Unseen Ministers

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. We too greet you this morning in the name of Jesus. Glad to be here with people that have a love for God. I'd like to think with you this morning about some unseen ministers. But I'd like to think about a few of the events related to Christ's birth. [00:00:34] If he wouldn't have become a king, what good would it have been to come as a baby? Could it be also correct to reverse the question? But if he would have come as a king, what good would it have been for him to come? Let's say it that way. If Jesus would have come as a king, what good would his coming have been? And that brings us directly to the issue of what we talk about, what we think about, or what in reality it means for Jesus to come as a baby. [00:01:06] Let's think a little bit about his coming. This was a very human experience for Jesus to come as a baby. If he would have come as a king and lived in a palace, you know what we would have today? There may have been a salvation provided, but it would be out of our reach. We couldn't experience it. Jesus had to come in the flesh. The Son of God in the flesh, or you and I would have no Savior. That would be meaningful to us. [00:01:38] It would be out of reach. He was the King. He was in glory. He was with God in heaven, but we had no Savior. Jesus came and had a very human experience. It was a normal birth as far as we know. But it was a normal birth in a very subnormal environment. Whoever heard of a baby being born in a stable? And you know, we conjure up ideas of what that stable looked like. [00:02:11] You see people's ideas and nativity scenes all over the place and that's a stable. The real stable probably looked quite different from the real stable the Bible talks about. Perhaps it was a cave. Jesus came in an environment where it says there was no room for him in the inn. There are a lot of things about his birth that could be applied to us. Like a few Sundays ago someone here made an application of the shepherd's experience. One thing about those shepherds is they came with haste. [00:02:43] And another thing about them is that they went telling. Reminds me of who was the man in the Bible that says, We have found the Messiah. Come and see. That's what the shepherds did. We could learn that. It is true that there are a lot of emphases today on different aspects of the birth of Christ that neglect the real coming of Christ. But for some reason, these are all recorded in Scripture. the shepherds coming is recorded in scripture [00:03:15] the star in the east is recorded in scripture the stable is recorded in scripture and numerous other events the angels coming is recorded in scripture I think it is to help us see one very important aspect of our Lord and that is the incarnation that means coming in the flesh being made flesh Jesus came in the flesh [00:03:47] had a very human birth in some respects in other respects the most abnormal birth ever recorded ever experienced he came into a normal community setting shepherds were still watching sheep when Jesus came just like the night before There they were. I don't know were there two or were there 15. The Bible doesn't say. I don't know what they did with their sheep when they went to see this thing which has come to pass. [00:04:21] But they went. We know that. Did they leave a shepherd out there with the sheep? We don't know. But life was pretty much commonplace just then. There was one event that was quite different. that is people were really on the move now that would fit our day too people were on the move they had gone to their individual hometowns to have their name recorded as being a part of the census just like we did last year here in the United States [00:04:53] that was happening so there was something a bit unusual because of that there was no room for them in the inn but that night when Jesus came There was an unheard of event took place that has very much to do with Christmas. And that is that a virgin gave birth to a baby. A real baby with real flesh, real blood, real bones and feelings, body, soul and spirit. [00:05:29] But he was born of a virgin. And that to us points out something that is imperative in our relationship to our God. And that is that Jesus became man. Jesus took upon himself the form of man. He took on flesh. He had feelings with our feelings. He had temptations with our temptations. He could identify with us. He came right down to where we are so he could take us back up to where he is and was. [00:06:01] If Jesus would not have been incarnated, his death, his resurrection would have been beyond us. It wouldn't have reached us. Now let me read a couple of things the Bible says. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory. His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Again, the Bible says, without controversy, without question, without discussion, great is the mystery of godliness. [00:06:37] I cannot tell you today how God and man could be one. Only God could do that. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. But the reality is, the mystery took place. Jesus took on, the Son of God took on, God took on the form of man so he could come down here and reach us where we are [00:07:07] yet without sin, the Bible says he did not know sin, but he did know flesh and the limitations, at least to a certain degree, of flesh the Bible says further, God was manifested in the flesh Justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory The God-man [00:07:38] Sometimes I think we tend to categorize which part of God's, Christ's experience was the most important Which is more important, the birth of Christ, the life of Christ, the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the ascension of Christ, or the return of Christ? Is it not true that if we would take any one of these out of the equation, we'd be lost? [00:08:14] Which is more important? All of them. And for that reason, they are all recorded in the scripture. This is the revelation of God concerning his plan for mankind, his purpose for mankind, and his provision for mankind. Unseen ministers. One of the things that relate to the coming of our Lord, to the birth of our Lord, and throughout the ministry of our Lord and throughout the lifetime of this space. [00:08:48] But there is a ministry that we often aren't conscious of, that we are beneficiaries of in this experience. Why didn't the lions, what kept the lions from eating Daniel? The angels shut the lion's mouth. Did you know there was an angel in the lion's den? For I don't know how many, but the angel shut the lion's mouth. Something was going on behind the scenes. And do you know that right today, at this moment, there are things happening that you and I don't see right in this place. [00:09:28] There is an invisible world out there that is in favor for and against mankind, especially the people of God. There is a conflict going on. There's a battle going on for your mind's attention. There are distractions coming. Where do they come from? Are they human or are they spiritual? Or are they both? We have three enemies. We're not going to talk much about that this morning. Just to name them. We have three enemies. [00:09:59] The Anabaptists talked about these three enemies. And when I was in instruction class, we talked about these three enemies in succession. And that is, we have three enemies. One is the flesh, one is Satan, and one is the world. They are in cahoots with each other, in alliance with each other, against us, to distract us from the real purposes of God. And they are very real, though we don't see them. [00:10:30] Hebrews, the first chapter. I don't know how I'm going to do this this morning. Let me read fast. Hebrews chapter 1. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who, being the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. [00:11:05] Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. And again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. and of the angels he saith who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire [00:11:36] but unto the sun he saith thy throne O God is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows and thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands they shall perish but thou remainest they all shall wax old as does a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up [00:12:07] and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail but to which of the angels said he at any time sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool up until here in Hebrews chapter 1 the emphasis is that Christ is superior to the angels He did not send Jesus to take on the form of angels to minister to mankind, but he sent him as an incarnate God. [00:12:39] Took on flesh to come to us, to minister to us. Then it says, but in addition to this, are they not all, these angels, he is not saying the angels are not important. He is not saying that angels have no ministry, but he is saying that the angels also are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. It says we are not come to Mount Zion, to that exceedingly terrible experience when God met man and the mountain shook and trembled and Moses quaked. [00:13:17] But he says we are come today to an innumerable company of angels. An innumerable company. How far can you count? Well there are more than that. You can't count them. Innumerable. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? The angels created by God are for the ministry to the saints. [00:13:50] God has a lot provided for his people. I think that verse fits right into chapter 12 in our Sunday school lesson, don't you? When it talks about hands hanging down, it talks later about the provision God has made, Both by coming to our God and the provisions he has made by the church and by the spiritual realm, the angels. There is every reason for God's people to live in victory. God has provided for that. [00:14:24] So we read about the ministry of angels here. We read over 280 times in the Bible the term angel or angels. Did you notice how many times the word came up here in Hebrews chapter 1? I didn't count, but numerous times it came up. We read that this ministry here is to the saints, the heirs of salvation. God's people have a ministry of angels to them. [00:14:56] In Matthew, Jesus said when they came to him with little children, he said, Don't, don't forbid them, let them come. Because their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. From that I think we get the idea of the pictures that we see painted sometimes where there's a little child in a difficult situation and there in the invisible side there's an angel. They're angels. Does God have assigned angels for all of the children? [00:15:31] I don't know. Well, sometimes we kind of lightheartedly say some people's angels are kept busy because of their activity, energy, I suppose. But really, I believe they can handle it quite well. They're able to take care, and yet we don't know how many times we have been ministered to without our realization, do we? [00:16:01] I'm sure I know Yesterday we were talking a bit about sometimes we were careless or negligent in life And we were spared when something awful could have happened I know sometimes all I can say is God, I didn't deserve that I didn't deserve to be spared But I don't know what all was going on behind the scenes All I know is that the Bible says there are angels that minister. [00:16:33] When we look at this subject, I can only pass over the skin of the surface this morning. But we do read that angels excelled in strength. One time an angel took the life of, what was it, 70-some thousand people. One angel in one night. Jesus said when he was in the hour of his temptation and being taken captive he said don't you think that I could call to my father in heaven [00:17:07] and he would send me 12 legions of angels which if the count is correct, the calculations are correct would have been 72,000 angels could have come do you think they could have taken care of Jesus' situation? They could have helped him escape. Maybe they would have been glad to. But no, Jesus had taken on the form of man to come down to die so he could deliver man through death. [00:17:41] He took the power of him that had death. That's another subject. Angels excel in strength. They're prompt in obedience. The Bible says in Psalm 103, that they obey him. I think that may have something to do with the prayer when we pray, Our Father which art in heaven, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The picture is, Elijah was a prophet who one day, accompanied by his servant, [00:18:17] had just created havoc for the Syrian army. The Syrian army had set up, they were going to set an ambush to take Israel. But when they got to the ambush, there was no Israel. The Syrian king said, who on our side, in our army, is a traitor? Who is telling the Israelites where we're going to be at a certain time? But they said, nobody. There's a prophet over there in Israel. [00:18:47] and he tells, he gets a message from God and he tells his people what to do. And so when the Syrian army appeared at the place of ambush, Israel had long since gone another way. They weren't there. But now the time came when they caught up with them and they surrounded them. Elijah and his servant were looking around. Elijah saw the army of the Syrians all around. He said, what are we going to do? [00:19:18] And Elijah said, God, open his eyes. Open his eyes. And God opened his servant's eyes. He said, why they that are with us are more than they that are against us. But he hadn't seen the one before. The hills were full of chariots of fire and horses of fire. They that are with us are more than they that are against us. Is it perhaps oftentimes a matter that our eyes aren't opened? [00:19:51] And we would do well to ask God, open our eyes so we may see your provisions for us. And that we can rejoice in what you have provided for us. It seemed to me that it's a picture that there is a celestial army. There is a there are celestial beings that are standing by. They are just waiting for the word to move because their nature is to obey what God says. Who knows how many times God has sent an emissary. God has sent someone to our rescue just in the nick of time. To us it seemed like for God all was prearranged. He knew the angels are standing by. [00:20:37] Ready to respond to God's call. Now in the scriptures, the Bible makes it clear that we are not to pray to angels, we are not to worship angels. But I haven't found anywhere that it doesn't say that we could pray to God for him to send these angels to fulfill their ministry to us. I don't know if you ever do that or not. To me it seems right to pray that God would send his angels to meet our needs, to assist us in how we need help. [00:21:10] We find angels doing many things in the scripture and I'm only going to give just a few illustrations of eight different things that we read that angels do. And this is not an exclusive list. We find also that angels were involved in political affairs of entire nations. One time when Daniel was praying, an angel came to him and said, I was detained these, how many days was it? While somebody, was it himself or was it another angel, [00:21:47] was assisting the prince of Persia in some political issue that they were facing. Maybe that was even more so under the old dispensation when God had a political people, a civil nation. I don't know how much he does of that in our nation. We do know that there are accounts of some very unusual things that took place, very unlikely things that took place in World War II. Even in the midst of war, when it seemed inevitable that the enemy was going to destroy an army, [00:22:19] and God arranged things so that the impossible took place, as it were. I don't know if you've read your history about that lately so that you know what I'm talking about or not. But there are illustrations like that. There are things that go on behind the scenes. God is in control is what we want to say this morning. And he takes care of part of that control through his created celestial ranks. [00:22:51] We read about the angels being different principalities and powers and different other categories that are mentioned. Angels were message bearers. They came to Cornelius and they said, Cornelius, send over there for Paul. He's a man that's got a message for you. angels said to Mary you're going to give birth to a child you shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins angels spoke to Joseph as we were told a week or so ago they talked to John the Baptist [00:23:22] father or parents and there were many other messages they spoke to a disciple in the New Testament said go over there to which country was it and there he came Philip came and he joined that Ethiopian eunuch and he gave him the message of salvation angels bring messages they brought messages in the Old Testament as well as the New angels one time restrained a person that was intent on doing the wrong thing [00:23:56] when Balaam was going to negotiate to try to somehow find a way to get the money without going against God's will on the way. Remember what happened. An angel made himself visible to Balaam's donkey. And he went out of the way. He crushed Balaam's leg against the wall until Balaam really got quite disturbed. [00:24:28] But really the blessing was God had sent an angel to restrain him from doing wrong. Do you think God sometimes sends his angels to help us avoid wrong? That would be a good prayer to pray to God, that he would send his angels to help us refrain from doing wrong. He gave guidance to many people. Young people, not many of our young people are here this morning, but God gives guidance through angels. [00:25:00] Remember the account of Isaac? When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, the Bible says an angel led Isaac, guided Isaac. If you're praying about a life companion, an angel might be able to help you. He did that for people in the Bible, in the Scripture. We're not saying that's the only way, but they're known to have helped people in that way. [00:25:36] And we also read that when the children of Israel were in the desert, it says an angel led them out of Egypt, and an angel led them through the desert. I used to think more in terms of they just kind of haphazardly wandered through the desert. But the Bible says they were led by angels in the desert. Angels give guidance, direction. Angels strengthen. Elijah was a man that was despondent and discouraged. [00:26:07] Sat under the juniper tree, fell asleep. And when he woke up, there an angel had prepared a meal for him. And he went in the strength of that meal for 40 days. I don't know how that was. I don't know what the angel put into that meal. But I know, according to that scripture, when an angel cooks a meal or prepares a meal, you've got something worth the having. The fact is, it even calls the man of the children of Israel ate angel's food in the Bible. [00:26:41] What all is going on behind the scenes? An angel strengthened Elijah. Angels protect. We already looked at one of those cases. We don't know how many more there were. But when Daniel was in that den of lions, those lions couldn't have eaten him if they would have been starving for weeks or even months before Because the angels shut their mouth What could a lion do when an angel has a hole in his jaws? [00:27:13] No, God has ways to protect us And the angels are often active in this Angels delivered Paul and Barnabas were in a prison they were not only in a prison they were in the inner cell they weren't only in the inner cell with how many doors around them but they were in stocks hands and feet chained shut and the Bible says an angel came [00:27:43] and opened it that happens several times in the scripture angels deliver angels don't always deliver angels are involved in the affairs of the church I had forgotten that the Bible also says that if we confess Christ you know what Christ is going to do if we confess Christ before men the Bible says he will also confess us before the angels [00:28:14] according to that scripture I get the understanding that When someone confesses Christ here on the earth, the angels find out about it. Jesus wants them to know what's happening in his kingdom. In fact, the Bible says there is rejoicing in heaven by the angels over one sinner that repents. Angels know when somebody gets converted in our church, outside of our church, [00:28:46] When somebody is born again, the angels are aware of it. They seem to know what's taking place in the church of Jesus Christ. Well, those are some of the things. But there's one more that's a real encouragement to me, and that is, when Lazarus died, what happened? An angel carried him away. There is reason to believe that at the time of one's death, If we are one of those children of God that the angels minister to, there is reason to believe that the angel takes that person. [00:29:24] In that case it says to Abraham's bosom, to God's prepared place, aren't you glad you don't have to die alone if you're one of God's people? the angels that we don't see but that are here and I'm very conscious when I say some of these things that they're very likely hearing what I'm saying today and I'm afraid I don't say near the reality of the thing [00:29:54] the fullness of the thing but it's a ministry that we can rejoice in now angels were very much involved in the life of Christ. We read already in Hebrews here, the first chapter, verse 6. But before I say that, the angels announced his birth. The angel of the Lord came upon them. The glory of the Lord shone round about them. And they were sore afraid. Now that's the shepherds. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host [00:30:28] praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward man the angels were intent that the people should know that this was the Christ he is born, God has become man he's down here with you to deliver you but in Hebrews the first chapter verse 6 it doesn't say that they only announced his coming but when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he says [00:31:00] and let all the angels of God worship him. Who worshipped Jesus when he was born? Well, the wise men. But what about the angels? They were intent on this heavenly work done on this earthly earth. And yet they didn't understand. Different times the scripture says which thing the angels desire to look into. And he's now manifesting this thing through the church to the angels which are desiring to look into this plan of redemption. [00:31:36] They were involved very much in the birth of Christ, in the life of Christ. They were involved after he was tempted. Matthew the fourth chapter, it says after Jesus was tempted, the angels came and ministered to Jesus. Have you been tempted? Very possibly. When you were victorious and you came through there, you were encouraged. Who knows what all the part of the angels was in that. At Gethsemane, the angels came and ministered to Jesus when he said, [00:32:12] If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. The angels came and strengthened him. When we are going through tests and trials, how many times do the angels minister to us? At the tomb, when Jesus was buried, the angels were there. Why, one of them came and rolled back that capstone, that stone that covered the grave, rolled it back, sat on it. There he sat, as if to shout it to the world. Those that made that grave secure, What does the Bible say? [00:32:51] At the sight of the angel, they were as dead men. We're talking not about just a strong person. We're talking about people that are available, that are able to deal with issues in the spirit realm. As well as the physical, I guess. There they were at that tomb. When Jesus ascended in Acts, the first chapter, verse 8 to 10, it says thereafter, [00:33:25] You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you, shall be witnesses unto me. Later he says, And two men in white apparel stood by them and said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus that you have seen go up into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. There they were at the ascension. Jesus was coming home as it were. [00:33:57] And then again, the Bible tells us that there's coming a time when he is coming back. and he's coming how? with an innumerable company of angels in fact he says 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands that's a hundred million plus millions and millions I don't know how many angels there are but there are enough to do God's purposes [00:34:30] not only are they coming back with him In Matthew, the 25th chapter, it says they're going to be there, going to bring the people to the judgment, where they're going to be separated, goats from sheep. But in the meantime, and on into eternity, you find these angels worshiping God. Their ministry, Christ's word, is from beginning to end. They were with him in glory, created at some point in the past. [00:35:01] They were present with his coming, they were present in his life, they were present in his death, they were present in his burial, in his resurrection, in his ascension, and in his return, and then forever and ever. What is the purpose of a message like this? I can't tell you much about angels. That's just a quick rehearsal of what the Bible says, but it seems to me sometimes we shouldn't get down and worship angels, but we should rejoice in the provisions that God has made, which includes His birth and His death and His resurrection and His coming again and His intermediate intercession for us. [00:35:51] but also rejoice in the provisions of the church the provisions of the spiritual realms, the angels for children, for all of us now I don't know if you would like to see an angel or not I know very few people if any that claim to have seen an angel I think I remember as a boy somewhere close to where we live The story goes that a young man had gone out to the stable [00:36:26] and there at the stable door he was met by what they thought was an angel gave him some kind of a message. I've not pursued that any further but I'd be interested in seeing what I could find out about that experience. I don't know if any of you remember anything like that or not. But I remember something like that. But really the important thing is not how an angel looks. We might be like the shepherds if we'd see an angel. [00:36:58] Remember what happened to them? They were sore afraid, the Bible says. They were really afraid. But we can rejoice in the provisions God has made. Let's kneel and pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you this morning that Jesus came, that he took on the form of a man, that he suffered with us, and for us, and beyond us. [00:37:34] We thank you for the provision that is in him, and that because of him and his coming to us, We have a high priest that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and we thank you too Lord that you have made other provisions that we often don't think about. Help us Father to live lives of gratitude and to open our lives to be those that are obedient to you, that follow you so that your angels can be ministering spirits in our hearts and lives. [00:38:08] In Jesus name, Amen.