Sermon Devotional: Every Tribe, Every Tongue, Every People, Every Nation
Sermon Title: Every Tribe, Every Tongue, Every People, Every Nation
Scripture: Revelation 5:9-10, 7:9-10, 15:3-4, 22:1-3 (ESV)
The Church scattered. The Church gathered.
Since the earliest days, think Genesis 3, God’s people have been on the move. Adam and Eve had already eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:16-17) bringing sin’s relentless consequences that will cease only in the New Jerusalem. But God spared the first family from yet another disaster. “Then the LORD God said, ‘Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!’ So the LORD God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. After sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen 3:22-24NLT). God’s protection of Adam and Eve meant that they must leave the Garden and with this sending, the first biblical diaspora is recorded.
According to one source, “a diaspora is the voluntary or forced scattering of a population from its original homeland into different geographic regions.” This scattering of people always includes loss—loss of what is familiar, a loss of security, and sometimes even a loss of identity as a people. New learning is critical—a new language, a new livelihood, a new culture. A diaspora creates great vulnerability in the unknown that awaits an uncertain future.
The Church of God has been scattered time and again since the days of Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden. With each diaspora, there are countless stories of those who have endured deprivation, deep grief, cruelty and death at the hands of power-wielding people. The scattered Church has also been met by compassion. We rejoice and are inspired by stories of God’s compassion extended by others to his sometimes desperate, scattered people. Those who “weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15), those who “give a cup of cold water” (Mt 10:42), those who “heal the sick” (Lk 10:9) and befriend the lonely.
Revelation tells us that the scattered people of God will be gathered together once and for all time. Every tribe, every tongue, every people group, every nation will kneel together before the throne of the Lamb who is King of Kings. The scattering will be over. Jesus promised his followers saying, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (Jn 12:32). On that day, and every day into eternity, we will sing together in one voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:9-10).
It will be a glorious scene. Scattered, divided, vulnerable no more. Gathered together, we’ll see “the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him” (Rev 22:1-3). We will be back in both a Garden and a glorious City. The Lord no more needs to protect us from the tree of life (Gen 3:22). All God’s people will together enjoy its abundant fruit. And we, all of us, will forever worship the Lamb!
Consider—
╬ Not all of us are called to a vocation of service to the scattered among us. The Lord calls us to be where we are – teachers, nurses, clerks, bankers, or candlestick makers. But every one of us can support those who are on the front lines. Who are you supporting? Who are you lifting to the Father in prayer?
╬ Are there people to whom you are withholding compassion and hospitality? Are there people groups that you’d rather not see receive God’s love and compassion (Remember Jonah and his aversion to the Ninevites.)? Ask the Lord to lead you into deeper love and compassion for all with whom you will share the fruit of the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem.
╬ Living God, we “sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Rev 15:3-4). In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.
Scripture: Revelation 5:9-10, 7:9-10, 15:3-4, 22:1-3 (ESV)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10
The Church scattered. The Church gathered.
Since the earliest days, think Genesis 3, God’s people have been on the move. Adam and Eve had already eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:16-17) bringing sin’s relentless consequences that will cease only in the New Jerusalem. But God spared the first family from yet another disaster. “Then the LORD God said, ‘Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!’ So the LORD God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. After sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen 3:22-24NLT). God’s protection of Adam and Eve meant that they must leave the Garden and with this sending, the first biblical diaspora is recorded.
According to one source, “a diaspora is the voluntary or forced scattering of a population from its original homeland into different geographic regions.” This scattering of people always includes loss—loss of what is familiar, a loss of security, and sometimes even a loss of identity as a people. New learning is critical—a new language, a new livelihood, a new culture. A diaspora creates great vulnerability in the unknown that awaits an uncertain future.
The Church of God has been scattered time and again since the days of Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden. With each diaspora, there are countless stories of those who have endured deprivation, deep grief, cruelty and death at the hands of power-wielding people. The scattered Church has also been met by compassion. We rejoice and are inspired by stories of God’s compassion extended by others to his sometimes desperate, scattered people. Those who “weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15), those who “give a cup of cold water” (Mt 10:42), those who “heal the sick” (Lk 10:9) and befriend the lonely.
Revelation tells us that the scattered people of God will be gathered together once and for all time. Every tribe, every tongue, every people group, every nation will kneel together before the throne of the Lamb who is King of Kings. The scattering will be over. Jesus promised his followers saying, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (Jn 12:32). On that day, and every day into eternity, we will sing together in one voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:9-10).
It will be a glorious scene. Scattered, divided, vulnerable no more. Gathered together, we’ll see “the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him” (Rev 22:1-3). We will be back in both a Garden and a glorious City. The Lord no more needs to protect us from the tree of life (Gen 3:22). All God’s people will together enjoy its abundant fruit. And we, all of us, will forever worship the Lamb!
Consider—
╬ Not all of us are called to a vocation of service to the scattered among us. The Lord calls us to be where we are – teachers, nurses, clerks, bankers, or candlestick makers. But every one of us can support those who are on the front lines. Who are you supporting? Who are you lifting to the Father in prayer?
╬ Are there people to whom you are withholding compassion and hospitality? Are there people groups that you’d rather not see receive God’s love and compassion (Remember Jonah and his aversion to the Ninevites.)? Ask the Lord to lead you into deeper love and compassion for all with whom you will share the fruit of the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem.
╬ Living God, we “sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Rev 15:3-4). In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.