Sermons

Author: Pastor Charles Schultz 

Text: Various

O Holy Spirit, open our ears, our eyes, our hearts so that we may, through the Word proclaimed this day, receive grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and His Son, Christ Jesus. Amen.

On December 20th, 1946 one of the most enduring films ever made was released.

• It was directed and produced by Frank Capra and starred James Steward and Donna Reed. 
• In this film we are introduced to Clarence Odbody, Angel 2nd class. 
• He is assigned to visit the earth to save George and in doing so, earn his wings.
• The film introduced us to the saying, “Every time a bell rings an angel has earned his wings.”
• And the name of the film is ______? (“It’s a Wonderful Life”)

On September 21st, 1994 CBS premiered a show that ran for nine seasons.

• It starred Roma Downey as an angel named Monica and Della Reese as her supervisor.
• Throughout the series, Monica is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives.
• From season three onward, they are frequently joined by Andrew played by John Dye, the Angel of Death.
• And the name of the series is ______? (“Touched by an Angel”)

In 1993 the group Alabama released an album titled “Cheap Seats”.

• The album included a “Christmas” track written by Becky Hobbs who was inspired to write the song after surviving a car accident.
• The song tells us about a child who was walking home from school and took a shortcut through the woods. 
• In doing so, the child becomes lost.
• Then a kind, old man took the child’s hand and led him home.
• Mom couldn’t see the man standing there but the child knew in his heart that he was the answer to his prayer.
• The song goes on to state that visitors like that kind, old man wear so many faces, show up in the strangest places, and grace us with their mercies in our time of need.
• The title of this Alabama song is ______? (“Angels Among Us”)

The culture has influenced our understanding of angels.

• But if I quizzed you on Scripture’s truth about angels, could you answer those questions?
• Could you come up with Scripture texts that prove the existence of angels, texts that describe their kinds or ranks, and their works and powers?
• Before I share with you the many Scripture texts that teach us about angels, I want to remind you that heavenly angels only serve God’s people.
• They serve us and me only because we have been redeemed by Christ Jesus.
• In baptism we were marked with the sign of the cross, the Lord put His name upon us, and we were torn from the dark kingdom of the devil and brought into the marvelous light of the Lord.

Logically we start our learning with the very existence of angels.

• It may seem unnecessary to some of you but recall that the Biblical learned sect of the Sadducees in Jesus’ day didn’t believe in the existence of angels.
  • Angels are mentioned in the beginning and end of Scripture and in many places in between.
    • In Genesis chapter 3 we read about Eden after the fall into sin – 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he place the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
    • In the Epistle lesson for this morning, I read – 7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back…(Rev. 12:7)

· Angels saved Lot from the destruction in Sodom. (Genesis 19)

· An angel called to Abraham from heaven to stop the slaughter of Isaac.

· Jacob, in a dream, saw angels ascending and descending from heaven.

· An angel appeared to Gideon. (Judges 6)

· An angel appeared to Elijah bringing him food and water. (1st Kings 19)

· The Psalms mention angels 8 times.

There are many more texts in Scripture that mention angels.

With so many mentions of angels in Scripture, how could one doubt their existence!

In these texts of Scripture, we learn more about angels.

• We learn a little about the various kinds or ranks of angels.
  • The passage that I read moments ago from Genesis 3 mentioned cherubim.
  • There are 57 verses in Scripture that mention this kind of angel.
    • The most common reference is in regard to the cover of the Ark of the Covenant on which to cherubim sat facing each other.
  • Seraphim on the other hand are only mentioned in Isaiah chapter 6 which describes Isaiah’s vision of the Lord.
    • In those verses they are described as having six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
  • Archangels, another rank, are mentioned twice in Scripture, once in 1st Thessalonians and the other in Jude.
    • Jude’s mention is from a source outside of Scripture.
    • Its significance is that we are informed that Michael is an archangel.
    • This is the same Michael that is mentioned in our Old Testament lesson from Daniel and in the Epistle lesson from Revelation.
• Unfortunately, the mention of the kinds or ranks of angels doesn’t give us a clear picture.
  • We don’t know which ones are more powerful than others or even if they serve specific roles.

The most important thing that we learn about angels from Scripture is their purpose and power.

• One of the purposes of angels is to serve as messengers from God.
• We are familiar with the Angel Gabriel’s message to Mary about her conception of Jesus.
• And familiar with the angel who came numerous times to Joseph in regard to Mary and later to the newborn Jesus.

At times they serve as mighty warriors. There’s an incredible example in 2nd Kings 6.

• The king of Syria was warring against Israel.
• God was using the prophet Elisha to warn the king of Israel about the king of Syria’s every move.
• Obviously, this frustrated the king of Syria and when he learned that it was Elisha who was sharing his every move, he devised a plan to capture the prophet.
• When the king saw that Elisha was at Dothan, in the midst of the night the king sent a great army there including countless horses and chariots.
• When morning dawned on of Elisha’s servants saw this vast army surrounding the city and he was terrified.
• He went to Elisha and said, “Master, what are we to do?”
• Elisha responded, “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those surrounding the city.”
• And then Elisha prayed to the Lord for his servant, that his eyes might be truly opened.
• And the Lord opened his eyes and the servant was astonished.
• The mountains surrounding the city were full of horses and chariots of fire.
• And in a miraculous way Elisha and the city were spared.
• This was on example of Psalm 34:7 being fulfilled: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Angels also do the Lord’s bidding.

• We see in Acts 5 how an angel was sent to promote the work of the early Church.
• Many signs and wonders were being done by the Apostles including the healing of the sick.
• And this angered the high priest and the Sadducees and so they had the Apostles arrested.
• Sometimes during the night an angel appeared to them in prison, opened the locked prison doors and brought them out.
• The Apostles were instructed to return to the temple the next day and proclaim the Gospel.

Another example is found in Acts 12.

• Herod, the son of Herod the Great, had killed James the brother of John and arrested Peter and put him in prison.
• Peter was surrounded in prison by four squads of soldiers.
• One night Peter was bound with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers.
• Sentries were placed at the doors of the prison.
• Then suddenly an angel stood next to Peter and a light shone into the cell.
• The angel struck Peter on the side to wake him, told Peter to get up quickly but also told Peter to take the time to put on his sandals and cloak.
• Peter was unsure if this was real or just a dream.
• Then the angel told Peter to follow him, and he did, past the first guard, and then past the second guard, and then to the iron gate of the city, the main gate which would have been locked and heavily fortified, but the gate simply opened without any effort from Peter.
• It was then that Peter realized that the Lord sent this angel to rescue him from the hands of Herod and the Jewish leaders.

Are there angels among us?

--Yes, the Scriptures indicate that there are but we, like Elisha’s servant, have our eyes closed to their presence.

Have you or I been touched by an angel?

--I can’t answer that for sure, but it is possible.

--What I do know, because Scripture informs me, is that there are different kinds or ranks of angels and that there are many of them. 

· I know that they have served God’s people in the past, that they are mighty spiritual warriors, that they serve for the good of those who proclaim the Gospel.

· I know that Gabriel brought a message to Zechariah and Mary and that another brought message to Joseph.

· I know that Michael and his angels will fight and defeat Satan and his angels at the end of days.

· I trust that God the Father, who sent His only Son to redeem us through His blood, will care for you, His children, and if need be, will send angels to serve and protect you. Amen.

Author: Pastor Charles Schultz 

Text: Jeremiah 11:18-20

O Holy Spirit, open our ears, our eyes, our hearts so that we may, through the Word proclaimed this day, receive grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and His Son, Christ Jesus, Amen.

But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. These are the words that the Lord revealed to the prophet. The members of his hometown plotted to take the life of Jeremiah. But why? Why kill the Lord’s prophet? Some of the members of his hometown were priests and Jeremiah had previously called out the priests concerning their sin. In chapter 5 he writes these words from the Lord: But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away. (V.23) For wicked men are found among my people…they have become great and rich; they have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of evil. (V.26-28) An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction… (V.30-31)

In chapter 7 Jeremiah writes about the people’s religious folly. The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord… Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ “Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? (V.1-2, 4, 8-10)

Jeremiah proclaimed God’s words of rebuke against the people, against the so-called prophets and priest, and against their acts of worship. The people were getting wealthy by exploiting the poor, the widows, and the orphans. The priests were making their own rules for worship. They were taking more than what the Lord had prescribed, getting rich off of the “faithfulness” of the people. They, even at times, instituted the worship of false gods in the temple. And as we heard moments ago, the people including the priests, put their trust in the temple and not in the one who resided in that building. And when Jeremiah rebuked them for their actions by proclaiming God’s word, they, as often happens, wanted to kill the messenger with the result that they wouldn’t have to ever again hear the words of rebuke from his mouth. He was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter.

A lamb led to the slaughter. It’s not the first image that comes to mind when we think about scripture’s portrayal of lambs. We like to envision the more positive picture of the Lord being our shepherd who cares greatly for the lambs as found in the Psalms (23) and Ezekiel (34) and Micah (5). The reading from Jeremiah described the prophet as a lamb led to the slaughter, but he is not the only one described this way in Scripture!

Isaiah was a prophet that lived around 50 years before Jeremiah. He too proclaimed about such a lamb. He wrote – He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. (53:7) These words are part of Isaiah’s final “Servant Songs”; songs that we can easily see refer to the Messiah, to Christ Jesus. Why was Jesus led to the slaughter? There are many answers to that question. 

He was led there because, like the prophet Jeremiah, the religious leaders of His day didn’t like His preaching and His actions. He claimed to be more than just a man, more than just a carpenter from Nazareth. Recall that in John’s Gospel Jesus uses seven “I am” statements, those statements can be found in the stained-glass windows on the north side of this sanctuary. Those statements were a subtle way of Jesus stating that He was indeed God in the flesh. And when Jesus was arrested and taken before the high priest, Matthew records the scene: And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (26:63-64) Jesus doesn’t outright say that He is the Christ or the Son of God, but the religious leaders believed that He said so and therefore “sentenced” Him to death for blasphemy. 

Those religious leaders weren’t only angered by Jesus’ words but also His actions. Jesus allowed His disciples to pluck kernels of grain and healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. (Matthew 12) At the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus casted out an unclean demon from a man on the Sabbath. (Luke 4) At another synagogue on the Sabbath Jesus freed a woman of a disability that ailed her for 18 years and the ruler of that synagogue was indignant because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Jesus was a lamb led to the slaughter because the religious leaders didn’t like His preaching, that He claimed to be the Christ and didn’t like that He didn’t follow their laws, especially those that controlled one’s action on the Sabbath day.

Jesus was led to the slaughter for other reasons. One of which was that He came to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Now when John the Baptist gave Jesus that “title” we really don’t know for sure the reference. He could have had in mind the Feast of Passover where a lamb was killed in each household and the blood of the lamb was spread on the posts and lintel of the door. Or he could have had in mind the Day of Atonement. On this feast day, a lamb was chosen and on it were placed the sins of all the people and then the lamb was released outside of the camp to take the sins away from the people and never to be seen again. We know that Jesus was the Lamb of God who was led to the slaughter to take away our sins. His blood shed atoned for our sins. His death and resurrection are the assurance of our very own resurrection on the last day.

And there are others in Scripture that are described as lambs led to the slaughter. Paul wrote in Romans 8 - As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” (V.36) Paul quotes these words from Psalm 44. That Psalm includes the cry of God’s people who have not departed from God’s ways or turned from Him to worship other gods but are still suffering and facing death. In Paul’s day, specifically in Rome, God’s people were facing severe trials and suffering because of their faith. Paul writes in this chapter to encourage them as they face these trials. Let me read a larger portion of that chapter – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (V.35-39)

Just like those Christians in Rome, we too are lambs led to the slaughter. We face ever increasing trials because of our faith from a culture that is quickly turning away from and against Christian morality and principals. But even more so, we, along with those whom we love dearly, face physical and emotional trials. At some point in our lives, we will have to face our own mortality and the mortality of those whom we love. We may not exactly be lambs led to the slaughter, but we are ever marching towards death. Paul mentions famine – the lack of food leading to death, nakedness – exposure that leads to death, danger – violence that leads to death, and sword – war that can lead to death. And certainly, there are many other causes that lead to death, especially disease.

As we face the inevitability of death, Paul gives us great encouragement. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. This is one of my favorite verses in all of scripture. In all of these things, the things leading to death, we are super-conquerors (that’s the literal translation of the Greek) through Christ Jesus who loved us. …neither death nor life… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We all are led to the slaughter, on the road leading to death but death, death cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ. That love led the Christ to become a lamb led to the slaughter and He did so for us. He did so in order that you and I might have life, eternal life. His slaughter on the cross destroyed the power of death.

Lambs led to the slaughter. Those lambs include Jeremiah and Jesus and you and me. And one day we will all gather around the throne of the Lamb, our Lord Christ Jesus restored from death to life, all illness and disease destroyed, all pain and sorrow eliminated. What a glorious future lies ahead! Hallelujah! Amen.