Easter 4 Epistle Reading: Revelation 7:9-17
In John’s vision from Revelation 7, he glimpses something magnificent — the Christian Church from all times, places, languages, cultures, and nations gathered around the Lamb on the last day.
This isn’t the struggling church we know today, but the church triumphant. And remarkably, John sees you and me there too!
He witnesses God’s people at the end of time, clothed in white, waving palm branches in eternal Easter celebration. Sin is finally behind us, Satan cast away, and death itself is dead.
No more sickness, sadness, suffering, or cemeteries.
Are we there yet? Not quite, but we’re definitely going to get there.
During this vision, John has a conversation with one of the elders who asks him, “Who are these clothed in white? Where have they come from?”
The elder answers his own question: “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.”
What wonderful news! The “great tribulation” is happening right now, but it’s temporary. It has an expiration date. All our tears, fears, doubts, regrets, disappointments, sicknesses, and heartaches from this sin-riddled life won’t last forever. We will get through this.
Nothing is truly a dead end—not even death itself. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has paved the way through this valley of tears into victorious celebration, through suffering into glory, through death into life.
The blood that washes us in baptism and nourishes us in communion assures us that Christ’s sacrifice counts for each of us.
The Lamb is also our Shepherd, who has taken our hands in His nail-scarred ones and will never let go.
One day, those same hands will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Then, we won’t ask “Are we there yet?” because we will be home.
Contributor Rev. Aaron Schian is the Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Auburn, MI.
#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #easter
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