Valois United Church

November 2, 2008
Note: this may be shortened or expanded during delivery.

“For me Revelation is a book of hope and not one of fear. Revelation is John's vision of God and heaven,” declares on preacher looking at this week’s reading from the book of Revelation.

We don’t spend much time on the book of Revelation in the United Church.  There are a few reasons for that - for one, it takes work to understand it reasonably well, work at understanding the historical context as well as the church context, as well as the theological context. 

And secondly, many of us, if not almost all of us, are just not sure what to do with the ‘end times’ material, not sure that God will bring about an end to the world, or if there will be an end in the near future.

But there is a fundamental message coming to us from this text.  There is life after death.

That’s why we do hear words from Revelation at funerals. 
Because the vision of John, a resident of the island of Patmos, makes it clear that there is life after death. 

Let’s not worry about taking much of the imagery in any literal sense.  Some of the images connect to political and military realities in his time - one can only get into that in Bible study.  But there is a basic message -
God, through Jesus, will overcome.
Overcome even sin, suffering and death.
That’s a promise that we here at funerals.  But we need to know it in between as well, for it is an important part of our faith, and it is a part that needs to remain strong, for someday we will face death, or face it again - the death of a loved one, the death of ourselves.
God, through Jesus, will overcome.
Overcome even sin, suffering and death.

That is a promise to us.  And to the saints to whom we have bid farewell in the last twelve months.

Saints? 
We are all called to be saints of hope, saints of the promise.

Jesus, in the beatitudes, re-iterates the promises of God.
Some of the promises are accomplished in the here and now.
Others come to be reality only after death.

Today, we hear those promises.  And those challenges to live faithfully.
Including, on the Peace Sabbath,
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

We have the challenges to live as God’s children, as the saints of our day.
We have the promises of God, the hope of God’s word.

Amen.