Cards In A Deck

John said: An angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the street, On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. 

Nothing accursed will be found anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. 

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits, sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.” “Behold, I am coming soon.” Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book. (Revelation 22:1-7)

This is the last chapter of Revelation and a portion of the Epilogue.  We end with optimism, as we should at the conclusion of every Church year.  Tomorrow, November 29, is the first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of Year B when we use the Gospel of Mark.  

Rivers of living-giving water support the tree of life with fruit and leaves as medicine for all of us – for all nations.  The sources are God and the Lamb, Jesus.  Nothing is accursed, and the night will be no more.  We are given light that we will need to guide us through the dark days of winter and very early, cold sunsets.  

We are told in the Epilogue: “Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book.”  What’s that message we get from Revelation?  For this we must read more from the Epilogue: 

“Let the wicked still act wickedly, and the filthy still be filthy. The righteous must still do right, and the holy still be holy.” “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the unchaste, the murderers, the idol-worshipers, and all who love and practice deceit…” 

In contrast to how the wicked and filthy think and behave, it is up to us to do what is right; that is, to do deeds of which Jesus would approve.  We must not be outside acting like “dogs, sorcerers, the unchaste, murderers, idol-worshipers, and all who love and practice deceit.” Our words must be “trustworthy and true.”  

He is the first and last, and, individually, we are all in between like a card in a deck of cards.  Jesus fans the deck and picks a card.  When he picks us, let’s hope he doesn’t recognize us as Jokers and discards us from his game. That is his message.  

Jesus plays with us as his face cards.  He is all in and so should we be.

Deacon David Pierce