Luke 2:8-16 • Angel Glory, Jesus' Story
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(This transcript was prepared using software tools and has not been reviewed for complete accuracy.)
"Brandy Rose, already this day, read our Scripture. Let me ask that you would turn there to Luke chapter 2 verses 8 through 16."
We've had a sweet Christmas already together.
In recent weeks, some of you may have been reminded of the race for space with the memorials to John Glenn, the astronaut and senator, American hero.
But as you think back to that race for space, particularly some of the early space shots, I wonder what memories come back to your minds.
Jack Needleman was one of the reporters covering an early launch of the United States as we were seeking to catch up with other nations at that time.
And he reports what happened at one of the first night launches of a rocket carrying human beings into space.
He wrote of the event, "At first it was a social occasion with refreshments on the lawn of the space center.
But then the countdown began.
Ten, nine, eight. All eyes and cameras turned toward the 36-story rocket.
Even jaded reporters were caught and quieted by the moment. Then suddenly all were blinded by an extraordinary light.
Knowledge, brilliance at the limit of what the human eye could bear.
The rocket rose slowly against the dark canopy of the night in total silence because it took several seconds for the sound to cross the distance to the reporters.
Then the sound waves struck washing over onlookers with the thunder that rattled their bones.
The rocket traveled higher than higher still as the first stage ignited in blue spectacular flame.
And then it was gone, vanished into the vacant atmosphere and the vastness of space."
Wrote Needleman, "There were no wisecracks.
There were no comments.
No sounds. His eyes were filled with light and their faces lit by the inner glow of sheer wonder.
Hardened reporters who had faced the daily realities of a brutal world and broken humanity were by the glory made reverent."
What if when you thought of the angels that came to the shepherds, the image that came to your minds, was not that of angels in a snow globe over a music box touching harps of gold?
What if the image that you had in mind were the images of the angels as Sarathim gathered around the throne of the holy of holies in heaven so that the brilliance even blinded the heavenly hosts and the thunder of their songs shook not only heaven but the doorposts of the temple as the earth itself quaked to hear, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty and the whole earth is full of His glory." What if that had been the voice that you heard when the angels sang, "Peace on earth."
And may God who is now present with you bring His peace to hearts of those with whom He is pleased.
Would your hearts not have been awed and reverent with that light against the night sky and against the darkness of your own heart? Why is reverence a response that we should so identify even in these moments? Because of what the angels sang, "Your King has come to you." And He came with ancient glory. The account that we know so well, we hardly hear it anymore, says that the angel of the Lord appeared and the glory of the Lord shone around them. The angel of the Lord, 65 times in the Old Testament we are told the angel of the Lord appeared. Rarely are we told it is with the glory of the Lord at the same moment.
When the glory of the Lord appears with the angel, men hide their faces. They fall to the ground. They are terrified.
It is what happened to the children of Israel where there the angel of the Lord appeared and the glory of the Lord shone on Mount Sinai in smoke and thunder and fire and the people hid from God and said to Moses, "You have to go. We don't want to go to see this God of such glory."
But as they hid their faces, it was that same angel of the Lord in glory who said He would direct the people to a land of promise. They hid, but He led them. And again, it is happening. The people, the shepherds are terrified. They hide their faces. Again the night sky lights and again the angel of the Lord leads.
You will find in the city of David a baby in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes and
they go to Him, not now to a promised land but to the promised one. As the glory of the angel says, "This one is even greater than Moses." He will again lead His people from slavery, but it is not the slavery to a Pharaoh, but slavery to their own sin from which He will lead them.
And He does not merely come with heavenly glory. He comes to a royal residence, this king, not the manger, that's not the royal residence.
But it is the city of David and takes us back to a promise that had come a thousand years earlier to David where God had promised to King David from His lineage would come one of a universal and eternal kingdom. But that was a thousand years ago. To us that's as far away as the Crusades that that promise came.
And it's been 700 years since Micah said the place it will be in Bethlehem.
But that would be to us like the time of Columbus.
It's been 400 years of silence since the last prophet of the Old Testament said anything about the coming Messiah. For us that's like the time of Plymouth Rock. Nobody said anything. Nothing's happened. It's been darkness and nothingness. And now suddenly breaking the silence, "This day," says the angel in the city of David,
"a child is born. He is Christ the Lord." Now not the promise to David, but the fulfillment of the promise of David. This one that comes is not merely greater than Moses. He is greater than David.
And he is announced by angels. He comes with ancient glory to a royal residence, but now with angel honor.
Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts.
Hardly ever in the Bible is there a multitude of angels.
The first time at creation itself where the book of Job tells us that the angels in multitude sang of the glory of God at creation.
The next multitude as we think about that is being described in preparation for this event is in the book of Daniel where you read that the ancient of days was seated upon the throne and won like a man, but clothed in white approached the throne and a thousand thousand stood, ten thousand times ten thousand, ready to serve the Lord, the heavenly host.
That was the last time the multitude had been mentioned.
It's perhaps important that we also remember the next time the multitude is scheduled to appear, for that is Revelation 5 when we are told again that the multitude will gather around the throne, echoing the words of Daniel so many years before, a thousand thousand, honoring him ten thousand times ten thousand, ready to do his bidding. As if to say, this one who has now come, this child in the manger for whom a multitude of angels gather has only been seen at such greatness at the moment of creation in heaven itself before the ancient of days predicting the judgment and glory to come and finally when the judgment comes, but now the angels in multitude have come for this little baby
saying he is not just greater than Moses, not just greater than David, he is superior to the angels themselves. After all, if they commend him, he commands them.
And it is the very message that the writer of Hebrews will pick up in the very first chapter to say not only is he superior to the angels, but he commands them to do his bidding and what is that bidding? Do you remember, we are told in Hebrews that the angels are ministering spirits sent to those who are to inherit salvation, that these angels that gather in multitude and glory are ministering spirits at the command of Jesus intended to minister to those who inherit salvation. That's you and me.
That God says I am sending by the command of my son the very angels that commend him,
those same angels to do my bidding for my people, that they may be saved and preserved for all the purposes to which I call them, the people who are to inherit salvation. I know we can bathe it with nativity sentiment and stop hearing it.
Do you believe that when you see the bumper stickers that say, you know, I have an angel watching over me, that what you are actually saying is, King Jesus watches over me and his ministering spirits who are the angels of glory gather for my sake and yours.
In the Old Testament in 2 Kings, only one angel slew 185,000 of the troops of Sennacherib on behalf of God's people.
And God now says his same ministering angels are watching over us.
Only because I was preparing this message last week did I think of the significance of it again. I got an email from a former student and now friend who's in ministry. He ministers in the Philippines, I mention him to you every now and then, Rene Kimbo,
who ministers in a Muslim area of the Philippines, an impoverished part of our world. It's very dangerous to him and to his family.
The population is so dense in that part of the world that his home and church are built on stilts over the water, making it vulnerable to storm and tsunami.
And the typhoon that came just a few months ago took out the church and so they were rebuilding.
On Friday of this past week, he sent this email. Just this morning, we received word that several local government officials in our area are raising questions of our presence after they saw the new concrete posts and beams under construction.
Ever once did they question our presence since we started ministry in 2007.
Please pray with us as we are scheduled to meet with them tomorrow.
Pray that our almighty God would send his angels to protect this work in our community.
Now there's a part of me I have to confess, I'm a pastor that I would hear that send the angels to and I kind of interpret that in kind of my modern understanding. You know, okay, I'll pray that God kind of watches over you.
But I was working on this message that God says he commands his angels as ministering spirits for his people.
And so I prayed, "God, send your spirits." And there were people all over the world praying that God would send his angels to protect his work in the poverty, Muslim-dominated areas of the Philippines.
That was last Thursday. This was the email of last Saturday.
Renee writes, "This morning, we were told by city officials to see the district chairman in his house.
After we exchanged pleasantries, we explained why we are rebuilding and he immediately cut us short, saying he wanted to go straight to the point.
First he reprimanded the officials who serve as his lookout in our part of the community,
accusing them of not informing him soon enough of our presence and activities.
Equally a strong intonavoice, he said, "Though we are not Muslims like them, at least we try to help his people, unlike others who sell children drugs to make money."
He said that he could not bring himself to confront us concerning our faith and our worship services and our Bible studies because of the educational programs and tutoring classes and health services that we have been offering. He apologized to us for feeling bad toward us. He closed the meeting by saying that if we needed any help in the future, we should come directly to him.
Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king. He sends his angels to do his bidding because he is the king of glory and he comes to make his blessings flow as far as the curse is found. And it's not just Christmas sentiment. If we would perceive it with the glory and the reality that God intends, if he is the king, what does that mean for you and me? It means that there is humility and reverence required even of us today.
That we dethrone any other authority in our lives that is contrary to him. That we confess that his gracious rule above all other words and powers is our authority in this world. And that people we believe because he is king function best vocationally and sexually and ethically when Jesus is the king of their lives.
We seek his ministering angels knowing that the world will resist him and us when we stand for him. But we believe we can call upon him because he is the king, because his angels work in our behalf. And that means not only do we dethrone all other kings in our lives, but we also believe that we are never alone no matter what we face. King Jesus watches over me and his ministering spirits are sent in my behalf.
If you are in the hospital, you are not alone.
God has given his angels charge over you.
If you are in a home where spouse or parent is not what they ought to be, you are not alone. God sends his ministering angels to do his bidding. If you are in a school where you are challenged by teacher or peer, you are not alone.
If you are in an occupation where the boss rages or your employee is unscrupulous, do you imagine that God himself is unaware?
It is actually up to us to believe that even as we face the rage or the theft that God himself sends the ministering angel with flame of sword behind that person yet to do his will.
And it may still be that we would be called to suffer for God's purposes. But God is saying, "I do not leave you helpless nor alone, but I am accomplishing my purposes in the world. I even sent my son to you, babe and a manger, to suffer the world's cruelties that you might know my purposes ultimately will rule."
And he said that to assure us that he was the king would also be our Savior.
Yes he is the king, but the angel said also he is Christ the Lord. A Savior is born to you this day in the city of David. And he came in humility to convince us of his heart. He came near to convince us that he would not walk away when our troubles were difficult that he would still be accomplishing his purposes. The Creator comes in creature clothes.
The King of angels lies in a feed trough for farm animals. The Son of God is an unwed mother's son.
Why does he do all of that? But to say he would come in humility to be near our hearts in proximity.
There is no stench, no difficulty, no hurt, no sin that is now so offensive to him that he would walk away from us. But when we call out to him, he comes to us.
Christ our King announced in shepherd field helpless comes, his power to wield. By the mother he created, he is born as he had planned, lying still within a manger.
Worlds turn round at his command.
Carried in the hands he fashioned, cradled in the arms he holds, bound to share a love more tender, freeing all his love in folds.
What does that love intend?
But that peace would come to our souls by his purpose. He actually had the angels announce it, fear not. I bring you good news, glory to God in the highest, peace on those on whom his favor rests. Is it really so? Was the purpose peace?
Perhaps the greatest answer is not evident when the angels appeared, but when he did not call them to appear.
There was another time remember, when he was arrested in a garden and his disciples thought it was time to physically fight. One even took out a sword to resist those who were about to arrest Jesus.
And Jesus spoke to his own disciples, "Do you not imagine I could call upon my father to bring 12 legions of angels to deliver me?" That by the way is 72,000 angels.
And he did none of it to show that his heart was intent on saving.
He is the king of glory who came to save his people from their sin. He was announced by angels and could command them, but did not call upon them when he suffered for my sin and for yours so that he could be the savior of promise. What is the message? It is not just that the king has come. It is not simply that the savior has come. It is that you should come to him.
It is actually what the messengers said.
You should please him. How?
Behold him and do not fear. We hear that word behold in our culture and we don't hear what it means anymore. We think it is just kind of a hashtag, you know, hashtag Jesus here.
No, it is the word for believing. It is one phrase put together by the angels. It is beholding, perceiving, not fearing.
You perceive who it is. Take this in. The king has come and he comes to save you. And if you believe that, you can face him and the world without fear. It is beholding, not fearing. It is the movement from terror to faith that is faith. My God would have every reason to come with the avenger's sword. He would have every reason to deal the blow of my sin against me and to take out the world for its darkness. And instead, he comes in the glow of heavenly light with the purpose of giving his life.
And in that message, if I can truly behold it, if I can really take it in, then there is no fear anymore.
He comes to make his purposes and his glories shine for me, through me, in this world as he does for you. Take it in that you may be without fear and take it in without delay.
And they made haste and went to see this thing that had happened. You know it's happened.
What is God calling your heart to do but to be beholding? Look what has happened. The king has come and the Savior here and perceiving it, not fearing, but receiving the reality by confessing, "God, you had every right to wield the sword, but you came in peace and brought forgiveness and pardon to my heart.
Take my heart to you again."
Kathy and I are at the phase of life that we now wait for the birth announcements, right?
Little boy, seven pounds, six ounces, 21 inches long, all the vital statistics.
There's a different kind of announcement here.
Every boy wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
He is the king.
He is your Savior.
Behold him.
Don't fear.
And when you fear him no more, know he has made peace between you and God.
Take your sin to him. Lay it down.
Good news.
Peace then to all on whom his favor rests.
Father, thank you for sending Jesus, our king and Savior.
Thank you that we may behold him and perceiving him, receive him, that our hearts may know your peace.
May the heart of each one here today say, "Father, I confess my need of your work in my behalf.
Forgive my sin.
I kneel before this child of yours and call him my king, dethroning all other kings and believing not only that he forgives me, but now fights for me with ministering spirits that have eternity in mind, not only for my soul, but those that I love.
So we beseech you, Father, through your son.
Give us peace.
We pray in Jesus name. Amen.