"All Saints Day, A Day Of Remembering”

In Jesus Holy Name November 3, 2024

Text: Revelation 7:9-17 All Saints Day, Redeemer

“All Saints Day, A Day of Remembering”

It is possible that many of us are still recovering from “All Hallow Eve” and thus may have overlooked November 1st , an important religious “holy” day. The theme of today’s worship finds its roots reaching deeply into the soil of church history. Christians have gathered to worship God and thank him in word and song, as they remember their loved ones. The celebration of All Saints Day is not new, as far back as the 3rd and 4th Century the early believers set aside one day a year to remember and honor all Christian martyrs. It is a day of remembering.

At the same time we know that the apostle Paul began his letter to the church in Corinth with these words: …to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints ….. all those who call on the name of Jesus Christ……..” The Apostle Paul began his letter to the congregation at Ephesus with these words…..”to the saints in Ephesus.

St. Paul called these Christians saints, not because they were leading exemplary lives, but because they belonged to God through their baptism. In Deuteronomy 6 Moses reminded the Israelites that they “were a people holy to the Lord their God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people His treasured possession.” I might add, not because of their behavior but because of God’s love.

The Apostle Peter, writing to his fellow Christians picks up on the same theme reminding them and us that we are now the new “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God so that we may declare the praise of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonder light” and truth. Both Paul and Peter are making the point. We are all saints by virtue of our baptism into Christ by the Holy Spirit.

Phyllis McGinley writes: “The wonderful thing about saints is that they were human. They lost their tempers, got hungry, scolded God, were egotistical or testy or impatient in their lives, made mistakes and regretted them. Still they went on doggedly blundering toward heaven.” Her words echo Luther when he said that we are both “saint and sinner” at the same time.

Martin Luther used the term: “Simul Justus et peccator”; Meaning that we are at the same time saint and sinner. I love the way the writer to the Hebrews (10:14) “For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

Ah, there it is…. We are “holy” because God has transferred to each believer the perfection of Jesus, whose sacrificial blood shed on the cross removed our sin, and thus we are seen by God “holy in His sight, without blemish, free accusation” if we continue in our faith in Jesus. (Colossians 1:21 23) We are in the process of continually “being made holy” by the work of the Holy Spirit living through us. We are sinners by virtue of our behavior, living in the fallen image of Adam, but made holy, by virtue of our faith “in Christ”.

Through out the scriptures the saints are the people of God. A saint is a forgiven sinner. The saints are those Christians who do Christ’s work. They are members of local congregations through out the world. You and I are saints of God…made holy not by our own efforts….but made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ. We have been saved…in order to do good works. (Ephesians 2:9-10)

In the act of baptism, commanded by God, the child (or adult) crosses the “threshold” into the family of God and no longer stands outside the grace, love and mercy of God.

It is in that baptism moment that we are pronounced holy by God because Jesus has taken away our sins by nailing them to His cross. (Col. 2:13-14)

The Augsburg Confession states…”It is also taught among us that saints should be kept in remembrance so that our faith may be strengthened when we see what grace they received and how they were sustained by faith. Moreover, their good works are to be an example for us, each of us in our own calling.”

(Article XX)

In the 2nd century, Polycarp, the Bishop of the church at Smyrna was burned at the stake because he refused to call Caesar “God”. Before the fire was lit, his captors said: “Come now, bishop, where is the harm in just saying ‘Caesar is Lord’ and offering incense, when it will save your life?”

Polycarp replied: “eighty-six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I then blaspheme my King and my Savior?”