Preaching text: Ephesians 6:1-9, Revelation 7:9-17
We talk about God as a mystery, that there are always things unknown about his nature. This means that as we learn more and more of this mystery, our faith, our religions evolve. New ideas are introduced. Old ones fade away.
Why do I mention this today? Because there was once a time when the worshipers of God did not believe in a life after death. They did not know this was a gift that God was eager and willing to offer, a gift he was planning to give via the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The ancients believed instead that the best blessings God could give were a long life and many many children and grandchildren.
Well, the ancients may have been somewhat short-sighted, but they weren’t wrong. Many years of life and a prosperous and numerous family are still blessings in these days. And they were gifts granted to Edith in abundance.
That will likely always be my memory of her. I visited her at home numerous times throughout my service as her pastor, bringing conversation and communion to her after she could not come to church on her own. Which, I should add, she did well into her 90s. Anyway, I would come into her bedroom, there at the front of her house, and the whole right-side wall was covered in photographs: wedding pictures, graduation pictures, family portraits, school photos. You name it, it was up there and it all her children and their children and their children. I’d look at those photos every time I was there. We’d often talk about them, about the people in them and the things they’d accomplish in life. Edith was proud of her family.
And I also know her family was proud of her.
When Gene called me about planning this service, he selected a passage from Ephesians that highlighted the loyalty he and his family showed to Edith and the love they had for her. I saw that first hand. Edith would always talk about the fact that pretty much every day, one of her children would stop by to see her. Sometimes, that would even happen when I was there. This was a tight knit family. A family that loved one another, who cared about and for one another. And yes, that truly is a blessing.
It occured to me when I was thinking about how the ancients thought about the blessing of family, it made me realize something. There’s a fringe benefit for God when he showers that blessing on someone, because it’s an opportunity for him to show more of his love. When we look to the future of God’s family, seen by John and recorded by him in the book of Revelation, we see that great host of people of all tribes, nations, colors, and languages. I am reminded again of Edith’s wall. Perhaps not quite so diverse or expansive as John’s vision, but her wall of photos has something in common with that vision. They are both bound by love and loyalty.
I also believe that the people on that wall are among those John saw in his vision. And that is also a blessing.
That’s, of course, because of Jesus and what he did for his family. The family of humanity, of which, of course, Edith was a part. Jesus came to this world, the Son of God incarnate, to reveal to us part of that divine mystery. To show us God’s love for humanity. And he showed that by blessing children, showing hospitality to strangers, and healing the sick. Not coincidentally, all the same things that good loving mothers and grandmothers do for their family. Things that Edith did for many in this room.
Jesus went one step further though. He loved the world so much that he gave his very life for it, dying on a cross for the sake of humanity, for the sake of Edith, for the sake of all of us. And then he rose again to show us that death would have no true hold over us, that eternity awaits those that God loves.
That’s a gift that Edith now has. Another blessing upon her many years and many children.
But that’s also not a gift that she alone receives. It’s here for everyone in this room (everyone in this world technically). I did mention on Sunday that I would bring this up, but that world beyond death belongs to all of us thanks to Jesus. And there will come a day when we will step into that world, and I can pretty much guarantee when that day happens, there’s going to be a big old family reunion for the Smeltzers and Edith will be there waiting.
Until that day, we continue our journeys in this world. We will remember Edith, celebrate our memories of her and grieve her loss. And we will look to the hope of standing before God’s throne with that great mass of people John saw in his vision. Edith will be there. So will we. And nothing would make her happier. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment