For ALL the Saints...

The Rev. Kathi Johnson

2 November 2014 – All Saints Sunday

Text: Revelation 7:9-17; Matthew 5:1-12

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie, Texas

+ INJ +

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come. Amen.

Today’s first lesson is from the book of Revelation, the book of the Bible that I think is one of the most talked-about books. Or rather, some of the ideas or images in Revelation are some of the most talked-about. For instance, this year, another movie was released which is supposedly based on parts of Revelation – the movie “Left Behind” with Nicholas Cage.

There are a lot of good scenes for movie-making in this book! We have the archangel Michael, defeating the dragon. There are beasts and whores and the fall of a mighty city, and there’s all kinds of fighting – lots of good action.

Of course, Revelation wasn’t written with movie-making in mind. This book was written toward the end of the First Century after Christ. Christians who lived in the Roman Empire were still very much in the minority, and the Romans persecuted them horribly. Part of the reason why Christians were persecuted is because they refused to worship the Roman gods, which included the Roman emperor.

One of the reasons that Revelation was written was to remind them of Who is at the center of Christian faith – namely, Jesus Christ. In this vision from chapter 7, Jesus is the Lamb on the throne – also called a shepherd, who will guide us.

Revelation was also written to encourage those Christians in their faith by giving a beautiful and glorious vision of heaven. John’s vision is of a multitude – a mixed multitude, made up of people from all cultures and all walks of life. And there they stand, with one purpose: to offer their praises to God. Day and night, again and again, they offer their words of praise: “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

There is great encouragement in this vision for the followers of Jesus – whatever we may face as the followers of Jesus. These are ones who have been poor in spirit, but are now made rich. These are ones who have mourned, but are now comforted. These are ones who have received the kingdom of heaven, even though they were persecuted on earth.

On All Saints Day every year, we remember the saints – those are living and those we have lost. We remember those who have cared for us and nurtured our faith. We remember those who have taught us – and those who teach us still – that God gives us great love and calls us his own children.

---

At this point, we took strips of paper and each person wrote their own name on a strip, as a reminder that we who are followers of Christ are all saints. Indeed, most of the biblical witness refers to "saints" as people who are still living. Many of the epistles are addressed to the saints of a particular community, or call upon the reader to remember the saints in another community. 

Following putting our own names on strips, we wrote the names of the saints in our lives whom we wanted to remember - those who are living and those who are dead. Each person made a small chain with the strips, and then we collected the small chains into one large chain (pictured above). This chain of the communion of saints was placed around our All Saints display - reminders of those we love who have died. 

As we recall the lives of those who inspire us, who urge us on, and who love us, we are hopefully encouraged in our own lives of faith, and are ourselves driven to inspire others, to urge them on, and to love them.