Suffering Happens

Sermon by Rev. Mary Alice Mulligan, Ph.D.

Scripture:􏰏􏰁􏰨􏰢 􏰆􏰖􏰭􏰏􏰁􏰨􏰢 􏰆􏰖􏰭􏰏Revelation 7:9-17􏰢 􏰆􏰖

Last Sunday we heard a little sketch of the book of Revelation, how the early church lived not only with a constant threat of persecution, but always with the knowledge that opposition to God’s way was already real. Early Christians knew that the Lamb, Jesus, was slaughtered because he threatened the status quo of religious and civil powers. But he was also raised and now rules with God, so he is worthy of blessing, honor, glory, and might.

Today we are shown a vision of worship and praise from a multitude of diverse people. But one group is singled out. The white robed ones. Of course, we want to know who they are. The writer is told then that in the midst of the great ordeal, the white robed ones washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. But what does that mean? Well, we know, Jesus is the Lamb who was slain. So, those who are pure, signified by wearing white robes, got their robes white by immersing their lives into the life and death of Jesus. In other words, by working where Jesus worked, by following his example of sacrificial love, and by witnessing to the purposes of God, even with their lives.

When I first planned the series from Revelation, this week’s intended focus was to preach that Christians can expect suffering. Following Jesus costs. This is in opposition to the teaching, which some people call the Prosperity Gospel, which mistakenly says if you draw close to Jesus, follow his will, and pray fervently, then you won’t get sick, you’ll succeed in your life, and you’ll have plenty of money. The Prosperity Gospel is a heresy. Christians should not expect easy lives.

That was the planned sermon idea. However, more recent events have shifted my focus somewhat. We need to talk about a Christian response to the Great Ordeal, which will involve suffering. So, stop now and read Revelation 7: 9-17.

Martin Niemöller, a Lutheran minister in Nazi Germany, spoke against Hitler and spent the last 7 years of the war in a concentration camp. One of his most often quoted pieces says: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Friends, the ordeal John speaks about is real. Forces opposing the purposes of God have always been present. The church has been challenged by powers contrary to the ways of God, since the first days of being church. We don’t have to go looking for some supernatural pre-millennial tribulation mumbo-jumbo to believe the church is under threat from what Revelation calls a “great ordeal.” We can feel it. The well-being of the church, of our country, in fact of the whole Earth, is under threat. We are bombarded daily with calls to believe we don’t need to be afraid of climate change or Covid. We are told to stop wearing masks and return to normal life; and we are encouraged to ignore natural disasters as freak acts of nature. At the same time, we are told we should be afraid of books that teach the history of American white racism, or of allowing full rights to people who are not propertied, cisgender, heterosexual, Euro-American males.

So, when we gather for worship, we rightly stop, take a breath and consider what really opposes the purposes of God? We know wherever there is hatred of others, God’s purposes are being thwarted. Destruction of Earth, ongoing damage to the atmosphere resulting in rising temperatures, melting ice caps, growing desertification, increased drought resulting in widespread famine – clearly this opposes God’s will. Environmental disaster is part of the great ordeal. We also know some people sensed the January 6th insurrection and the numerous laws making voting more difficult are issues hostile to God’s justice.

But this week, the ongoing war in Ukraine and the leaked document from the Supreme Court have resulted in many people feeling a stronger threat of “the ordeal.” For us as Christians, the questions ought not to be primarily about politics, but about how God wants the world. Of course, we have differing opinions here, which are legitimate, but let us agree, there are forces in the world which are making life more difficult and less fruitful, especially for people that Jesus called the least – poor people, the disempowered, the lost. Forces hostile to the ways of God are working against the well-being of those Jesus loves. We have to face it. The ordeal is real.

So, the question is, will we wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb? In other words, St. Andrew, will we witness to God’s purposes, even if it costs us? As followers of the One who was executed in part for his opposition to Empire, we are called to be bold in our witness, too. But we have to ask, how should we witness?

First, we make sure our individual lives reflect commitment to Christ crucified and resurrected. Someone last week mentioned how much they love their new car. They admitted it gets terrible gas mileage and is bad for the planet. Ouch. We may not balance our witness with every decision, but we should consider whether our decisions flow with God’s purposes or oppose them. Do our individual lives reflect a commitment to the wellbeing of the least? Does our checkbook?

But then, St Andrew, we need to consider what we are doing together. Not just thanking Jesus for his spilt blood, although we rightly do thank him. But then we need to question how will we wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb? Together, we could sacrifice time to organize a voter registration drive, or offer rides to the polls, or just put the offer on our sign to call the office if you need a ride. A small sacrifice – a few hours between now and when the polls close on primary day in August.

Or we could go for a bigger sacrifice. Remember learning how the Underground Railroad stations put a lighted candle in the window to mark a safe house? If the Supreme Court rules that states can decide a woman’s right to choose, St. Andrew could support an overground railroad, to help women get to a safe state. We could work with other UCC churches, the conference, even the denomination, to establish a safe system of free transportation to open states, since indications are that the decision will affect poor women the most. Such an idea requires a tremendous amount of work, organization, and money. Or we might say it would take significant sacrifice to wash our robes in that particular idea.

Perhaps St. Andrew, we can find a place, between merely changing our sign each week and developing a nationwide system of transportation, but the question is, are we willing to do something? Will we wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb?

The answer should be that we can, because God empowers us. As scary as witnessing to the Risen Christ with our time, efforts, and cash might be, the promise given in Revelation is that the One seated on the throne will shelter those who sacrifice in their witness. They will not hunger or thirst anymore (although it doesn’t say we won’t hunger or thirst at all). Unfortunately, the promise is not that witnessing to the Risen Christ will be easy, but that God will surround us with care throughout. Suffering will still happen.

So when we choose to participate in witnessing to the purposes of God, we will struggle, even suffer for it. However, Revelation says the Risen Christ, the Lamb will guide us and when we struggle, God will wipe away our tears. We might wish there were no tears, but there will be. However, God is there to comfort and shelter us. So, when we decide to act together to move with God’s purposes, we will be acting with divine power. Various theologians call this moving forward according to God’s purposes, choosing to go “with the grain” of the universe. Every effort that helps manifest Holy Shalom is moving with the grain of the universe, even though the work is difficult. Our efforts to increase the wellbeing of all people, to assist in making sure people are housed, fed, listened to, able to go to school, get health care, live in safety – all such efforts are empowered by the Holy Spirit, guided by the Slain Lamb, and sheltered by the loving care of our Creator.

We all probably wish there was a tidy wrap-up to such a sermon, like signing a petition in the Gathering Area after worship. But the wrap up comes as the congregation works, taking time to figure out how we are going to witness to our commitment to Jesus Christ.    Or not.