Daily Readings - Sat Nov 01 2025
Revelation
2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
1 John
1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Matthew
1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on our identity as children of God and the hope that comes from living as His people. In Revelation, we see a vision of the end times where God’s servants are sealed and a great multitude from all nations worship before the throne, clothed in white robes, having endured tribulation and washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb. This scene speaks of God’s ultimate triumph and the eternal salvation of His people. In 1 John, we are reminded that we are already called children of God, though what we will be in the end has not yet been revealed. We are encouraged to live holy lives, knowing that when Christ appears, we will be like Him. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches the Beatitudes, describing the characteristics of those who are blessed: the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who endure persecution for the sake of justice. These are the marks of His followers, and they are promised eternal rewards.
These readings are deeply connected. The vision in Revelation gives us a glimpse of the ultimate fulfillment of the Beatitudes. The white-robed multitude before the throne represents those who have lived out the Beatitudes, enduring suffering and remaining faithful. Similarly, 1 John emphasizes our present identity as children of God, which should shape how we live in the here and now. The Beatitudes, in turn, provide a practical guide for living as God’s people, trusting in His promises even when the world does not understand us.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace our identity as children of God and to live in a way that reflects His holiness and love. We are to hunger and thirst for justice, to be merciful, and to be peacemakers, even in the face of persecution. We are to trust that our struggles and sacrifices are not in vain, for they are part of the journey that leads us to eternal life. Let us strive to live with purity of heart, so that we may see God, and let us hold fast to the hope that one day we will see Him as He is.