Wipe Every Tear

The scenes recorded in the book of Revelation helps us visualize of Jesus’ victory over sin and death. The passage we read from Rev. 7 includes a victory chant, delivered in a loud voice by this great, uncountable multitude: people from “every nation, tribe, people and language.”

These people share in Jesus’ victory. They’re gathered to cheer . . . and chant . . . and celebrate their champion.

From what I’ve heard of you Dad and Opa, now that he has completed his race, he has taken his place: wearing a white robe and chanting with the rest of the multitude:

Praise and glory

and wisdom and thanks and honour

and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!

Rather an awesome thought, isn’t it? Standing in this multitude, wearing a white robe looks good on Opa after PJs and hospital gowns, after you’ve watched him growing weaker and more fragile these last few years.

Can you see the champion whom everyone is cheering about?

He’s the Lamb upon heaven’s throne.

This is not the right time or place for a long explanation on the book of Revelation. Let’s just say that John’s vision of Jesus in heavenly glory is connected to all the images in the OT and NT. John writes all this down b/c Jesus tells him too. John’s job on the Island of Patmos is to experience and then share this vision of “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

You can’t tell me John doesn’t know who he’s talking about. John spent a long time with Jesus, on fishing trips, speaking tours, and travelling up and down from Galilee to Jerusalem. On these trips they camped outside or found friends to billet with. Even now that Jesus has been glorified and crowned King of kings, John knows his teacher, his friend.

So we know who the Lamb is. What about the multitude that no one can count? Who is in this white-robed crowd?

One of the elders even describes where this multitude gets their white robes. Maybe the explanation sounds a little odd to you. You might expect a robe washed in the blood of the Lamb to be red, not white. What is this heavenly elder talking about?

It's a description of the gift of salvation this crowd is chanting about.

You know how you and I use dirty words sometimes?

Sometimes we do dirty deeds, too.

God’s instructions for holiness are to love him 100% and love our neighbours as ourselves. Anytime we disobey those instructions, our sin makes us unclean and impure before God.

The Lord of all creation is so holy and pure that he cannot wrap his holy arms of love around us when we’re stained by sin. Sin cuts us off from God and neighbours. Sin leads to death – physical death and an eternity apart from God. I don’t know what you’ve found or tried, but I’ve found I can’t do anything to rescue myself.

Thankfully, God is not just righteous and just, the Lord Almighty is also loving and merciful. Our heavenly Father sent Jesus, his Son, to save humankind and rescue all creation. That’s why, in the gospel of John, John the Baptist calls Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

God’s whole rescue plan came to a head at the cross. Jesus suffered the punishment for our sin. He shed his blood to cover for all the shortcomings of humankind. He died in our place and was buried. On the third day he rose from the grave, demonstrating that sin and death were defeated. By faith in Jesus, that whole multitude from every nation and tribe have been saved from sin and death.

· Don’t you want to be part of their number, chanting and rejoicing in Jesus’ salvation?

· Don’t you want to be washed in the blood of the Lamb and cleansed from sin and impurity?

And then to enjoy life for God – sheltered by the presence of God; having your heavenly Father wipe away every tear from your eye.

Some of you have described the comfort this salvation gave to your dad and Opa. It was the confidence he held on to in the last 10 years after his wife Adriaantje died. It is the promise he hung on to when he grew sick and weak from cancer.

You realize, I don’t know Martinus Ritzema. From the little I’ve heard; he sounds like a good man. No doubt he had his weaknesses and his bad days, just like the rest of us.

As we gather for your dad’s, your Opa’s, funeral I cannot comfort you with stories of what an awesome dad, stepdad, or granddad he was. I don’t have that, but let me give you what I have. It’s on the back of the funeral card, words from the HC:

Our only comfort, in life and in death,

is that we are not our own,

but belong, body and soul,

in life and in death to our faithful saviour Jesus Christ.

Why?

B/c he has fully paid for all our sins with his precious blood.

That’s the only comfort, but also the greatest comfort, I can offer you or anyone else in the face of death and as we gather in a bit at the graveside to entrust Martinus Ritzema’s body in the ground.

Physically he will be buried, but the spirit that makes him alive is already safe with the Lord, part of the multitude around the throne, part of the cloud of witnesses, cheering you on as you finish the race.

Then, when the trumpet sounds and the Lord returns to the earth in glory, your Dad and Opa will rise from the grave with a glorified body. On that day, he will stand with that multitude. He’ll enjoy the New Jerusalem and all the blessings of the Holy City:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21:3 (NIV)

That’s still to come. For now, Martinus Ritzema gets to see his Lord and Saviour face-to-face. He’s in that great throng before the throne celebrating Jesus’ victory. Already now, he has a taste of the coming Kingdom where:

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.

Parting is hard. You’ll miss your Dad, your Opa. It’s okay to cry, to have questions, to read, pray, and sing the Psalms of lament. But already now, your God and heavenly Father will come close and give you comfort. “Blessed are those who mourn,” Jesus said, “for they will be comforted.”

“God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”