This is the sermon I preached for our observation of All Saints’ on November 4. I hope that this is the last time I transfer a festival for the sake of convenience. The Christian faith and life is meant to be somewhat inconvenient and our observation of festivals is a reminder to us that our lives are oriented in a different manner. But the ease of convenience is hard to overcome! (The “utopian” idea and some phrasing was taken from a completely unrelated article in the latest Touchstone. I just thought it was appropriate to describe how we strive to create our own heavens on earth.)

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!”  

Humanity continually strives to create a heaven on earth.  The people on the plains of Shinar desired to reach the heavens and make a name for themselves, so they began building a structure that would accomplish their end. They wanted earth to reach the heavens. But God came down to their silly building and foiled their plans at Babel, confusing their languages and scattering them to the ends of the earth. God’s judgment, of course, did not stop the human desire to achieve heaven. The desire remains. Only the vision of heaven has changed. Rarely do humans try to reach up into the heavens from earth anymore, but they try to create heaven right here on earth.  

Humans possess a utopian impulse, believing that heaven on earth is only a powerful leader or idea away. We suspect that we can achieve salvation through an ideology; a discovery; or a demigod. The Marxists slaughtered over 100 million people in their desire to create heaven on earth. The Fascists annihilated tens of millions, drawing the entire world into war, in their search of the perfect society. Even today, Communists, Jihadists, Zionists, Socialists, Scientists, Capitalists, Fundamentalists—right and left and everything in-between—believe their way is the way to establish heaven on earth. These utopian apostles call for the end of everything that opposes their concept and construct of heaven. And then, and only then, will humans enjoy true peace, freedom, equality, and true joy. We can abort babies or euthanize the incapacitated because they infringe on our utopian ideals. We can hate, demean or slaughter others because they do not align with our construct of heaven. It is alright, of course, because we know best. Unfortunately, human history is filled with one foolish attempt after the next to create heaven on earth. 

At another level, our consumer culture promises a slice of heaven with its own set of beatitudes. Blessed are those who live where there is a Starbucks on every corner. Blessed are those who are proud for they will be pleased with themselves. Blessed are those who make it to the top for they will be satisfied. Blessed are those who fulfill their lusts for they will be content. Blessed are those who drive the right car or wear the cool jeans for they are hip. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in your own heaven on earth. Salvation in America consists of such things: the actualized self, an abundance of stuff, and good health.   

Of course we are not exempt from entertaining such heavenly longings. We spend a bulk of our lives trying to create our own little heaven on this earth. We are driven by our ambition for blessedness in the here and now. We are blessed if we have a nice house. We are blessed if we have enough money. We are blessed as long as our health holds out. We are blessed if our kids turn out OK. And because we view our blessedness in such ways, we work hard to make our lives heavenly. If we can just have this much money or that house, then our future will be secure. We even believe that a certain job, person, place, or therapy will bring contentment. But we are never content, are we? We are still restless and anxious. Even when we achieve our heavenly ends, we are disappointed for they do not satisfy for long. Such earthly things do not make a heaven. It is a reminder to us that there is no salvation in our self. There is no salvation in our stuff. There is no salvation in human theory or ideology. Simply stated, there is no salvation in humanity. Heaven is beyond our grasp. 

Human beings cannot create what is beyond them. Try as we might, there is no heaven on earth made with human hands. Try as we might, there is no salvation in economics, consumption, politics, therapy, sex, science, technology, or war.  Remember, “utopia” means “no place”, and there is no place on this earth that we can secure heaven and salvation by creating a perfect society or a perfect home or whatever. Instead, our personal “Babels” driven by utopian delusions only further confuse and distract us from that which is truly real-Our God reigning over all of the creation, both heaven and earth being filled wih His glory. Thus, heaven and salvation are the things of God and they are under His jurisdiction.  

Salvation and heaven belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. This is the vision granted to St. John. And the great multitude of saints knows this is true. The members of our parish that we named this morning—Wayne, Doloris, Ruth, Chub, Eunice, Don, Clara, Ed, and Murle—your family members, your friends and loved ones who fell asleep in Jesus this past year, and every year for that matter, know this is true. These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They came out of the great tribulation of human idolatry and utopianism; sin, death, violence, discord, anxiety, restlessness, disease, and depression. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Their faith was in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who washed away their sin through the shedding of His blood. Jesus was their object of faith and by His death and resurrection, Jesus secured their salvation. Jesus took care of all their sins. And because Jesus did this for them, 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.” In eternity, those who have fallen asleep in Jesus are now gathered together around God and the Lamb, enjoying the fulfillment of their Holy Baptism, the goal of their faith, the salvation of their souls. They are not dead, but they are alive forever by the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Alleluia! 

Today our observation of All Saints’ directs us not only to celebrate those who died in faith and now experience the full joys in heaven, but also to orient our own faith toward eternity. We are directed this day, and every time we gather at the Divine Service, to the sacramental mystery that Jesus Christ is present in our midst in both word and sacrament. As we enter this sanctuary, our eyes are drawn to this glorious chancel window, where our Lord Jesus Christ is reigning over all of creation. You are directed toward the One who suffered and died for your sins, rose for your justification, and ascended into heaven. Your gaze falls on Jesus and you know that “the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia!”  

Jesus promised to be with us always to the very end of the age. And Jesus keeps His promises. He is with us. Jesus is with His Church Militant, the Church that remains in the midst of the Great Tribulation.  Jesus knows that we need the forgiveness of sins. Jesus knows our secret and public sins. Jesus is well aware of our idolatries that lead us to make our own heaven on earth. Jesus knows our fear of death. Jesus knows our anxieties in life. Jesus knows that we constantly need His grace and strength. Therefore, Jesus comes to us in the mysteries of His living word and sacraments. Jesus is present to us. 

And where Jesus is present, there is salvation and heaven.  You see, there is a heaven on earth, but it is not found in political or social ideologies, gross consumption, or the fulfillment of lusts. Heaven is on earth when our Lord breaks into the midst of His people on earth. And until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again in all of His glory to judge the living and the dead, He comes to us in His chosen means to create, sustain, and fortify our faith. He gathers us, the people of His Church Militant, around the Sacrament of the Altar, joining us with Church Triumphant in the mystery of Holy Communion. Holy Communion brings heaven and earth together in the presence of Jesus Christ. There is a reason that our high altar sits under the chancel window. The glory of heaven and earth are realized in the Sacrament. The Lamb reigns on his throne, and yet He deigns to come to us in the Sacrament by His Word to forgive us our sins and strengthen our faith. Our Lord feeds us there so that by His grace we may remain steadfast to the end and join forever with all the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven in the bliss of heaven. In His Holy Body and Blood we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ and, therefore, we are assured that one day we will join with all the saints in heaven and stand before the throne of God. This is our hope, just as it was the hope of those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ keep us steadfast in the one faith unto life everlasting. XINJX