Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Darkness Before Dawn

Revelation 6:1-8, 7:9-17
“Darkness Before Dawn”
27 August 2017 St. Andrew’s Military Chapel

If you’ve lived in Singapore for any length of time you have experienced at least one day, if not a consecutive string of them, where the whole country seems to be conspiring against you. Everything you do is met with the dreaded no can lah! Where you try to do something at the bank and have to go back five times because each person you talk with asks for yet another obscure document to prove who you are. Maybe it’s the frustration at trying to extend a lease for less than a year because the military doesn’t quite transfer people on Singapore’s timeline.

Continuous exposure to no can lah is draining and perhaps quite detrimental to one’s health. As strangers in a strange land there are ways to deal with these struggles. One option is to stare dumbfounded at the individuals putting up the barricades to your happiness. Another is to laugh just because there’s nothing to be done in such a situation. Perhaps it has led you to raise your voice. An option that may make one feel good momentarily but can draw much attention from those around you, perhaps even a security guard or two.

Now, just for a moment, imagine if those no can lah moments that we all occasionally experience are the definition of our lives. Imagine the frustration, anger, tears, feelings of worthlessness and self-doubt if the systems of society truly were conspiring against us, thwarting our success at every turn. We have moments. There are many around the world who live those moments continuously.

These verses are hope for them and a caution for those of us who, for the most part, benefit from systems of society. Again, we must remember Revelation was written as a pastoral letter full of hope and inclusion to people in the first century living under the Roman way of life. Because of their religion, Christians were considered strangers in a strange land. Our way of worship, our beliefs, our sacraments, while second nature and commonplace to us today, were all considered odd and out of place in society back then.

Christianity didn’t start out full of prestige and influence. At the start, there were some people of wealth and influence in the church, but they were rare. Christianity was mostly people on the fringes of society because, while Christ reached out to all his message resonated the strongest with those society didn’t consider worth the time.

So, about 60 years after Christ’s death we have John relating heavenly visions to a small community of faith that needed good news and hope because Roman society was trucking along without consideration for those it didn’t deem worthy. Rome, while touting Pax Romana and other achievements, was still a society based on exclusion, conquest, and power.

All of this context is important because Revelation can seem so distant or fantastic to us that we fail to see the picture John is painting, or we get so wrapped up in the imaginative way he tells this story that we lose sight of the overarching narrative of God’s story on earth. Because we are so removed from the context of this vision by time and by our own place in society this all seems distant to us.

In these verses, John has shifted from praise of God to a critique of Rome. He describes an empire gone wrong, in contrast to the perfect, hopeful, and inclusive Kingdom of God. John addresses political oppression with apocalyptic images that disorient us. This forces us to engage the issues he critiques with imagination not with brute force logic.

But perhaps most importantly John critiques empire from within an empire seeking to give hope to those the empire is either leaving behind or deliberately crushing under the weight of its power.

When the Lamb opens the first four seals we are introduced to the four horsemen. If, like me you grew up in the 80’s your first image of the four horsemen may be that of Ric Flair and his band of wrestlers. Though I suspect most of you think of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and the death and destruction they will bring to the world at some appointed time.

These horsemen represent not a future death and destruction but rather a critique of the Roman empire at the time and, frankly, of any empire gone wrong.

The white horse with a bow represents an empire built on conquest and taking land and resources from other societies, especially those perceived as weak or technologically inferior, through military conquest. God’s Kingdom, is built on inviting people to a peaceable kingdom through the personal acts of those already a part of God’s family.

On the red horse is a rider that takes peace from the earth to ensure that people kill each other. This is the violence that was present in Rome. Just think of what happened in the coliseum. People were pitted against each other and animals in graphic retellings of Roman battles. Violence and death for all to see and cheer over. Those on the margins of society were chosen to play the parts of the losing side where a violent death was certain. God’s Kingdom rejects violence, especially violence for the sake of entertainment.

A black horse appears next holding not a sword, but scales. When empire has gone wrong, there is an unequal distribution and availability of basic necessities. This isn’t income inequality, there isn’t food for survival for many people. In around the year 70 Rome laid siege on Jerusalem and people had to ration their food. The empire was failing those who needed its help the most for basic living, especially when inflation takes hold and makes a daily wage worth far less.

Finally, the pale green horse of death appears. A number of us here saw this horse face to face this week. It swiftly rode in and reminded us that death isn’t a character in a fairy tale or a Sci-Fi story. When any beautiful part of creation is destroyed it is against God’s purposes. Unfortunately in our line of work, we experience more than our fair share of sightings of the pale green horse.

 Death is a threat to us all, but for those under a government that has failed or is unjust, death as a result of war, famine, etc. is a very real prospect. In fact, the destruction of creation is a result of the first three horses and what they wield upon everyone.

Then we get the word of hope in chapter 7. And this message of hope is the point of Revelation and what we desperately need to hear again today.

Whereas Rome was seeking to protect its own interests and people, God’s Kingdom invites all into the fold. There is no limit to the number that can participate in this Kingdom, because it is not empire gone wrong such as Rome. This doesn’t mean there won’t be struggles or that the journey to that place will be free of suffering. Our redemption doesn’t eliminate the threats, but rather lets us stand in the face of threats because we are confident that God’s purposes and Gods’ Kingdom ultimately stand for life. Our hope is in ending crucifixion. Both the literal death at the hands of the state as well as the end of death because of second and third order effects of the state.

We are saints not because we are churchy people who follow the rules made by men, but rather we are saints because we fight evil and injustice and stand up for those who are on the margins of society. In a time of crisis, saints are willing to lay down their lives for others. They run into dark compartments full of danger because that is where they are needed. Saints are the ones that engage in a healthy critique of empire, even our own, because we seek to infuse our society and culture with the hope and inclusion of God’s Kingdom.

This is an idea of matchless grace. Grace that only God can comprehend and provide. It even shocks the elders that surround God’s throne. In verse 7:13 an elder asks John who are the saints and from where did they come. John can’t believe he is being asked that question and replies, “shouldn’t you be the one telling me that?” It is a magnitude of grace so large that we can’t comprehend it ourselves. People we don’t expect are part of God’s Kingdom. People from everywhere.


Knowing that regardless of our situation and status in life, regardless of our place in the empire, regardless of our ability to follow the churchy path we are welcome to stand up for God’s Kingdom is a beautiful message of hope for us all. Because the threats on our lives never go away, these words from the first century still inspire hope in us all today. Empires come and go, but God’s Kingdom, where we’ll never hear the phrase no can lah, ultimately triumphs and is always here for us.

 You can listen to sermons from St. Andrew's Military Chapel here.

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Visions of Love

Revelation 5:1-13
“Visions of Love”
06 August 2017 St. Andrew’s Military Chapel

Last week I made a passing comment about how apocalyptic literature, specifically Revelation, can seem more like science fiction than reality. Tales full of mythical creatures and fantastic scenes that defy reality and sometime exceed our imagination. Just as those tales describe deeper truths and ideas represented by the characters and settings of the story, so too Revelation needs keen interpretation.

This chapter is where the allegory, or representation of deeper truths with fantastical elements of writing really begins to take off in Revelation. So, I want to again describe the posture I take in reading Revelation. Because of the nature of the imagery and the many diverse ways people have interpreted the meaning of the symbols, images, numbers, and characters in this and the following chapters, it is vital to define the posture we bring to reading Revelation.

If you are anticipating tales of how Revelation will predict the collapse of governments, impending wars that will devastate the world, predictions of how God will snatch people straight out of their clothes, or how those left behind will face unbearable trials and fight to save the characteristics that define humanity, I fear you will be disappointed over the next few weeks. This chaplain doesn’t read Scripture, especially Revelation with that expectation. If that is what you were expecting I will point you to theologians who share that reading. However, I will also ask that you give another reading a compassionate ear.

When we read Scripture in its entirety we find a story of a loving God repeatedly calling humanity to walk with the divine in a personal way. Unfailing love towards humans that frequently fail and disappoint sometimes even defacing and humiliating the one that transcends everything on earth. In Genesis, God pronounces creation as good but shows humanity’s special place in God’s heart by decreeing humans as very good. We were the apple of God’s eye from the beginning. God wants us to succeed and will always love us despite, and in spite of, our flaws of which there are many.

God called Abram out from Ur not to the exclusion of others, but rather as the vehicle from which all will be exposed to and included in the unfailing and unbounded love of God towards all creation. It’s the reason all of creation, everything that has breath praises the Lord. Praise which we vividly saw in the Scripture passages the last two weeks.

As we continue to read Scripture we see humanity failing to love God and follow God’s guidance to include and love all in response to the love we have received ourselves. Despite our attempts to hoard and hide God’s love (including yours truly), it always shines through in the most unexpected places. God’s love always wins.

And that is what we see in Revelation. Despite the darkest foe, the darkest power, the darkest side of the force, God’s love wins. Darth Maul, Darth Vader, the Emperor, Kylo Ren are no match for the light of God shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.

When we understand God’s desire for us in this way and read Scripture in a way that describes God’s desire for hope and inclusion, Revelation is revealed as a beautiful and pastoral vision of the Kingdom of God and its ability to overcome the darkness of power politics, death, destruction, and exclusion. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the images we see in today’s passage.

The scroll for whom it is difficult to find a being that is worthy to open represents God’s plan for humanity which is hidden from us until God is ready for us to understand and see that plan. Because of the magnitude of such a plan, it is only fitting that the individual chosen to open and look upon that plan be of a certain makeup and character. It’s also not surprising that John weeps bitterly at the realization that no one was found worthy to open the scroll.

We all want to know our purpose and reason in life. If we were in the presence of the document, item, or person that could shed light on the arc of our lives most of us would experience a strong desire to hear of said plan. John has been drawn into a heavenly vision where he is expecting a revelation of God’s plan of, in, and for humanity. It’s right there in front of him, yet will his vision fail to provide the answers he desperately seeks? John’s reaction is completely understandable.

So is his surprise when the one found worthy to open the scroll is the Lamb. Human nature has an expectation that only the powerful can change the world. That power comes from human ideas and notions of strength and vitality. Yet, in this vision, just as in the Gospels, power is turned upside down. We expect a lion to come roaring in and save humanity through military might and typical notions of power. However, the one who is worthy of seeing and revealing God’s plan for humanity is the lamb that was slain by its own choice.

Throughout Revelation we see Christ represented as a lamb, counteracting the expectations of the mighty lion ruling over the kingdom. And this vision of the lamb in Revelation echoes the Passover Lamb from Exodus as well as the lamb we read about in Isaiah 53. Christ came not as a conqueror but rather as a self-sacrificial savior of all. Christ’s self-sacrifice is the only power that matters in the cosmic drama unfolding in this vision, in the drama that enfolds us each and every day.  

This sacrifice was not for a small number of people. Christ’s sacrifice was for everyone in the world, regardless of nation or creed. Just look at hymn sung about the sacrificial lamb in verses 9 and 10, “for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God.” Christ’s sacrifice brought forth God’s Kingdom on earth from every nation, tribe, and tongue. Again, an emphasis on inclusion rather than exclusion from participation in God’s Kingdom and plan for humanity in the cosmic drama we see playing out in John’s vision.

We have seen in this chapter a vision of how God will include humanity in the plan for creation. In fact, we have seen how only Christ through his self-sacrifice for the world is the one being able to see and understand God’s plan for creation. Through Christ and his sacrifice for us we are invited to participate in God’s plan for all of creation, for every living thing. This isn’t a small plan for only a select few. Rather, this plan is for everyone that desires to be part of God’s Kingdom, for there are myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands singing God’s praises and participating in this ultimate plan for creation.

This is also a vision of hope. In the midst of John’s despair that all was for naught and that no one would be found worthy to handle God’s plan for creation, Christ stepped forward to see and reveal the plan. While we’ll never fully know the plan for creation on this side of eternity, we can look towards and model the life of Christ to get a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God does in the world and to begin to understand our role in creation.

It is a way of life that seeks peace, unity, love, mercy, grace, inclusion, care for all of creation, not just humans, hope in the certainty of God’s benevolence and ultimate victory over the dark side of the force, and inclusion of all into the plan and eventual praise and thanks for the goodness of God.

If that sounds like a lot to take in and understand, it is. After all we are dealing with eternal and transcendent things in Revelation. Nothing is too small or too large to be discussed and included in God’s plan of redeeming creation and bringing creation together in harmony. Perhaps the hardest part is the waiting and not knowing if we are on the right path. It is for that reason that Christ came to earth, to show us the way. To guide us and give us a glimpse into the heavenly plan of which all of creation will play a part. The Gospel is that we all will play a part because God loves us and wants to include us in the wonder of creation. That is our hope and joy in life.


 You can listen to sermons from St. Andrew's Military Chapel here.