Angels at Our Side #1
Hebrews 1:1-14
Sermon by: Rick Crandall
McClendon Baptist Church - Feb. 22, 2006
*Do you know whose birthday is today? George Washington. He was born on Feb. 22, 1732. This country was founded through some of the greatest men who have ever lived.
*To give you a taste of Washington, listen to part of a letter he received from the members of America’s oldest Jewish synagogue. In 1790, Rhode Island had become the final state to ratify our Constitution. Washington went to Newport to celebrate, and this letter was given as part of the celebration.
“Permit the children of the stock of Abraham to approach you with the most cordial affection and esteem for your person and merits ~~ and to join with our fellow citizens in welcoming you to NewPort.
With pleasure we reflect on those days ~~ those days of difficulty, and danger, when the God of Israel, who delivered David from the peril of the sword, ~~ shielded Your head in the day of battle: ~~ and we rejoice to think, that the same Spirit, who rested in the Bosom of the greatly beloved Daniel enabling him to preside over the Provinces of the Babylonish Empire, rests and ever will rest, upon you, enabling you to discharge the arduous duties of Chief Magistrate in these States.
Deprived as we heretofore have been of the invaluable rights of free Citizens, we now with a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty disposer of all events behold a Government, erected by the Majesty of the People ~~ a Government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance ~~ but generously affording to all Liberty of conscience, and immunities of Citizenship . . .
This so ample and extensive Federal Union whose basis is Philanthropy, Mutual confidence and Public Virtue, we cannot but acknowledge to be the work of the Great God, who ruleth in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, doing whatever seemeth him good. . .” (1)
*George Washington was one of the countless great men and women used by God to make a difference in our world. But human beings are not always strong enough to get the job done, and God has other amazing servants: His angels.
*Tonight we begin a study on the angels at our side.
1. First, God wants us to know the reality of angels. Angels are just as real as you and me.
*Now, this passage of Scripture is not primarily about angels; it’s mainly about Jesus Christ. But the Word of God does speak about angels here, and when it does, it speaks in a totally matter-of-fact way, as we see in vs. 5-6:
5. For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?’’
6. But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him.’’
*I suppose there have always been people who did not believe in angels. Acts 23 gives an example as Paul appeared before the Council in Jerusalem.
6. But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!’’
7. And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
8. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
*We also see these unbelievers in Mark 12:18-27:
18. Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:
19. "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
20. "Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.
21. "And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.
22. "So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also.
23. "Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.’’
24. Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?
25. "For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
26. "But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
27. "He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.’’
*In vs. 24, Jesus told them that they were making a terrible mistake, because they did not “know the Scriptures or the power of God.” We don’t want to make the same mistake as the Sadducees! And as we go through the Word of God, we see that the word angel appears 286 times. Angels are as real as you are.
*If angels aren’t real, then Zacharias was a liar in Luke 1, because he said that an angel appeared to tell him about the coming of John the Baptist. If angels aren’t real, then Joseph was a liar in Matthew 1, because he said that an angel spoke to him in a dream. If angels aren’t real, then Mary was a liar, because she said that an angel appeared to her. If angels aren’t real, then Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and even Jesus are all dishonest. And the Bible is untrue, but God’s Word is true. And angels are just as real as you are.
*Many people have been blessed as God pulled back the curtain and let them see angels at work in their lives. As most of you know, this is true in my life.
*Next week, Lord willing, Becky and I are going to Georgia, and one of the things I want to do is drive down the highway between Macon and Gordon. That’s where I was on a June afternoon 33 years ago, headed to work after talking to a lady in the Teacher Corps at Grambling State University. Louisiana was about the last state I wanted to come to, and Grambling was about the last school I would ever want to come to.
*I was hoping to get into the Teacher Corps program at the University of Georgia, but 6 months after applying, I hadn’t heard a word. Then, out of the blue, I got this call from Grambling: Black school, out in the middle of No-where, Louisiana, 500 miles from home. And they wanted me out here in 5 days.
*The Teacher Corps Rep I talked to in Atlanta that day said: “I just want to be sure you understand. If you go out there, you’re gonna be like a white speck of sand on a black beach.”
*When the lady from GSU called back I turned her down, but she said, “Why don’t you sleep on it and I’ll call you back tomorrow.”
*Making that 25 mile drive to work that afternoon, I was going over all the reasons why I didn’t want to go. And let me tell you that, at that moment, God was the last thing on my mind, because I didn’t even believe in God. But about half way to work, out of the blue, I heard these words in my mind, “God wants you to go to Louisiana.”
*I laughed out loud and said out loud, “God wants me to go to Louisiana? I don’t even believe in God!”
*But then it came again, stronger, firmer, “God wants you to go to Louisiana.”
*And again I spoke out loud, “Well if God wants me to go to Louisiana, then I guess I’ll go.” And a week later I was out here. I did not get saved for two more years, but I don’t believe I ever would have come to Christ, if I didn’t come out here.
*I am sure that God sent an angel to give me that message 33 years ago, and I am amazed at the testimony God gave to me, but we have a more sure Word in our hands. And even if you never get to see God’s angels at work in an obvious way, you can totally depend on the Word of God when it tells us that angels are real.
2. God wants us to know the reality of angels, and He wants us to know the reason for angels. We can see this in vs. 13 & 14:
13. But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’’?
14. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
*When it says that the angels are sent forth to minister in vs. 14, that’s the same word in the original language where we get our word, deacon. So angels are sent to serve. They are sent by God to serve for God, and that service includes helping God’s people, helping us.
*It is comforting to know that God has specific angels assigned to help you. That’s how important you are to God, and the Lord helped us see this in Matthew 18:10-11 where Jesus was talking about little children, and said,
10. "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
11. "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
*“Their angels see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” God had specific angels assigned to help them, and He has specific angels assigned to help you!
*Listen to another story that reminds us of this truth. Douglas Vincent heard this report on NPR in April 1988. A series of tornadoes had ripped through the south. And the day after the storms, the NPR program “All Things Considered” had a story about a church called “The Church of the Open Door.“
*Their church had been destroyed the day before. Terrified children had been in a choir rehearsal at the time.
*When the pastor saw the storm coming, he quickly gathered all the children in the church’s main hallway. There they huddled together as the winds ripped the church apart. Trying to calm the children’s fears, the pastor led them in singing “Jesus loves the little children.” Some of the children were hurt, but miraculously no one was killed.
*Douglas said that the most gripping part of the broadcast was the report of a little girl who said, “While we were singing, I saw angels holding up the hallway, but the winds were so strong that the angels shouted, “We need help!’ And some more angels came to help.” (2)
*God gave that little girl a glimpse of His heavenly help from angels, but even if we don’t get to see it, I promise you that His angels are on the scene to help us.
3. God wants us to know the reason of angels, but most of all, He wants us to know the ruler of angels. The angels have a King! And His name is Jesus Christ.
*As strong and as powerful as the angels are, they cannot begin to compare to Jesus! He is far, far above the angels. In fact, the main reason that the writer mentions angels in Hebrews 1 is to show us that Jesus is better than them.
*Jesus is Lord of all! And He is certainly Lord over the angels, so Hebrews 1 makes this point five times.
Vs. 3-4: Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Vs. 5: For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You’’? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son’’?
Vs. 6: But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him.’’
Vs. 7-9: And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire.’’ But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.’’
And Vs.10-13: And: "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.’’ But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’’?
*Jesus is Lord of all! And even though the angels can do great and wonderful things, there are many things only God can do! Only Jesus could die on the Cross for our sins. As Hebrews 2:9 says: “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
*Jesus died for us! No angel could have done that, and no angel can do the work in our hearts that Jesus can do. Jesus can wash away our sins and make us brand new on the inside. Jesus can even give us a heart like His.
*Arnold Prater told the story of a missionary who was captured by the brutal North Korean Communists. He hid a tiny New Testament in his cell among his things. One day the guards found it, took him from his cell, and then beat him and kicked him, until he lay bloody and panting with exhaustion.
*But this missionary later said, “Suddenly, to their astonishment I began to laugh softly with joy, for I discovered that even after all that brutality I could love them. As the blows were coming down on me, the Holy Spirit brought to my memory the word I needed to hear: You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who… persecute you’”
*Then the missionary said: “They took my (Bible) from me, but they could not steal the Word, for I had hidden it in my heart!" (3)
*As far as we know, that missionary did not receive a miraculous rescue from an angel, but he did have something better. He had a heart full of love, just like the Lord’s heart, because the Lord was living in His heart. And the Lord wants to live in your heart too.
*Jesus Christ loved His enemies so much that He was even willing to die on the Cross for them, for us. He could have called 10,000 angels to come and rescue Him, even though one would have been enough, but the Lord didn’t do that.
*Jesus did what no angel could ever do. He died on the Cross for us, and then he rose again. Jesus is Lord over all the angels. He is Lord of all.
Conclu:
*God wants us to know about the angels at our side. Know the reality of angels. Know the reason for angels, but most of all, know the ruler of angels: Jesus Christ.
(1) Adapted from a post by Scott Johnson on the powerlineblog - Feb. 22, 2006
(2) Adapted from SermonCentral illustration contributed by: Douglas Vincent
(3) Arnold Prater, The Presence, 1993, p. 13; (as found in Ritz) (I originally found this story in Dynamic Preaching; also found on the website of the First Presbyterian Church of Logan, UT)
