For All The Saints

If you missed Pastor Greg's message from All Saints Day, here is a chance to revisit again.

“For All the Saints”
All Saints Sunday
November 7, 2010


There are events that occur in the life of a congregation which are significant. Unfortunately, when personal schedules are full, when economic ties are hard, and when distractions that life brings weigh heavy on our minds these significant events can be missed. Today is one of those significant moments in the life of a church. And yet due to the uncertainty that seems to be pervasive, with the concern over our future made ever more prominent by the recent political elections, a significant time such as this is easily lost.

Among the great celebrations of the church year such as Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost there is “All Saints Day”. I suspect, that if we are honest with ourselves this day doesn’t stand out as all that significant. It is not as though we place presents under a tree waiting for the saints of old to place gifts there for us. And yet, what this day stands for , the reason for its placement in the church year calendar is quite significant.

All Saints Day is a day of remembrance. It is a day in which we remember those who have died in the faith. And in a few minutes we will pay respect to those who are connected to this congregation who have joined the Church Triumphant in the last year.


All Saints Day is a day of remembrance. We remember that God has been there for so many over the years and in the same way God remains present for us today. This act of remembering brings a sense of hope. God is a God who is faithful. God is without variation or change. As God was yesterday so God is the same today.

All Saints Day is a significant day indeed. It is a day not to be taken lightly or without due consideration. For these reasons, and more, we take time to reflect on the meaning of this day and its significance for our lives.

It has been the nature of people to use life’s experiences to validate the truths upheld by people. For example: We hold the belief that it is true for people to be giving to others. That in giving one finds meaning to life and purpose for one’s life. As we give or withhold giving the belief is validated through experience. Thus experience becomes the criteria to know if what we believe is true or not true.

A common mistake we a Christians make is to use this same formula with regards to truths about faith and the relationship we have with God. There are truths about spiritual matters that cannot be proven through experience. To believe experience is a validating factor can lead to all kinds of error and misinterpretation concerning God and God’s activity in our lives.

For example. It is a common belief that when one becomes a Christian that one’s life will change for the better. That is to say, we will become more Christ-like. To prove this to be true we then turn to life’s experiences to find proof. We look for harmonious relationships, we look for people of patience and compassion, and we look for people who are obedient to God’s will and living consistent with that will.

What often happens is that we don’t see these factors present. We find people who still struggle with pain, anger, and temptation. We see lives that do not reflect any change for the better. What we find is an apparent absence of God’s presence. Looking for proof we find none. That experience then throws us for a loop. Based on life’s experiences and lack of validation we begin to question our beliefs. Instead of questioning our formula, that maybe it is wrong, we instead question our belief and wonder if it is wrong.

I remember a Sunday when a member left church feeling inspired, moved by the whole experience, thinking he had witnessed the presence of God. Before the day had ended another person from the church had verbally abused and intimidated his son in public. All the good feelings of worship were replace with confusion, anger, and questioning if God really does exist. My friend’s response to me was “maybe God doesn’t really change anyone.” When life’s experiences do not match what we think life should be as a Christian more ties than not we are ready to quit being a Christian. Seldom do we ask if our formula, our process to validate truth through experience is valid.

Not everything God does in our lives can be seen or felt. We cannot always point to some experience and say God was there. And in the same way point to some experience and say God wasn’t there. There isn’t always proof of God’s existence. God will at times be known through apparent contradictions, through acts of violence, and even through hatred and prejudice. Sometimes God is known and sometimes not. The point is we cannot use life’s experiences as proof for the existence of God or the absence of God.

There certainly are times when God’s presence is known. I have seen miracles of healing, miracles in nature. I have witnessed near comatose patients awaken at the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer. There are plenty of acts of courage of faith in the midst of persecution (i.e. Mother Theresa; Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther).

All Saints Day is a day in which in the midst of misery and death, facing debilitating illness or the loss of work, there is hope and life. It is a day that speaks of healing (physical, emotional, and spiritual).

All Saints Day is not a day in which we lift up what we do or can do. Instead, it is a day in which we lift up what God has done and continues to do. It is a day when we look in the face of lack of evidence and proclaim that God is at work in our lives. It is a day in which we celebrate the triumph of God’s love and mercy over human pride, and stubbornness.

All Saints Day is a great day in the life of the church! It reminds us that as God was present for others so too God is present for us. Regardless of what we feel, what we can measure, or even what we may see, God is here, for us, now! This is what we celebrate today on All Saints Sunday!

AMEN