“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne.”
—Revelation 5:6, NIV
I have a strange job. As a pastor, I spend much of my time teaching and explaining things that, at first glance, seem contradictory.
Jesus says the first will be last, and the last will be first. Whoever wants to become great must become a servant. We must lose our life to find it. And to follow Him and live, we must take up our cross and die. What?
There’s a word for this…paradoxical. A paradox is something that appears contradictory, even absurd, yet reveals a deeper truth. And the more I read Scripture, the more convinced I become that the story of God is wonderfully paradoxical.
Think about it. God became flesh and dwelt among us. The Creator of the universe becomes a servant, the King of Kings washes dirty feet, and the sinless One dies for sinners—and through His death, we receive life.
Paradoxical…
The way of the world tells us to be strong, get ahead, make a name for ourselves, and do whatever it takes to win. But Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” He also says blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. Huh? It’s as though Jesus has everything backwards. Or perhaps He’s turning everything right side up…
In Revelation 5, John gets a glimpse of heaven, where a scroll announcing the deliverance of all creation awaits someone worthy to open it. Then comes the announcement—the Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed! Here He comes, the mighty Lion! Surely He will conquer every enemy with overwhelming power. But when John looks, he doesn’t see a lion, he sees a Lamb that looks as though it had been slain. What?
Jesus’ victory comes through self-sacrificing love. The Lamb of God conquers not with the weapons of this world, but by giving Himself. And it is through His death that we find life.
I encounter this paradox in some of the hardest and tenderest moments of ministry. I’ve stood beside grieving families, looked into tear-filled eyes, and reminded them that for those who belong to Jesus, death is not the end of the story. Because the grave does not have the final word. The world calls death defeat, but Jesus calls us to believe in Him… and His resurrection.
I don’t pretend to understand all of this. Sometimes God’s ways leave me scratching my head. But perhaps that’s the paradox of faith—it’s both the hardest and greatest work we will ever do.
Yep, I do have a strange job. I spend my days telling people that the way up is down, the way to greatness is through serving, and the way to life is through death to self. A seed falls into the ground and dies, and new life comes forth. The humble are lifted up. The weak are made strong, and those who give their lives away discover what it means to truly live.
At the center of it all stands a Lamb who was slain. And that Lamb is Jesus—He’s still standing, still reigning, and still inviting us to follow.
And the strangest thing of all? It’s true.
Paradoxical…
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