GOD’S TREASURED PEOPLE
Something that is precious is a treasure because it is costly: either to buy or to
replace. Everyone has lots of things in his or her home. So, what in your home is
most precious to you: your jewelry, family, home, car, golf clubs, computer, fur
coat, or antique clock? Our text begins with the words, “Precious …” The Hebrew
word for “precious” means something is both “a treasure “and “costly.”
Do you know what is precious to our LORD? King David tell us, “Precious in the
sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” Sometimes we think that the word
saint refers to someone who is dead. In the Catholic Church one is recognized as a
saint long after his or her death. Our Psalm declares that a saint’s death is
“precious.” This suggests that a person becomes a saint while he or she is still
alive! Sometimes we think that a saint is someone who has done something extra
special. I know some of you think my wife Julie is a saint because she has had to
put up with me for 43 years! But the word “saint” literally means “one who is
made holy!” Note that it is in the passive voice. It has nothing to do with us. The
passive voice means the one doing the action, in this case the one making us holy,
is not you or me. We do not make ourselves holy! We are made holy by the
LORD. Note too that the word LORD means “Yahweh.” This is the covenant name
for God. Yahweh, who gives us the promise of the Savior, also makes us a saint.
The first way, then, that saints are precious to the LORD is it God’s grace, His
choice, that makes us holy. Our sainthood is an act of God’s undeserved love. He
makes us holy by removing our sins. The Book of Revelation describes God’s
saints becoming holy by the washing of Jesus blood. One does not becomes a saint
after he or she dies; nor does one become a saint by doing extra special good
works. One becomes a saint the moment he or she comes to faith in Jesus Christ.
Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and suffered your punishment, and that
through His sacrifice you are saved? If so, you are now a saint! We are precious to
the LORD because He chose to make us holy!
Something which is precious is costly. The second way saints are precious to the
LORD is that God paid the price for us to become holy. As the apostle Peter
reminds us, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver
or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to
you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect.” The cost to free us was the blood God’s only begotten
Son. What a price! The Creator of our vast universe, which is some 156 billion
light years across, became our Savior! God, free of any obligation or compulsion,
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chose to send His son to pay the price for our sins. That price is blood; the blood of
a perfect sacrifice; the blood of Jesus. Paul writes, “He who knew no sin became
sin that we might become righteous before God.” Think about it: God loves you
so much that He sacrificed His Son Jesus for you! God so much wanted you to
escape the penalty for your sins that His Son gave up His life for you. You and I,
all saints, are precious to the LORD because He paid the ultimate price for us on
the Cross.
Third, saints are precious to the LORD because they give witness of God’s love
and wonderful deeds. Saints are precious to God when they witness to others the
faithfulness of God’s promises; the truth of His Word; and His awesome deeds of
love and power. They are precious to the LORD because their faith and witness
inspires us to live a life that witnesses God’s grace and promises. In his eleventh
chapter the author of Hebrews records the works of faith of many of the Old
Testament believers. Then he wrote, “These were all commended for their
faith…Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” Their faith
walk in life inspires us to express our thankfulness for God’s love and faithfulness
in our lives.
The fourth way saints are precious to the LORD is that in their death they now
enter the presence of God in Heaven. Now they begin to enjoy the fruits of Jesus’
victory over sin, death, and the devil. It is their witness, and our realizing that their
lives of faithfulness to God were not in vain, that makes them precious to the
LORD. Saints are precious to the LORD because they are with Him in eternity:
their spirits and souls now; their bodies on Judgment Day.
And fifth, you and I are precious to the LORD today. First we are precious to God
because He chose to make us saints by washing us with the blood of Jesus. We too
are now saints! Also our faithful witness is precious to God. In our daily lives, to
family, friends, and coworkers; at work, in school, on the job; anywhere and
everywhere we have plenty of opportunities to witness our faith and trust in God’s
grace in Jesus Christ and in the faithfulness of His promises. We show our
faithfulness when we praise and glorify God
How many of you here today enjoy gardening? Ever plans seeds for vegetables or
fruit trees? Have you noticed that a tree does not bear fruit the moment it is planted
in the ground? You don’t put the seed in the ground today and tomorrow harvest
fruit! Rather you fertilize the plant, weed around it, dig up the soil, water it, and
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prune it. Then, and only then, will the tree begin to bear fruit. Jesus tells us in John
15 what it is that glorifies God: “This is to my Father’s glory: that you bear
much fruit!” Thus it is important that if we are to bear fruit for God we need to
continue to worship regularly, communion often, study the Scriptures at home and
in Bible class. Let the Holy Spirit fertilize, weed, water, and nurture our faith. As
we mature as Christians, we will bear fruit to His glory!
The custom to commemorate, honor, and celebrate the witness of believers who
died in the faith began in the Early Church as part of All Martyrs Day. It was
celebrated on May 13th. In 837 AD, Pope Gregory IV moved the day to November
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for those believers still alive who are still fighting for the faith on earth; to pray for
the souls of those believers who are suffering as part of their purification in
Purgatory (and in the 1500’sthe Reformers dropped this one real quick); and to
pray for the witness of those believers in Heaven. The Eastern Christians observe
the first Sunday after Pentecost as their All Saints Day.
All Saints Day tells you and me just how much God truly loves us. By reminding
us that Jesus’ blood makes us holy, this All Saints Day tells us how important you
and I are to God! We are so important to our Creator that He became flesh and
sacrificed His life for us. No matter how much you struggle in life, no matter what
disappointment, hardship, disaster, or loss strikes you, never doubt the love of God
for you in Jesus Christ! Believe that Jesus is your Savior who died for your sins
and you will always be a precious saint in the sight of God.
The words of the Psalmist are very comforting: “Precious in the sight of the
LORD is the death of His saints.” Do you know when you are most likely to hear
these words in church? This part of God’s Word is most likely to be said by our
pastors at a funeral, during the service, at the close of the sermon. At the time of
the loss of a loved one, the pain can be devastating. Even the strongest Christian
experiences sorrow when a loved one’s life on earth ends. David’s words are very
comforting. He reminds us that by God’s grace, which washes away of our sins
with Jesus’ blood, our departed loved one now is with the LORD in glory. No
pastor can preach a dead person into heaven! Yet pastors will tell you the living
the one way to ensure now that you will go to heaven when you die. How? Remain
in God’s Word and live by it; trust only in the blood Jesus for forgiveness and your
salvation; and walk with the LORD every day.
Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
but by me.” On All Saints Day we rejoice that by the blood of Jesus we and our
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loved ones are made saints. On this All Saints Day let us remember the life of faith
witnessed by believers who are now in heaven. Trust in Jesus as your savior and
you too will be one of GOD’S PRECIOUS SAINTS! IJN, amen.
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