Without Number
The Feast of All Saints – 11/1/2024
Revelation 7:2-17
Rev. Christopher W. Brademeyer
That portion of God’s holy Word for consideration this evening is our First Reading from the Revelation to St. John in the seventh chapter with special emphasis on verses nine through twelve which read as follows:
“After this I looked, and 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, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 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.””[1]
Thus far the Scriptures.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Death is not the end. It is not the final thing. It does not win. It cannot. It has been defeated by its own self. Christ, the great Lord and God of all creation, has defeated it. In giving Himself up to death, He has put death to death. It is vanquished. It has no power. It is defeated.
And yet, we die. We suffer. We experience tribulation and hardship. There is certainly no lack of hard things in this world. Sin is an all present reality and pervades, permeates, and covers everything that we are and do. Certainly, there is suffering simply by existing in such a place as this. But in addition are those things that cause us suffering for the sake of the Name of Jesus, that is to say, those things that makes us suffer because we are Christian. There are the obvious things that we see in the news or on social media: churches burned, pastors murdered, families destroyed because they dared to leave Islam or any other heathen religion. There are the things we see closer to home: the intolerance of what used to be a society that was very comfortable with the Christian faith, mockery for holding biblical values and morals, the irate indifference of those who refuse to hear of the saving Gospel of Christ. The news broadcasts, reporting stories from just down the street, condemn things that are good and right and godly and promote evil and degeneracy.
Do you not know, Christian, that the wisdom of this sick, decayed, and dying world sees you as a rube? A sucker who is weak and places his trust in a false promise. Through cracked and deathly lips that world sneers, mocking us for daring to hope for life in the midst of death.
I guess we cannot fault them for this. The sinner has always loved his sin and prefers it, wretched, diseased, disgusting, and deathly though it is. But they cannot know our hope because it is found in faith in Christ Jesus, the one who has overcome the grave, paid the debt of sin, and utterly vanquished the rule of the Devil. And without this faith, there can be no hope for anything beyond death. It is by faith that our Lord’s gifts grant us benefit; namely, forgiveness, life, and salvation.
In other words, dear Christian friends, we have hope for life beyond this life. We have certain hope for life greater and longer than any of the assaults against us or our faith. Here in this Revelation to St. John, the Apostle, we see a vision of the victory of our Lord. There, gathered before the throne of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, the victorious One who stands even after having been slain, is a great multitude. These come from every tribe, language, race, nation, and ethnicity. They are one, united in the blood of Christ. Jews and Greeks, Germans and Norwegians, black and white; they are without number, beyond the ability of any man to count.
And where did these come from? They came through the great tribulation. They came from this vale of tears. They suffered in this world. They have been pressed down unto death by sins – both theirs and others. And yet they endured, not by the strength of their arms or the might of their character. No, instead, they endured because they have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. They have been baptized into Christ, and being united to His death, they now have His resurrection and everlasting life. They stand without blemish, spot, or wrinkle, not because they have been perfect, but because Christ has perfected them, declared them righteous, forgiven them, washed them, and brought them to Himself.
So they stand before the throne of the Lamb, singing His praises day and night. And how could they not? They, who have nothing to offer except sin, guilt, and shame, have been given the great and eternal treasure of forgiveness, life, and salvation. This is granted to them in the steadfast and immovable work that is the death of Christ. So they sing, uniting their cries of joy and thanksgiving with all the heavenly host and those saints who have come before them into the great wedding feast of the Lamb that never ends.[2]
In other words, you who are in Christ need not fear death. Yes, none of us look forward to it. It is, after all, a great monster, a punishment befitting our sins and robs and steals friend and foe alike. But it is captive to Christ and serves Him now. As unpleasant as death might be, it is not the final thing. It serves God’s purposes now. And in Christ, death is a portal, a servant of the Lord that moves us from this life of great tribulation into the peace of paradise.
And there, in the courts of the Lord’s house, the Lamb who saved them, and us, will wipe away every tear, sate every thirst, shield from the scorching of the sun, and grant all that we need.
The world’s supposed wisdom is to tell us that it is foolish to believe these things, despite the centuries of testimony and the truthful witness of our Lord’s own Word. These fools, supposing that they are wise, resort to mockery and fashionable nihilism to grapple with the reality of death. Being edgy and claiming to believe in nothing will not overcome death; giving up hope is not a mark of maturity, but of a faithless childishness. We Christians must not have any part of these things.
Instead, we look to the One who has overcome death, been raised from the grave, and promises to raise us who believe in Him as well, Jesus Christ the Lord. And there is no thing too great for God to overcome. This is why we have no fear of Caesar, of suffering, sickness, or even death. Christ ensures that we will be cared for in eternity. And no power of evil can overcome this. You, dear Saints of Christ, are His precious people, redeemed in His blood, and given everlasting life.
In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen
The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
[1] Revelation 7:9-12 English Standard Version
[2] Revelation 19:6-9 English Standard Version
Comments