That Our Names Are Written in the Heavens

The Seventy

In the tenth chapter of St Luke’s Gospel we read about Jesus’ appointment of 70  other men after the calling of the twelve Apostles.  These 70 others also served in an apostolic manner.  Their names appear throughout the New Testament, and they are commemorated annually on their feast days.  In this chapter, Jesus sends them on a mission to every town which he would soon enter (St Luke 10: 1 – 12).  We read this:

The seventy returned with joy saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”  And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and every power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.  Nevertheless, in this do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you.  But, rejoice that your names are written in the heavens (St Luke 10: 19 – 20).

It appears that we are to learn that we are not to rejoice in spiritual authority or any other gift, or gifts, given to us by God.  Rather, we are to rejoice in the gift of the grace and salvation of relationship with God — that we are enrolled in the census of the Kingdom of Heaven as its citizens.

After being given this information and instruction, our Lord himself rejoices,

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and knowledgable and revealed them to children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will (St Luke 10: 21).

“…And revealed them to children (nepiois)…”  The matters of the Kingdom of Heaven and the relationship with God were and are given to nepiois — infants or children who exist in innocence.  Regarding the necessity of being childlike we read this from St Mark’s Gospel:

And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.  But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it (St Mark 10: 13 – 15).

In this innocence and faithfulness we are to conduct ourselves by faith.  For our names to continue to exist in the heavens we must persevere in the faith.  We are to “…with fear and trembling work out your salvation.  For God is the one who works in you; to will and to work in behalf of his good pleasure” (Phil 2: 12b – 13).  Then we find this in the third chapter of Revelation of John in the message to the church in Sardis (whose works had, to the most part, become dead and displeasing to the Lord):

But you have a few names in Sardis who have not soiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.  Thus, the one who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments and his name shall never be wiped away from the Book of Life.  And I shall confess his name before my Father and before his angels.  The one who has an ear is to listen to what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 3: 4 – 6).

One who persevered and conquered is St Clement of Rome.  He was the fourth bishop of Rome, and St Paul mentions him in his letter to the Philippians:

And I also ask you, who are a loyal coworker, help these women [Euodia and Syntyche] for they have labored together with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, of whom their names [are] in the Book of Life (Phil 4: 3).

St Clement Bishop of Rome

St Clement’s feast day occurs every November 25.  Clement was raised in luxury and received a fine education.  He became dissatisfied with his life offered by Rome and left the city.  He travelled extensively, and while in Alexandria Clement met St Barnabas (one of the Seventy) and received the truth of the Gospel.  He then travelled to Palestine and was baptized by St Peter himself.  His work as bishop of Rome was very fruitful, but displeasing to the emperor Trajan.  He was exiled to the Crimea.  His work and miracles continued among his fellow prisoners.  His continued faithfulness led to his martyrdom.  He was throw into the sea with an anchor tied to his neck.  St Clement conquered — he was victorious — and his name abides in the Book of Life.  He is numbered among the Apostolic Fathers, that is, those who immediately followed in the footsteps of the Apostles.  Two letters written by him to the Corinthians exist.  St Clement offers this instruction to the Corinthians of the late first century and to us:

Let us approach him in holiness of soul, raising pure and undefiled hands to him, loving our gracious and merciful Father, who has made us the portion of his choice for himself (1 Clement XXIX. 1).

Let’s recall the words of St John in the Apocalypse: “Thus, the one who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments and his name shall never be wiped away from the Book of Life.”

The following is a corresponding sermon:

In Christ who empowers us to overcome,

Fr Irenaeus