“Before the Throne of God”
Revelation 7:9-17
Memory is a tricky thing. Particularly as we get older. You may know the story about three women who were talking. The first said, “Sometimes I go to the refrigerator and forget what I need by the time I get there.” The second woman said, “When I go upstairs, I can’t remember whether I’m going up for something or I’m on my way back down.” The third woman said, “I’m lucky, I guess, [knock on wood], I don’t have that problem. Oh, I think there’s someone at the door.”
Memory is a tricky thing. I heard a comedian say once that when he got older, he could always find his car in the parking lot, it would be the one with the lights on.
Memory is a tricky thing. There are some things, however, and some people who we should never forget.
In John’s vision of heaven, he writes about “a great multitude that no one could count.” Who is this great multitude? Well, this multitude in heaven is composed of all those who remained faithful to God throughout the generations, which includes those we have honored here this morning. No true believer ever needs to worry about which group he or she will be in. God includes and protects all those who follow Him, and we are guaranteed a place in His presence.
This crowd in heaven is said to be wearing white which is the symbol of purity [thus the white colors in the Sanctuary this morning], and they are holding palm branches which symbolize victory. In the Gospel of Mark, we read: “After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” [Mark 9:2-3].
Our “Great Multitude” is recorded as shouting or singing praises to God that their salvation comes from Him and the Lamb of God; nothing they could do for themselves.
Have you ever given any thought as to your entrance into heaven. The theologian Karl Barth wondered about his reception into heaven. He had a dream once where he died and was pushing a wheelbarrow of gold to be used as payment to get into heaven. When he got to the pearly gates, they laughed at him for bringing pavement to heaven.
I’m not sure how many of you understand how your Sunday offering is handled at the end of our services. Two people are responsible for taking the money, organizing it, and then it goes into the safe back there in the corner room. On Monday, the two money counters open the safe and take it to the office to be counted, recorded, and then delivered to our CPA. Well, this past Monday, our two assigned money counters couldn’t get the safe open. Before it was all said and done there were five people here trying to get the safe open and finally it was Patty Morrison who got it open on her first try. I wonder what she said to it or how she may have threatened it.
This got me to thinking. Will some of us have to break into heaven? Is there a combination that we must memorize to get into heaven? Will it take a group of folks [witnesses] to get us into heaven? Thankfully not! None of those we honored here this morning had to break into heaven. They were all saved by the Blood of the Lamb.
We don’t talk much in the church today about being washed in the blood of the lamb. It’s a little graphic for our modern sensibilities. In Revelation, it’s simply a symbolic way of saying these saints have been made worthy to inherit that which was promised by the Father because of Christ’s death on the cross. In other words, they are standing around the throne the same way all of us will one day stand around the throne; by the grace of God. If getting into heaven is a matter of merit, we would all be in trouble.
There’s a story about Mother Teresa dining with God. They are eating tuna fish sandwiches and while they’re eating, she looks down into Hades and sees folks there feasting on steak and lobster. “Not that I’m complaining,” Mother Teresa says to God, “but why are they eating steak and lobster while we’re eating tuna fish sandwiches?” “Well,” says God, “with just the two of us up here, I figure, why cook?”
If getting into heaven were based on merit, maybe Mother Teresa and a few others might make it. But you and I? We would be outside looking in. Our admittance to the select company will not be based on merit, but on God’s unconditional love for us—God’s amazing grace. You may think sometimes that we talk about grace too much in the church today. You need to understand that there are many people—even many church people- who struggle with the fact that God loves them unconditionally. That they don’t feel worthy.
God will provide for His children’s needs in their eternal home—where there will be no more hunger, thirst, or pain, and He will wipe away all tears.
Who are the saints around the throne of God? Everybody on this earth is a candidate for sainthood. None of us are worthy of it, but because of what Christ has done on our behalf, it comes to us as a free gift. Once it is received, however, we are to join the holy company seeking to be a bright light to a world of darkness through lives that reflect the glory of Christ.
Dear God—let it be!
