One Body, Many Nations
A Sermon for All Saint's Day
This week’s sermon reflects on All Saints’ Day and the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. Though Anglicans reject the doctrine of purgatory, we still hold fast to the deeper truth these observances proclaim — that the Church, across time and space and even death, is one in Christ. This message explores that communion, drawn from Revelation 7, where the saints above and below are united in worship before the Lamb.
Today is November 2, which, according to the Roman Catholic Church’s calendar, commemorates All Souls’ Day. Classical Western Christianity divided the church into three parts: (1) the Church Militant, made up of believers living on earth; (2) the Church Expectant (or Repentant), which consisted of faithful departed being purified in purgatory before entering heaven; and (3) the Church Triumphant, composed of saints already in heaven. All Saints’ Day was a day to celebrate the Church Triumphant, while All Souls’ Day was focused on prayer and remembrance for the souls in purgatory who had not yet entered heaven.
Article XXII of the 39 Articles rejects the doctrine of purgatory, so Anglicans do not formally observe All Souls’ Day. However, if you look in our prayer book, you will notice that November 2 still has a special name. It’s called “The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed,” which seems to allow some room for our more Catholic-leaning Anglican brothers and sisters to celebrate All Souls’ Day if they choose to.
Now, you may know that I first encountered Anglicanism through a church called All Souls Anglican Church in Wheaton, IL. It was there that I learned what it meant to be an Anglican. I was confirmed and ordained in that church, so the church and the people there from a decade ago will always hold a special place in my heart.
Needless to say, All Souls is very meaningful to me. We Anglicans don’t distinguish between saints in heaven and those in purgatory who are still on their journey because we don’t believe in purgatory. However, there remains a difference between All Saints’ Day on November 1 and the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed on November 2. On All Saints’ Day, the Church gives thanks for the great saints in Church history, such as Mary, the Apostles, Augustine, Benedict, Francis, Thomas Aquinas, and, of course, our own namesake, St. Dunstan.
In the Anglican tradition, November 1 is for them, but November 2 is for all the faithful departed: the known and the unknown, the famous and the forgotten. November 2, regardless of what we call it, reminds us that the church isn’t just made up of heroes; it is filled with everyday people like us who may never be famous or canonized, but are still part of the universal Church in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
So, we do not observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in the same way as the Roman Catholic Church does; however, we still affirm the deep reality behind these two days. That reality is this: the Church, across time, space, and even death, remains united in Christ. The same Spirit who unites the saints triumphant in glory also connects us to them in the mystical Body of Christ.
That is why our prayer book designates November 2 as the Commemoration of Faithful Departed—not as a day to speculate about the state of the dead, but as a day of gratitude, remembrance, and hope for all who have come before us in the faith. We remember those we love but see no longer; we give thanks that they are held in God’s mercy; and we look forward to the day when we and they will together behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
While we celebrate All Saints’ Day today, we also recognize a deeper reality: the saints and the faithful departed form one communion—a fellowship that includes us. The Church is not two separate churches, one above and one below, but one unified community brought together by the Holy Spirit across time, space, and death.
Knit Together in One Communion and Fellowship
Our collect expresses it beautifully:
“Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical Body of your Son.”
There is not one church in heaven and another on earth. There is one Church: the Church militant and the Church triumphant, united in one Lord by one Spirit, one faith, and one baptism.
This unity is both vertical and horizontal. Vertically, we are connected to all who have gone before us in faith—the saints whose earthly labors are now finished. Horizontally, we are united with believers around the world who worship Christ in many languages and cultures. We are one with them, saints on earth and saints in heaven, forever and ever.
Hearing and Seeing in Revelation 7
The reading from Revelation 7 offers us a glimpse of that eternal communion. The chapter begins with John hearing about 144,000 sealed from the tribes of Israel—twelve times twelve times a thousand, symbolizing the promised restoration of Israel. But when John turns to see, he beholds something far greater.
“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” (Rev 7:9).
This “hearing and seeing” pattern repeats throughout Revelation. What John hears symbolizes restored Israel; what he sees is the Church—the true Israel fulfilled in Christ, not by replacing God’s people but by expanding the covenant to include every tribe and language in the one true descendant of Abraham.
Here, in this vision, we see the universal Church—the countless multitude, the saints of all ages and nations gathered in worship before the throne. The promises made to Israel are fulfilled in Christ, and their boundaries now include the entire world. The people of God are no longer defined by ethnicity, geography, or language but by participation in the Lamb who was slain.
One Body, Many Nations
That vision requires us to rethink how we understand identity. If there was ever a people with a claim to divine exclusivity, it was Israel. Yet in Christ, even that boundary is surpassed. The Church is not defined by race, nationality, or social standing but by union with Jesus Christ.
All Saints’ Day reminds us that our truest citizenship is heavenly. It’s not that patriotism or local loyalty is wrong—indeed, we rightly thank our veterans and those who serve—but these other allegiances must always be secondary to Christ. Paul states in Ephesians 1 that Jesus Christ was placed not just slightly above every rule, power, authority, and dominion. He says that He was placed far above every rule, power, authority, domination, and every other name that is named, both in the past and forever. Our primary and deepest allegiance must always be to a kingdom that is not from this world but is very much of this world.
This truth is especially important in an age when identity is often defined by division. The communion of saints declares a unity deeper than culture or country, a fellowship that crosses every artificial line drawn on maps. The Church is one body from many nations, united by the Spirit who brings together the Church militant on earth with the Church triumphant in heaven forever and ever.
Blessed Are You
Our Gospel reading from Luke 6 shows us what heavenly citizenship looks like in everyday life. Jesus blesses the poor, the hungry, those who mourn, and the persecuted, while warning those who are rich, satisfied, and self-important. In other words, the saints are not defined by worldly success or comfort. Saints live their lives based on a different set of values.
Some saints are renowned, but most are ordinary and hidden. They are teachers who formed us in faith. They are parents who prayed every day for their children. They are missionaries who served in obscurity. They are all the faithful people who loved quietly and well, even though no one remembers their names. These, too, are saints. Their lives proclaim that the way up is the way down, that greatness in God’s kingdom is measured by humility and not wealth, and that true glory is found not in self-promotion and self-aggrandizing but in self-giving, self-emptying love for the good of others.
To live as saints is to live by a different set of values—where mercy triumphs over pride, where love conquers death, and where the meek truly inherit the earth.
Before the Throne and the Lamb
When we gather for worship, we do not stand alone. We stand with all the saints—those beside us in the pews, those scattered across the world, and those who now rest in divine light. At every Eucharist, heaven and earth come together. The Church above and the Church below unite in one chorus of praise to the Lamb who was slain.
John’s vision closes with this promise:
“They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev 7:16–17).
That is the destiny of the saints. Until that day, the same Spirit who unites the Church in heaven also unites us here on earth—teaching us to pray, supporting us in faith, and whispering to us in our darkest moments that we are never alone.
Conclusion
So today, give thanks for all the saints—those whose names we know and the countless more known only to God. Give thanks for the Holy Spirit who unites us in one communion and fellowship. And most importantly, give thanks for the Lamb, whose blood has made us one people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
For we are not strangers or foreigners to each other, but fellow citizens of God’s kingdom—members of the household of faith, united in a countless multitude before the throne and the Lamb.
And one day, along with all the saints in glory, we will sing together:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power be to our God forever and ever.”
Amen.
Life Group Guide
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather today, we thank you for the communion of saints that spans across time and eternity. We ask that you open our hearts and minds to learn what you want to teach us through this discussion. Help us see beyond our earthly divisions and understand our true identity as citizens of your kingdom. Unite us by your Holy Spirit with all the saints, both those who have gone before us and those who worship with us around the world. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What is one tradition or memory from your family or childhood that always brings you comfort when you think about it?
Key Verses
Revelation 7:9
Luke 6:20-26
Ephesians 1:21
Questions
How does understanding the Church as one body across time and eternity change your perspective on worship and community?
The sermon mentions that most saints are ‘ordinary and hidden’ - teachers, parents, and missionaries who served in obscurity. Who are some of these ‘ordinary saints’ in your own life?
What does it mean to you that our ‘truest citizenship is heavenly’ while still living faithfully on earth?
How can we live by the different set of values that Jesus describes in the Beatitudes, where ‘the way up is actually the way down’?
The vision in Revelation shows people from ‘every nation, tribe, and tongue’ worshiping together. How should this influence how we view and treat people who are different from us?
What artificial divisions or boundaries do you see in today’s world that the communion of saints challenges us to transcend?
How does remembering the faithful departed - both famous saints and unknown believers - encourage you in your own faith journey?
In what practical ways can we live out our identity as ‘fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God’ in our daily interactions?
Life Application
This week, identify one person in your life who has been an ‘ordinary saint’—someone who has consistently lived out their faith in quiet, humble ways. Reach out to thank them for their impact on your life, or if they have passed away, spend time in prayer giving thanks for their example. Also, look for one opportunity to live by kingdom values instead of worldly values—such as choosing humility over pride, service over self-promotion, or mercy over judgment.
Key Takeaways
The Church is one unified body that transcends time, space, and even death, connecting believers across all ages and nations.
Most saints are ordinary people who live faithfully in obscurity rather than famous figures in church history.
Our primary citizenship is heavenly, which should influence how we view earthly loyalties and divisions.
True greatness in God’s kingdom is measured by humility and self-giving service, not worldly success.
The communion of saints challenges us to see beyond artificial boundaries of race, nationality, and social status.
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for making us one people through your blood, drawn from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Help us to live as true citizens of your kingdom, following the example of the saints who have gone before us. May we serve with humility, love with sacrifice, and remember that we are never alone because the great cloud of witnesses surrounds us. Unite us more deeply with our brothers and sisters around the world and with those who now rest in your presence. Until that glorious day when we join them in singing your praises forever, help us to represent your kingdom here on earth faithfully. In your holy name we pray, Amen.