May 15, 2022 Text: Revelation 21:1-7
Dear Friends in Christ,
Valerius Maximus was a Roman author/historian, perhaps best known for his work “Nine Books of Memorable Deeds and Sayings” dated around 30 A.D. He stated, “The divine wrath is slow indeed in vengeance, but it makes up for its tardiness by the severity of the punishment.”
Life can be very, very frustrating – isn’t it? The reality of so many senators voting to kill the unborn, goods and services that cannot be obtained, prices that continue to climb, people in high positions who abuse their power and live in an alternate reality. None of it is lost on us. But then, neither are your sin crimes and my sin crimes. Valerius Maximus’ insight is accurate: “the divine wrath…makes up for its tardiness by the severity of the punishment.” More importantly, God said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” (Rom. 12:9)
What a blessing to know the love of God in Christ, right? Especially when we face our final moments. Jesus is the only One who can lift us beyond the dread and fear of death. The question for this morning . . .
“WHAT IS IT WORTH TO US?”
The religions of our world all say the same thing: Man is either basically good enough or capable enough to deserve or earn God’s love. Is there any truth in that? If we could truly earn God’s love, at minimum, we would never think the things we want no one else to know…or see!
God is love and we cannot earn, nor do we deserve His love. He felt sorry for you and me. Pity. Mercy. It was my sins and your sins that caused Him to love us so much that would suffer and die for those horrible things we are capable of.
One of the saddest conversations you can have with a person is when you ask them what is going to happen to them when they die? Their answer, “nothing.” Which is a bold answer while the heart is still beating and the lungs still breathing.
Why has humanity spent untold money, time, effort, and persecution of those who follow Christ to disprove Christ’s credibility? That right there proves something. Why fight so hard to discredit something you don’t believe in? Because even the unbelievers know the Scripture just like the devil in the desert with Jesus. “He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41)
We’ve been spared this. Though we struggle daily with our sin, for the sake of Christ we have forgiveness. That’s the promise. “…the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 Jn. 1:7b). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 6:23). We will go into eternal heaven – uninterrupted happiness. All assured us now through Word and Sacrament.
Frank Wilson wrote this, “In early times of persecution acts of spiritual heroism occurred in many communities. Christians would see one of their own give up his life for his faith, and they would feel proud of such an example of staunch fortitude…They did not mourn their dead, but rejoiced over them because their departure out of this world was the occasion of the new birth in the world-to-come…”
When we read these stories of Christian martyrdom we come away thinking: “what a witness.” The ultimate offering. But I confess along with you that the best most of us have given up for the faith is a small percentage of coin and time.
Here we are then. Sinful humans, covered in the blood of Jesus Christ. Living with promises of Christ’s presence in Word and Sacrament, looking forward to the New Heaven and the New Earth. The words of John always preparing us:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’” (v. 1-4)
Haven’t we all been confronted with death? Shed tears for those we love. Felt the pain of a broken heart or broken body? Because of God’s love in Christ that will be taken away forever.
Listen to this written some time ago: “He calls us not to be deceived into thinking that the goal of our faith here is the highest degree of comfort and happiness…but to understand the people who hated his Son – marched Him to the cross for preaching the truth about human sin – crucified Him and his Apostles – and have persecuted the church through the centuries – those people and that mind-set are as much a part of our time as ever before.”
We have been given everything in Christ. His presence now and his eternal promise of heaven. What a blessing to confess with the saints: “I am going to heaven when my pilgrimage here is finished.” It’s a fair question – What Is It Worth To Us – God’s eternal love in Christ. What is it worth – to you? Amen.