Whose Child are You?

All Saints Day (observed)

1 John 3:1-3

Revelation 7:9-17

"Whose Child are You?"

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

          Names are very important things. Without names we would never understand what people were talking about or whom they were referring to. Names bring to mind all kinds of thoughts and memories. Names are descriptive. If I say the name McDonalds I'm sure most of you think of a burger joint down the street...some of you might start thinking about what to eat and others might think "how disgusting!" If I say the name Disney many of you will instantly think about Disney Land or Disney World...or Disney movies. If I say the name Judas many will recall the Disciple that betrayed our Lord.

          What does your name mean? My name: Joel (Hebrew for Yahweh is Lord) Andrew (Greek: manly/Apostle of our Lord), Christensen (Danish: Christen's son) and Dietrich (German: people's king). I like my names. For those that know me...my name will mean something to me. But there are other Joels and Andrews, and Christensens, and Dietrichs. There are even other Joel Dietrichs in the world. But there is only one of me...and yes...I realize your all thinking "thank God for that!"

          Names are important...they have meanings to us...they recall feelings, events, emotions, love, and laughter. Today there are some names that we will mention later during our prayers. They are names that are very important. They are: George Willett, Betty Braun, Joanne Kregel, and Jenola Johannes. Those names aren't just words...they are the names of our loved ones: our friends and family. It might make us a little sad to think about them...but those names bring back multitudes of wonderful memories.

          As proud as I am about my last name: Dietrich...there are other names that I bear that I don't talk about. They are names that each one of us shares. The first name that we all share is Adamsson or Adamsdaughter. It is a name that I'm not proud to have. For it is a reference to my old Adam (not my dad)...my old sinful nature. I am a poor miserable sinner created in the image of my first father...Adam. Through Adam...I am born a wretched sinner. Through Adam I am born to die. Through Adam I am a sinner that deserves condemnation in hell. Every person ever born...is a son or daughter of Adam. Each and every person is born sinful, is born to die, and deserves condemnation in hell.

          But thankfully there is another name that I share with you and all the saints of heaven. It is a name that we share with George, Betty, Joanne, and Jenola. That name is God's son and God's daughter. This name wasn't passed down from our parents. This name wasn't a name we could choose for ourselves. This name is a gift from God. It is a gift that was given to you at your baptism. It is a name that brings with it forgiveness, life, and salvation. It is a gift of pure love.

          "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he 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." (1 John 3:1-3)

          What a wonderful gift we have been given as God's beloved children. But some don't think it's all that great. Because we are Christian...the world doesn't know us. In fact...the world hates us, ridicules us, and wants to harm us. On top of that...we get frustrated that even with this wonderful gift...bad things happen to us...loved ones suffer and die...we shall die. And that is exactly what Satan wants us to think about. That is what Satan uses to plant doubt in us. Satan wants us to think...this is no gift at all...we are hated by others...we still suffer...band things happen...and we still die...so what's so great about being a Christian...being baptized...being made a child of God?

          My brothers and sisters in Christ, let me be clear. God does not promise us life in this world that will be free from hardship...and suffering...and death. In fact God warns us that many will hate us because of Him. God warns that there will be suffering and persecution for His children. This won't be an easy life! But God does promise us life for eternity in paradise.

          That is our hope. Our hope isn't in this world...our hope is in Christ and His promise of forgiveness, salvation, and life in the world to come. Our hope isn't in a life here and know where we get everything we want our hope is in a new creation where there will be no suffering, or death, or pain, or disease; a new creation where we will be reunited with all the saints that have died before us.

          Listen to these beautiful words of hope, promise, and current reality. "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, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 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, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

          Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 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.

          “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17)

          That multitude dressed in white...they are the saints filing into heaven. Their numbers include George, Betty, Joanne, Jenola, and countless other friends and family members that have died in the faith. They are in paradise! They are sons and daughters of God and so are you. Salvation is theirs and ours because we are children of God.

          Today we give thanks for all of our loved ones that have died in the faith. We thank God that they are in paradise. Not only that...but we give thanks that this day we are reunited with them as we worship the same Lord Jesus Christ and gather around the same Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and partake of the same banquet feast as we gather around this altar. Today is a wonderful day. It is a wonderful day because we have been made children of the same heavenly King who loves us and makes us co-heirs with all the saints of paradise. Whose child am I? I'm God's child. What is my name? Godsson.  Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Comments

[Betty Montgomery]

As I read your sermon I thought of my love one you went before me George Michael, Mary, and especially Lee so many but so happy they are waiting on me