One Lord, One God?
Sermon for All Saints Sunday, November 6, 2011 (Revelation 7:9-17)
Have you ever wrestled with faith, your faith, your ability to trust God? Have you ever struggled to actually believe, not just with your head but in your heart, with all of your soul, mind and strength - that God is God? Do you actually trust that God cares - that God loves you, all people and all creation?
Here's my confession. I do. I have. I suspect that I probably will, for as long as I live or at least as long as my brain and emotions continue to connect.
There is so much evidence that says NO! No even to God's existence. Certainly no to God's love both on a grand scale but also on a more local scale. We live in a world where millions if not billions are born in abject poverty. Right now they have absolutely no say about that. Can you imagine the difference in your life if you had been born in Rwanda or Uganda, instead of China or North America or somewhere in Europe?
I have had a warm bed to sleep in every night of my life – unless I chose otherwise. I have had ample food and drink both for myself and those closest to me every day and night of my life – unless I chose otherwise. But in these ways I am among a minority in this world. Today thousands if not millions of African children are born without one or both parents – due to the Aids epidemic. Again this is not a choice that either the children nor often their mothers have made. It is a somewhat long and complex story. Suffice it to say that many African wives are compelled to have sexual relationships with their husbands regardless of where their husbands have been or what their husbands have done. This reality doesn't even begin to touch the wars that rage on in many parts of Africa, the Middle East – where things that we don't even like to think about are perpetrated by people on other people, men, women and children. Where is God then?
Closer to home, where is God as disease and super bugs strike at the hearts of those we love? Cancer spreads, despite our most valiant efforts. Other diseases like such as Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington's, various forms of dementia inhabit large numbers of people of all ages and backgrounds. To be sure most of the rich in our world get richer. Indeed the super rich become immorally rich – while so many of the remainder of the people have little or no access to health care, safe water, or education. Where is God then?
Do you remember? Not that long ago a young man sees a fight on a local bus. He intervenes to try to protect perhaps both parties. But he ends up dying. Where is God? How does, how can our faith deal with this?
You may be able to add your own some what similar stories. Such stories aren't merely "stories", but events, happenings in your life and in the lives of others who have touched your life.
The writer John in the book of Revelation writes to early Christians whose lives and faith are under attack. The Empire cult of the Roman empire demands allegiance. Everything from the coins in circulation to the vaunted Roman military underline that Caesar is at the very least king if not himself almighty God. If one dares to disagree with that Empire, well woe to you! See what has happened to Jesus. Those hanging on crosses outside major cities were a constant reminder of what could happen to anyone who would challenge the power, the dominant message of that empire.
It seems so violent, even so vulgar, so all encompassing to us. We may thank "our lucky stars" that we don't live in a world like that. But are we so sure? We North Americans may think that we are free to worship and honor whomever/whatever we want. But the powers of empire still exist. They grab for absolute control. Only among us they are much more subtle. Whom do we give our loyalty to? Television, the internet, malls, all the halls of commerce all demand that we give our time, our ultimate allegiance to them. Let me tell you, it's hard not to – be influenced, to begin to think that this is just the way things are. After all, what can I do to change anything?
But when we think that way, when we begin to live that way: that the market determines the worth of people including ourselves; that the earth is merely a vessel or container to be used; that we must first and foremost seek to protect and even procure our own future including the future of those closest to us, we have lost our faith. Truth be told, then we have lost sight of almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It's to this great challenge raging even then, over 1900 years ago, that the writer of Revelation is addressing. He describes the horrors of empire and evil in living horrific metaphors in both chapters 5 and 6 while the seals are being broken and the revelation unveiled. But just before the unveiling of the 7th seal comes this amazing vision. "After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne (where God was) and before the Lamb (that is the risen Jesus)."
That vision is set before us now. It is a vision that God is, as that great multitude proclaims, One to whom blessing and glory and wisdom, and thanksgiving and honor and power and might are ascribed FOREVER AND EVER.
At times it's hard to believe this. In fact, at times it is impossible to believe that God is the only ALMIGHTY. That is it's impossible if faith were something that somehow you or I, or even all of us together, had to come up with. Much (perhaps most?) of the evidence that we can see, taste, touch and somehow attempt to explain often speaks in the other direction: that there is no God, or if there is a God, He/she is absent or not that powerful or must not care about what's going on here and now.
But look more carefully at one particular cross! There see God in the flesh making Himself/Herself most vulnerable. There see Jesus, God in the flesh, instead of screaming invectives at those who have scourged, spat upon, abandoned and most cruelly executed him – choosing to call upon His Father, God, to forgive them for they don't know what they are doing!
Also see Jesus, later on somehow return to his motley crew of followers. Then He gives them a part of himself, His very Spirit. Watch them as they are being transformed from people who were afraid, who were concerned primarily and foremost of themselves, to become people who get up, to boldly proclaim in a whole variety of ways and places that Jesus has been raised, that this Jesus has the ability to lead anyone and everyone through good and bad to new life, here, now and forever.
Also see that these earliest followers are only part of this incredible stream of many who are being embraced by the love and forgiveness of Jesus to go forward. They go into this world – to share the good news, to build schools, and hospitals – to explore by emptying themselves so that others may have life and have it abundantly. Oh, to be sure, these followers didn't always get it right. Sometimes they blow it royally. After all, they are also sinners, just like us.
But they are embraced by the love and forgiveness of Christ. Therefore they refuse to give their ultimate loyalty to anyone other than God.
How about us on this Sunday closes to all Saints Sunday? Do we trust God that someday there will be a vast multitude, a choir of "saints" where there will be no more tears, no more suffering, no more death.?
Today, looking around at only that which we can see, it may seem highly unlikely, even impossible. On our own it would be. But we are not alone. The One who has gone to the cross loves us and this world even when (though) we don't know what we are doing! Even now He seeks to blow on us giving us His Spirit. That's what the waters of baptism are all about. They are not intended to be merely a historical event but are meant to be renewed every day.
Would you pray with me? Loving God, we believe, help our unbelief. By your grace, embrace us with your love so that we may be freed from bowing down in any shape or manner to anyone or anything that isn't you. For Christ's sake and the sake of this world. Amen.