"Heavenly Ministers" St. Michael and All Angels Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity September 28, 2014 Matthew 18:1–11
At the beginning we’re told of the beginning. But not all of it. Genesis 1 speaks of the creation of the universe but doesn’t tell us of everything that was created. Toward the end we’re told of something at the beginning. In the second reading today, from Revelation, we are told of a war that occurred early on in history. At some point between the dawn of the first day of creation and the dusk of the sixth day of creation God created angels. Beings that sometimes are shown in physical form but who are spiritual beings. One of these angels, Satan, along with some of the other angels of heaven, rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. God thus created something else that we are not told of in Genesis 1, hell. It was created as a place of torment for Satan and the other angels who followed him and waged war with God. God fought the war with Satan using the angels who remained faithful to Him, led by the archangel Michael. This is what we are shown in the second reading today: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. These angels aren’t the cute creatures with furry wings that we buy in the Christian book stores. Not that there’s anything wrong with buying them. It’s just that we should know who these angels really are. The Bible shows us that they are heavenly beings who are the army of the Lord. Satan rebelled and that is why the war was fought in heaven. In our country those who serve in the Armed Forces are equipped with skills to kill the enemy and in their service are authorized to use deadly force. But those who serve in our military are not serving just to kill. They serve to protect our nation and their noble service is brought out in images, where serving in other countries, they come across native children. These children are quite in reality caught in the crossfire. But the images of our soldiers and Marines giving them food, or bringing them to shelter, or simply giving them a hug, show that they are not ruthless killers, but rather serve, protect, and help. This is what God’s angels are. They are endowed by God with ability to use deadly force in fighting against the enemy Satan, even as they are the most gentle of beings as they look upon the face of the Heavenly Father of little children, as we are shown in today’s Gospel reading. Ask one who has served in our Armed Forces to speak of their accomplishments and you most likely will get hesitancy. One of the things that characterize their service to our country is humility. A very different mindset was present in the Gospel reading today when the disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In answer Jesus placed a child before them. In order to be greatest you must humble yourself as a child. Jesus goes on later to say of children, “in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” If you were to talk to an angel you would find that their intention and their focus is not their power or their accomplishments but rather their service. Angels are ministers. They are servants of the most high God. They rejoice in carrying out the duties God gives them to do. They are called upon by God to wage war against Satan and to watch over the very smallest of children. Though they have far more power than we people do, they are called by God to be our servants. We are the crown of God’s creation. We are created in the image of God. We are given all things by God. Angels will forever be in a lower class of God’s creation. In his first Epistle Peter speaks of the things the prophets spoke of, “the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” (1Peter 1:12 ESV) When you get to heaven you will behold the angels. For now, you don’t see them even though they serve you and protect you. When you get to heaven you will see them in all their glory even though they are the ones who humbly look upon you in your glory. Though not created in God’s image they serve in the same way. God Himself, who is all glorious, humbled Himself, becoming a man. God Himself became a minister, a servant. God is almighty but rendered Himself powerless in suffering for the sin of the world. Jesus’ service was the greatest service of all in that He laid down His life for sinners. God has done this for us, the crown of His creation. The fallen angels were immediately banished for eternity. When Adam and Eve fell into sin God immediately promised to send a Savior. When we sin He is likewise merciful and patient with us. Even though Jesus has ascended into heaven He still comes to us. He still serves us. He does so through His ministers, His heavenly servants and His earthly servants. His angels are His heavenly ministers and His pastors are His earthly ministers. In the reading from Revelation He sent His heavenly ministers to throw Satan down. Astonishingly, they are not the ones who conquered him, though. He was conquered by the martyrs, those who laid down their lives because of their testimony, their witness to Christ and His death and resurrection. Satan was conquered by the blood of the Lamb. You and I can’t see angels. We can’t see the war they continue to wage against Satan. But we can see the earthly ministry. We can see that God continues to call His servants to deliver the blood of the Lamb to us in the Holy Supper of His Son, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The blood of the Lamb conquers Satan, including in your life. The reading in Revelation describes Satan in the same way other parts of the Bible do, as the accuser. He accuses us day and night. In the face of such accusations, you can say directly to Satan that he can’t touch you because you are Baptized. You are a child of God and the angels look on the face of your Heavenly Father as they protect you from your enemy the devil. You can know that the words of accusation don’t stand up to the word of your Lord Himself in giving you His holy cup, “Take and drink, this is My blood, shed for you for your forgiveness.” Satan is conquered by the blood of the Lamb, the very blood shed on the cross and the very blood given you in His Holy Supper right here at this altar. You can’t see any of this happening, all you see is some bread and some wine. All you see are your brother and sister Christians partaking of that bread and wine with you. All you see and hear is His earthly minister giving you that very body and blood of Christ, speaking the very words of Christ, “given and shed for you.” But you can know, even though Satan would like for you to ignore it, that there are those heavenly ministers present as well. They are continuing to battle against Satan and Satan knows it. When we gather for the Lord’s Supper it isn’t only as individuals receiving individual forgiveness. We gather together as children of God who are truly together. Not just with each other, but those who have gone before us. Not just with our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone before us, but with the heavenly beings who are the angels. That’s why we pray in the liturgy, “therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbaoth.’” Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. We can’t see God and yet we believe in Him. We can’t see our Lord coming to us in the flesh and yet He does in His Gospel and Sacraments. We can’t see the angels and the archangels and the whole company of heaven and yet we commune with them at the Lord’s Table. Our Lord gives His heavenly ministers to minister to us so that we too one day will behold the face of our Father in heaven. Amen. SDG -- Pastor Paul L. Willweber Prince of Peace Lutheran Church [LCMS] 6801 Easton Ct., San Diego, California 92120 619.583.1436 princeofpeacesd.net three-taverns.net It is the spirit and genius of Lutheranism to be liberal in everything except where the marks of the Church are concerned. [Henry Hamann, On Being a Christian] _______________________________________________ Sermons mailing list [email protected] http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
