Angels! For whatever reasons, people are very much challenged in relating to them. Some go TOO FAR and violate God’s Word: don’t worship them, don’t pray to them, and do not give them what is only due the Lord! On the other hand, many don’t go FAR ENOUGH, living as though they do not matter, but the Lord decided to include them in sacred revelation.

Tomorrow, we will put forth the balance. They serve and worship Christ and they do the Lord’s bidding. The exciting part is to elaborate on that bidding which includes serving and helping YOU! This service is part and parcel an expression of God’s grace to and for you…the angels amplify knowing God’s love and mercy; the angels highlight how precious you — the “little ones”/God’s children — are to the Lord.

Come and once again receive the Lord’s service to you through Word and Sacrament (which will include the service of the holy angels at Christ’s bidding for you)!

For the children’s service, I will be sharing two fascinating pieces of art with the children, one, a beautiful icon, the other a powerful statue.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow’s sermon:

In our Gospel text this morning from Matthew 18, the main focus is on the “little ones.” And while the Lord brings forth an actual child (v 2), he is teaching us that the little ones are God’s children who emulate the way of a real child who is dependent on and who trusts in a superior; that is they live in humility (The Lutheran Study Bible, 1621). You are the little ones Christians. God is your Father and He loves you as His child. You humble yourselves as you trust in God and depend on Him through Christ! Now what does this have to do with angels?

 

Towards the end of this same Gospel today we hear these words: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven (v 10).” Complementary to this is Luke 15:7 on the great joy in heaven over the sinner who is constantly living in repentance. The angels are associated with the relationship between humble servants and being in the very presence of God, because to truly worship God and to know God is to know His grace for sinners. The angels witness the God of grace who receives you as His child! As a result, the angels are supreme examples of how to live: to seek God’s presence, to behold His salvation, and to live humbly as servants of the Lord.

 

Yes, even the mighty angels – just one of them being more powerful than a human army (2 Kings 19:35) – (these angels) humble themselves before the Almighty God from whom they derive all of their power and glory. They know that they too like you and me are totally dependent on the Lord and it is their delight and purpose to serve God. And in their surging power, they know and practice humility (it is the right way to live). In Isaiah 6:2 the mighty seraphim (whose titles mean “burning ones” or “fiery ones”), these great angels have six wings. In Isaiah 6, however, when they come before the Lord to cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory (6:3),” two of their wings are used to cover their feet, and two of their wings are used to cover their faces (v 2). The picture is stunning and magnificent. These powerful, powerful servants of God that would send any of one of us to the ground trembling with fear yet cover themselves in deepest reverence and humility before the Lord! Oh, to be like the angels!

 

 

Again, oh, to be like the angels! And yet in our sin – we who are lower (Psalm 8:5) in stature and power – are so proud. Instead of covering ourselves in humility, our sin leads us not to be considerate of standing before the Lord in proper covering. Our sin, however, leads us to be reckless and to use even the meager powers the Lord has permitted us not in service to the Lord and not in His worship (as the angels do), but to serve ourselves; not to reverence the Lord, but to seek honor for ourselves; not to cover ourselves in humility, but to clothe ourselves in pride. And while angels cover their feet and their faces, our feet rush to sin and our faces – in accord with our sinful flesh – are covered with shame. But thanks be to God, the angels bring glad tidings to us just as the poor shepherds received on Christmas Eve: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).”

 

The word “angel” – whether presented in the Hebrew mal’akh or the Greek angelos – means “messenger.” This word is about their office and tells us about they do (Lockyer, 3). And even in their vast and exciting ranks and hierarchy which includes the Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Archangels, and Angels, what they “message” more than anything is Jesus.

Divine Service begins at 9:30 am. Let us gather, we are the body of Christ!

In Jesus’ Love,

Pastor Espinosa