Sixth Sunday of Easter - Sermon and Video

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Video of Divine Service at St. Luke, Rensselaer

Sixth Sunday of Easter  

Acts 16:9-15     
Revelation 21:9-14, 21-27        
John 16:23-33

Before Scriptures: A word in English that is shared in all three readings today is the word “come.” The word “come” has a different focus in the three readings. The Greek words that are used for the English word “come” are also different in each passage. In Acts 16, Paul sees in a vision a man from Macedonia saying “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Paul responds accordingly. In the Epistle, an Angel says to John “Come. I will show you the Bride, the wife of the lamb.” In the Gospel, Jesus is giving last minute instructions to the Apostles on his way to Gethsemane. He warns the Apostles, “The hour is coming…” 

Acts 16:9 Διαβὰς        Revelation 21:9 Δεῦρο   John 16: 25, 32 ἔρχεται

Sermon: 

O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen. 

The Revelation to John is a challenge to understand due to its highly symbolic language and imagery. Adding to this challenge is that we are not always certain where John is or what is happening around him. When the Letter begins, John receives a vision, then, the vision appears to change into a whole-body experience where he is lifted into heaven. Further complicating a quick understanding is that John seamlessly reports on things that are in the past, present, and future. In order to fully appreciate and understand the Revelation to John, we must be steeped in prophetic imagery generally and Zechariah specifically. We must pay close attention to John’s location and the time period from which he speaks. We have to suspend our usual linear way of reading. And, it helps too, that we know something about speaking in code. 

Considering all that potential confusion, thank the Lord Jesus that on the last three Sundays of Eastertide we only deal with the future. Revelation 21:1 clearly states, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” So, the end has come, the great resurrection has already happened, as also Jesus’ horrifying judgment between those who confess Him as Lord and those that don’t. Now, John describes what awaits those who have held the faith and despite whatever sin, life circumstances and Satan threw at us, we remained faithful until our earthly death. 

Before us in chapters 21 and 22 is a picture of what resurrection life will look like. We will dwell in the Lord’s presence in a way that we only get glimpses of in our world now. There will be a complete absence of malice or sin. The transformation in Christ that we receive by faith when we are baptized will be completed. We will not sin because in the new heaven and the new earth, sin simply does not exist. Revelation 21:8 says, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Anything hinting of sin will be somewhere else. 

An angel is directed to show John more of the future. In verse 9, the angel announces, “Come, I will show.” The word for “Come” in the Greek text is  Δεῦρο. Duero is used in the New Testament only used 7 times. Duero is an odd duck grammatically. It is not a declinable verb. It is an adverb, an intensifier of purpose. The speaker uses this to interject a tone of emphasis that is not present when using the other two words for come. So, the Angel uses the word duero, come!, to John to abruptly and with force to get his attention. 

Duero is used seven times in the New Testament. Three of those times are when Mathew, Mark, and Luke tell the story of the pious wealthy man who asked Jesus how he may inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him with love, sell everything you have, then come follow me. That was not the answer he was looking for. At that particular moment, that dear man could not part with his wealth. He loved it more than he wanted Jesus’ eternal salvation. Jesus insistent, abrupt, invitation to “come! Follow me!” turns into a word of accusing law. The dear man stands condemned because he sees more clearly than he ever has in his life just how much he loves his material wealth. Even to the point of choosing it over the promise of salvation. 

Another time in which deuro is used is in Revelation 17:1. “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute…” Chapter 17 is something to read and listen to because an angel shows John the idolatry and immorality of the city that is identified as Babylon. Most scholars think that Babylon is code for first century Rome which was a deeply troubled, debased, and pagan city. This is life without Christ. Self-serving, self-gratifying, indulging in all that God commands the faithful not to partake because these are ways of thinking and behaving that lead to spiritual death. From this cesspool of sin, from this life of destruction and death, Jesus comes to save us. Jesus brings life, eternal life, to those who repent and turn to Him in faith. 

Jesus uses the word Deuro, Come!, when he announces to the world that he has power over death. When he stood before the grave of his dear friend Lazarus, he said “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus did. Jesus said those remarkable words, “unbind him, and let him go.” Jesus freed Lazarus from death. Jesus freed Lazarus from the implications of his human sinful nature. 

Sometimes, we need an abrupt word like deuro to shake us up a bit. We see the familiar in a new way. Our attention is directed to the miraculous. We suddenly see what is most important. Just as Jesus was getting ready to make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, all those witnesses began to look at Jesus in a different way. He was now more than a wise and demanding teacher and preacher speaking with a unique authority. He was more than a miracle worker. He was more than a friend to the whole spectrum of society. Jesus speaks death to death. Jesus speak death to the power of sin. 

What happened to Lazarus is what is going to happen to us. He has already started through our baptism and every time we receive Holy Communion. Jesus says, nope, sin, death, and devil, you can’t have him, you can’t have her. My cross is upon them. They belong to me. I forgive them. My eternal salvation is for them.  They trust in me and I love them. They will be with me in paradise forever.

Lazarus was brought back to life to prove a point. Eventually, in God’s time, he returned to the grave. Until that time when the risen Lord Jesus returns to stand before all our graves and announce “come out!” We suddenly find ourselves in the fullness of Christ’s promises. Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead so that we can enjoy that moment when we open our eyes in heaven. Thus begins a life eternal beyond imagination.

Come, look! For you are the Church, the bride of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are made beautiful by our Lord’s sacrifice. We will dwell in God’s presence. He will be our eternal light. We will dwell in the new Jerusalem forever with God. 

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.