The Feast of All Saints

Revelation 7:2–17

1 John 3:1–3

The Adoration of the Lamb - Van Eyck - St. Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In the Song of Solomon, the Bride sings of her Bridegroom: My beloved is white and ruddy (5:10)—white in the brightness of his eyes, red in the healthy glow of his skin. The Song of Solomon is not only the love poem of a husband and wife. It is also an allegory for the most glorious of marriages: Christ the Bridegroom and the Church, His Bride. And our Beloved, Christ, is also white and red—white for His perfect purity, and red for His holy suffering.

As you look around our sanctuary today you will see both of those colors: white and red. The color for All Saints’ Day is white, but we’ve left up our red banners from our Reformation celebration last week. Because just as our Beloved Bridegroom is white and red, the Church, His holy Bride, is also white and red. The Church is like Christ because she is redeemed by Him. He gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the Church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25–27). So, the Church is white with the purity and righteousness of Christ. And the Church is red with His holy blood, and with her own blood as well. The Elder in Revelation 7 describes the Church with these two colors: 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.

I know it sounds strange to wash with blood, and then even stranger for the garment to come out of the red blood, not stained, but brilliantly white. But that is the precious power of Jesus’ blood. The blood of Jesus God’s Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). The holy blood of the Lamb of God was shed to pay the price for all sin. And now that holy blood is sprinkled and poured out on us to purify us and make us acceptable to God. We are both red and white, like our Bridegroom.

The Church on earth is decked in red, like Christ in His suffering. We call her the Church Militant, the fighting Church, because by the power of the Spirit she is engaged in spiritual warfare against sin and the devil. She does not fight with physical weapons but with Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. And so she also does not gain victory by conquering territory or punishing her enemies or winning elections. But she gains the victor’s palm branch of triumph by suffering like Jesus, and even dying like Jesus. The Church on earth is the Church of the martyrs, those who give witness to Christ with their very own blood. And even if we are not forced to shed our blood for the sake of Christ, we still share in the martyrs’ witness and in their suffering, which is so despised by the world.

The Church on earth is certainly despised by the world. Her heroes don’t look like winners. Her power looks terribly weak. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Jesus didn’t look like a winner when He was nailed to a cross, but it was there that He accomplished His greatest victory. And this is why it doesn’t matter much to the Church who holds worldly power for a few years or even for a lifetime on this failing earth. The great tribulation, the great conflict between the forces of darkness and the kingdom of God, began when Christ ascended into heaven, and it won’t come to an end until He returns. 

So there will be tribulation and the church will suffer no matter who the president is. And this will be to her glory. The Church doesn’t track with the glory of this world. Her beloved Bridegroom dresses her in the red of His own holy blood, so she is only too happy to shed a few drops of her own out of love for Him in return. Besides, she is not diminished by shedding her blood. The Church is not weakened when her members are martyred or die of old age. By dying, the Church enters her rest. By spending their lives for Christ, they come out of the great tribulation and they come into God’s nearer presence so that they may rest in His blissful peace forever.

And that is where we see those white robes. The church in heaven is clothed in white, like Christ in His glory. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when Christ appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure. The Christian life means looking more and more like Christ, until we reach that final perfect purity like Him. On earth, we get more and more red like Him, following the example of His suffering—dying to self, and finally, dying for good. But in heaven, we will finally see ourselves pure white like Him. We will see ourselves the way He sees us—the way He has made us by the forgiveness of our sin. In that blessed place, He will present the Church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. And then the Church will no longer be fighting. Then we finally experience the peace of God. Then we feel only His joy.

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. Until we get to join that happy multitude, we are decked in both the red and the white: red with holy blood and suffering, white with faith in the mercy and forgiveness He offers to us in His Word. Make no mistake, those robes don’t just get washed at death. In Holy Baptism, you washed your robe and made it white in the blood of the Lamb. And the cleansing continues as you eat the body and drink the blood of the Lamb in the Holy Communion. In this way, you remain united with our beloved Bridegroom and with all the saints at rest with Him even now.

      Behold a host, arrayed in white, 

      Like thousand snowclad mountains bright!

      With palms they stand;

      Who is this band

      Before the throne of light?

      These are the saints of glorious fame,

      Who from the great affliction came

      And in the flood 

      Of Jesus’ blood 

      Are cleansed from guilt and shame.

      They now serve God both day and night;

      They sing their songs in endless light.

      Their anthems ring

      As they all sing

      With angels shining bright.

O blessed saints in bright array

      Now safely home in endless day,

      Extol the Lord,

      Who with His Word

      Sustained you on the way.

      The steep and narrow path you trod;

      You toiled and sowed the Word abroad;

      Rejoice and bring

      Your fruits and sing

      Before the throne of God.

      The myriad angels raise their song;

      O saints, sing with that happy throng!

      Lift up one voice;

      Let heav’n rejoice

      In our Redeemer’s song!

      (LSB 676:1&3)

In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.

The Feast of All Saints

Alleluia Verse & Proper Preface: Hebrews 12:1–2

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Most of you know the Lord recently took my grandpa to rest in the arms of Jesus to await the resurrection of the dead. I gave a little speech about him before the funeral lunch, and I’d like to share one thing about him with all of you. My grandpa was baptized and confirmed on the same day, when he was 16. He didn’t grow up as a child in the church. He started attending with neighbors as a teenager. And after being instructed, he joined the Lutheran Church. He wasn’t born into it. He did it on purpose, because of the conviction he had. He did it because the Gospel won him over. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to have some kind of special conversion. I wouldn’t even say that my grandpa did. He came to it gradually, by coming to church and learning. But what I’ve come to realize recently is that I was blessed to be born into the Lutheran Church, in large part because of him. So far as we know, he was the first in our family to become Lutheran. He joined the church, raised his family in the church, including my Mom. And then after my Dad joined, they raised me. I never had to do the hard work of choosing a church, deciding to join a church. And that’s okay, in fact it’s really good to be born and raised in the Church. So, I thank God for that gift, and I’m also very grateful to my grandpa.
      I tell you all this, not because my family is special in any way, but because whether you were blessed to join the church later in life or you were blessed to be born into it like me, either way, it takes conviction to be a Christian. That’s really what we remember on All Saints’ Day: not just the people who have died, but their conviction, their faith.
      Christian faith is trust in the promises God has made through Jesus Christ. It’s not wishful thinking. It’s not a passing feeling. It’s not a blind leap. It’s conviction. It’s certainty. God’s Word is trustworthy… God never lies… He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself (Titus 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:11–13). So, however you became a Christian, it means you hold this conviction: that Jesus Christ, true God and man, is the Lord; that He died and shed His blood for the world; that in Him there is forgiveness of sins; and that He is risen from the dead, so there is resurrection and immortality for all who trust Him. This is most certainly true.
      But to hold on to this conviction is not the easiest thing. It’s far easier to let it slip away, and drift back into the way of this world, back into the thinking of the devil, back into sin and death. Christian conviction requires some effort, some grit. This is why St. Paul calls the Christian faith a good fight, and a race. When he’s about to die, Paul writes to Timothy who was like a son to him, and he urges Timothy to not give up. As for himself, he says, the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Tim. 4:6–8).
      So, hold on to your Christian conviction. Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Keep the faith. Because this conviction gives eternal life. Jesus has a crown of victory prepared for you. And so, whether you were born and raised in the Church or you joined in later, continue in it on purpose. Go forward with determination. This faith is going to ask a lot of you: stamina, patience, endurance. This conviction is not a quick sprint. This race is cross–country.
      The author of Hebrews also calls the Christian faith a race. We heard part of this in the Alleluia Verse, and we’ll hear more of it in the proper preface for Holy Communion. From Hebrews 12: Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (12:1–2).
  While running this race, we look to Jesus who went before us. He ran this course in joy, even enduring the cross so that we would not be punished for our sin, but saved by His holy precious blood and by His innocent suffering and death. Risen from the dead, He made the way for us, flinging wide open heaven’s door at the finish line. He began this race for us—He is the founder of our faith. And He finished this race for us—He is the perfecter of our faith. All that remains for us is to chase after Him. So many others have already followed after Him, having gone on before us and finished their course. We especially remember them on All Saints’ Day: that great cloud of witnesses, that arena of saints who have already competed and received their eternal reward.
      I know many of you have been to cross–country meets. That is the analogy the Bible gives us for the Christian faith. It’s not a short race. And there are parts of the course where you’re almost alone. Maybe you’ve fallen behind the pack. And along some parts there are very few spectators to cheer you on. And there comes another hill (or the same hill for the third time), and you wonder if you can go on. At times it might feel like each step is going to be your last. Yet you keep pushing on—one more step and then another.
      It’s not hard to match this up with spiritual struggle is it? You feel alone, not sure who to turn to, and maybe you’re facing the same temptation you’ve been dealing with for years. You wonder if you can go on, even while, somehow, God be praised, you do. He gives His Spirit. He gives His grace. And it’s enough.
      So the author of Hebrews wants to remind us in this race, that we are not alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. And sometimes along the course, we can hear people cheering, urging us on. It puts a little new life in our limbs.
      And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
      Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
      And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. (LSB 677:5)
All the saints are one in Christ and death cannot separate us. The faith that binds us together keeps us so close, it’s as if we can hear those dearly departed already singing the song of heaven. So also, we pray to God in today’s proper preface: In the communion of all Your saints gathered into the one body of Your Son, You have surrounded us with so great a cloud of witnesses that we, encourage by their faith and strengthened by their fellowship, may run with perseverance the race that is set before us and, together with them, receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. We remember the saints gone before us who have already finished the race, not only because we love them, but also because they encourage us. For we are all one in Christ.
      So imagine, if you will, you’re running this race called the Christian faith, and these are the faces you see, cheering you on along the course. First, you spot your loved ones who have gone before you: maybe a grandpa or grandma, a dad or mom, or a child. They’re smiling and shouting: “You’re almost there! You’re going to make it.” Then maybe you see the pastor who baptized you: “Keep going!” he says, “Don’t give up!” And pretty soon you see other faces you’ve never met in this life but somehow you know them anyway. There’s Martin Luther.  There’s St. Augustine—famous teachers of the church cheering for you! And a little farther on you spot St. James, Jesus’ brother—he’s calling out: Count it all joy… when you meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2). St. Peter is next to him waving his arms, yelling: Rejoice… as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:13). And there’s St. Paul, jumping up and down with the enthusiasm of a little child, shouting: To live is Christ, and to die is gain! (Philippians 1:21).
      And so, surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, you look ahead… And there before you is Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith. His arms are open wide ready to catch you as you stumble across the finish line, collapsing into Him, finally finished, at peace. You can rest.
      Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them! (Rev. 14:13).

In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.

Preached at Trinity, Clinton, IA & Immanuel, Charlotte, IA

The concluding race and cheering spectators imagery came from Rev. Brian Wolfmueller

The Feast of All Saints

Revelation 7:2–17

1 John 3:1–3

St. Matthew 5:1–12

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There are three important Mountains in Scripture: Sinai, Calvary, and Zion. The first is Mount Sinai, which was wrapped in cloud and thick darkness, when the Lord came down in fire and shook the earth. On that Mountain, the Lord spoke the Ten Commandments and rightly terrified the sinful people of Israel. We must also go and stand at the foot of Mount Sinai, witness God’s consuming fire, hear His Law, and be condemned to death. Sinai is where we must start on the path of repentance, mourning our sins and fearing God’s wrath. Only by knowing the terror of that mountain can we see our great need for the mercy that God has shown to us on another mountain.  

That next mountain is Mount Calvary. We also know this hill as Golgotha, the place outside Jerusalem for the execution of criminals: “The Place of the Skull”—Golgotha in Aramaic, Calvary in Latin. And it was on this mountain that the same Lord who issued His Law on Sinai, now accomplished His Law and suffered the penalty that He had pronounced upon a sinful world. On Calvary, the Lord Did His work, and met His death; Like a lamb He humbly yielded On the cross His dying breath (LSB 454:3). By His death the world is forgiven and death itself is destroyed. So, we must also leave Mount Sinai and go to Mount Calvary by faith in the Lord who died there. The Word of God brings us from Sinai to Calvary, from the Law to the Gospel, from the condemnation of our sin to the forgiveness of our sin. And by faith in His holy blood shed for us, by faith in His Word of forgiveness spoken to us, we are pardoned and cleansed of all our sins.

This is why we place the cross of Jesus before our eyes—a visual reminder of Calvary. 

Faithful cross, true sign of triumph, Be for all the noblest tree;

None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit thine equal be;

Symbol of the world’s redemption, For the weight that hung on thee! (LSB 454:4).

And we follow the processional cross with our feet and with our eyes because our journey does not end at Mount Calvary. 

The cross of Jesus leads us on to the third mountain: Mount Zion. This was the name for the hill where Jerusalem was built, where God dwelt with His people of old in His temple. Zion is the name for the holy city and holy people of God. Mount Zion is the Church. But you can only get to that mountain if you’ve first been to the other two. The road up to Mount Zion begins at Sinai and must go through the cross of Jesus. That’s why the cross of Jesus processes us into the Church, into God’s presence. Because it’s His holy blood that makes us holy ones—saints. We have washed our robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. His blessed death is why we can say, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on (Revelation 14:13).

Now, hear what the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews says in chapter 12 (:18–24): You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new testament, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. If these words sound familiar to you, it’s probably because I say something based on these words when one of our brothers or sisters in Christ dies.

But notice what the writer actually says to his hearers and to you: You have come to Mount Zion. He’s not actually talking about the saints who have died. He says it in the present tense to you: Right now, you have come. Mount Zion is the holy Church, the holy people of God. And it is fitting to use an Old Testament name for God’s people, for they were also part of the Church. This is just like Revelation 7, where the Church on earth is pictured by the twelve tribes of Israel, numbered, drawn up in ranks, the Church Militant on earth.

So, Mount Zion is the name for the Church which includes both the saints on earth and the saints in heaven. Hebrews says, You have come to Mount Zion… and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven. “Assembly” is actually the word for “church”; and the firstborn are those born again in the water of Baptism; and enrolled in heaven means their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. This is talking about the saints still dwelling here on earth. But the passage also says, You have come… to the spirits of the righteous made perfect. These are the souls who are now free from sin, and resting in the presence and perfect peace of Jesus. This is talking about the saints in heaven. As a Christian, having come to Mount Zion, you have come to both groups: the saints on earth and the saints in heaven, because the Church is one. The Church is the communion of saints and nothing, not space nor time, not even death, can break that fellowship.

Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!

            We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;

            Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia! Alleluia! (LSB 677:4).

And guess what? It is okay, in fact it is good, to use your imagination in church for the sake of your worship. When you come to church, you are brought to Mount Zion, because the Lord Himself is here in His Word. This is made even clearer in the Holy Communion when the Lord is here in His body and blood. So, when we say that we worship God with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, picture that back wall vanishing, and the altar is God’s throne so that we bow in reverence to God and to the Lamb who sit on that throne, and surrounding the altar are the angels and the saints in heaven also bowing, worshiping along with us. Picture this, because it’s real. It doesn’t matter that you can’t see it. You believe it, so act as if you can see it. Our God is real and He is here. Heaven comes down to earth here and now.

This hidden reality is also taught in our Epistle and Gospel readings. In 1 John 3, we are told, Beloved, we are God's children NOW. We cannot see the proof of this yet, because what we will be has not yet appeared. Nevertheless, we know that when Jesus appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And in the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven. Even though you do not yet enjoy the full comfort of Mount Zion, still, by faith in Jesus, you are in the Kingdom of Heaven NOW.

This means that for us in this life of struggle and sorrow, there is a tension between the NOW and the NOT YET. Right Now, you have come to Mount Zion, you are in the Kingdom of Heaven, you are righteous and holy in Christ, your eternal life has begun. But you don’t see it, you don’t experience it. Not yet… but you will. NOW, you mourn because of your sin, you mourn because of the effects of your sin, you weep because loved ones die and because you will die… BUT you WILL be comforted in the life to come. NOW, you are meek and humble, you are lowly and some will take advantage of you… BUT you WILL inherit the earth in God’s new creation. NOW, you are reviled and persecuted and all kinds of evil is uttered against you falsely on account of your faith in Christ… BUT rejoice and be glad, for your reward IS great in heaven. For NOW, we live in this tension, and we struggle against the devil, this evil world, and our own sinful hearts. 

BUTwhen the fight is fierce, the warfare long,

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Alleluia! Alleluia! (LSB 677:5).

We can’t give up the fight yet. Another more glorious Day will dawn and we will have our reward.

So, even though that Hebrews passage about Mount Zion is actually addressed to us here on earth, it’s also okay to say those words for those who have died. Because they now see what we only know by faith. You might say that the dead in Christ are higher up on Mount Zion. While we are still climbing on the lower slopes, they rest at the top. The Lord is present with us here, but He has summoned them to His nearer presence so that they may rest in His blissful peace forever (Commemoration of Faithful Departed). And we long to be there too.

But even that is not the end, not for the saints now at rest, nor for us. Death is not the end of the story—not even blessed, holy death. A day will come when Mount Zion is made visible to all. The Lord will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever (Isaiah 25:7–8). In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet… The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed… Then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:52–54). Then, finally, that glorious scene from Revelation 7 will come to pass: that great multitude… from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, will cry out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Then the Lamb, who was slain and even now is on the throne, He will be our shepherd,  and He will guide us to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Come quickly + Lord Jesus. Amen.

The Feast of All Saints

Philippians 3:20

St. Matthew 5:1–12

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I’m guessing most of you are at least a little anxious about this coming Tuesday. This has got to be one of the craziest elections in living memory. And whether you really love one of the candidates or you can’t stand either of them, we’re probably all a little worried about what the future holds for our country. But you’re here, you want to hear from God, and it’s my job to tell you: It’s going to be OK. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, maybe the election isn’t troubling you that much. Maybe you’ve got bigger troubles on your mind: Sickness, fear of losing your job, fighting at home. God’s answer is the same: It’s going to be OK. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even if things don’t turn out well here, even if the election results turn out to be bad for America, even if the chemo doesn’t help, or you lose your life’s savings. Even then, it’s going to be OK. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are waiting for a Savior to come and establish His eternal kingdom. And the reason we know we are citizens of that kingdom, the reason we know it’s going to be OK for us, is because we know that this Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s not a lying politician, an angry boss, a negligent doctor, or a domineering spouse. He is the God who made us. He is the Lord who became a man and suffered death in our place. He is the Christ, the Holy One, who rose again. He is the Savior.

And that means He doesn’t worry quite so much about saving a government, saving a job, or even saving an earthly life or saving domestic bliss. He saves us from our sins with His blood. And He saves us from eternal death with His resurrection. Our citizenship is in heaven. That’s His Kingdom. And that’s what He saves us for: life with Him in His Kingdom.

So as you go to vote on Tuesday keep that verse from Philippians 3 in your mind: Our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But today, let’s not worry about tomorrow or Tuesday. Instead, let us contemplate heaven and the saints who are already there. While here on earth they were poor in spirit, they couldn’t rely on the things of this world. They mourned their sin and they mourned the death of loved ones. They were meek, humble in how they approached God and humble in how they dealt with their neighbors. They were hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of Jesus their Savior. They desired nothing but the forgiveness of their sins in Jesus’ name. But now in heaven they are satisfied with God’s goodness. They are comforted with the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. They see God and they have the kingdom of God. They know better now what it truly means that our citizenship is in heaven. Not just that we can go there someday. But we belong there now. The saints in heaven know better now that they belong where their Lord is. Nothing else really matters. Saints in heaven, saints on earth – our citizenship is the same. We belong with our Savior.

Dear saints, dear holy ones, you are holy because the Savior has made you holy with His own holiness. You have received God’s blessings here, and you live as a citizen of heaven right here, now, so that you may inherit the kingdom of heaven, there, then. You are baptized and made an heir of that kingdom. You are absolved and the judgment of Judgment Day is brought to you now, freeing you from your chains of sin and opening heaven for you. You eat the Lord’s Supper, the true body and blood of our Savior, and you are given the foretaste of the feast that has no end. This is how you exercise your heavenly citizenship with all its rights and privileges. Your citizenship consists in hearing God’s Word and receiving His Sacrament, singing His praises and serving Him, both here in time and there in eternity. This is how you live as a citizen of heaven while still here on earth.

In the Holy Communion you are united with your fellow citizens of heaven, all those still alive and all those now asleep in Jesus. The kingdom of heaven has no physical boundaries, no walls or limits. Instead this kingdom is a communion of its citizens, wherever they are hearing God’s Word and receiving His Sacraments. The Kingdom of heaven is the communion of saints because all saints, all believers, are in communion with the King, our Savior.

And so that is really why it’s all going to be OK. What’s so blessed about the Holy Communion is that we are with the Lord Jesus. What’s going to be so wonderful about heaven is that we will be with the Lord Jesus. Saints on earth, saints in heaven – our Savior and our Kingdom is the same. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subdue all things to himself (Philippians 3:20–21). Thanks be to God. It’s going to be OK. We will rise from the dead. And we will be reunited with all God’s saints. And best of all, we will live forever with our God and Father, with our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit.

In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.