All Saints Day and All Souls Day

There are 3 significant days in a row on the Church calendar about Saints:

• October 31 – All Hallows’ Eve (Hallows=Holy Ones=Saints)
• November 1 – All Saints Day
• November 2 – All Souls Day

What is it we are celebrating?

• All Saints Day is one of the 7 Biggest Feasts (Celebrations) on the Church Calendar
  • Christmas – Jesus is born – he comes to us
  • Epiphany – Jesus is the Savior of both Jews and Gentiles (so of everyone)
  • Easter – the Resurrection of Jesus after he died for our sins
  • Ascension Day – 40 days later, ascends to heaven until the day he will come back the same way
  • Pentecost – the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the Church
  • Trinity Sunday – Celebrating the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – One God
  • All Saints Day – Celebrating those who have been saved

Saints are reborn followers of Jesus.

Paul often started his letters to Christians in various cities by addressing them “to the saints”:

Romans 1:7 (NIV) ⁷  To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:1 (ESV) ¹  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

Ephesians 1:1-2 (ESV) ¹  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: ²  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:1-2 (NIV) ¹  Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: ²  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

If Paul were to write a letter to us, he might well begin it:

1 Mandarinians 1:1-2 ¹ Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, to all the Saints who gather on Hartley Road: ² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are saints we celebrate in both

• the Church Militant – those who are currently living on this planet
• And the Church Triumphant – those who are with the Lord in Heaven

Revelation 7:9–17 (ESV) ⁹ After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Notice a few things:

• • They are clothed in – representing that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross has covered up and washed away all their sins
  • They don’t have halos or wings

Hebrews 1:14 (NLT2) ¹⁴  Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Here in Revelation, Jesus-followers are Leading in worship, and the angels are following:

Revelation 7:9–17 (ESV) ¹¹ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

On All Saints Day we especially honor those that have led the way for many to follow

• Saints from the Ancient World
  • All the Apostles (Matthew, Peter, James & John, etc) who first began sharing the Gospel
  • Mary and Joseph – who raised Jesus
  • Patrick – brought the Gospel to Ireland
  • Augustine of Hippo – very influential theologian and philosopher
• Saints from Middle Ages
  • Thomas Aquinas
  • Francis of Assisi
  • Benard of Clairvaux
• More modern Saints
  • CS Lewis
  • Mother Teresa
  • Billy Graham

All Saints celebrates ALL Saints; we honor the example of their lives and .

• In the Apostles Creed we state that we believe in the of Saints – meaning we remember and rejoice that we are even now joined with them in the eternal life Jesus gives
• We also join with them, as we remember in our Communion liturgy, when we say

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name…

All Souls Day – every November 2^nd

• Focus on those saints that have had influence in our lives
  • Those who shared the Gospel with you
  • Those who have poured into you and helped you grow in your faith
  • who helped teach you how to pray and read the Scriptures

We want to honor them today. Who are the saints that have helped you know and love Jesus?

(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)

Now go and do likewise.

Please remember to email these notes to yourself!