Sermon: Wittenberg Academy – Dec 19, 2023

19 Dec 2023

Text: Rev 7:1-17

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

St. John reports a vision of the future in his Revelation.  As the Lamb tears open the seven seals on a scroll that only He is worthy to open, and as each seal brings forth various horrific things on the earth, we find ourselves in an interlude between seals six and seven.  And John writes what Jesus reveals to him about what is happening to His people, His church, at this time.

We see 144,000 people being “sealed.”  They come from the twelve tribes of the Old Testament, and there are 12 x 12 x 1000 people in all, pointing to both the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles.  We see the glorious vision of the church of all times: Old and New Testament, Jew and Gentile, the redeemed of every tribe and tongue, being “sealed” (Eph 1:13-14, 2 Cor 1:22), set apart and claimed by God the Holy Spirit, even in these times of tribulation. 

But the church doesn’t stop there with the Church Militant, who are enduring the trials of the world as it comes to an end.  We also see the church beyond the veil: the Church Triumphant: “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  And even then, there are more creatures around the throne of the Lamb: “all the angels” and “the elders and the four living creatures.”  The entire heavenly host “fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.”

What a beautiful picture of the Divine Service, dear friends, when we, the 144,000 still on earth, behind the veil, unable to see the Church Triumphant and the Lamb on the throne with our eyes.  Nevertheless, we see by faith, we see by the Word, we see by the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1) given to John, and given to us!  And we join with those whom we cannot see: “angels and archangels and all the company of heaven.”  We do not see the Lamb with our eyes, but we eat His body and drink His blood.  We do not enter the heavenly throne-room, but heaven comes down to us like unto an embassy of our King.  And the joy of the heavenly hosts, the awe and reverence, the triumph of the church because of the triumph of our King are central to our worship: “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever, Amen.

Dear friends, let us keep this vision central when we gather with the 144,000 saints on this earth with each and every celebration of the Mass.  And may our celebrants never lose sight of this vision, make themselves into the focus, turn the chancel into a stage, and treat worship as if it were a dinner theater that involves the audience – turning John’s Revelation into a joke.

Worship is no joke.  It is a privilege granted by the King.  It unites us with our departed loved ones.  But more importantly, it draws us by invitation not only into the throne-room, but to the table of our King as His guests.  And even while we of the symbolic 144,000 of the Church Militant, in the words of the great hymn, “feebly struggle,” let us not forget the promise that we will join the Church Triumphant, who “in glory shine.”  For we shine with the reflected light of Him who is the “Light of the World” (John 8:12)!

“For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  Indeed, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb,” now and even unto eternity!

Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.