THE PASSAGES BELOW RELATE TO ANGELS AND THE CHRISTMAS STORY:
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John... 18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Lk. 1)
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1)
20 But after Joseph had considered this [ie. divorcing Mary], an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Mt. 1).
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2)
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2)
There also is a passage in Matthew 2 about the angel directing Joseph to take the baby Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod.
Thoughts: The very word angel means "messenger." So wouldn't we expect messengers from God to be involved with the glad tidings? All four gospels have angels around the life and ministry (Mk. 1:13) and resurrection (Jn. 20:12) of Jesus.
Why would God send the unusual to earth? Some would say God didn't have to, but these are second guessing and being skeptical of the witness of the Gospel to the existence and presence of angels. The angels were a sign that something special is going on. The angels testify that the supernatural presence of God was intersecting with the natural life. If we believe in a God who is outside of yourself and is above nature, then maybe we should be at least open to the idea that there may be other super-human creatures in the universe beside us. Ironically, as the belief in angels declines belief in UFOs goes up.
Angels in these stories were visible- by more than one person at once (the shepherds), and are personified and named (eg. Gabriel). Angels may come one by one or in a great company. But every indication is that they are sent from God and have something to say. On occasion angels are seen as "ministering spirits sent from God" (Heb. 1:14). So they often told several to "not be afraid." So they ministered to Elijah when he was tired and depressed, and to Jesus after his time of fasting, praying and dealing with the Tempter. So an angel came and released Peter from prison.
I am someone who believes angels are still around. Maybe a bit like Clarence in "It's a Wonderful Life" but perhaps less silly and more quiet and peaceful like. As a pastor, I have met many who will tell us in our very secular, sophisticated culture- that they have seen angels.
Thoughts: The very word angel means "messenger." So wouldn't we expect messengers from God to be involved with the glad tidings? All four gospels have angels around the life and ministry (Mk. 1:13) and resurrection (Jn. 20:12) of Jesus.
Why would God send the unusual to earth? Some would say God didn't have to, but these are second guessing and being skeptical of the witness of the Gospel to the existence and presence of angels. The angels were a sign that something special is going on. The angels testify that the supernatural presence of God was intersecting with the natural life. If we believe in a God who is outside of yourself and is above nature, then maybe we should be at least open to the idea that there may be other super-human creatures in the universe beside us. Ironically, as the belief in angels declines belief in UFOs goes up.
Angels in these stories were visible- by more than one person at once (the shepherds), and are personified and named (eg. Gabriel). Angels may come one by one or in a great company. But every indication is that they are sent from God and have something to say. On occasion angels are seen as "ministering spirits sent from God" (Heb. 1:14). So they often told several to "not be afraid." So they ministered to Elijah when he was tired and depressed, and to Jesus after his time of fasting, praying and dealing with the Tempter. So an angel came and released Peter from prison.
I am someone who believes angels are still around. Maybe a bit like Clarence in "It's a Wonderful Life" but perhaps less silly and more quiet and peaceful like. As a pastor, I have met many who will tell us in our very secular, sophisticated culture- that they have seen angels.
Angels did not just pop in and out every day in the Bible. But when Christ came there was a lot of extraterrestrial activity. The important news was trying to be told. We do angelic work when we are evANGELists- telling and spreading the good news of Christ to a world that needs to know.
Prayer: With the angels, let me sing, "Alleluia" to you, my King. I join my voice to theirs to speak words of good in a world that needs hope and joy.
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