A couple of months ago, I got a call from the Library here at Milligan. “Hey, we’ve unearthed a couple of boxes of Hopwood archives. Are you interested?” Was I interested? Finding this stuff was like stumbling across the long-lost book of the law in the wall of the temple. The boxes arrived and I went through the notebooks and documents as gently as one might handle newly discovered Dead Sea scrolls. I carefully opened the brittle pages, and treasured the words set down so long ago. There were working notes from Mrs. Thompson’s long lost history of Hopwood. There was a registry from 1915. There were minutes of elders’ meetings from 50 years ago. We don’t want to forget our history. We’re making plans to celebrate 175 years together on Buffalo Creek. We’re actually a few years older than that, but you know how people tend to round downward once you reach a certain age. The Buffalo Creek Christian Church, later known as Hopwood Memorial, may have been established here as early as the late 1820’s. Church historian Addie Thompson wrote that “For several years there was no building for weekly services so (the church) met on the banks of the creek, in barns, mills, cemeteries, homes, groves, or any place they found suitable. Later a log church was built on land donated by Joshua Williams.” In 1832, the congregation called John Wright to be the church’s first ordained minister. Later that year, an annual meeting of all the Christian Churches of the area was held on this site. That gathering has taken place every year since. This year’s Annual Meeting takes place next Sunday evening at Milligan.
Today is All Saints’ Day… a day when we dig around in our own boxes of archives and bring to mind all of those saints God has used to teach us, to grow us up, to watch over our souls. Today we give God thanks for saints who are a part of our life right now. This is a day when we rejoice not only in our own church heritage, but in the worldwide communion of Christians. On this day we remember that “great cloud of witnesses,” men and women who through the ages heard God’s call and answered. Some of these saint have names recognized the world over: Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Joseph, Saint Mary, Saint Nicholas…you know, the Capital “S” Saints. In some circles, the term “saints” has been narrowed unnecessarily to connote some kind of super-Christian status reserved for miracle workers, martyrs for the faith, amazing church leaders. The lives those folks led are well worth remembering, but let’s not forget that the New Testament word for saint simply means “one who has been set aside for God.” Paul used the word to simply denote “Christians.” All who follow Christ as Lord are saints.
On All Saints’ Day we see clearly that our lives are directly connected with the saints of the past. As the Scripture was read this morning, we had an opportunity to think about those first disciples, gathered on a green hillside beside the Sea of Galilee. Matthew, the tax collector, as were the fishermen: Simon, Andrew, James and John. There was Simon the rebel, and many others. Jesus gathered the disciples around him; he honored them, blessed them, graced them right at the beginning of his ministry, before they’d even had a chance to make too many mistakes, showing us that you don’t have to be perfect to be Christ’s disciple. As he talked to them, Jesus laid out the “Core Curriculum” for saints old and new:
How honored are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
How honored are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
How honored are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
How honored are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
How honored are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
How honored are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
How honored are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
How honored are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus honored and blessed his disciples, and every servant of God since who is poor in spirit, who mourns, who is humble, who hungers and thirst for righteousness, who is merciful, pure in heart…who is a peacemaker, and who is willing to suffer for Christ’s sake. They are all to be held in honor today.
Bernard of Clairvaux spoke well about the significance of this day when he said: “What does our commendation mean to them? The saints have no need of honor from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them. But I tell you, when I think of them, I feel myself enflamed by a tremendous yearning.” (From J. Robert Wright, ed., Readings for the Daily Office from the Early Church. Church Publishing, 1991, p. 496.)
Unpack your own box of archives. Which saints have blessed your life? Perhaps you think first of a parent or grandparent who prayed for you and told you stories of the Bible. Maybe a special childhood friend comes to mind, or perhaps a favorite aunt or uncle who loved Jesus and always had time for you. Perhaps you’re thankful for a co-worker, or that High School teacher who was such a godly example to you. Let’s not forget to thank God for the man or woman who penned your favorite gospel, your favorite book, your favorite hymn. And what about the person who first shared with you the gospel of Jesus Christ? Let’s pause for just a moment and call to mind names and faces from the past… …let’s remember the saints of the church… from Abraham to Moses to Ruth to Mary to Jesus. Remember leaders like Priscilla and Aquila, martyrs like Stephen and Perpetua and Justin, early church leaders like Origen, Clement and Cyril and Basil and Gregory. We remember the desert fathers and mothers…we remember popes and Reformers, preachers, artists, musicians and quiet people of prayer. We remember leaders of our own movement: Alexander Campbell and John Smith, Barton Stone and Walter Scott. We remember Josephus and Sarah Hopwood, Henry Derthick, Dean and Dorothy Walker, the Dampiers, the Nakarais. Today we remember old friends and mentors, family members and regular folks who were Christ for us…we remember and silently give thanks. We remember those who have passed recently…(Silence)
We’re thankful for the saints of our past, but “the church cannot live on the thin diet of fond memories.” We have to get on with the business of living right now. God has given us other saints…living saints. You are surrounded, physically, by the saints of God. The saints form living branches that reach all around the world. God is still in the business of setting people apart, putting people to work, melding our lives into each others’ lives. The saints aren’t just old dead people with doctored up resumes. Living saints are at work for God’s kingdom in every corner of the world.
When the Vietnam Memorial in Washington was first proposed, a design contest attracted scores of entries. A wonderful young Asian-American artist submitted the unusual design that won the contest—her bold design and unlike any monument in existence. She proposed a partially buried wall of black granite that looks as if it was gouged out the earth. Many folks just hated the design when they first saw it. No Corinthian capitals; no white marble, no statues of warriors. What did the design have going for it? Names. There were so many names…rows and rows of names…names of the dead carved into the wall in the order in which they fell. Those of you who have visited the wall know the emotional impact the wall has on those who pause to run their fingers over the names of those lost in that terrible war. Perhaps the most memorable impression comes when you stand next to the wall to look at the names, and then you suddenly realize that in the midst a hundred names you see your own face reflected in the polished black surface. There we are, our own reflections, connected to the names of the dead.
In a way, this is what All Saints’ is like. We, the living, take our place with the saints who have gone before. Today as we remember the names of saints who have passed beyond our reach, we see our own reflection in their midst. We join the procession. We take our place with them. Let’s pause to thank the Lord for saints who still walk the earth, living and ministering for Christ our King. Whether they’re in your family, in your church, in your community, or simply in your heart…silently give God thanks for them today.
And on this All Saints’ Day, we reserve one final box of memories for the fulfillment of the promises that we know will be made complete in days to come. God has promised to gather all his saints, past, present, and future, at the great wedding feast of the Lamb. John saw it all, a rainbow assembly of saints of every age, every nation.
Rev. 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”…Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
I see the “Sons of Thunder” there; I see the bald-headed prophet. I see the Baptist eating locusts and wedding cake. I see Mary, full of grace and Thomas, once full of doubts, doubting no more. I see the kings of the earth standing bareheaded with resplendent paupers. There stands Francis, wearing rags for Christ. Two teenage girls stand arm in arm—Agnes, martyred in Rome in the 300’s and Cassie Bernall, murdered at Columbine with the name of Jesus on her lips. The singing tribes crowd into the picture—Maasai in their blankets, peasant farm workers from South America; dark skin and light skin, blonds and redheads, people from every time and tongue and people and nation.
There are faces you know there, already gathering. I see Karen and Ronnie and Kathleen and Niall. I see Rodney and Wanda Lee and what do you know…there’s my old friends James and Steve. I see Baptists and Lutherans and Catholics and Jews…There are some who were well off and educated…but see how many more were poor and oppressed and persecuted and beaten down on this earth. They’re all gathering, but there are still some spots saved for us.
This week may we live and work and pray like participants in that final great celebration of the Lamb. Live faithful lives that will bring honor on those who have gone before. Live courageous and humble lives that will inspire those who follow us. Let’s go move forward together, arm in arm, hand in hand, serving, loving, bearing the light, carrying our crosses until we lay them all down at the feet of the Lamb. Live Jesus’ core curriculum, found in the Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount. Get out this week and live as saints of God.
