A Sermon by Rev. Lillie Henley on November 1, 2009
Sometime between the year 60 and the year 90 the message called “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” was written. It is attributed to “John,” a faithful subject. It has the tone of prophecy and solicits feelings from the reader as if it were poetry. It is one of the most beautifully written works of the Christian New Testament. It is odd that a book titled “Revelation” is, as Kathleen Norris wrote, so veiled and obscure.
Scholars cannot agree on a more definite time-table for Revelation; we do not know if it was written during the time of Emperor Nero or Emperor Domitian. Both emperors persecuted pagan cults who worshipped other gods. One theologian [Christopher Rowland, “The Book of Revelation”] who wrote in The New Interpreter’s Bible, the first twenty chapters were probably written in the 60s and the last two chapters were added in the 90s.
That would mean Revelation was written around the same time that the Apostle Paul was writing his authentic letters to “his” churches. John wrote Revelation to the seven churches in Asia that we know were established at the time he wrote: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Of the seven, only one church in Ephesus, was connected to Paul.
Some theologians believe it is a subversive document written in code words intended for Jesus’ followers of that time. Others say John was a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, where the privileged enemies of the Empire were exiled. Deacon Perry King told me that in his research on Revelation some scholars believed John was delusional from paranoia or lack of water. In the second chapter we read, “I, John, your brother… was on the island of Patmos because I proclaimed God’s word and bore witness to Jesus.”
What we do know is that he was a well-educated Jew, quite knowledgeable of the ,i>Torah, the Hebrew prophets, and later writings of the Hebrew scribes. We also know that few people in the first century were able to read AND fewer still able to write. This author WAS a person of privilege. I believe this John may have been a missionary. He knew these churches of Asia well enough to know their gifts as well as their shortcomings.
Our reading this morning from Revelation is from the ending of Revelation, and tells of the promise of a New Jerusalem, a new life. It reflects the Universalist view of salvation; which was the dominant view by Jesus’ followers for the first three hundred years.
Then I saw new heavens and a new earth. The former heavens and the former earth had passed away, and the sea existed no longer. I also saw a new Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, beautiful as a bride and groom on their wedding day.
… And death, mourning, crying and pain will be no more, for the old order has fallen.”
The One who sat on the throne said, “Look! I’m making everything new!”
What does John say, before he tells us that there will be a New Jerusalem, a new holy city?
He writes to these seven churches in Jesus’ name, as if he were speaking as Jesus the Christ. These words are in chapters one through three.
To the church in Ephesus and says, he knows their deeds, their labors, and their patient endurance. They have “tested imposters who claimed to be apostles and found them false.” He says they have endured hardship for “for my sake.”
Nevertheless, they have left their “first love” and fail to do the good they once did.
To the church in Smyrna and says, “I know your hardships and your poverty—yet you are rich…” [in spirit]. “I know the slander of those who profess to be Jewish but are not…” Soon he tells them some will be sent to prison and be tested for their faith. Be true to death, he wrote.
To the church in Pergamum, “I know you live were Satan is enthroned. Yet you remain faithful…” Nevertheless, you have among you some who believe in other teachings and heresies.
To the church in Thyatira, “I know your works, your love and faith, your service and endurance, and that you’re still making progress.”
Nevertheless, you tolerate Jezebel, who claims to be a prophet, who leads the faithful astray.
To the church in Sardis, he has not one positive word to say, “I know the reputation you have of being alive, when in fact you are dead! Wake up and strengthen what remains [of your faith] before it dies.”
To the church in Philadelphia, he has not one negative word to say “I know all about you. And now I have placed before you an open door, which no one can close. I know you have limited strength… and you have kept my word and not denied my name… Because you have kept my command to endure all trials, I will also keep you safe in the time of trail that is going to come…”
To the church in Laodicea, he has the most challenging words, “I know your deeds, I know that you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other… But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth! … You keep saying, ‘I am so rich and secure that I want for nothing.’ Little do you realized how wretched you are, how pitiable and poor… Repent! Here I stand, knocking at the door. If any hear me calling and open the door, I will enter the house and have supper with them.”
All these early churches, we understand from limited, existing sources, were challenged by many voices that preached many different messages. Here in Asia, far away from Jerusalem, there were early followers of Jesus the Christ, who were influenced by the Roman culture and religion AND law, as well as the “apostles and missionaries” who all claimed to give them the truth. Who and what do they believe? How could their beliefs have been so strong that they would and did die for them? Although some scholars tell us that the translation for martyr was used more often than the probably more correct term “witness.”
Chapters four through twenty are the fiery, dramatic, poetry of prophecy. Sometimes scary, when John writes, not as Jesus the Christ, but in the first person, and describes the future for humanity. There are beasts and natural disasters and God’s sanctuary opening and “within the Ark of the Covenant could be seen…” There are light and dark angels, punishing the sinful. There are suffering, plagues, and scorching heat, to name a few of the horrific visions of John.
If you want to know how scary, sometime when you’re channel surfing, stop on one of the televangelist shows when they’re preaching on Revelation and listen for a few minutes!
While the early church most likely included Revelation in the canon because it was “prophetic,” there is a considerable difference between the prophecy in the Hebrew Scriptures and John’s prophecy. The prophecy of the Hebrew people was written after the historical events.
Here, Revelation is not what has happened, but what John sees in his visions.
I wonder how chapters twenty-one and twenty-two were added. Who were the early Christians who wrote “Then I saw new heavens and a new earth. The former heavens and the former earth had passed away…”?
“The One who sat on the throne said, ‘Look! I’m making everything new...’ And I heard a loud voice calling from the throne, ‘Look! God’s Tabernacle is among humankind! God will live with them…’”
“And the One continued, ‘It is finished, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…’”
Not only did the writers add Universal love and acceptance from God for everyone who heard this story, but they added: I am the Alpha and the Omega. This is it; you cannot add any more, this is the end of the story.
THIS is the end of the story.
Revelation is meant for all time, it is a universal story which describes our lives. True, very dramatically, but life has always had challenges.
Our world is made up of powerful nations which historically conquered and oppressed less powerful nations. We have huge cities that consume more than some countries.
There are indigenous people in remote lands, mountain regions, and deserts who [pause], despite what IBM, ATT and Verizon would have us believe, [pause] have never seen anyone outside their tribes, or a computer, or a mobile phone.
There are families in some countries that live on a cup of grain a day. At the other end of the continuum, there are families who fly a thousand miles to have dinner at a secluded resort. Then, there are the rest of us, all around the world in varying degrees of social and economic levels. There are the families of Iraq and Iran who have food to eat, but no place to sleep. There are families in India and Indonesia who have a place to sleep, but no food to eat. There are the families who have a place to sleep, and food to eat, but have no peace in their lives. There are families who have all these things but few opportunities to better their lives.
Revelation is meant for all time, it is a universal story which describes human lives. There is mental illness, chronic illness, and terminal illness which cause us despair. There is divorce, betrayal, unemployment, and underemployment. There are relationships that fail, relationships that never quite achieve what we hoped, and divorce. There are teenagers who need more care than we ever could conceive when those little darlings were conceived!
Revelation is meant for all time, it is a universal story which describes our lives.
If life is a challenge, if it is dark at times, then we live through it, because at times, it is bright and joyous and even fun. There are times when we realize our fullest potential, when we connect with someone, or we are part of a group that is making a difference, and we are filled with indescribable joy.
After death and despair comes understanding and a new life for us.
Revelation is meant for all time, it is a universal story which describes our lives.
The Deacons will now read the names of those we love who have died. Revelation teaches us: After death and despair comes understanding and a new life for us. We celebrate those lives by speaking their names.
Last, we will have communion, a “Bread of Life” communion. The bread represents the stories of Revelation, the times when we are faithful to God and to ourselves, the times when we fail, or when we are overcome and in despair. It represents God’s universal love and acceptance of humankind, of each of us, no matter who we are or what we do. How many times have we said, “No matter what we do, or fail to do, God loves us.” The bread represents the Life we have been given, the New Jerusalem, the new city.
God makes all things new.
Rev. McCrae and I will light the candles on the communion table for the seven churches in Revelation that are a symbol for the challenges that face each of us. Then we will break the bread and ask you to come forward and take a piece. As you take a piece, will you say, “God makes all things new”? Please come down the center aisle and return to your seat down the side aisle. May our celebration this morning bless us all and pour from our congregation blessings for others.