Sermon for All Saints' Day: "Robed in Christ"

 + Feast of All Saints (observed) – November 7, 2021 +

Revelation 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

 

 

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

 

Our clothing may not talk, but quite often they’ve a story to tell. The uniform of a veteran who’s witnessed history. Those broken-in shoes that’ve travelled miles. That piece of grandma’s wedding dress is more than something old. 

 

Yes, the clothes we wear often have a story to tell. It’s no different in the Scriptures. Fig leaves in Genesis 3 tell us the story of Adam and Eve’s foolish attempt to cover up their shame and hide their sin from God. Animal skins, however, tell us the story of the God who makes a sacrifice to clothe Adam and Eve, covering their nakedness and shame. Goat skins disguised Jacob as he received the older brother’s blessing from his father Isaac. Swaddling clothes were wrapped the Lord at his birth for us, just as he was enveloped in burial clothes at his death for us. Scripture is a wardrobe that’s bigger on the inside…a veritable walk in closet full of God’s promises.

 

And though we may not realize it, All Saints’ Day features a unique set of clothing all its own. And along with those gracious garments, a magnificent story to tell.

 

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!” 

 

A multitude that no one could number. A sea of saints. All of them decked out for a victory feast like no other, dressed to the nines in the Lamb’s finest white robes, waving palm branches and praising God and the Lamb. 

 

On All Saints’ Day we find ourselves asking the same question one of the elders asks John in Revelation 7. “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 

 

We may not know them all, at least not yet, but we know some of them by name. Names we remember today. Names we remember every day no matter what day the calendar says it is. Names of our loved ones, family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, who have died in the faith. 

 

Evelyn Colclough. Don Gutz. Buddy Allison. Russ Waetzig. Ken Howell. Janice Westmark.

 

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.

 

That phrase sounds strange to our ears, doesn’t it. Made white in the blood of the Lamb. Usually bloods stains. Especially the blood of sinners. Like Lady McBeth we have a damned spot that we just can’t wash out. Like the blood that covered Joseph’s coat of many colors or the reddened soil where Cain murdered Able, our blood is stained with the guilt and shame of sin. But not Jesus’ blood. No. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Jesus’ blood redeems. Saves. Cleanses. Forgives. All of this is what Jesus wraps you in, and clothes you in as you are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 

 

My dad’s side of the family has a baptismal gown that was worn by more than twenty-something of the family as they were baptized. Adopted by God’s grace in water, word, by the Spirit. As they were clothed in Christ’s righteousness that covered all sin. What John describes here is even greater than that. A robe of Christ’s righteousness. That is why they are called saints, for they are clothed, wrapped, and robed in Christ’s righteousness. Made white, holy, pure by his blood. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

 

If our clothing tells a story, the story told on this All Saints’ Day is the story of redemption. What John sees in Revelation belongs to you as well. These are your garments too. Custom made by the Lamb who was sacrificed that we might live. Like Adam and Eve, all our guilt and shame and sin are covered by Jesus’ redemption for us. 

 

These white robes were tailored especially for you as Jesus hung on the cross taking on our nakedness, shame, guilt, sin, and death. Like Jacob, we are clothed the garments that belong to our elder brother, and Savior, Jesus. And in exchange for his suffering we receive the Father’s blessing. 

 

Jesus has taken our filthy rags and replaced them with new ones. An eternal garment of his righteousness that will never fade, wear out, or fall to the latest trend. When the Lamb robes you in his redemption, his rescue, his righteousness, that’s one garment that will last more than a lifetime. It’s a promise that lasts forever. Behold, what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

 

Still, I know that for most of us, many days that seems hard to believe. We remember the saints and think, “Lucky for them!” We feebly struggle. They in glory shine. 

 

And yet, All Saints’ Day is a reminder that when John sees the saints clothed in white robes in Revelation he is seeing the past, present, and future all at once. The faithful departed are there. And so are you. Salvation belongs to the Lamb. And in the Lamb salvation belongs to you as well.

 

You see, those white robes in Revelation tell a magnificent story. The true story and wonderful story of your salvation. You are robed in Christ. Washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. And he will see you through this great tribulation until that day when we are reunited with the saints in heaven and earth.

 

A blessed All Saints’ Day to each of you…

 

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