Title: Christ has made you God’s children now and for eternity!
Text: Rev.7:9-17
14 … And he said to me, “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.
There is a story that was once told in an Ann Landers Column:
“Dear Ann Landers it began … It happened again today. My two sons and I were in a shopping mall, and a total stranger felt the need to comment on the fact that my boys didn’t look anything alike. Apparently, my 6 year old decided it was time he explained the difference. "I’m adopted," he said. "That’s when you have the same family but not the same face."
Steve Ely
9 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, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
What a picture the book of Revelation gives us!
This heavenly picture has some wonderful and awesome truths depicted as well. There is an uncountable multitude – more than you can even imagine. This multitude is made up of people like you and me … real flesh and blood people. And they come from every nation and tribe – people from around the world – dressed not in the rags of their own unrighteousness but covered in white robes, the robes of Christ’s righteousness … and carrying palm branches!
Wow! It sounds like Heaven is a very tangible place too. Because to speak of palm branches … we might reasonably assume palm trees, but the image that also comes to my mind is the glorious ride of Christ into Jerusalem and the waving of palm branches by the people:
9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt 21:9)
Their cries of welcome led up to the cries of “Crucify Him” and the cross of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice and now these cries of death are completed in the heavenly cries of glory in the gathering of the multitude before the throne of grace who have been brought to faith in this same Jesus Christ, crying:
“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
What had been anticipated before the cross is now fulfilled. What had been a triumphal entry for Jesus is now a triumphal fulfillment for you and me though the cross of Christ and though you - of many faces are many - you have been adopted into God’s family and are now His child, a child of His own choosing because:
Christ has made you God’s children now and for eternity!
Ill.
A story is told of a couple had adopted a baby boy after trying to have a baby for five years. To their surprise, a short time after the adoption, the mother discovered she was pregnant, and she later gave birth to a boy. One day when the two boys were eight and nine years old, a neighbor came to visit. Observing the children at play, the neighbor asked, "Which boy is yours?" "Both of them," the mother replied. The neighbor persisted. "But I mean, which one is the adopted one?" The mother replied, "I’ve forgotten."
Randy Aly
That is the good news for you too. God knows you are His child. To see you is to see Christ. Unfortunately, you don’t see it the same way some times. You abandon God; you go your own way and even get led astray by others, things in this life, the ways of the world and can find yourself trying to make your own way instead of following His way. We’ve all been there. But, that’s not always the case … because for some … they’ve had little to do with their own situation and the circumstances of their own lives. Take the case of Davion Navar Henry Only for example:
Ill.
At 15, Davion has been no stranger to foster care. He was born while his mother was in jail and has never had a permanent home. Last summer, he tried to find his biological mother. He was born while his mom was in jail. He can't count all of the places he has lived. He is and has been the perpetual orphan.
In June, Davion sat at a library computer, unfolded his birth certificate and, for the first time, searched for his mother's name. Instead he came up with her mug shot and saw her obituary. Davion talked to his case worker and wanted to take the opportunity to plead his case himself. He’s 15 now and not your typical adoptable baby but if he didn’t do something soon at 18 he would be on his own.
In late September of this year, Davion, dressed in a dark suit and borrowed tie arrived at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida. "Miss! Hey, Miss!" he called to his caseworker, who was driving. "I don't want to do this anymore." From the back seat, he hugged the Bible someone had given him at the foster home. His case worker, Connie Going told him, "You're going to be great."
The church appearance was Davion’s idea and was one way of "putting himself out there." He got his opportunity to address the congregation after the sermon. He wiped his palms on his pants, cleared his throat, and said: “My name is Davion, and I’ve been in foster care since I was born. ... I know God hasn’t given up on me. So I’m not giving up either.”
He told the packed church that he was seeking a family to call his own. His requirements were simple:
"I'll take anyone," he said, "Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I don't care. And I would be really appreciative. The best I could be."
The Huffington Post by Meredith Bennett-Smith Posted: Updated: 10/22/2013 9:11 am EDT / http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/17/orphaned-florida-teen-makes-adoption-appeal-at-church/
Following the service there were only two families who showed interest in Davion. Not hard to understand considering this isn’t what most expect to hear at a church service following the sermon. But since then, and a few TV interviews later, there have been over 1000 people who have contacted the agency asking to adopt Davion. We ask the Lord’s blessing for this young man that he gets a chance at all the Lord blessings would give him in this life.
But, when you think about it, isn’t that what God says too? "I'll take anyone," … "Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple.” The truth is that our loving God does care and has come for all, He has come for you. You dear friends have been adopted and your future is secure.
Christ has made you God’s children now and for eternity!
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “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.
Being brought to faith in Baptism makes you part of this great number from every nation and from all tribes and peoples and languages. And that was the good news for those early believers too. They knew that this Jesus who had died on the cross was the same one taken up to heaven was the same Jesus who said:
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt 5:11-12)
And dear friends you too are part of this heavenly picture, clothed in white, having washed your sins away in the blood of the Lamb!
15 “Therefore (you) are before the throne of God,
and (it’s you who will) serve him day and night in his temple;
and He (Jesus) who sits on the throne will shelter (you) with his presence.
16 (you) shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike (you),
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb (of God who is) in the midst of the throne will be (your) shepherd,
and he will guide (you) to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from (your) eyes.”
Christ has made you, dear friends, His children. And He himself will comfort you, as His adopted sons and daughters – in His family - now and for eternity!
Behold, you are part of that great multitude that no one could number! (Rev. 7:9)
May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be and abide with you now and forever.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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