In this sermon, Shawna Boren examines the meaning of the vision of the 144,000. What is the meaning of this vast crowd and who is included in it? These questions are explored and the symbolic answers are connected to three parables of Jesus from Luke 15. This vision shows us the heart of God for all people, which can lead us into the depths of God’s love and transformation. 
These verses list the names of the 12 sons of the Jewish patriarch, Jacob. Each son became the leader of their own tribe, with their own territories, traditions, and responsibilities. They represent the foundation of God’s chosen people. The significance isn’t in the names of the tribes, but in the numbers.
The first number is 144,000, which is not literal as many have taught. It is symbolic. 144,000 equals 12,000 in each of the 12 tribes. 1000 refers to an indefinite quantity or the totality of multiple generations. The number 12 symbolizes perfection or completeness of a numerical quantity. This is not about a specific number of people who will be included. It is an expression of the wideness in God’s mercy and love, like the wideness of the sea. All are included. John heard the number 144,000, but he saw a multiples of multitudes. It is an innumerable amount. But also it is not a sea of unknown faces. The great multitude is made up of individual people. Jesus cares for the whole flock and for the each one.
This inclusion of all and each one is illustrated by three stories found in Luke 15. In this chapter, we read about three aspects of the shepherd’s heart of God. In the first story, we find how Jesus pursues each of us. Jesus identifies himself with a shepherd, a despised trade. When a sheep is lost, the shepherd goes after it until he finds it. When the shepherd approaches and the sheep hears the shepherd’s call, it will summon any remaining energy to bleat as loudly as it can. The sheep recognizes the shepherds voice and accepts being found.
The second story speaks to the persistence of God towards us. Jesus tells a story of a woman who tenaciously searches for her lost coin. She does not stop until she finds it.
The story of the prodigal son speaks to the patience of God. The father in this story waits for his son to return, and when he sees him from afar, he runs to him in order to show to the entire community that he should be restored and celebrated. If he had not acted in this radical way, the community would have cast him out. The father shamed himself to protect his son from shame and humiliation.
The symbol of the 144,000 shows us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Being sealed by God is not a guarantee of a trouble-free life. It is a guarantee that we will not be separated from the shepherd-like love of Christ. He will always pursue, persist, and be patient. This is God’s nature.
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