Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity – Sermon 269

‘Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity ‘
9 am Morning Prayer – Matins
Christ Church Barnton
11th September 2016

Prayer to Start

May the words of my lips and the thoughts of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Revelation is not the easiest of books in the Bible to understand – full of strange lurid and sometimes bizarre imagery – it can be a very confusing read –

Given today’s world of clever movies – DVD’s and downloads – satellite TV – we might think we would take to John’s pictures of God’s purposes in Revelation – like ducks to water – but not so –

written in code 60 years after Jesus’ death to protect persecuted Christians – its imagery is so effective that even today – few people can agree on exactly what it means –

Many of us are still unfamiliar with its stories and find it very different and difficult to follow –

Point 1

But there are some themes that are familiar – like the one in our reading today –

‘The image of Christs’ birth’ – minus of course the shepherds – the donkey – Joseph  – the stable – and the manger –

Instead we have a woman – who flees into the wilderness – after giving birth – a dragon – a war and a child snatched away to God and to His throne –

Identifying who is who and why they are there – is a problem we face in chapter after chapter of Revelation – when we try to understand what the writer is telling us. –

We might interpret the child in the passage to be Jesus – who is going to rule all the nations with a rod of iron – but the woman? – is it Mary? – is it Eve?- Is it a single person? – or does she represent someone more symbolic- as is often the case in Revelation –

Looking more closely at how she is dressed – we see that John is using the imagery of a woman in childbirth – to represent the whole of God’s people – chosen to carry forward God’s plans for the nation and for the whole of creation – The sun the moon and the stars form her robe – her footstool and her crown –

John shows the forces of evil striking at her and her child –in form of a dragon – with the mystery of its seven heads – and ten horns made clearer later in the chapter –

The Dragon is a figure of considerable power – possibly representing the devil or ‘satan’ – and here also there are parallels with the ‘King of the Jews’ – Herod – who was thwarted in his attempt to devour the child at birth?

John tells us that the child is snatched up to God and to His throne –reminding us that Jesus wins His victory through – His death – resurrection – and ascension to God and in this way is no longer vulnerable to anything the dragon can do –

The woman- ‘the faithful people of God’ – meanwhile – remains in danger and flees to the desert – where she is to be looked after by God – for a period – of three and a half years  – 1260 days or forty two months – is the period suggested in a vision from Daniel in the OT when he mentions the Anointed One

This therefore is both a link to the OT – a reference to the Exodus story of Israel – and to the establishment and security of the Church where God’s protection can be found –

From verse 7 onwards – the tone changes and the picture is of war in heaven – between the Angels and the Dragon –

The great Dragon is thrown down and the ancient serpent who led the earth astray – whose name is ‘the Devil’ is defeated –

God’s victory is assured – and the song of the victory that follows gives great credit to Michael and all his angels – and to God’s people of earth –

‘By the sacrifice of the Lamb – and the witness they bore – they have conquered Him’

The accuser has no place anymore – in heaven because of the death of Jesus’ –  but the dragon – who knows His time is short – has come down to earth –

And our passage finishes with a warning – to be weary of the Dragon – who will pursue us – even though we are under the protection of God – through His Church –

Ending

Understanding and recognizing the imagery and pictures drawn for us by John in Revelation is not easy –

But His underlying message of salvation and protection from God through Jesus and the Church comes through–

We are saved by the sacrifice of the Lamb – told that the battle has already been won in heaven – that Jesus is our victor – and victory will soon be completely won here on earth –

John’s message was needed by Christians in the first century – and is still needed today – We who are God’s people – are called to remain faithful to Jesus and to His Church – and there must be no confusion about that –

AMEN