The Multitude from Every Nation

Series

Ready for the Reign.

First Reading

Jesus’ famed sermon: The Sermon on the Mount. The first portion is called the “Beatitudes”, which means blessings. Jesus teaches that God honors those who long for his kingdom.

Matthew 5:1–12 NRSV

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Second Reading

The book of Revelation. Written by the disciple, John. John is a senior apostle. He has seen the initial expansion of the early church in its first 60 years. Also witnessed to the social alienation and even persecution the early Christians experienced. Some were ridiculed, some barred from social circles, some thrown in prison, some executed for their faith.

John himself was sent into exile. John was captured in a persecution campaign by the Roman Emperor Domitian and was banished to a small island called Patmos in 95 AD. There he had a vision of Jesus Christ who showed him the past, present, and future from a divine perspective.

Our lesson comes from Revelation chapter 7. This chapter falls at the beginning of one of three cycles in the Revelation. Each cycle gives a symbolic vision of the conflict between the Kingdom of the World and the Kingdom of God, and God’s judgment on the World. A cycle of seven sealed scrolls being opened; a cycle of seven trumpets being sounded; a cycle of seven bowls of wrath being poured out. Within each cycle, John gets to see something going on in heaven as well as on earth.

In today’s reading, the first cycle of seals is in progress, six have been opened, and John sees into the heavenly throne room far above all the travails of the earth below.

Revelation 7:9–17 NRSV

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Prayer for Illumination

Faithful God, how blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Sanctify us by your Word and Spirit so that we may glorify you in the company of the faithful; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

OR

In your Word, O God, show us heaven. By your Spirit, show us truth; through Christ the living word, in whom we see your face. Amen.

Introduction

Sent a daughter off to college this year. Miss her. She is gone from FL. But not gone, gone. She is not here, but I know where she is. She is in MA. An article of faith that she is in MA, beyond my 5 senses. To confirm, we can FaceTime. I get to see her. Not with her, but I can see her. She is there. Still connected.

As Christians we believe in the immortality of the soul. Apostle’s Creed: I believe in the communion, community of saints, and the life everlasting. We believe that when someone dies, their soul leaves their body. It continues to exist elsewhere apart from the body. Article of faith because we cannot perceive their souls with our five senses:

Cannot FaceTime with the departed.

But John did get to see the souls of the saints. In our Scripture reading, John is relating to us a spiritual FaceTime he experienced.

Exegesis 1: they are there now.

This is a vision of the departed saints, where they are and what they are doing right now…while history is still going on.

Not a vision of the End of Time. At the end of Revelation the Kingdom of God descends. A new Jerusalem descends (Rev. 21:1). A new creation begins.

Today’s vision (Rev. 7:15) is of the heavenly temple still in heaven.

John sees the throne of God. God’s throne is in his temple. His temple is his throne room.

John sees the Lamb — a title for Jesus. He is the one who was sacrificed for sin. Now he is executing the judgment of God on the earth. Jesus has opened six of seven scrolls.

Judgments are happening on earth, Christians are going through the tumults along with the rest of the citizens of the earth. Their faith is being tried and they are struggling to stay faithful to God, they are praying for the Kingdom of God to come.

Many of their brothers and sisters in the faith have died. A troubling issue for first century Christians. Many of them had supposed that Jesus was going to come back during their lifetime. But he had not. And John, the last living apostle, was very aged and likely to die soon too.

When is Jesus going to come back?! We thought he would be here by now! Are our loved ones really saved? Was there faith worth living for and dying for?

John writes his vision. I saw them. I can tell you exactly where they are. They are in glory. They are with God and Christ. They are before the throne of God. Robed in white. Palm branches in their hands.

They are alive. Standing, waving palms, crying out in a loud voice, worshiping.

John is essentially saying: You/We believe in Christ and he has given me a FaceTime moment to confirm our faith.

Jesus said.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I can confirm it. They ARE in the Kingdom of Heaven. I saw them. Heard them.

So whether your loved ones have died, I die, or when you die — our destiny is sure. It is worth living for, dying for, and living forever for.

Implication 1

Jesus has still not returned. Many Christians have lost loved ones. Some in the natural course of nature, some tragically, some violently or unjustly. Experienced grief, questioned God, their faith.

They have believed that their loved ones have gone on to a better place.

Because Jesus promised the same to those who cling to their faith in him. I go ahead of you, so that where I am you may also be.

Because Jesus himself went to heaven. Disciples saw him go up. Paul saw him later on Damascus road.

This text: Because Jesus has shown all the saints in their glory.

Many of us have lost loved ones. All of us eventually will. Jesus’ revelation is extended to comfort us.

our brothers and sisters in the faith do continue to exist.

They are with the Lord.

They are victorious and worshiping God.

I can Facetime with my daughter. See that she is alive and well. I can’t do that with the saints who have gone on. But one of us disciples has: John. And he wrote it down, God said, write it down, so I/we could believe that our departed are alive and well.

Task: imagination of faith. Imagine my loved one in white, surrounded by saints, palm branch in had.

Exegesis 2: Guide Identifies

A guide appears next to John.

Who are these? John politely demurs. You know. You are more qualified to speak about it than I.

The guide says. These are the ones who have come through the great ordeal, struggle, tribulation.

Multiple layers of meaning:

The roman persecution of John’s time; the struggles God’s people face in any era, there is always an ordeal going on; a great contest near the end of history.

The main point is that the guide explains how these got to the temple.

They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. (Rev. 9:14)

Paradoxical description of baptismal faith.

Jesus’ blood cleanses them of sin. Grace.

They washed themselves. Faith.

This multitude has come through. They have come from all over the world. Suffering is a shared experience. so is Gods grace. All suffer, all can come to heaven. And a countless multitude do.

The powers of evil in this world are powerful…but not compared to the power of God and the power of faith. Small world, big heaven.

They are the Church Triumphant.

Implication 2: Cling to the faith

Example: I grew up in the military. Had to say goodbye a lot of times. Part of the duty of a military family. My parents would talk about friends that they had in the military. Friends all over the country, world — Pakistan, Korea, Europe, New Jersey, Georgia, California. You say goodbye. Your meet again when the mission brings you together again. Good bye = see you again sometime, somewhere when the military calls. Small world.

We are the church militant. We are on the move through this life. Our mission is to keep our faith and grow in it.

Wash ourselves in the blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

To overcome adversities.

To long for heaven by living by kingdom values now.

We don’t say goodbye. We say, I’ll see you again when the Lord calls. Small world, big heaven.

How do we end up in the church glorious, by being part of the church militant. It is one church. Universal church that spans all of space, time, heaven and earth.

Exegesis 3

A promise is offered.

The Lamb will be their shepherd. Water of life. Wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Jesus said: I am the good shepherd. I give them eternal life.

Those who believe in me from them will flow waters of life.

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they will be satisfied.

Blessed are those who mourn, they will be comforted.

the good state can never be undone. It is not temporary. This is added layer of joy. All joy here is mitigated by the fact that it cannot last. But in heaven that limitation is taken away. The joy is complete because it will not end.

Interpretation 3

When I was a teenager, I did not appreciate this truth so much.

People always talking about going to heaven. Seeing their loved ones. It was a little off-putting to me at that time. I wanted the knowledge and the wisdom. Not emotionally needy.

Growing up. Reckoning with mortality. Feeling more loss. I miss my daughters. I miss my parents. Friends along the way, separated by circumstance, by estrangement, by anything. Coming back together with all healing and comfort.

This sounds so much better to me now.

the gospel is that in the end we are together with god no each other forever.

Conclusion

I Facetime with daughter

I am going to visit her this week. Get to be with her. Excited packing and getting ready.

We will get to be with the great communion of saints.

We are getting ready.

Prayer of Intercession

Eternal God, author of our past and promise of our future, we lay before you our fears and our concerns for the world, knowing that you hear our cries, saying: In faith, O God, we seek your grace.

Especially today we pray for those whom Jesus called blessed:

for the poor in spirit …

for those who mourn …

for the humble and meek …

for those who thirst and hunger for righteousness …

for the pure in heart …

for those who show mercy and those who make peace …

for those who are persecuted because of Christ …

Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be strengthened in every hardship and joyful at the recognition of every blessing.

We call to mind before you all those who have died:

those who taught us the faith …

those who spoke your truth in the face of evil …

those who cared for the weak and the suffering …

and those whom we loved and cherished the most …

Thank you that their pain is ended and their joy made complete.

Covenanting God, in baptism you claim us and show us how to live. Keep us in your care until that day when all creation sings your praise and you lead all your children to the springs of the water of life.

Through Jesus Christ, our Brother, Redeemer, and Lord. Amen.