After Tuesday there was a big temptation this week to say, "Well, now what?"  I had three prayer requests this year - two big ones and the other not that small - and all were granted.  I prayed we'd reelect the president of our Missouri Synod, and he was.  I prayed the Red Sox would win the World Series and they did.  And I prayed whoever was elected President would be elected decisively, without doubt, and he was.  So, now what?  When your prayers are answered, what comes next?  Thinking up more prayers?  Maybe wondering what heaven is like?  Or on this day wondering what it's like to be a saint.

          Two brothers lived in city where they were involved in corruption, crime and every manner of vice.  Both brothers had accumulated much wealth, but all through dishonest means, and so there was little grief in the city when the older brother died.  But the younger man, wanting to honor his big brother, found a minister willing to do the service, even though neither of them had ever gone to church.  Knowing that one of the local churches was in the midst of a capital fund drive, he told the pastor, "I'd like you to do my brother's funeral.  And if during the service you'll say he was a saint, I'll write your church a check for $50,000."  The pastor agreed but on one condition - the $50,000 had to be paid in advance.  And so it was arranged.

          The service began with the usual scriptures, hymns and prayers - and then the sermon began.  The minister launched into a litany of the horrible things the rich man had done, how he'd been selfish, greedy, corrupt, carousing with women, and involved in crime of all sorts.  The younger brother sitting up in the front pew was getting hot under the collar!  Finally, after ten minutes of outlining the dead man's flaws, the minister ended his sermon in a booming conclusion, "Yes, this man was a dirty, rotten scoundrel!  But, compared to his brother, he was a saint!"

          Today we're celebrating All Saints Sunday, and when people think of the saints, they most often think of people like St. Paul, St. John or St. Mary.  We certainly don't think of ourselves because compared to these and other early Christians, we're more like dirty, rotten scoundrels.

          All Saint's Day, Nov. 1, has been celebrated for hundreds of years in the church, but not very often among Lutherans.  I think that's because Lutherans are often uneasy about getting or giving praise.  And that's a pity, because we say in the Creeds we believe in the "Communion of Saints," which is the body of all believers in Jesus Christ.  So we who believe are all saints already.

          The word "saint" derives from the word "sanctus," which we translate as "holy".  In the Bible, "sanctus" is applied to those who believe in Christ Jesus and who strive to live faithfully according to his teachings.  Saints are normal people who differ from others by their faith, not due to moral goodness.  Saints also tend to draw others to give praise to God rather than to themselves.  They let their lights shine, that is, by their faith they give glory to God and inspire others to want to believe in and follow Jesus.

          A father of five children came home with a toy.  He summoned his children and asked which one they thought should be given the toy.  He asked the little ones, "Who is the most obedient, never talks back to Mom and does everything when he's told to?  There was a little silence and then the oldest said a bit timidly, "You can have the toy, Daddy!"

          Now those children had it right!  They saw in their father something they couldn't be.  And yet they didn't have it all right, because sainthood isn't just by doing right, it's by believing right.  Saints don't strive for sainthood.  They live their faith the best they can and let others be the judge.

          We at Epiphany Lutheran Church of Castle Rock are all part of the Family of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  It's for sure we're not angels - that's not even true of those who are asleep in Jesus and with the Lord.  We are God's children, children of the Resurrection, as Jesus says in St. Luke.  We can also say, even in song, we are "Children of the Heavenly Father."

          Earthly fathers are never perfect, not even close, but our heavenly Father is.  We rarely think of the things our heavenly Father gives us, yet we take them and use them and sometimes even take credit for getting them.  But in the family of God, we all must remember God is the provider.  He is our loving father.  He is the one who gives us all we have.

          Today let's consider for a moment those we most often think of as saints, those who have died believing in Jesus, who died in the faith.  We don't know them all - only God does.  We also say in the Creed we believe in the Holy Christian Church.  That's the body of all believers, also called the Communion of Saints.  All people in the Holy Christian Church, that is, the Communion of Saints, will be in heaven.  And I have an idea when we get to heaven we'll be surprised at who we see there, as well as who is not there.  It's a good thing you and I are not judges of who gets in.  God sees the heart and knows who has real faith.

          Another man went to his doctor for a checkup.  Afterwards the Doctor said, "You are in terrible shape.  You've got to do something about it.  First, tell your wife to cook more nutritious meals.  Stop working like a dog.  Also inform your wife you're going to make a budget, and she has to stick to it.  And have her keep the kids off your back so you can relax.  Because unless there are some changes in your life, you'll probably be dead in a month."  "Doc", the patient said, "this would sound more official coming from you.  Could you please call my wife and give her those instructions?"  When the fellow got home, his wife rushed to him.  "I talked to the doctor," she wailed.  "Poor man, you only have 30 days left to live."

          Poor man is right!  All of us don't know how long we have left.  And all of us, whether we think we're good enough or know we're not, must certainly fall at the feet of God for His mercy.  They say Al Capone's grave is in a Chicago cemetery and on his headstone is the inscription, "My Jesus, Mercy!"  From the kind of life he led, it will take a boatload of mercy to redeem him from perdition.

          I know the Bible says "Judge not, lest you be judged," (Matthew 7:1) but that passage is telling us not to second-guess, not to judge what we don't know.  It's not judgmental to call a thief a thief.  People today don't want Christians to judge anything.  That's a mistake, and yet you and I dare never judge with pride or impunity.  We must remember we're all under God's judgment.  None of us are worthy of being children of the Heavenly Father.  And I believe this is often more true of fathers than of mothers.

          A new mother went to the hospital nursery and found her young husband peering down at their newborn sleeping baby.  The Mom could tell he was captivated by the scene and so she tiptoed up to him and slipped her arm through his and said, "Honey, what are you thinking?"  He replied, "I just can't understand how they're able to sell a crib like that at WalMart for under $100!"

          You and I may be shallow in what we value, but God is not.  He knows what is important.  Despite how little the world may value human life, God values us more.  To him we're worth more than the Crown Jewels and the gold in Fort Knox.  He gave the life of His Son that you and I might live forever in heaven.  God loved this world so much that He gave up that which was most precious to Him, His only Son.  And because of it, we have a place in eternity with all the saints.

          By the mercies of God and faith in Christ, you and I are part of the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints, children of the resurrection, children of the Heavenly Father.  May we ever remain faithful to that church, never doubting that Jesus is our Savior.  God is good even when we are not.  He loves us no matter what.

          Therefore, as Martin Luther concludes his explanation to the First Article of the Apostle's Creed, "For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him, this is most certainly true."  Amen!

Copyright © 2004 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.