Show Notes On All Saints' Day, the church reads the names of those who have died in the faith. Where are they now? In Revelation 7, John sees a multitude no one can number, dressed in white robes and standing before the throne. When an elder asks who they are, John cannot answer. In this sermon on Revelation 7:2-17, Pastor Karl Grant walks through God's revealed answer to that question. The saints are God's servants, marked with His name. Christians receive that mark in Baptism and can remember it every morning and evening with the sign of the cross. The saints have come out of the Great Tribulation, which is not a future event but the life of the Church right now. They stand before God only because the Lamb's blood has washed their robes white, and Christ keeps doing that washing through His Word, Absolution, and Supper. The saints who now rest from their labors have not become angels, and God did not take them because He needed them; He took them because He wanted them to be with Him. Preached at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, on November 1, 2026, the day four young people received their First Communion, this sermon also speaks to grief. Christians may mourn, but not as those without hope. The saints before the throne are waiting for something better still: the resurrection of the body, when God's own finger will wipe away every physical tear from His people's faces, and death will finally be no more. Key Takeaways God marks His people with His own name in Baptism. His seal does not keep Christians out of trouble, but it preserves them through it.The Great Tribulation is the life of the church now. Christians should not expect to be exempt from suffering, and suffering does not mean God has abandoned them.The saints stand before God because Jesus shed His blood for them, not because they were good people. He keeps washing our robes through His Word, Absolution, and Supper.Christians do not become angels when they die, and God does not take them because He needs them. He takes forgiven sinners to Himself because He wants them.Christians grieve, but with hope. The saints are with the Lord now, and on the last day God will raise their bodies and wipe away every tear. Selected Scripture References Revelation 7:2-17: God seals His servants, washes their robes in the Lamb's blood, and gathers them before His throne.Revelation 6:12-17: On the great day of wrath, the world asks who is able to stand.Psalm 130:3: If the Lord kept a record of sins, no one could stand.John 15:20: Jesus warns that the world will treat His servants as it treated Him.Isaiah 49:21: Zion, thinking she is childless, asks where her gathered children came from.Revelation 21:4: God will wipe away every tear, and death will be no more. Question for Reflection When you remember a loved one who died in the faith, what does it change to know that they stand before God's throne because of Jesus' blood rather than their own goodness? ------------------------ Listen to sermons from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, a country church six miles north of Gibbon, Minnesota. We belong to the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). Children worship beside their parents and grandparents here. We sing hymns, hear readings from the Bible, and pray together. Our preaching centers on Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again. Through His Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, He gives forgiveness and eternal life. Whether you’ve grown up in church or are just beginning to learn about the Christian faith, you’re welcome to visit. Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org Join us Sundays: September–May: Sunday School at 8:30 a.m. | Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. | Worship at 10:00 a.m.June–August: Worship at 9:00 a.m.Plan your visit for directions and what to expect. #GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship
