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One of the Scripture passages that guided the work of the Reformed Church in America's

General Synod this year was Revelation 7:9:

After this / looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.

This is one of the most beautiful images in all of Scripture.

In this vision, the Apostle John is given a glimpse of God's promised future. He sees people from every nation, every culture, every ı language gathered together in worship. The full diversity of humankind is on display, and yet they are united by something greater than anything that might divide them. Together they belong to our Lord Jesus Christ.

This spring, many of us spent time in the Book of Revelation during our Wednesday afternoon Bible Study. Together we discovered that Revelation is, at its core, a book about hope. Written to churches living through change and uncertainty, Revelation offers a vision of God's faithfulness and of the future that God is bringing into being.

That same theme has woven its way into our Space for Grace services. Again and again, we have been reminded that God meets us just where we are, in our weariness, our questions, and our hopes. We gather not because we have all the answers, but because we trust the One who holds the future.

As a delegate at this year's General Synod, which met in Nashville in June, I witnessed how Revelation 7:9 has become a guiding vision for our denomination as well. Many of the actions approved by Synod were intended to help the RCA live more fully into this  vision by making room for more diverse voices to be heard, removing barriers to participation, and strengthening our commitment to Christ's mission both here and around the world. I invite you to explore more at the RCA's website: www.rca.org.

These decisions are not simply matters of church governance. They are expressions of a deeper conviction: the church belongs to Jesus Christ, and Christ's church is larger than any one culture, language, ethnicity, or nation.

What strikes me most about Revelation 7:9 is that John is not simply shown a picture of the future.

He is shown what God is already gathering. The multitude is God's work before it is ours. Our calling is to live now in ways that bear witness to that coming reality. Each Sunday, when we gather for worship, we catch a small glimpse of that great multitude God is gathering. We may come from different backgrounds and life experiences, yet Christ gathers us at one table, nourishes us with his grace, and sends us into the world as one people.

Every act of welcome, every effort to listen across boundaries, every barrier that is removed, every hand extended in friendship becomes a small sign of the kingdom God is bringing to fruition.

As we go our separate ways this summer, may we remember that we are part of something greater than ourselves. By God's grace, we belong to that great multitude standing before the throne and before the Lamb, joining our voices with people from every nation, tribe, people, and language in praise to God.

And perhaps that is the deepest hope Revelation offers. Not that we escape the world as it is, but that God is already at work drawing all creation toward the day when every division is healed, every tear is wiped away, every wound is healed, and all God's people join in the eternal praise of the One who sits on the throne and of the Lamb.

Blessings​​,

 

Pastor Sue
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