Hankie, Anyone?

Revelation 7:9-17

May 2, 2004

It’s good to be back after two weeks away > Rodgers filled me in on events of those two weeks.  And he told me he assured you I would explain Book of Revelation in great detail.  I do not know why Rodgers would say that! > I can’t do it! Even if I could > I certainly could not do it in four weeks with one of those weeks being a Communion Sunday.

 

The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ to his Disciple John is not an easy book to read.  It is filled with images.  Complex images.  Images that have triggered imaginations and puzzled interpreters for generations.  The ways to interpret fall into three major categories:

1.  Some read it as straight-forward account of the end of the world

2.  Others read it in its first-century context > what it meant to original hearers

3.  Still others use it as a lens through which to view history, much like our political cartoons where images are only to make a point.  They cannot be interpreted literally.  Watch these cartoons and imagine what people would say about them in 500 or 1,000 years.

 

More ways than these to read Revelation > I named most popular.  Most important question is “How should we read it?     What are we to make of all these strange pictures?  Presbyterians generally do not read it as an account of the end of the world.   We try to read it as first-century Christians would, and use it as a lens through which to view history.  Even combining those two ways of interpreting > still much that is uncertain.  But that does not mean we are to brush off this Book as irrelevant to us A book full of images that only meant something to first-century Christians?  Far from it!       What we find on these pages can lead us to a more informed and obedient life!

 

So how can I interpret John’s words in four short sermons?  The best I can do is pick out one little snippet of imagery each week and see what there is in it to inform us > or encourage us to be better Christians.  That’s the most I can hope to do.  So I will.  The “snippet” for today is in the last verse in this passage:  “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [Rev.7:17)

 

William Barclay says this verse may be the whole reason Revelation was placed in the Bible! He could be right!  It is impossible to count the number of people who have been comforted by these words!  Tears are so commonplace.  They fill our eyes from time to time.  Have you ever noticed that, every time Kendall sings a solo, Gary starts to tear up?  And once, while I was telling a particularly poignant story, I heard noises from the choir.  I turned around, and Joyce was sobbing.  But she dried her tears quickly.  Sometimes tears fill a moment, and sometimes even fill our days.  I’ve known times when I cried for days.  Every time we cry > how we long for someone to wipe away our tears.

 

People who read John’s words had cried for days.  John wanted them to know time would come when God would wipe their tears away.  God is in the business of comforting people [God does other things, of course].  How many times can you remember when you were in agony,  and someone came to you and sat and listened?  Or hugged you?  Or simply handed you a hankie?  [Kleenex for those of you who don’t know what a hankie is].  When we hurt,  God sends someone to wipe away our tears.

 

But the comforting shouldn’t stop there > it’s not “all about us!”  Because we are made in God’s image > we are to do the same thing.  Whatever ordeals come our way > whatever grief we must bear > The day will come when God will wipe away every tear from our eyes in person.  Until that day, though, we are to be God’s agents.           We are to wipe away tears > whether it be with man’s handkerchief, or ladies’ dainty hankie, or a plain old Kleenex.   Hankie,  anyone?