Sermon: The Blood of the Lamb

All Saints Sunday, 2010

 

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

Revelation 7:9-17

 

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

On this day, we are given a lesson in counting. Now as we look around, we can number those who are gathered here. We could easily count all the souls present. Yesterday, I was at a middle school and high school musical performance at Santa Fe High School gymnasium. There were quite a bit more people in that gathered space. Yet, I could still count them. I’ve been to a major league baseball stadium that seats over 30,000 people which is a much larger number, but still countable. 

 

In today’s reading from Revelation, John writes saying, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.” (Rev. 7:9, ESV) Just as God had promised Abraham, his descendants are more numerous than the stars in the heavens or the grains of sand on the seashore. These numbers include Jews and Gentiles. Because of our finite minds, we are not able to count all of the saints of God. On this day, we celebrate all the saints that have gone on before us and will continue after us. It is hard to even imagine all the saints. Yet, there is one man in the midst of all of humanity that grabs our attention. Jesus is at the center. 

 

John goes on to state that this great multitude was “standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands…” (Rev. 7:9, ESV) This great number of people were not gathered around a musical performance nor were they gathered around a baseball game. No, they were gathered before the throne and before the Lamb.

 

Now before we move on, let us understand the significance of the throne and the Lamb. In chapter four, John sees one sitting on the throne and then he sees the Lamb who is worthy to open the seven seals of the scroll. The One who is seated on the throne is God the Father and the Lamb is God the Son. After opening six of the seals, John sees the church militant moving onward marching as to war. Now John sees the church triumphant with palm branches in their hands. These saints are standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

 

As we continue are lesson in counting, I want you to count two main things from today’s text. First, we are taught about the distinction between the persons of the Holy Blessed Trinity. Second, we are taught about the difference between the believers in Christ and the unbelievers.

 

First, in the Bible we are instructed to confess one God and number three persons of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Here John teaches us about the distinction in persons of the Holy Trinity. The person of the Father is distinct from the person of the Son. Yet, the Father and the Son are one in divine essence. In this passage, the Father is referred to as God who sits on the throne and the Son is referred to as the Lamb who stands at the throne. The distinction is made between God, who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

 

The emphasis is placed upon the person and work of the Son who took upon our flesh and blood in order to spill His blood to make atonement for our sins. Only the Son of God was incarnate sharing in our humanity. He is truly God begotten of the Father from eternity and also truly man born of the Virgin Mary in time. As true human, He has ascended into heaven and stands before God the Father so that we are able to stand before Father with Him.

 

Again, this passage is not taking away from the deity of Christ; rather, it is teaching the distinction in persons between the One who sits on the throne and the Lamb who had been slain to provide us access to the throne. His blood has ransomed people for God. In the last chapter of the book of Revelation, the throne is said to belong to God and to the Lamb equally. There we are taught that the Father and the Son are consubstantial, that is of the same divine essence.

 

Likewise, in today’s passage we are taught that the Father and the Son are given equal honor and praise. Those standing before the throne were crying out with a loud voice saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10, ESV) Both God and the Lamb are worthy to receive glory and honor and power. For this reason, we gather today with all of the saints around the presence of the Lamb at this altar and we sing the canticle “This is the Feast.” In the words of that canticle, we boldly sing that “Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.” As we gather here in time we join with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven and sing Holy, Holy, Holy to the Blessed Trinity.

 

Second, we learn about the difference between believers who are righteous in God’s sight and the unbelievers who are unrighteous in God’s sight. In John’s vision, he sees the righteous as a great multitude that no one could count. They were clothed in white robes. Now John relays to us that one of the elders addressed him and asked the question, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” (Rev. 7:13, ESV) To be clear, it is not as if this elder did not know the answer. He knew the answer. This is the method of catechesis in which we meditate upon God’s word and continue to ask the question, “What does this mean?”

 

In the same way, when Adam and Eve transgressed against God in the Garden, the LORD asked them, “Where are you?” It is not as if God did not know the answer. Rather, the LORD is teaching his people to ask the right question and to seek the right answer. Adam and Eve had sinned and felt their guilt and shame so that they could not stand in the presence of God. They were hiding from God trying to cover their sin.  After being exposed and also recognizing this transgression, the LORD gave them the promise of the Messiah who would crush the serpent’s head making them able to stand in His presence.

 

Thus, in our text, John asks the elder to reveal to him the right answer. The elder responds, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God…” (Rev. 7:14, ESV) Here again we see the theological significance of the word “therefore.” Because their robes had been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore they are able to stand before the throne. 

 

Because we are human, there is a need to be washed and purified in order to stand before the holiness of God. Without the blood of Christ, we cannot stand. In Psalm 130, we are taught the right question and the right answer. "If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, therefore You are feared." (Psalm 130:3-4, ESV) Because of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Father does not number our sins. His blood has set us free. We have been washed. Thus, God is not able to count our sins against us.

 

Now at the end of time there will be a division between the righteous and the unrighteous. The unbelievers will either attempt to stand before God based upon the number of the things they did right or by challenging the number of the things that they did wrong. However, the believers in Christ will stand based upon the number of things that Jesus did right.

 

In this life, we are learning to mark, number, and count our own sins so that we can confess them before God. Yet, Psalm 19 teaches us that we are not even able to number all of our sins. Verse twelve states, "Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults." (Psalm 19:12, ESV) Thus, we are learning to rest solely in the mercy of God for the sake of Christ. 

 

For this reason, we are taught to count that there is one mediator between God and man. He is the Lamb and the Shepherd. He is the Priest and the Sacrifice. Our robes are made white in the blood of the Lamb. Now we gather here this day as the church militant. We partake in the Supper of the Lamb now and we are waiting for the consummation of the age in which we partake of the marriage feast of the Lamb then. From this altar He we receive the blood of the Lamb which makes us able to stand before the throne. It is the blood of the New Testament which is poured out for the forgiveness of all of our sins. In Christ, count yourselves redeemed and numbered with all of the saints. Amen.