FOR ALL THE SAINTS

 

 

 

Revelation 7:9-17, Revelation 21:1-7

 

What is a saint?  A saint is simply a Christian, which includes all of us here.  Hebrews 12:1 says, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who are like cheering us on, encouraging us when things get tough.  Among those witnesses is the “communion of saints,”  which includes the faithful who have gone on to glory and our brothers and sisters in Christ who are living in the world today.  

Just as the members of our faith community are lending their support to us in our walk, imagine people like Abraham, Isaiah, Paul, and John Wesley at the side lines giving us the “thumbs up.”  Or what tickles me, is the thought of Ruth, Ester, all the Marys who were at Jesus, Tomb that first Easter morning and my grandmother shouting, “you go, girl!”

 Today, we will honor and remember those who are no longer with us who may have encouraged us and supported us both as human beings and on our journey of faith.  Let’s also this opportunity to remember the promise of an eternal inheritance that is ours through Christ.

 

Three little mice die and find themselves at the gate of heaven.  St. Peter looks them up in his book, then says, “Ah, yes.  It says here that you have been good little mice.  Is there anything in life that you always wanted but never got?”

After the mice thought for a few moments, one squeaked, “Golden roller skates.”  Yes, the other two mice agreed, golden roller skates.

 Very good.  Enter in and it shall be done for you,” St. Peter promised as the gates swung open for them.

 A little while later, an old barn cat was sitting in front of St. Peter.  After checking the book, St. Peter asked the cat, “ Ah, yes. It says here you have been a very good cat.  Is there anything in life which you desired but never had.”

 “Oh, yes,” said the cat.  “I always wished for a warm fire to sleep by and one of those big, comfy cat beds.”

 St. Peter smiled, “Enter in, and it will be done for you.”

 Later, St. Peter took a break to check on the new arrivals.  The first one he found was the cat, purring next to a fire lying on the fluffiest, most comfortable cat bed that could be imagined.  When Peter asked if it was what the cat wanted, the feline replied, licking its chops, “Oh, yes!  This is all I ever wanted, and the meals on wheels was a nice touch.”

 

We can only image what Heaven eternal life is like, but scriptures like Revelation 7 and 21 give us glimpses.  These passages give us an image of the saints gathered around the thrones of God and Jesus.  These are people who have been saved by the atoning blood of Christ who have preserved, through times of persecution and discouraging challenges, and adhered to Christ’s teaching.  God openly declares that He is their God, and they are his children (Rev. 21:7). 

As Jesus came to dwell in human flesh among humanity, God will dwell with the saints, pitching his holy tent of his protective mercy and love.  He cares for them, leading them to fountains of living water.  There, in God’s sheltering presence, God’s people will experience the transformation of God’s ultimate healing and wholeness. 

The first things, the old things of this life, will pass away, and God will make all things new (Rev. 21:4-5), as God, himself, will wipe away all their tears. 

There will be no more hunger and thirst.  Scorching summers and freezing winters will be forgotten.  Death, sorrow and anguish, crying and pain will be no more. 

Jesus said that he lived, died, and was raised from the dead that we may have life – life in all its fullness, now and eternally. (John, This is our inheritance as followers of Christ and God’s children (Rev. 2:7). 

In this life, we have been saved by the atoning blood of Christ, received forgiveness and been set free to be the people God created us to be.   By God’s grace, in this life, we preserve through times of sorrow, pain and discouragement.  And by God’s grace, we will join those saints who cheer us on from glory, in a place where are things are made new.