Sermons 2024

Video

Text: Revelation 7:2-17
Theme: Joy of Salvation
Outline
1.    Salvation of the Redeemed 
2.    Joy of the Redeemed

Sermon
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
My dear beloved flock, the text for our meditation today is the First Reading from the Revelation to Saint John the seventh chapter verses two through seventeen.
Boys and girls, I pray that you are doing well today. Have you ever been to a really good party? I am sure that you have whether it’s swimming, at the arcade, or at someone’s house. Today, we hear about the best party ever. The party In heaven with Jesus, all the saints, and angels gathered around. How do we join in that party? Ponder that question as you hear the rest of the sermon. You may go back to your seats and those who love you.

1.    Salvation of the Redeemed
In our text for today, we see two groups. One is the one hundred forty-four thousand (144,000) sealed from the tribes of Israel. The other is a multitude that no one can number from every tribe, people, race, and language. These two groups are two perspectives of the same group, the church. The 144,000 represent God’s people on earth in perfect order and thus ready to march. This is interpreted to be the church militant, poised and ready to carry out the marching orders-the mission- that here Lord has given to her. In the second scene John sees the great multitude of people before God’s heavenly throne, the church triumphant.
They clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. They are crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” They rejoice over the salvation won for them by the blood of the Lamb. We often think that heaven will be boring. Sitting around all day just singing? What if I can’t sing? It sounds boring. It sounds like no fun at all. Yet, John’s picture is anything bur boring. We do not know what heaven will be like but John paints a beautiful picture of an eternal victory celebration. Just think if CMR or Central won March Madness or the Packers or Broncos won the Super Bowl. You’d be pretty excited for a short time. That is the picture that John has for us today, Heaven is the final celebration of victory, and God and the Lamb won it. And unlike any other celebration, this does not get old, because it’s not a victory for a season; it’s the victory for eternity. 
What have they won victory over? Through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus, the victory has been won over sin, over death, and over the power of the devil. It is not because of anything that they have done. Their own clothes are worse than rags or tatters. Covered in sins, they have no one to depend upon to save themselves. They are incapable of saving themselves. Thus, why they have to be covered by someone else. They have been clothed by Christ. Their tatters have been covered by the white robe of Christ righteousness. Jesus has taken all of their sins, and your sins, upon Himself. Hanging upon the cross, He suffered, bled, and died, taking all of the wrath of God upon Himself. Jesus took their tatters and clothed them with His perfection, with His righteousness.

2.    Joy of the Redeemed

Because of the salvation that Christ has won for them, the saints have everlasting joy. They have endured the Great Tribulation by His might and steadfast love. It’s in the rearview mirror, never to be seen again. Through Christ Jesus, the saints are the great overcomers. This looks almost too good to be true, like an escapist fantasy. But this is not a flight from reality. It’s a picture of hope.  The people standing there have come from the great tribulation (vv 13–14b).  This should not surprise us. Jesus announced to his disciples in the Gospel we heard that there will be persecution, suffering, hatred, and reviling (Mt 5:10–12). The life of the Church is not simply one triumph after another. It is the way of the cross. It is a way of suffering. God does not lead his Church around suffering; he leads it through suffering (vv 15–17). The enemies of God often seem to be stronger, the Church at the brink of extinction. In our personal life, faith is often so weak that we feel we are battered around like a ship without a rudder in the midst of the storm. That is not unusual for the Church or the individual Christian. That does not mean that God has forsaken us. Rather the opposite. He is with us, no matter what we type of tribulation we might face. He is with us, guarding, and protecting us, even in the midst of death. As the Psalmist says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

They comfort us still today. How? In the midst of trials, we hold fast to the faith. How? Remember your own baptism. Be not frustrated, troubled, or worried when adversity comes to you. God has said that he loves you and that you are his own dear beloved child, and His word stands. Do not drift away from the faith and your Baptism. “We must think this way about Baptism and make it profitable for ourselves. So when our sins and conscience oppress us, we strengthen ourselves and take comfort and say, ‘Nevertheless, I am baptized. And if I am baptized, it is promised to me that I shall be saved and have eternal life, both in soul and body’ ” (LC IV 44).
We have salvation because of Jesus Christ. We have everlasting joy because He is with us even in the midst of suffering. Let us always rejoice, as we look ahead to that great day to come. That ‘glorious day the saints triumphant ride in bright array. The King of Glory passes on His way.’ When we to join in that wonderous feast as we gather with angels, archangels, and all the host of heaven in a grand celebration and feast without end.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard, and keep, your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.