After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and 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.”
We are of a strange tribe and people and language, we Christians. Perhaps it becomes even more obvious today than other days, for this day, we name our dead.
We choose to do something that likely makes us cry and hurt.
We do not avoid talking about them. We do not avoid looking at them. We stare straight at what seems to be the very empty hole their death has left on our lives and we name them.
Momma. Dad. Husband. Wife. Child. Sister. Brother. Friend.
Without them, life is a little less rich, has a little less joy and laughter. Without them, we are a little less strong and a little less wise.
So why does the Church do this?
Why poke you and remind you?
Why find that wound that you might try very hard to hide?
Why speak the suffering that you might try very hard to keep quiet?
Because we bring our pain and suffering and grief to Jesus in whose wounds and Word and body and blood, we have healing.
Because by not avoiding talking about them, we hear Christ’s talk with voice of truth and life.
Because by not avoiding looking at them, we also see them and Christ for who they are and who we will be.
Because by not avoiding staring at death, we then see, by faith, resurrection.
By speaking their name here, in this place, with your church with you, doing the same thing, you know you are not alone in your pain and suffering. Death has touched us all and resurrection has and will touch us all.
By speaking there name here, you also hear the beautiful truth that as you are speaking their name, God is speaking their name, too. They are children of God. They are before the throne.
By speaking there name here, you also hear the beautiful truth that as you are speaking their name, God is speaking your name.
“Child. Saint. Beloved. That wound. That suffering. That pain, dear child of mine, it’s a part of the story, but it’s not the whole story. It’s true, but it’s not the whole truth. What you see and feel is not wrong, but what you see and feel is not complete.”
Today we are helped to see the bigger and more complete story, the bigger and more complete truth.
Dear saints, we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. And by walking in that valley, we must know for sure that we do not see as we should.
We are low in the valley and thus see only see in part.
For kingdoms and wars and castles, they always want the higher ground. They see better, there. They can defend and fight better there.
So today, close your eyes, and lift up your hearts to the high ground of being in Christ.
Speak your dead and then open our ears to the One who sits high upon a throne and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and look and behold [the one’s you named. Mom. Dad. Child. Spouse. Friend. They live and are in] a great multitude that no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.”
Today, close your eyes, and open your ears to truly see what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called to children of God. And so we are.
Close your eyes and open your ears and cry out, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.”
Cry out In you, O Lord, I take refuge – You are my rock, you are my fortress. (Psalm 31)
And bring your wounds and pain and suffering and grief and loss and hear again that you are High and safe in Him – your Rock, your Fortress, your Refuge – in Him you see clearer and truer and further.
And so we name our dead in Christ.
Christ is risen and He lives.
And they live and will rise.
And you live and will rise.
And you wait to see perfectly clear and perfectly true and perfectly far. When you see Christ as He is.
And by naming them here – you again recognize that they have what you are waiting for!
But you don’t have to wait to begin to be comforted and to begin to be healed.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne [who] will be our shepherd is our shepherd here
And He who will guide us to springs of living water is leading and guiding us now
And God who will wipe away every tear from their eyes enlightens your tear clouded eyes now to see a little more clear and a little more true and a little more far.