Open the Gates

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26

Today we find ourselves standing at two different places, in two different situations.  Ascension Day, which marks Jesus's ascent into heaven, was last Thursday, 40 days after Easter.  The disciples had entered into a sacred in-between time—ten days of waiting, wondering, and praying. No longer able to walk with Jesus, not yet empowered by the Holy Spirit, they are holding onto to his promise: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8),  We don’t like being in limbo, any more than the disciples. Our faith teaches us to trust God's presence in uncertain times. Red Church is called to both action and faithful waiting. In that upper room, the disciples practiced hope—and we are to do the same.

We also are standing at the brink of two endings in our Scriptures. The final chapter of Revelation. The final prayer of Jesus in John. Revelation looks forward… to the end of all things.

John looks inward… to the heart of God before the cross.

So let’s start in Revelation.  “See, I am coming soon.” This can be good news or bad news, depending. These words have stirred a lot of fear in people over the years. Talk of Jesus coming back has sometimes been used to divide people into “saved” and “unsaved.” Listen:  “I am coming soon. My reward is with me… to repay according to everyone’s work.” This is a promise.  Not a threat… but a blessing.

Then comes a verse which at first stymied me “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.” Now let’s take some time with this. “Blessed are those who wash their robes.”    What does this mean? This isn’t about staying spotless OR SINLESS. It is a cleansing.  We know it takes grace. It is love that brought Jesus to redeem us.  When we do this, we let Christ’s love touch our lives— saying good-bye to the old life and becoming a new creation. So to “wash your robe” is to choose the way of Jesus. Not just once, but over and over again. It’s to choose mercy when it’s hard,

To turn away from temptation and choose peace when it’s costly, and love when it’s not returned.   All of these sound hard to do.  That’s why we need the Holy Spirit helping us.

And what’s the promise?   The verse goes on to say“…so that they will have the right to the tree of life…”The tree of life. You remember that from Genesis, in the Garden of Eden, one of two trees. It was the tree that meant immortality, eternal life, full life, whole life.   And now—at the very end of the Bible—we see it again.  Like bookends. The tree of life, abandoned in the Garden by Adam and Eve’s punishment. Now Restored. No longer lost in the Garden of Eden. Not behind a barrier wall, not out of reach, but open to those who seek God. To be given the “right” to that tree means you are welcome, we are welcome, at the center of God’s new creation.

And then the last part:

“…and may enter the city by the gates.” We don’t have to climb over or dig under the wall.  We can walk through the gates.

Openly. Boldly. Like someone who is invited, someone who is expected…AND

Like someone who is loved.  We have access to God’s eternal presence.

We will be Citizens of a new city.  Hallelujah!!! This is the good news, church.

“Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” Let everyone who is thirsty come. A gift for anyone. It’s not about belonging to the “right kind” of religion. Not just Jews but also Gentiles like Evangelicals or Catholics or Lutherans or UCC or Muslims. It’s about being thirsty.  And God is always ready to quench that thirst with grace.

Jesus says, “I am the Root and the Descendant of David… the bright Morning Star.” He is both the ancestor and descendant of David. That means he’s been here from the very beginning, not waiting above some cloud.  And the Spirit and the Bride—they say, “Come.” This needs to be the call of our Church. That’s what we’re here for. Not to say “Go away.”  Not to say “Get right first.” Not to ask, “Where do you come from? But to say: “Come. Come just as you are. Come to Jesus.”

In John 17, Jesus is just hours away from the cross.

And what is he doing?  At this difficult moment He’s not preaching to the crowds or calling down angels to save him or even giving final instructions to his disciples.

Jesus is praying. And not just for Peter, James, and John. Not just for his disciples.

He’s praying… for us. And I love this next part, one of my favorite lines of scripture.
“I ask not only on behalf of these,” he says, “but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word.” That’s you. That’s me. That’s the generations who’ve come to trust this gospel. Jesus is talking directly to all of us. And what does he ask of God?

Think about what’s going on in the world, division, hate, wars.

Jesus petitions his father,

That they may all be one. One. United.  I in them, and you in me.” Jesus prays, “that they may become completely one, so that the world may know you have sent me… and that you have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Can you imagine that? Everyone is included. We can all be in relationship with the divine. And, we are loved the same way God loves Christ?

This is the good news. This is the gift we are called to share.

And how do we share it? Not by drawing lines.  Not by building walls. But by opening gates. And as Pope Leo preached on that auspicious day, “by building bridges of dialogue, encounter, to open our arms to all, like in this piazza today.”  Just like the New Jerusalem in Revelation—where the gates are never shut.  Where the Spirit still says, “Come.”

Red Church—this is our calling: To live out the invitation. To be the welcome.  To carry the words of Jesus’ prayer in our hands, in our voices, and in our love.  We don’t have to change or fix people.  We just need to point them to the living water of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will do the rest. Why? How? Because the one who prayed for us is still praying.  And the one who said, “I am coming soon,” is still coming, again and again and again—Let’s say this together.

Come, Lord Jesus.”  And until he comes…we live as people of the open gate. People of the living water.  Thanks be to God.  Amen