Revelation 7:9–10 (ESV)

Behold, 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, crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Do You Hear the Cheer of the Saints?

All Saints’ Day (Monday) - Remember & thank God for the saints who have gone before us

Look to them as examples of faith; dependence & generosity in Jesus

Saints live in cheerful defiance of death and sin because they know the hidden reality of the Kingdom

The widow as a remembered Saint

In these 4 short verses is a beautiful portrait of a saint; have to listen carefully to hear quiet cheer of poor widow

Wealthy writing large checks, dropping suitcases of cash into offering box - widow gives life savings of 2 copper coins

Poor widow w/ tattered & torn clothes who still grieves death of her husband lives by a greater, hidden reality of kingdom of God

Hidden reality: saints like her wear robes made dazzling white by blood of Lamb; death has expiration date, sins forgiven

Her coins accomplishes what millions of dollars cannot: act of death-defying dependence on God’s faithfulness to her

Jesus: “She out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Widow gives her life, like Jesus gives His whole life

She has great wealth in poverty - her generosity comes from her joy in life to come that Jesus wins on cross.

“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Do You Hear the Cheer of the Saints?

You are a saint! You have been given death-defying faith in baptism.

But life of a saint is hard: rather than dependence & generosity in in Christ, temptation to worldliness & reluctance

Live by what the world appears to be: death & sin

Caught up in priorities & demands of world that’s trying to do as much as they can before they die.

Reluctance to tithe, go to church, pray; Give out of obligation.

Reluctant to give too much for fear of not having enough for future.

Yet we aren’t alone; church of generous saints across time/space, you are part of Jesus’s church! This is your church, what generations built before

Tithing is joining the cheer of the saints!

Offerings are part of the chorus: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Giving = act of faith! 2 Cor 9:6 “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Not about making money!

More you live on faith, easier it is to live on faith. Widow had greater peace of mind in depending on God than having independent wealth

Tithing: practicing the faith of the saints;Death & sin surround us, but hidden reality of Kingdom means grave is defeated, sins forgiven!

Generosity is act of death-defying dependence on God’s faithfulness to us

Generosity is giving of our whole lives like Jesus

Generosity comes from our joy in life to come!

Saints give now out of the certainty of the life to come

Revelation 7:15–17 ESV

15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Offering isn't just keeping church lights on and budget balanced.

It's the cheer of the saints that we want to teach our children.

It is an act of joy that reminds us of the joy waiting for us.

It’s death-defying dependence on hidden reality of Kingdom

Offering Plate: Do You Hear the Cheer of the Saints? “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”