After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb . . . Along with all the angels and elders and four living creatures they fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God saying: Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen! Revelation 7.9-12

L’Oreal, world leader in beauty, cosmetics, and hair-care offers some great but costly products. To market their product they came up with a slogan: Because I’m worth it. People who know such things calculate the worth of a human body (including twenty base elements along with skin) at a value of about $5. CNNMONEY.COM estimated ones worth in another sense. Calculated by age, if you’re under the age of 25 your worth is $1475 - if 25-34 you’re worth $8525 . . . and so on. If you’re 65 or older, hold onto your hat, CNNMONEY’s number comes in at a whopping $232,000! Most grandma’s and grandpa’s when it comes to their little ones are more subjective in their calculation when it comes to their little ones . . . I wouldn’t trade you for all the tea in China my child!

What are we truly worth? We have flaws, foibles, and failings. We lose our tempers. We are selfish, greedy, and prone to jealousy. We hate, lust, steal, lie, and we are not content. And then because we know what we truly deserve we cover over our blemishes to save face. We do not deserve God’s mercy, love, or His forgiveness. We deserve punishment. We deserve death. We deserve to be separated from him and his goodness forever and are totally helpless to change our status. These are the facts and they are indisputable.

While the world in which we live is always ready to trumpet the worth of man, especially when there’s a dollar to be made, there is only one who is truly worth it. His name is Jesus. He has redeemed (us) lost and condemned persons, purchased and won us not with gold or silver but with His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. How is it that we know this? Because He lives! Resurrected, Ascended, Seated at God’s right hand, Jesus is worthy to receive all the acclimation and praise of heaven!

It’s a personal ‘dream’ that one day when we walk into our sanctuary there will be seven banners suspended from above. These seven banners will bear awesome and great acclimations of praise already being pronounced by those in heaven: Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen! Until that day, let us stay in His grace and care, and let us join in worship lifting our acclimations of praise. Honor Him! Glorify Him! He is worth it!!!

Pastor Kelly Mitteis