First Presbyterian Church - Food for Thought - Samson: Don't Squander Your Gifts

Dr. Mark Ruppert

Revelation 21:13

What must it have been like to live at the time this sanctuary was being constructed? You’ll notice that the new front entrance has on the stone facing Market St. 1904 for this is when construction began. And on May 14, 1905 the sanctuary was dedicated. I’d like to take you down memory lane and set the historic setting at the time this building was being constructed.

It was February 10, 1904 when Russia and Japan declared war on each other. On February 23 the U. S. acquired control over the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million. That year Jimmy Dorsey, orchestra leader and Glenn Miller, big band leader were born. The first color photograph was published in London . On April 30 the St. Louis World’s Fair, also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition to celebrate the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase , opened and lasted 7 months and had 20 million visitors.

It was here that ice tea was invented when it became so hot that a hot tea vendor began pouring tea over ice. The fair also popularized sausage in a bun, otherwise known as what? The hot dog, and it is said that ice cream made its public debut. On May 24 the first Olympics held in the U.S. took place in St. Louis and the U.S. won 80 of the 100 gold medals and golf was played for the last time due to lack of general appeal. Ragtime was the popular music of the day. On September 1, blind-deaf student Helen Keller graduated cum laude from Radcliff College . The St. Louis police tried a new investigation method called fingerprinting. On November 9 the first airplane flight to last more than 5 minutes took place and only the previous year, the Wright Brothers’ famous flight at Kitty Hawk occurred. On November 8 Republican Theodore Roosevelt defeated the Democratic candidate, Alton Parker.

On November 21 motorized omnibuses replaced horse-drawn cars in Paris and on December 27 at the Duke of York Theatre in London the first performance of Peter Pan was held. And so that I don’t just slip over the year the sanctuary was dedicated let me just say that in 1905 the Russian Revolution was taking place and on May 15, 1905 Las Vegas , Nevada was founded. Such were the times when this church was constructed and dedicated.

When I first looked over the copy of the bulletin for the dedication service and we began to discuss the idea of re-creating the service that was held 100 years and 1 day ago, and I saw the sermon title and scripture passage I almost passed on my part. I mean, “On the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west thee gates.” What do all these gates have to do with the dedication of the sanctuary 100 years ago?

I remember hoping that Edie English and others would be able to dig through the archives and find a printed copy of the sermon that Dr. James H. Snowden preached that day so that all I would have to do was read it, as is. But the full manuscript was not to be found, NUTS. So I began to look at the passage-12 gates, 3 on each side…. The Scottish theologian, William Barclay, in his commentary on Revelation gave one interpretation that, as he said there “Is one symbolic interpretation, which was unlikely to be in his mind, but which is none the less very beautiful and very comforting. There are three gates to the east. The east is the place of the rising sun and the beginning of the day. These gates could represent the way into the holy city of those who find Christ in the glad morning of their lives. There are three gates on the north. The north is the cold land with a certain chill in it. These gates could stand for the way into the holy city of those who come to Christianity by the intellectual exercise of thought, and have found the faith through their minds rather than through their hearts. There are three gates on the south. The south is the warm land, where the wind is gentle and the climate soft. These gates could stand for the way into the holy city of those who have come to Christ through their emotions, whose love ran over at the sight of the cross. There are three gates on the west. The west is the land of the dying day and the setting sun. These gates could stand for the way into the holy city of those who come to Christ in the evening of their days.” (The Revelation of John, William Barclay, p. 210-11)

This is not the only place in scripture where there are three gates on each of the four sides of the city of God . Part of that picture John had was taken from Ezekiel for we read of it in Ezekiel 48:30-35. However in Ezekiel each gate is named after a tribe of Israel , including Levi, and with Ephraim and Manasseh combined in Joseph.

And we also read in Ezekiel 48:35 that there is a new name for the city. The new name is YAHWEH-SHAMMAH, which means, “The Lord is there.”

When you read this verse in the context of the 21 st and 22 nd chapter of Revelation you quickly discover in 21:1 that the earth and heaven and sea have “passed away.” The language reveals that the old orders have now been fulfilled by the new. Our God’s promise is for all things to be new, and yet the first thing that we find is “new” is a new city with an old name. Jerusalem is a new city but it has an old name. Jerusalem is the city that was founded by David but it now becomes new. The vision is of Jerusalem fulfilled. Now it has been made into the city it was originally intended to be. And so the earth, heaven, and sea all passed away, not toward oblivion but toward this sense of new completion to fulfill the design that God intended.

And when you read about this new completion the important point that is highlighted in the language of the words regarding this new fulfilled order is the language of RELATIONSHIP. RELATIONSHIP. The new Jerusalem is not spoken of in terms of a geographical phenomenon but as a bride. It says in Revelation 21:3 that, “the home of God is among mortals, He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them…” Relationship with God, relationship with Christ, relationship with each other, that’s what this is all about CHURCH!

When I stop right here and begin to think about this sanctuary I wonder what they were thinking 100 years ago as to what this church should be? What it should look like inside? Who would occupy the pews? What would be its ministry? What would be its vision? It was more of a neighborhood church that didn’t have people like today, driving 3, 4 or 10 miles to get here? If we could bring one of the active members back from the grave what would they think about us in the here and now? Would they be shocked or pleasantly surprised that the sanctuary was renovated in the 80’s? Would they be pleasantly surprised to hear of some of the ministries this congregation is engaged in? Would they celebrate with us that we are not like some, or shall I say most Presbyterian churches that are lily white and rejoice in our ethnic diversity, which I pray will continue to grow? Would they celebrate with us that we have not sat idol but try to adapt and change in order to reach out with the good news of Christ, not changing the message but the way it might be presented in order to be relevant and not irrelevant?

Here in this passage is the description of the new Jerusalem. And the most important question we must ask is what is the theological significance of this most precise and elaborate part of the vision in Revelation? What is laid before us in this description is that the Christian church is the true fulfillment of the people Israel that people established as twelve tribes and made a nation in David’s city, Jerusalem. The vision makes clear the vital connection between the original holy history of Israel and the expanded Israel of all those who claim and believe in Israel’s Messiah. In the passage from Ezekiel 48 the twelve gates of the temple have inscribed on them the names of the tribes of Israel and you’ll notice they are still present in our vision in Revelation. But you’ll notice that the names on the twelve foundations of the temple in Revelation 21:14 have the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. The Christian church is the fulfillment of God for we are the bride of Christ.

We gather here today to reenact the service that was held almost 100 years ago today. We gather here today to celebrate the past and honor it but not to live in the past, for if we do we die, just like those who have gone on before us. For unless we are catatonic we are alive and well and breathing and are the church of today and the church of tomorrow. Too many churches today only live in the past and what was. They long for the good old days, but they are past and gone and we must live in the present and plan for the future.

They are not willing to try and risk and even fail and despite failure get up and try again. I am glad we are not one of those churches.

When I read this passage I envision 12 gates that are not closed but open. Twelve open gates symbolizing the abundant opportunity there is to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And so 100 years since this sanctuary was built the doors have and are open to those from the city as well as those from the suburbs. There have been thousands upon thousands of people who have walked through the doors and will continue to do so. This church has and will continue to serve as a beacon of hope and security, a safe haven to those in need. This church will continue to seek ways to share the love of Christ with a hurting world, with a hurting humanity that is desperately in need of Jesus. Three gates on a side… Will you and I seek to catch the current vision, the core purpose, and the core values of this church? Will you and I keep the gates open and seek to bring in the lost, the lonely the hurting, the poor, the rich, black and white, yellow, red and brown? Will you and I work to be a Kingdom Builder who seeks to take Christ into the world where we live and work and play? Will those who follow us be able to say those who came before us were faithful to their mission, to Christ and the Gospel? Revelation 22 concludes with these words in verse 17, “The Spirit and the bride [which is the church] say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” On this Pentecost Sunday, the day we celebrate the birthday of the Christian Church, and the day we celebrate the 100 th anniversary of dedication of this sanctuary, I say, come. And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life [Jesus Christ] as a gift. May it be so with us, Lord. May it be so. Amen.

Food for Thought: Three Gates on a Side

Dr. Mark Ruppert