Our Sunday fellowship is made up of people from all over the world. There are many from the US and Australia, of course, but also people from Korea, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian countries. On a recent Sunday, we sang in the local language and then came back to the chorus in English, which repeated: “Worthy is the lamb who was slain.”
Yes, the lamb who was slain is worthy to receive glory and honor and praise, not just in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic… but in every language spoken by every group of people. Did you know that there are currently 7,102 languages spoken in the world? The complete Bible is only available in about 500 languages, and translation has not even begun in 1,800 languages – representing about 180 million people.
Singing in the local language is a powerful reminder that God is the same in every country and every language, and that He has earned the worship of every tribe and tongue. We must tell all people what He has done, the price He paid for them.
“May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of his suffering!” – The Moravians
“…the reward of Christ’s sufferings is a ransomed church from every tribe and language and people and nation.” – John Piper
And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.” – Revelation 5:9
[If you want to read more about The Moravians and the rewards of Christ’s suffering, check out this sermon from John Piper called At The Price of God’s Own Blood.]
