Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Savoir Jesus Christ.

In our reading from Revelation John shares his vision of the beautiful new Jerusalem coming down out of the sky. There is one verse in the reading that makes me take pause. You may have caught it as well as you followed along. "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful".

The fact is that verse describes me in a more truth than is comfortable to bare. I am as much the chief of sinners as anyone else. The verse also gives rise to the question then who shall enter in. Just like the astonished disciples when Jesus told them it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven. Who then can be saved was their reply. (Matthew 19:23ff) John is having this vision of the beautiful new Jerusalem and no one is worthy to enter it.

We all keep stumbling through this life. Even when we think we are doing right our actions can be all wrong.

About two years ago. I was on a Southwest Airlines flight. On Southwest there are no assigned seats, you board according to a group and number assigned at check-in. Since I fly weekly I always get a low boarding number. This particular flight I put my Bible on the seat and slid my backpack under the seat and went to the rear of the plane to use the lavatory. When I returned a man had taken my items put them on the center seat and sat in the seat I selected. Well after a little upper decibel discussion I sat in the center seat. As I sat down the man said I should read my Bible, alluding to a bad attitude on my part. I replied it says that even Jesus rebuked the disciples. He stated He didn't know who Jesus was and something to the effect he thought it was going to be a quiet flight. I think I replied I'm sorry to hear that, but the heat of the moment makes that a bit hazy. Perhaps that's what I hoped I said. At that moment the gate agent asked me to move to another seat. Out of respect to the agent I obeyed without complaint.

Although I lost my seat, the blessing of that whole event was that I ended up sitting among a group of young people returning from a church gathering and a gentlemen that helped me work through the anger and guilt of not handling the encounter in a better manner.

Unfortunately I did what I thought was the right thing to do but really set a bad example. The result was as bad as if I deliberately attempted to do wrong.

So who is worthy to enter the new Jerusalem of John's vision? Only the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The only man to walk without sin, the only man that never did what was shameful or deceitful. Could there be more worthy people able to enter into the city?

If we turn to the gospel lesson, John shares with us something very interesting that helps us get to the answer of the question of who can enter.

As Jesus and the disciples make their way to the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus knew the event s that were to unfold in the next 24 hours. However His words to the disciples show that He was focused on what is beyond those 24 hours. He is focused on something beyond the sin He has observed in this world. He is already focused on the forgiveness His death and resurrection offer.

Jesus tells the disciples the time has come when they will scatter each to their own home and abandon Him. His motive is not to shame them. The day is coming when they will see Him raised and He doesn't want them to fear Him or be ashamed on that day. His motive is so that they will have peace. Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

He has overcome the world. But not just the world around us, He overcomes the world of fears, doubts and anxiety that we carry around in us. That is the world that causes us so much pain. Jesus says, "In me you may have peace".

Jesus shares with them how they will abandon Him in His darkest hour, but He will not abandon them. Not only will He stand by them He is looking forward to when He will see them again after the resurrection.

Looking back at the last verse of the reading from Revelation we read only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will enter the new Jerusalem.

We just discussed that Jesus did not abandon the disciples they are in the Lamb's Book of Life. The disciples were not the crème of the crop by heavenly or even human standards, yet they are in the Book of Life. If they weren't why would Jesus comfort them and assure them of peace in Him?

Think about this, the only real difference between us and the disciples are that they interacted with Jesus when He walked the earth. We are the same in every other respect in Jesus' eyes. We are both baptized with water and the Spirit, we both believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and even partake in the same Holy Communion.

If Jesus did not abandon them then he will not abandon us. The disciples were chosen for the purpose of building the kingdom on earth. We are also chosen to preserve and build up the kingdom here on earth. We are His forgiven children washed cleaned with the precious blood of Jesus. He entrusts us to carry the saving gospel message to the world.

By His grace we are the ones worthy to enter into the beautiful city. A city with gates of pearl, walls of jasper, and streets of gold transparent as glass. The light of the city comes from the glory of God and the lamp of the Lamb.

I'm not sure that I understand the imagery except to know that it is beautiful beyond human comprehension. And I know that we are meant to be inhabitants of this city, cared for in the ever present glory of God. Through Jesus we are the worthy ones in the Book of Life welcomed into the new Jerusalem.

In the name of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.