Full Text for A Sermon on Revelation 7:13-17 (Text)

LOGIA A JOURNAL OF LUTHERAN THEOLOGY HOLY TRINITY 1996 VOLUME V, NUMBER 3 CONTENTS CORRESPONDENCE .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ARTICLES A Sermon on Revelation 713-17 By Dr. Robert D. Preus: ......................... , .............................................................................................. , ...................................................... , .......... 5 In Memoriam: Robert David Preus By David P. Scaer ........................................................................................................................ , ......... , ................................................ , ................ 7 Commemoration Sermon for Dr. Robert D. Preus By David P. Scaer .......................................................................................................................................... :.: ... '; ......... , ......................................... 9 Robert David Preus: In Memoriam By Wilhelm W. Petersen ...................... , .......................................................................................................................................................... , ...... 11 Robert Preus, Historian of Theology By John Stephenson ........................................... , .................................................................................................................................. , ............... 13 The "Realist Principle" of Theology By Kurt Marquart .............................................................. , .................................................................................................................................. ,15 Solus Christus By Daniel Preus .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Luther Battles the Fanatics By Arnold J. Koelpin,:: ..................................................................................................................................................................................... , ..... 23 Selective Fellowship By Hermann Sasse .................................................................................................. u .... ~~;~:::':_"""";"""'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ....... 29 A Call for Manuscripts .......................................................................................................................... , ................................................... , ............ 37 The Other Story of Lutherans at Worship? By Rick Stuckwicsh .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 39 The Church in AC VII: An Exegetical Overview By Randy Asburry ................................................................................................................................ , ............................................................... 45 COLLOQUIUM FRATRUM ...................................................................... , ................................................................................. 57 William P. Grunow: Response to "Communion in Holy Things . .. " Alan Ludwig: Author's response REVIEWS .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 REVIEW ESSAY: Testing the Boundaries: Windows to Lutheran Identity. By Charles P. Arand. Lutheranism and Pietism: Essays and Reports 1990, Lutheran Historical Conference. Vol. 14. Edited by Aug. R. Suelflow. The Other Story of Lutherans at Worship: Reclaiming Our Heritage of Diversity. By David S. Luecke. The Word Goes On: Sermons by Dr. Siegbert W Becker. Compiled by James P. Becker. Studies in the Augsburg Confession. By John Meyer. Galatians: A Continental Commnentary. By Dieter LUhrman:q. Christian Existence Today: Essays on Church, World, and Living in Between. By Stanley Hauerwas. BRIEFLY NOTED LOGIA FORUM ........................................................................................................................................ · .... · .. · ................................ ··· .. 71 The Ministry in Genesis • Protestant Sacerdotalism • Confess Christ or Celebrate Schweitzer? A Sure Word • Not By Morals • Battle for the Gospel • The Power of the Keys • Silent Women Who for Us Men • On Being Put • Timely Communion Practice A Sermon on Revelation 7:13-17 DR. ROBERT D. PREUS ----------------------------~---------------------------- Let us all pray. Thanks to Thee, 0 Christ victorious! Thanks to Thee, 0 Lord of Life! Death hath now no power 0' er us, Thou hast conquered in the strife. Thanks because Thou didst arise And hast opened Paradise! None can fully sing the glory Of the resurrection story. Amen. (TLH 207: 2) an eternal future. That's what happened there. This same passage will be spoken again at my funeral, at the time of the committal. And once again it will serve as a commentary on what has taken place there, proleptically. I have achieved my hope there. I've entered the Church 'ftiumphant. I have come out of the great tribulation. I have washed my robe and made it white in the bloQd of the Lamb. And theret:ort;) stand before God's throne day and night and serve him, worship him there in his temple. During this Fourth Sunday of Ea:ster, I think, our new series, which has this text as one of the pericopes, is trying to empha- size for us the results of Christ's resurrection. And here, of And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are course, we hear about the grandest and greatest of all the results: these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came salvation. And what is the nature of this salvation, this inheri- they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to tance laid up in heaven for us? No better description could be me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and given than that apocalyptic one in our text:: "They shall hunger have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, them, nor any heat ... and God shall wipe away all tears .from and serve him day and night in His temple: and he that sit- their eyes" (Rv 7:16, d .. teth on th<;.throne shall dwell among them. They shall What does j:l,J.at mean? It means that the great tribl!lation, that hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the awful, hectic, unhappy, wretchedly unhappy tribulation, is over. sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in Nomore.$laughter in Vietn