SERMON, EASTER 7C, REVELATION 22:12-14, 16-17, 20

Today is the seventh Sunday of Easter, otherwise known as the Sunday after the Ascension. We have been through death, resurrection and a time of preparing for being on our own, and now we are there. Jesus has ascended where he lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

But there is one more thing. After the Ascension, after Jesus physically leaves us, we are given a parting gift. Think of it as a present you leave for someone with a note, "Open after I'm gone." And that parting gift is his revelation.

First, a little teaching moment. This last book of the Bible is not called Revala-SHUNZ. It is not called John's Revelation. It is not called the Revelation of John. It is called "The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John." Now that we've cleared that up . . .

Revelation is a highly symbolic book. It is a book of visions received while John was "in the Spirit." It is a book of warnings, comfort, condemnation and above all, a book of hope. Revelation is hopeful because it is about the ultimate victory of God. We are assured here that God wins.

Revelation has a mixture of hidden meanings, upheaval and divine judgment. The four horsemen. The seven seals. The great beast. All of these things have hidden meanings that we cannot decipher. Wars, famines and plagues in every age are often attributed to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The beast, the anti-Christ, has been attributed to everyone from the Pope to Martin Luther to Napoleon, Hitler and Ronald Reagan.

Revelation also talks of great upheavals. A civil war in heaven. The elimination of those who followed the beast. The earthly war between the wicked and the righteous. And the new heaven and new earth, and the new Jerusalem, that will eventually replace the first heaven and earth.

Revelation speaks of divine judgment. The white horse and rider who comes, leading the armies of heaven against those who would oppose God. He will throw the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire. Those who were deceived will be killed by the sword of the King of kings.

Because of all this hidden symbolism, Revelation lends itself to some strange and downright arrogant interpretations. I find it interesting that the majority of these interpretations come from our right-wing fundamentalist brothers.

I find it interesting because it is that group that adamantly opposes any interpretation of scripture. We should read for the plain sense only. What it says is what it means, and any interpretation simply means that we are trying to subvert God's will. Or something like that.

Now I could go off on a serious tangent here about that, but I won't. Instead I will simply say that that group doesn't think it appropriate to interpret scripture – except when it comes to Revelation. That book apparently requires interpretation, but only by Really True Christians who have all the correct answers. People like John Nelson Darby, Hal Lindsey, Timothy LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.

But these interpretations are often theologically suspect and arrogant. Suspect because they all imply a superior knowledge of God. This knowledge leads them to conclude they have figured out the timing of the end of the world; something even Jesus admitted to not knowing.

And it is arrogant because they are convinced that they are absolutely positively right. This rightness leads them to condemn, often with great glee, those who hold other opinions. If you aren't with us, you're against . . . and you are going to burn in hell!!! HA!

The book of Revelation is full of hidden meanings and symbolism. It talks of great upheavals of both the physical and spiritual worlds. And it portrays a divine judgment that will ultimately eliminate evil and opposition to God from existence.

Revelation is not, however, a blue print for the future. Nor is it an apocalyptic checklist of required events that must happen in a certain order to ensure the return of Jesus. The anti-Christ was not Ronald Reagan, Hitler, the Pope or Carpathia from Romania. The European Union is not the beast. The U.N. is not the devil's domain.

What Revelation is is a book of hope because, in the end, God wins. Revelation was written by a prisoner on Patmos to other persecuted Christians of the Roman Empire. It was probably written during the reign of either Nero or Vespasian. Put yourself in that time and place – persecuted, tortured, and executed for your belief that Jesus is the Son of God. Wouldn't it be nice to have a document that said despite wars, famines, plagues and persecutions, despite it all, God will win. Wouldn't that comfort you? So Revelation is hopeful because we can rest assured that these trials will pass and we will eventually reside with God.

It is also hopeful because at the very end of the book, after all the symbolism, visions and strangeness, we are once again reminded that it is not God's intent to exclude anyone from receiving the gift of life. Different churches may have different requirements for being members. The Anglican Communion may divide over doctrine and issues of power. We may try to keep people blocked out because they make us uncomfortable. But the reality is that God desires communion with everyone.

“Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” Finally, in this last book of the Bible, in the last few verses, in the end, we are once again reminded that it isn't God who excludes people.

Amen.