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Who Are the Real Saints
Series
Preaching The Lectionary September through November 2026
Forget the curated profiles and the spiritual "all-star teams." Who are the real saints?
In this episode, Father Jon flips our cultural obsession with greatness upside down. Discover why true sainthood isn't about human achievement, public recognition, or building a spiritual platform. Instead, it’s about being "cruciformed"—shaped by the cross, completely dependent on God's grace, and finding our true identity entirely in Christ.
Tune in to rethink what it means to be holy, and learn why heaven's measure of greatness looks absolutely nothing like the world's.
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0:00 – Podcast Introduction
- Welcome and introduction by Father Jon for The Altar Church podcast in Anderson, SC.
- Community vision: a Spirit-filled, mission-shaped, sacramental congregation grounded in the Word.
0:31 – Sermon Title: Who Are the Real Saints?
- Contrasting curated public profiles with a cruciform life following the way of the cross.
1:05 – Curated Personas vs. True Character
- The common disillusionment of discovering spiritual figures are not who they appeared to be.
- Projecting a carefully managed image in public while living a contradictory private life.
1:53 – Cruciformity Defined (Galatians 2:20)
- Biblical sainthood is cruciform—crucified with Christ, rather than self-curated.
- Defining cruciformity: shaping life after the cross through self-giving love rather than measured personal greatness.
- New Testament Hagios (sanctified, set apart): all believers as consecrated saints by grace, alongside historical saints who modeled exceptional fidelity.
3:00 – Curated by the Crowd vs. Gathered by the Lamb
- The saints of history prioritized how they were seen in the eyes of the Lamb over worldly acclaim.
- Core distinction: real saints are gathered together by the Lamb; curated personas are manufactured by the crowd.
3:56 – The Nameless Multitude (Revelation 7)
- John's vision of an unnumbered throng from every tribe, nation, and language standing before the throne.
- True identity found not in fame, titles, or global platforms, but in enduring tribulation and proclaiming God's glory.
4:38 – The Communion of Saints & The Baptismal Robe
- The identity of the church is communal rather than an individual spiritual "all-star team".
- Revelation 7:9: Wearing the white robe received through baptism and sanctification in the Holy Spirit.
5:53 – Case Study: Billy Graham and the Crucible of Humility
- Examining Billy Graham's journey from early ambition and confidence to mature humility.
- How intense scrutiny pushed Graham toward the way of the cross over the way of ego.
- Rejecting celebrity culture: the church exists to bear witness to the crucified and risen Christ, not manufacture personalities.
7:25 – Heaven’s Metric of Greatness
- Greatness evaluated through redemption by the blood of the Lamb rather than earthly metrics.
- Challenging listeners on how they evaluate their own spiritual worth.
8:12 – The Beatitudes: The "Losers" Who Inherit the Kingdom (Matthew 5)
- Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, the meek, the mourning, and the persecuted.
- Spiritual maturity reached when human self-reliance shatters and complete dependence on God begins ("When I am weak, then I am strong").
9:05 – Faithfulness Over Achievement
- Real saints defined by quiet fidelity to Christ's kingdom and taking up the cross.
- The unrecognized saints throughout history: nursery workers, church sextons, Sunday school teachers, and modern martyrs.
10:15 – Colossians 1:24 & The Purpose of Hidden Suffering
- Paul’s perspective on suffering for the body of Christ.
- Pondering whether hidden faithfulness carries greater eternal weight than visible public success.
11:30 – Final Benediction & Conclusion
- Closing praise drawn from Revelation 7:10–12.
- Outro and pastoral blessing.