All Saints’ Day 2024

Text: “2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

What a beautiful image: “9 …a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”” (Revelation 7:9–10).

The last time you saw the people whom we will name in a few minutes, they probably were not able to stand; they were not crying out with a loud voice about anything, really; and they were not completely alone, but their days of being part of a large crowd of people were long past.

“11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen”” (Revelation 7:11–12).

There certainly was no cheering and celebrating the last time you saw your family member or friends. If they fell on their faces, it was not an act of praise— it meant that the ambulance needed to be called. The only white robes they were wearing were hospital gowns.

They were still in the middle of their great tribulation.

And, today, you are reminded of how their story really ends. You may have heard St. Paul’s famous words at their gave side: “Where, O death, is your victory?” This is why. Their bodies were not “disposed of.” They were committed to the ground— ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the sure and certain confidence of the resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who will make our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body by the power that enables Him to subdue all things to Himself. God the Father, who created their bodies; God the Son, who, by His blood, redeemed their bodies; and God the Holy Spirit, who sanctified their bodies in the waters of Holy Baptism to be His temple, are keeping those remains until the day of the resurrection of all flesh.

And, on that day, they will stand among that great multitude, praising God with everything they have, because He has defeated sin, death, and the power of the devil. His suffering on the cross paid for their sin. He died the death that they deserved so that death, for them, became the entrance to eternal life. And His resurrection is the guarantee. Because He lives, they will live also (John 14:9).

Because He lives, Edith, Wilbert, and Libby live also. They are with Him even now, even more awake and alert alive than they have ever been. Because their Redeemer, Jesus Christ, died the death that they and you and I deserved and gave them, in exchange, His eternal life. The suffering that they endured here in the great tribulation were temporary. It does not compare with the glory that is being revealed to them right now (Romans 8:18).

The best word to describe what happened to them is ‘sleep’. “[Edith, Wilbert, and Libby were] baptized into the Easter of [Jesus’] unending life. All [of their] sins [were] drowned in the sea of His blood. [Their] death[s have] died in the ocean of His mercy” (Gerhard, Johann. “Meditations on Divine Mercy.”). “13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep,” St. Paul wrote (1 Thessalonians 4:13). That is the best word St. Paul can find to describe what believers go through— what Edith, Wilbert, and Libby (and the others we will name) experienced: they are, now, among those who have “fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:15) in the faith. Death had no hold on them because it has no claim on Him. They were buried with Him, through baptism, into death, so that they also shared— and now share even more fully— in His resurrection.

“Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen!” (Rev. 7:12).

But there is more. The day is coming when it will be clear to all that they are children of God (1 John 3:2; Romans 8:19). But they were God’s children here and now. Think about what this world is because they were here. How many people did they bless in big and small ways?

To paraphrase the book of Hebrews, What more shall I say? Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Edith, Wilbert, and Libby, who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises. They were wounded, they were killed with the sword, they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated. By faith she prepared feasts for her family, and learned how to play softball because her daughter’s team needed a coach; by faith he built a home and a family with his own two hands; by faith she educated thousands, showing them the love of Christ, and raised four strong girls. The world was not worthy of them (Hebrews 11:38).

Here and now, these saints— these children of God— were still veiled in sinful, human flesh. But, by faith, and in the love of Christ, think about what this world is because they were here. Beloved, they were God’s children here and now.

In a moment we’ll sing those familiar words: “And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph song, And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong, Alleluia” (“For All the Saints,” Lutheran Service Book #677, stz. 5). That is what I pray that you will take from this morning’s worship. We’re going to need that this week, won’t we? Today is about comfort for your grief, to be sure, but it’s also about going back to the demands of daily life with hearts that are a little braver, a little more bold, and arms that are just a little stronger. Because, beloved, you are God’s children now.

“2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Yes, you go through this life still veiled in sinful flesh but, by faith, you will vote; by faith you will face the aftermath; by faith you will live your life in the confidence that “The golden evening brightens in the west; Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest; Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!” (“For All the Saints,” stz 6).

Best of all, it is not just a beautiful image. It is God’s promise to you in Jesus Christ.