in measured hundredweight and penny pound

when the man comes 'round

Sixth Sermon from the book of Revelation:
passages from chapters 17 & 19

Today’s scripture isn’t THE End, but it’s pretty darn close. 

This is the Final battle. The battle that ushers in The End. The battle where Good and Evil have it out. The battle that determines what The End will look like.

And honestly, it doesn’t go down the way we were expecting. 

First of all, it’s no actual battling in this battle. 

There’s no fighting! Jesus just shows up. The only weapon he wields is his presence, his word. And it’s enough!!!

Because secondly, the battle is over before it even begins! Jesus simply arrives, and his mere presence is enough to subdue the enemies of God.

This Final Battle does not go the way we would expect. Without any fighting, concluding before it can even begin.

Of all the surprises, though, the biggest is something of a detail, so let me read the passage to you: “(Jesus, the Rider of the white horse) is dressed in a robe soaked with blood(?!?), and he is addressed as “Word of God.” The armies of Heaven, mounted on white horses and dressed in dazzling white linen(?!?), follow him.”

For this showdown God’s people arrive resplendent in their dazzling white uniforms, they follow their leader into the great conflict.

Their leader, however, doesn’t come as well prepared!

His suit isn’t pressed and clean. Instead it's well-worn, and stained even. In contrast to the rest of the army, Jesus’ robe isn’t dazzling white, it’s soaked in blood!

At this Final Battle, when either Good or Evil will prevail, Jesus arrives unprepared, in a uniform covered in blood? 

That’s not how we expected Jesus to arrive.

It begs the question, what is this blood? Whose is it? How’d it get on Jesus’ robe? And why is it there at the Final Battle of all times?

One suggestion is it’s the blood of Jesus’ enemies.

Jesus comes to the Final Battle as an angry warrior, ready for revenge.

The trouble with that answer, however, is Jesus hasn’t gone in to battle yet! So how could he have the blood of the enemies on his robe already?

But there’s a bigger problem with that answer, too. It’s something we already noted… Jesus doesn’t actually use any weapons! His presence is enough to overcome his enemies. Jesus doesn’t slay his enemies, he goes to them.

And that leads us to the other answer. The blood on Jesus’ robe is his own. Jesus didn’t come for revenge, he came to lay down his life. 

Satisfying as that answer is, there are some problems with it.

And the first one has to do with timing, too. While it’s too early to be the blood of Jesus’ enemies, it’s too late for it to be Jesus’ own blood! In John’s vision, Jesus has already laid down his life and been exalted. John’s whole vision is a glimpse of what it means that Jesus has been given authority and dominion. 

But the biggest problem with that answer is something else we already noted, namely the heavenly army following Jesus in dazzling white linen. The reason this army follows Jesus in spotless robes is because they’ve washed theirs in the blood of the Lamb. Jesus’ blood cleanses!

Jesus’ blood doesn’t stain! If it were Jesus’ blood on his robe, it’d be spotless, like the members of the heavenly army that follow him!

So that leaves one last possible answer…
The blood on Jesus’ robe can only be the blood of those who follow him! Those who have washed their robes in his blood. 

Jesus’ blood has made their robes white, and their blood has made his robe red. Jesus’ robe is stained, so theirs won’t be!

The blood on Jesus’ robe is the blood of those who follow him!

And that reveals one last surprise in this completely surprising battle… 

How it’s every follower of Jesus who has washed their robe in his blood, that stain Jesus’ robe by their blood. 

And that includes you. 

You who are here to follow Jesus. You who are here to have your sins washed away in the blood of the Lamb…

Because all of us who follow Jesus have blood on our hands, don’t we?

Who among us here hasn’t sinned?

Who here hasn’t felt the cut of someone else’s hurtful words? Hasn’t done the same to someone else themselves? We all have blood on us, don’t we?

We carry the stains of Sin. The things we’ve done. To others, and to ourselves.

So when Good and Evil showdown Jesus does what none of us can. 

He takes those wounds, the ones we’ve inflicted the ones we carry. He takes them upon himself. Jesus bears them all. 

We all know the wrongs of the past must be accounted for. The blood that’s been spilled cries out for justice. It cannot be forgotten, whitewashed or ignored.

In fact, that’s what Dragon knows this. That’s the weapon he brings to the final battle, all of our sins. 

The Dragon knows that while our names may have been written in the book of life at our baptism, since then we’ve been busy proving they don’t deserve to be there. 

So he comes bringing every spot and blemish against God’s people in an attempt to blot our name out of the book of life. To remove us from the heavenly army to the diabolical one. 

But when the Dragon comes brining our sins against us Jesus arrives wearing them! Jesus arrives in a road soaked with blood. Our blood. Our sin.  

Jesus’ stained robe is the reason why there is no battle! Why Jesus’ mere presence is enough to end it! Why it’s over before it begins! 

Because Jesus arrives bearing the Dragon’s weapons! What should defeat us! 

Jesus arrives in a robe stained by our blood and the Dragon is left helpless. And our victory is assured!

John wants you to see that today Good and Evil battle for you. His Revelation isn’t how it will all end, but how it will end for you.

Because John knows our lives are always on the scale. The evil we've known, the evil we’ve perpetuated must be accounted for. 

And John shows us that whenever such an reckoning is made, the one who is called Faithful and True arrives in a robe soaked with our blood. Our sin.

Jesus comes to your aid in a stained robe, so that your may follow him in a spotless one.

Your savior, Faithful and True to his Word, shows up. 

You who are here. You who have washed your robe in the blood of the Lamb. Follow your savior. He arrives here in a stained robe so that that you may follow him in a spotless one. Follow him.