All Saint’s Sunday

All Saint’s Sunday

Revelation 7:9-17; 1-John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12

NLT

[Revelation 7]
(9) After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. (10) And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” (11) And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. (12) They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (13) Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” (14) And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. (15) “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. (16) They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. (17) For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

[1-John 3]
(1) See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. (2) Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. (3) And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

[Matthew 5]
(1) One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, (2) and he began to teach them. (3) “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (4) God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (5) God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. (6) God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. (7) God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (8) God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (9) God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (10) God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (11) “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. (12) Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

NRSV

[Revelation 7]
(9) After this I 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. (10) They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (11) And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, (12) singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (13) Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” (14) I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (15) For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. (16) They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; (17) for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

[1-John 3]
(1) See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (2) Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. (3) And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

[Matthew 5]
(1) When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. (2) Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: (3) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (4) “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (5) “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (6) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (7) “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. (8) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (9) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (10) “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (12) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.