Today’s message suggests a gathering of loved ones at a future gathering; a time when we get together in celebration of loved ones, friends, family or something that we all have in common.
People do it all the time quarterly, bi-annually or annually. It’s a coming together to celebrate each other for a special occasion. When done right, it is a wonderful time to join hearts, laugh, reminisce, be joyful and see people that we have not seen since the last time we saw them.
The word “reunion” means “an instance of two or more people coming together again after a period of separation. A social gathering attended by members of a certain group of people who have not seen each other for some time.” This time of the year for the next several months over the summer, there will be reunions popping up all across the country — family reunions, class reunions, sororities, clubs, former co-workers meeting for a time of social enjoyment, celebration and a time of worship to appreciate each other, and that’s a good thing.
For in just a little less than two months though I won’t be able to attend, my family will be celebrating our family reunion. I like that. From one year to the next, so much can happen — sickness, tragedy, catastrophe and death can strike at any time, thus breaking the link in our connected chain.
I would rather come together for a reunion and celebrate while we can see one another, than come together for a funeral and grieve and the deceased individual doesn’t know that we are there.
Recently, we celebrated our class reunion of 1974; a blessed year with blessed people. It was the year that Richard M. Nixon resigned from president of the United States after Watergate. It was the year of “The Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. It was the year that 19-year-old Patricia Hearst was kidnapped. Songs of that year were “The Way We Were” by Barbra Streisand and “Killing Me Softly With His Song” by Roberta Flack. It was the year of television — “Hawaii Five-O,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Good Times,” “The Waltons” and “Barnaby Jones.”
We remembered when some of us had a head full of hair, and it was all black! We could run the 100-yard dash, do somersaults and play hopscotch all day long. It was the year of Earth, Wind and Fire, Elton John, John Denver and the Main Ingredients when “Everybody Did Play the Fool.” Oh, what a year it was! But that’s why it’s good to come together and celebrate and have reunions.
Every one of us knows of a classmate who is not here today. We all can call the name of somebody who went to school with us that death claimed, and they are not here with us to celebrate another reunion.
I’ve attended funerals of some of my schoolmates I thought would be here today. Not too long ago, I attended the funeral of one of our classmates with another classmate. He said to me at the burial, “George, our classmates are leaving here!” I agreed…shortly thereafter, he was gone! And I thought about what he said as I stood there at his coffin.
Readers, I hope you all know that we are blessed, better than blessed! God has been good to us. Nothing so good that we have done, just the mercy and grace of God that is extended to us. It’s good to have a relationship with Jesus Christ because we don’t know if many of us will be here before we come together again. I’ve lost a beloved sister just a couple of months ago.
But the thing is this, there is another reunion! And everyone that is a blood-bought, born-again Christian is guaranteed to be at that reunion. Guaranteed! It is one that I am going to be at. What about you? All of you? If we all have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we may not make another reunion down here, but we are all guaranteed to make the one up there. My question is, “Will you be at the reunion?”
The Bible says in Revelation, And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude… saying, Alleluia… Let us rejoice and be glad, and give honor to him: for the marriage supper of the lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready … Blessed are they that are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb (Revevealations 19:6-9). The bride, of course, is the church (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22–33). Christians and Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is the bridegroom (John 3:29).
One day, He will return and take His bride, the church — Christians to heaven (John 14:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). Jesus said “and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive YOU unto myself (John 14:3. Paul said, ”The trump shall sound with the voice of the archangel; and the dead in Christ shall rise first … then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).
So, community, if we don’t make another reunion, make sure you be at this reunion; because at this reunion, we will never have to say goodbye, we will never grow old. There will be no gray hair, no wrinkles, no bad knees or arthritis; if you are saved by grace, I’ll see you at the reunion!
The Rev. George Ellis is the pastor of Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church and can be reached at [email protected].
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