on high, ♪ God is mine, and sing the heaven's praise ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Let us read together from the holy word of God, the book of Revelation and chapter five. Revelation, chapter five. The book of the Revelation, chapter five. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, And of the four beasts and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne, And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them hearts and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the land that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen, and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. The Lord bless to us that reading of his holy word. Help us in prayer. Let us pray. O Lord God of heaven and of earth, we come to thee through thy beloved Son of whom we have read that he is worthy. We seek to reverence thy great and thy holy name, and to come in the attitude of worship here below, thinking of that worship above, the praise, the glory, the honour, and to thy name there. And do grant, Lord, that it might be here in Lambethurst Chapel, that also there is that praise and glory unto thy name. O Lord, do help us this afternoon. We pray for thy dear servant, the pastor of this cause of truth, unable to be with us. We thank thee for that measure of healing. We pray for continued healing, health, and strength. O Lord, do be pleased to bless him through this time and bless his people here as well. Lord, we feel unable and unwilling, no, not unwilling, and Lord, we trust able but unworthy to stand here. O Lord, do be pleased to grant that help for each of thy servants this day. We would marvel at thy providences. We would marvel at the provision of thy servant and minister at Luton today. We do commit him unto thee in the arrangements for him to take up the pastorate in America. Lord, do be with him there and the other thy servants that are taking up pastorates this month, and remember them at Haines, South Charnes, Attenborough. Bless each cause of truth, and O Lord, we seek thy blessing here. Do remember the Church of God here, the deacons, to uphold and strengthen and bless them, Lord, we thank Thee for that love and union, one to another amongst the church here. And we do seek, Lord, that Thou hast add unto them such as should be saved. That Thou be pleased to remove those obstacles in the minds of Thy people whom Thou hast exercised in this matter, and that Thou hast be pleased to use even Thy word today as a means of drawing thy people to the church of God, to make profession, to show forth thy death till thou dost come, to obey thee. O Lord, we do pray for this. We know in thy decrees thou hast appointed it. But Lord, we have read of the prayers of the saints. and that thou wilt be inquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them. Do grant, Lord, the spirit of prayer upon each ear, bless the petitions put up at the prayer meetings, and do be pleased, Lord, to grant that answers may be seen and thanksgiving raised. Lord, where there is not yet a work of thy grace begun, We pray for that beginning, that Thou hast passed by those still dead in trespasses and sins and bid them live, to grant hearing ears, to grant, Lord, feeling hearts. We do seek, Lord, that the fruits of Thy sufferings, Thy death, Thy ascension, that they might be known here in Lambethurst Chapel. Do see, Lord, that thou hast blessed the children, the little ones, the young people, and do be with the generation rising. O Lord, do keep them not just in the house of God, but do bless them with saving faith in thee, and that they might be kept in thy ways. Thou hast said, He that endureth unto the end shall be saved. But leave us not to endure unto the end of our lives in a state that we are not saved. Leave us not to endure in death, in disobedience, in a way that is not good. Cause us, Lord, to be put in a right way and to be kept in that way, and to be found at last around thy throne. O Lord, we confess our many sins and many iniquities. We plead that which thou had exalted to give repentance and remission of sins unto Israel, unto thy people. Do bless us with that, a tender fear of God, a tender conscience, hatred of sin and love of holiness, who deliver us from just being hearers, but make us doers of the Word, and who cause that we might walk in the Spirit and be delivered from those things that the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience. Lord, we do seek that Thou who has brought all their works in us might work in us to will and to do, of thy own good pleasure. Remember those that are afflicted, Lord, not only their dear pastor, but others that are laid aside at this time, and those here that bear constant pain, infirmity, and weakness. Do help them. Do be pleased to go before them. O dear sister waiting in operation, do grant that it might be successful and brought safely through in due time. Lord, we pray that those give grace as this mortal slowly is taken down. Lord, do grant that as that happens, we might more and more long for that immortality and to be with Christ. We thank Thee for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for His perfect life and obedience even unto death, the death of the cross. We thank Thee for the empty tomb and Thy presence in heaven and Thy intercession there, the promise of Thy Spirit and the promise that Thou will remain with us even unto the end of the world. O Lord, who grant us to feel and know Thy presence, We know that thou art omnipresent, but Lord, we want thy manifested presence in the assemblies of thy saints. Our hearts burn within us while thou dost talk with us, an ear opened. Lord, sent not empty away, fed, nourished, instructed, taught of God, blessed with fellowship and communion with thee. sanctified, made meek for the Master's use. Do grant, Lord, that we might hear from Thee, and Lord, do grant that we might oft come to Thee, and Thou hear from us. O Lord, do remember us in all our infirmities, and do deliver us from those things that grieve Thy Spirit, that come in between our soul and Thee. Help us then to sing thy worthy praise, to worship thee aright this afternoon. And when we come to thy table, may thy blessed presence be known and felt there. Grant that help that each one feels to need. And O Lord, may thy banner be here, thy blessing be upon the word that is set before us. We ask thee these things, Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Let us further sing hymn 788. Hymn 788. The tune is Southbridge 518. Come, ye humble sinner train, souls for whom the Lamb was slain. Cheerful, let us raise our voice, we have reason to rejoice. Let us sing with saints in heaven, life restored and sin forgiven. Glory and eternal Lord, be to our incarnate God. M788 the June Southbridge 518 ♪ O come, O come, Emmanuel ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord ♪ ♪ O come, O come, Emmanuel ♪ I am restful and safe from fear. God make heaven and earth a home for me. Shepherds on the field they can see Him there for you and me Seeing all these poor as one ♪ And sing with glory loud ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him ♪ And His truth will shine through the ages, through the ages. Amen. O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayerful attention to the Revelation chapter 5 and verse 9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for Thou wast slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and has made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 9, also joining 10, The chapters four and five in the Revelation really go together and we have this door that is opened into heaven and a picture of what is happening and going on there. Right through these chapters the theme is the worthy lamb. The Lord Jesus Christ is being lifted up, extolled, Our text begins with the statement of a new song that is being sung. At the end of chapter four, we have, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was the one that created all things. There's nothing made that was made that was not made by him. And there is the glory of the creation. But now we have a new song, which in this new song, it's a different subject, and it's a different one that is being adored and a different reason for that adoration. And it is the song of redemption. We have the intimation right through scripture of this song being sung. It is a song of victory, a song of conquest by our Lord. We think of the children of Israel being brought out of Egyptian bondage. And in that bondage, not those nine signs and wonders could ever achieve a deliverance. They were still captives. They were still held there. But when the paschal lamb was slain, when the blood was shed, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Then they were thrust out. Then they were brought out of Egypt. And the Lord determined which way that they should go, not the close way through the Philistines, lest they should see war and turn back. But they were led by the way of the Red Sea, God choosing that way for them. And then they come to the Red Sea. Egyptians behind, the sea in the front, and the mountains on the side, and no way forward. But God tells them to go forward, and he brings them through. And that Red Sea was used for their deliverance and the death of their enemies. And at the end of it, they sing the song of Moses. They sing the song of deliverance. And we read that song in the Revelation, that there they sing the song of Moses. And it is that song that so sets forth what the Lord had actually done for the children of Israel then. He had brought them out of bondage. He had set them at liberty. He brought them away from and delivered them from all their enemies. And he brought them as a people unto himself. And they sing this new song, this song of deliverance. We have the intimations of it throughout the Psalms as well. Psalm 96, the first verse, and others. Now sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name. Show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. And there the theme of that new song is salvation. He's among the heathens, the Gentiles. It is the gospel, it is to be proclaimed. We have then also in Psalm 98, O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things, his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory. The Lord hath made known his salvation, His righteousness has He openly showed in the sight of the heathen. And so again, the new song is that which the Lord has done. It is His salvation, it is His work, it's the victory that He has gained. And this is the song, the song of the redeemed, the song of those in heaven. In all of this, it is the Lamb of God that is to be lifted up, that is to be glorified. You know, it's a blessed thing. May the Lord grant salvation for His people. Then He gives them this new song. They sing of victory. Paul says at the end of 1 Corinthians 15, thanks be unto God. who giveth us the victory. The people of God know what it is, though weak, though poor, to gain the victory over sin and death and hell and over the world through the Lamb. It is through Him that they obtain the victory and that then gives them to sing and to praise and to glorify His name. Those notes they begin here below because the revelation is not looking to some future time. This is the church of God. This is the comfort for the church in these gospel days. This is the people of God realizing these things that the Lord Jesus Christ hath done. So I want to look with the Lord's help firstly at the sealed book that we have as the subject of which they desire one to be able to open it. And then secondly, who is able to open the book? And the point here is not only ability, but it is one that must be worthy. He must be worthy to be able to open it. And then lastly, the reason that our Lord is worthy. For thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. So the book, what is the book? a book that is symbolic of the living and powerful decrees of God. It is especially concerning the work of salvation because it has seven seals and seven is perfection especially in spiritual things in the way of salvation. In this book is not just a recording of the decrees of God. It is actually the unfolding or bringing of them about. We can have a book, we could read things that are set forth in that book, and we can read it and say, well, this and this is going to happen, at such and such a time. But what is here, when this book is opened, when those seals are loosed and when it is read, it is actually the realization of those things. It's bringing those things to pass, to be done. It's like when we have the assurance that the Lord hears the prayers of His people. The implication is He doesn't just hear, but he then will action and do according to his will what is sought for from him. There's action joined to it. It's not just a reading of what is going to take place. It is a bringing to come to pass those things that God has decreed. The loosing of these seals These bring about the completion of the kingdom of righteousness, of the peace of God, of the kingdom of God upon this earth. One of their hymns, in hymn four, is Providence unfolds the book and makes his counsels shine. God has already decreed from the foundation of the world all things, That shall happen. He is a sovereign God. He has made those plans. And I was in engineering. We might have done plans. And I then look at the book and unfold all of those plans. And that's just reading what those plans are. But the plans were made. Later on, I could go to the workshops and see this finished machine, just what I designed and drawn. It was all there. But the plans were made a long time before that was actually finished. Every bolt, every little part, every detail was all allowed for. But with this book, it is not just like turning over the plans, it's like every part as it was unfolded and seen, it was being done. It was being accomplished and performed. Our Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And this book then is the book that unfolds all that he should do and all that should be accomplished to bring about salvation for his church and for his people. The whole plan of this world is all ordered and decreed by God. And this is set before us here as sealed, known by God, and to be opened up only by one that was worthy. And so I want to look secondly, who is able to open the book? Often in scripture we have contrasts. Our Lord always used them with his parables. Two went up to pray. Pharisee and the publican. Go right back to Cain and Abel, two worshipping, two different ways. Here we have a contrast. We have the book and we have found that there is no man worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon. We think of the contrast in coming out of Egypt for the children of Israel. Nine wonders that reduced Egypt to ruins but never accomplished deliverance at all. You might save every one of those trials, not one was worthy to be able to cause the children of Israel to go out of bondage and be brought unto the Lord as a nation. None was able, none was worthy, none None was bringing what was required to loose them and to set them free. Remember the word, without the shedding of blood there is no remission. And this emphasis again is set forth here. It doesn't just relate a book and then they're coming, our Lord or the Lamb, to open that book. There's a contrast first that there is none other. And when we think With the word there is none other name given among men, whereby we must be saved. We think of those that sought for help in the days of our Lord, those who were sick, those who sought unto physicians, those who suffered many things. They proved, like the woman with the issue of blood, that there was no help anywhere else until they came to the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the theme that is here. And this is something that you and I, if we are brought to know the salvation, will also know the same teaching, the same message. That those things that we seek first, whether it's to the law, or whether it's to our own efforts, or whether it is to man, or whether it is to traditions, whatever it is outside of Christ, will not affect deliverance. It will not move as one particle towards the things of God or towards the Lord. It will not break the chains of reigning sin. It won't loose us from our natural bondage. But if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. And so here there is found that there is none that was able. in heaven, not even to look upon it. And then we have verse 5. One of the elders saith unto me, Weep not. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. The vital thing was that he was worthy to do it. When our Lord was upon earth, he had a centurion that sent his servants, sent the Jews to our Lord saying that his servant was sick. and that he should heal him. And the Jews, they said to the Lord Jesus that he was worthy for whom he should do this. He loveth our nation. We have built us a synagogue. So Jesus went with them But then the centurion sent friends to him, saying, Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof. The Jews were viewing that he was worthy, and himself he felt unworthy. And I must say that this, in a way, is what has led me to the subject here this afternoon. the feeling so unworthy to thought that the Lord would lay aside your dear pastor and allow me to come and speak to you here. And it may be that there are those of you here exercised on the things of God, making profession, and will hold you back. You feel so unworthy. And almost then that unworthiness makes you unwilling to hold back. The message here is that worthiness is not in us. It is in the Lord. It's in the Lamb. It is in Him. Thou art worthy. And you see the Lord said of this centurion that he had not found so great faith, not in all this world. But that great faith didn't say in the person in whom that faith was, I am worthy. It says, I am not worthy. But those that saw his life, his conduct, and how he behaved and walked, they could see this man feared them all. That he loved the people of God. The Lord Jesus Christ. And this man, he saw from his own position as a ruler, set over soldiers, he saw the Lord and he saw his authority and his worthiness to receive honor. And he felt that he was not worthy, that he should have him under his roof. Dear friends, if it is your felt unworthiness holding you back from open profession, that very unworthiness felt, and especially where it's felt in conjunction with viewing the worthiness of the Lamb of God. That is what is required for those to serve and worship the Lord. Those that will put the crown upon His head, on His alone, and worship the Lord alone. Worthy is the Lamb, and this This is the qualification to be able to open this book. And let us think of what we said was the book. We think of every event that happens in this world, everything that transpires, that comes to pass, especially in salvation. Think of one of the hymns he decreed, the very place where he would show triumphant grace. The time of our Lord's sufferings, His death, is rising again in all of the church history. Everything that happens, happens because of one that was worthy, has opened the seals, has opened the book, has decreed it should happen, has purposed it should happen. Nothing happens by chance, or with the hand. of the Lord upon it. This is the picture of the Lord over the world at this time, and we should remember this when we hear reports of nations, nations rising against nations, things that are happening in the world. That is on that level. But what about in the Church of God as well? The Church of God looking so low, and the Church is so reduced. But the Lord is on the throne and he still is worthy and he still is opening these seals. He still has his people. He still is in control. May we have the mindfulness in all that comes upon us. The Lord is worthy. The Lord is worthy to appoint this. The Lord is worthy to appoint that. The Lord is worthy to lay me aside. The Lord is worthy to raise me up again. The Lord is worthy to perform what he wills in my life, in the church of God, all of these things. He is the head of the church and he is in control, not man, not Satan. You see the picture in Job. Not Satan in control, God in control. We see with Jonah, Jonah running away, he's not in control, God is in control. In every event and all that happens, God is in control. We think of Paul that must needs go to Rome, God is in control. He appealed unto Caesar, but then he had a free passage to Rome as a prisoner. And then we have a runaway slave, Onesimus. God is in control. Where does he run away to? He comes to Paul. He didn't like his servitude. He didn't like his lot in life. And then he finds Paul in chains and as a servant and subject to the will of God. And the Lord uses it for his conversion, sends him back. Paul does, no more a servant but a brother beloved. It's a beautiful thing, who so will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. When we're observing the things that are happening in the church and in our lives, and in relation to our salvation, and each thing that happens, we say the worthy Lamb has opened that seal, has caused that to come to pass, has performed these things and done these things, who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not. What is emphasised here is not one just to open the book, but one worthy to do so. Now on to look into our last point as to the reason Our Lord is worthy. That is set forth in our text. Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. The first statement there is that thou was slain. It's one thing to see a fact and to see what actually happened, and then another to see what flows out from that, what was done at that time. The two on the way to Emmaus, they had seen what had happened at Jerusalem. They said to the Lord, though they knew him not, art thou a stranger, hast not known the things that are done in these days? They had seen those things, but they said, we trusted that it should have been He that should have redeemed Israel. One thing to see what had happened, and another thing to see that what had happened was He had redeemed Israel. That is what He had done in being slain. And so our Lord then opened up to them in all the scriptures, the things concerning Himself, that the Redeemer, the promised Messiah was to be. slain. Sacrificed, crucified, was to shed his blood. The first thing here is stated, for thou wast slain. Perhaps we could easy pass over that. There are several aspects we really should consider. You think of the tide with Abraham and with Isaac, Isaac was brought upon the altar, his father held the knife, but Isaac was not slain. Isaac was taken off the altar and a lamb substituted in his place. There was no such thing happened to Jesus of Nazareth. There were those that threw this in his face and said, if thou be God, then come down from the cross, save us and thyself. But there is no coming down, there is no staying the night, there is no ceasing of that sentence being executed, not on the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember every one of us under the sentence of death in Adam, we are already under condemnation. We are already under sentence of death. As yet is not executed. You and I are still living. As yet is not executed in the second death. There are those here that are yet still in that first death spiritually. There are those that have been made spiritually alive. But it is absolutely vital thing if we are to see, we are to have eternal life that we are delivered from that condemnation and delivered from the power and dominion of death. But with the lamb here, it's stated he was slain. Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane said to Peter with the sword, put up thy sword within its sheath. He said, thinkest thou not that I could not presently call forth six legion or 12 legion of angels, 72,000 angels, but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled? The Lord was able to resist death. He said to Pilate, thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above. So when we read that the Lord was slain, It is not that the Lord didn't have power to resist. We read in Philippians that he was obedient, obedient even unto death, the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, given him a name which is above every name. The fact that he was slain. Yes, the Jews were held there. The Lord said that they had the greater condemnation because that they delivered him unto Pilate. But the Lord said, I have power to lay down my life. I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father. This is the Lord bringing about this freewill sacrifice and offering that not Pilate, not the Jews, not man, can be in control of, but God is in control of. And Peter, on the day of Pentecost, he says, he that was delivered by the foreknowledge of God, determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, have taken and by wicked hands crucified and slain. He charged them with the death of our Lord. But we have it very clear that our Lord was in control. It was the sin of the people, but it was the decree of God. The Lord bringing good out of evil and bringing about the counsel of God. One of the main points here is the reason for the worthiness of the Lord. Thou wast slain. Impossible that that should be so, except by the will and overruling power of God. The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, he must be slain, portrayed in every sacrifice, in every offering, the Lamb slain. Now, dear friends, in these Gospel days, we do not go back to the sacrifices, the ordinances of the Old Testament, the Lord has given us, the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and that is what is set forth, this same truth that is here, the Lamb that is slain, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come, this first aspect of the worthiness of the Lord, thou wast slain, The blood was shed, his body was broken, ye do show forth the Lord's death, this do ye in remembrance of me. And here below in the church of God is a remembrance of this picture that is in heaven where there is said, the one that is worthy for thou wast slain. But our Lord was not only slain, but He rose again from the dead. I have power to lay down my life, I have power to take it again. An empty tomb, a risen Saviour. And what is that? The assurance of what follows. And has redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people, the extent of that redemption, set free by the payment of a price. Our Lord was set free from the tomb and his people with him. He is the firstfruits. He is the one that gives assurance that his people shall follow. That beautiful chapter that I mentioned before 1 Corinthians 15, all speaks of the resurrection of the dead, the conquest over death. the deliverance, the reversal as it were, of the sentence of death. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ has risen again for the justification of his people, setting them free from condemnation, ascending up into heaven. There he sits. There he is in control. There is our Redeemer. And so it is what is joined with what our Lord has done. To be able to look upon the emblems before us, to be able to look upon what Christ has done, and like those two on the way to Emmaus who did not know it at first, but be able to say, this is my redemption. This is the redemption money. This is the way of being set free. This is that which is ordained of God, owned in heaven, reflected on earth by the decree of God, when every soul is loose from the bondage of sin, loose from servitude of Satan, loose from servitude of self, and brought to be the servants of the true and living God. Kings over self and priests unto God. Those that are qualified to offer those sacrifices unto God and to praise Him throughout the earth. This is the reason for His worthiness. And this is the reason why these ordinances and a membership of the Church of God is not our worthiness. It is Christ that died, yea, rather risen again, who sitteth at the right hand of the throne of God on high. There's nothing in the Church of God that is to lift up a man. It is to exalt the poor sinner. It is Christ and Christ alone. When we preach, it is that we preach His Word, and you hear His Word and you receive it from Him. It's not in our power to bring any effect, but what the Lord does with it, that is His honour and His glory and His power, and He alone is worthy. And may it be then that this is a sweet savour to us and it remains with you that the Lord is worthy. He's worthy of my praise. He's worthy of my obedience. He's worthy of my following Him. He's worthy to be in control in my life and to be able to say that what He wills is best. May we be taught here below this song this new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth May the Lord add his blessing and be with us as we come now to the table of the Lord. Amen.