The Angels We Appreciate Part 1

Jesus the spirit unseen millions of angels over all the wrong people of God.

Serving those who are the heirs of salvation chapter in the basic teachings of the Christian faith chapter on angels stay with the Moody Church in Chicago this with Dr. Erwin looks her clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line.

Pastor Luther, where are we headed today as you talk about the Angels. We appreciate you Dave.

I never get over the fact that angels do not participate in our redemption, and yet they rejoice in it. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were so free of envy that we could rejoice over others, though we ourselves do not benefit from their blessings will that's what angels do and that's why this series of messages is so important so that we understand biblical doctrine. You know my lovely wife Rebecca and I have been married for 50 years and we don't take that for granted. I discovered that only about 6% of all marriages make it to 50 because of divorce because of death, and so we consider ourselves very privileged what recently we allowed people into our home and into our lives by being interviewed and this interview on our marriage. The story of our marriage. 50 years of God's faithfulness is available to you. I think it will be a blessing you learn answers to questions such as this. Have we ever thought of quitting and you'll discover that that we've had our struggles but God has been faithful through those struggles now for a gift of any amount. This can be yours. It's titled 50 years of God's faithfulness. The story of our marriage. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 and that we go to the pulpit of Moody church. What we learn about angels and we give thanks to God that they are our helpers so I begin today with a question, do angels exist.

Yes, for sure angels exist 108 times in the Old Testament 165 times in the New Testament, there are references to angels and there's a reason why there are more references in the New Testament than to the Old Testament angels exist and is not just the Bible that confirms that the vet would be enough for us. It's the fact that people about experiences with angels. There's no doubt that they exist. John Payton, who was a missionary in the Hebrides tells the story of the natives that were going to kill him and his wife, and they were in this hot and they prayed all night and the natives eventually left and later on when one was converted. He asked them what happened that night and he said your whole heart was surrounded by men in shining armor and with swords. Yes angels exist now today we live in a day of over belief in angels because of the revival of ancient Gnosticism, we find that that people are into angels. I took time about a week ago to stop at the transitions bookstore just to look at their whole shelf of books on angels hidden by any I was just interested in the titles you know how to connect with your guardian angel and how you can get angels on your side. How you can access these entities, our nation is flooded with the idea of angels. This is a revival of ancient paganism pulses in the book of Colossians. There are those who venerate angels and he says they go into detail about experiences that they have had and does not happen today. Now some of the stories we hear about dramatic rescues and so forth could be from the Angels of God. That's a possibility, but we live in a time when one of the most popular shows was touched by an Angel and the basic plot line was always the same. A person is in trouble, but what happens is that an angel comes along this angel helps resolve the crisis and everybody feels good but it's loaded with cultural theology and non-Christian view of man and God, with angels out there just trying to do all kinds of things for anybody is not the picture of the Bible. Today were going to limit our discussion to what the Bible teaches about the good angels the Angels the we appreciate the Bible also refers to them as the elect angels. They were preserved from falling by a divine decree. Normally, I ask you to turn to various passages but we have so many of them today. Many of them will simply refer to or to quote that to I'm not going to ask you to turn to a passage now that's unusual because I want you to bring your Bibles to church but today were looking at the whole story and were doing it so briefly that I simply want you to follow me. First of all, a couple of words about the nature of angels, what are they like what they are spirit beings do they have a body yes, but it's a spirit body. If I can put it that way.

And that means that they are not on the present, they can't be everywhere at once.

When the angel Gabriel was communicating with Daniel in Babel and he could not at the same time had been in Jerusalem.

Later on he shows up in Jerusalem and speaks to Zacharias and then of course in Nazareth and he speaks to Marion. He can't be in all those places simultaneously, though evidently he can fly from one place to another rather quickly. So yes, they have spirit bodies.

They were created by God, created by God, and they will exist forever, even as we will exist forever. Next question is that personality do they have personality now. Generally, it is said that the test for personality is mind, emotion and will intelligence, emotion, and will do they have intelligence all yes they can communicate.

They can talk see them there on the stone that they rolled away from the sepulcher on resurrection morning and there communicating their talking, of course, they have intelligence. In fact, a passage that is very critical to our message today is first Peter chapter 1 verse 12 word speaks about. It talks about salvation and then it says these things the Angels along to look in to one translation says they desire to look into these things. Yet they have intelligence do they have a motion yes 38th chapter of Job.

Sometimes angels are talked about in the Bible as stars and it says that at creation. The morning stars sang together for joy if I could use my imagination. God lined up the hundreds of millions of angels that exist before he created the world's any got them all in line and says just watch this and God spoke the word and the stars were created and the planets were created and no wonder they shouted for joy. Luke 1510. They rejoice over one sinner who repents there's a cosmic celebration in heaven.

Every time somebody gets saved on earth.

Yes, they have emotion that they have a will.

Yes, they have a will.

Satan who was the most glorious of the Angels before he fell. He had a will and seven times.

He says I will. The next message on this series on doctrine is entitled, the devil, whom we abhor you want to be here for that, and invite your friends to hear the message about the devil. But today we continue to talk about the good angels their form of appearance well they can come in different ways all subject to the will and purpose of God. Joseph is wondering whether not he should marry Mary to whom he was engaged in an angel appears to him in a dream and says Joseph don't fear to take on to you Mary as your wife, and then the angel explains that she is of child with the Holy Spirit so they can come in a dream, but most often they have the ability to actualize themselves and when they do. Most often they look like and ordinary human being Abraham entertain set three men and they even eat with him, and afterwards he realizes that he has entertained angels and that's the basis of the statement in the book of Hebrews where it says don't neglect to invite strangers and because thereby some have entertained angels unaware. You have also they come in they rescue locked from Sodom.

In fact, they look so much like men that the men of Sodom your member wanted to sodomize them and so that's their appearance.

Often times that they take as human beings. What about the ministry of angels, what did they do well. They certainly worship God, you have the sera fame, which is one of the categories of angels. There are number of categories and you have them.

The actual word is burning ones. They are before the throne and they are giving praise to God, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. But the Bible says in Hebrews 114 which would be a key text for a lot of what I have to say today that they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to those who are heirs of salvation, you realize that angels under God's direction become our servants so we should not be surprised that they are frequently in the Bible, messengers fact that's what the word angel means it means a messenger so God uses them to communicate and to send messages to people.

For example, we've already talked about Gabriel going to Zacharias and later on to marry and you have the story of the incarnation.

An angel comes to the shepherds and they of course are terrified aces fear not for unto you is born today in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And so there communicating a message. The Bible says in Psalm 103 that angels are spirits who obey the voice of God's word.

Much of the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation was actually communicated to Daniel and to John by an angel. So angels are used by God and they are used to communicate messages. What about protection yes three stories in the book of acts talk about the work of angels.

First of all, the apostles are in jail and an angel comes and opens the door of the prison and says go stand and speak in the presence of the people. That's in acts chapter 5, but I think one of the most dramatic is acts chapter 12 where Peter is in prison and he is sleeping in the angel of the Lord nudges him and wakes him up and says that get your clothes on. I was reading that this week and I thought you know I mean of course you have to tell them to do that because the theater was totally terrified of an angel came to you and you are sleeping.

I think he'd have to tell you he says put on your sandals. Put on your cloak and take your robe as well. The angel said, and then the doors open and I can visualize this. It's like a shopping at Dominic's. And you got your card and you just begin toward the door and suddenly they just open like that and the doors of the prison open and Peter walks out later on he goes to where they are having a prayer meeting and there is a girl who comes to the door and she can't believe that she said it is his angel and the people didn't believe that God had answered their prayers and gotten Peter out of prison. Paul was in a difficult dilemma. He was having a trial were his own life was at stake and he says an angel of the Lord came and stood by me and gave me this message. So yes, God uses angels to connect with us to communicate with us and sometimes to bring messages to the human race. And of course they are there at our death as we shall see their very interested in salvation was about 30 years ago my wife and I were coming from Canada. Rebecca was driving the car and I was thinking that I might be having a heart attack didn't really have any pain but finding it hard to breathe. Suddenly I thought you know what if I die here in the car and the first thing I thought of it was yes all see Jesus, but also I thought I will see angels because in the 16th chapter of the book of Luke, it says that when Lazarus died, it was angels that carried him into Abraham's bosom will be there at your death.

You know that when the five missionaries were martyred in Central America Way back in the 1950s in the LK Indians I believe are the ones that martyred these five people. Did you know that whole choir of angels showed up. The way this was discovered is not at the time that the murders took place.

But when some of the murderers came to saving faith in Christ. They were invited to the homes of other missionaries and these missionaries were playing records of Christian music and choirs, and they said you know that's exactly what we heard when the killings were taken place all throughout the trees we are hearing this music. Angels showed up no doubt in my mind that the killing of these five wonderful young missionaries.

I have a nephew who was killed in a car accident 15 years old. He's in the backseat of a car with another young woman and they are studying the book of John. They are memorizing the book of John because they're on their way to a Bible quiz in the front of the seat. The passenger side there's a young mother. It was kind of supervising the young people in their Bible quiz and then there's a young driver. They had a patch of ice truck hits them. All three are killed except the driver were told that when it happened there was a man that was there at the scene of the accident, but he disappeared and nobody saw him again can't be sure but possibly an angel showing up at the scene of an accident and angels guiding people who die and taking them all the way to heaven.

Yes, angels become our servants. They are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation.

Now they also execute judgment for God, angels, to have a ministry to the unsaved you look at the Old Testament there involved in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah there involved in the plagues of Egypt winning battles against the Assyrians when one angel killed thousands in a single night you look at the book of Revelation, you discover that it is angels that are involved in judgments. They hold back the judgment and then according to God's good timing and his word. They release the judgments on the earth. And when Jesus returns. Angels will return with Jesus read the passage last night.

Second Thessalonians, when Jesus comes it says with his mighty angels who shall execute judgment on those who know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord matter where you go, no matter where Jesus goes, let me put it that way. Angels are there with him. All part of the works of God on this planet. So you have that you have Michael Michael is warring.

First of all, he has an argument with the Satan or the body of Jesus were not sure exactly what that is about, but that's interesting because the Bible says that Satan had the gall to slander Michael God's angel you imagine the nerve that he is and he is a slanderer. If you are a slanderer you are doing Satan's work. That's really what the word Satan or Devil means slanderer and he is the goal to do that end up Michael didn't hurl an accusation against him but says the Lord rebuke you under let God take care of this.

This is found in the book of Jude and then later on in Revelation chapter 12 there is war in heaven. Then Michael and his angels are warring against the dragon and his angels, and they are cast down in their very very angry. These defeated angels because they know that their time is short and those angels that were going to talk about and another time. They are the ones who be confined forever in a place called hell. The Bible says that there is torment their day and night. That's where they are headed. Angels are very interested in us. Bible says in first Corinthians, Paul says women should make sure that they are in subjection to men. That's the way in which we can and temporize the context he says and and do it because of the angels you read that you say will know why would angels be interested in the way in which we worship well they have seen insubordination they have seen rebellion and so they're very concerned that a church service be done decently and in order. I have absolutely no doubt that angels are here today, observing us worship God that we've had people who were demonized. People who have evil spirits who find it difficult to come into the church. I had somebody say I could get as far as the steps of the church, but couldn't come in now. Why would that be, unless perhaps God in his grace were to give us angels here that make this an entirely different place. It's not a substitute for the presence of God.

Don't get me wrong, but angels observe our worship. And you know my friend.

I believe that angels also watch our marriage. They are interested in our walk with God.

Rebecca and I've had the privilege of being married for 50 years and we don't take that for granted as a matter fact, we've told our story and it is available to you as a CD or a DVD. Now you might be asking this question. How can that be of help to me. You may be going through special struggles in your marriage or you may even be divorced.

What I need to tell you that as we told our story.

We emphasize the faithfulness of God. This is not about us, it's about God's faithfulness in the midst of our own struggles in the midst of our own challenges for a gift of any amount you can receive the story of our marriage. 50 years of God's faithfulness and I think that you will be encouraged because as I've already mentioned, it is all about God and only about us. Incidentally, but if you want a window into the Luther home.

This can be your opportunity. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com's RTW offer.com for a gift of any amount. This resource can be yours, or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 ask for the story of our marriage. 50 years of God's faithfulness and along the way as you think about us. Thanks in advance for your generosity as together we are making a difference.

It's time again for another chance for you to ask Pastor lutes or a question you might have about the Bible or the Christian life. Today's question Dr. looks or comes from a listener in Connecticut. He asks, is it true that the Apocrypha was never part of the Jewish canon in Palestine, and the answer to that question is yes you are right, it was never a part of the Jewish canon is important to realize that when Jesus was here on earth. The Bible that he referred to the Old Testament had exactly the same books as our Old Testament.

Mind you, they were rearranged differently. For example, first and second Kings that would've been one book the same with first and second Chronicles, etc. so it might have appeared as if there were fewer books but the content was absolutely the same as our Old Testament, the Apocrypha, these books which arose says some of them before the time of Jesus were written in Greek and they circulated and the reason that they made some claim to canonicity is because Jerome he was very reluctant to translate them but he did translate the Apocrypha and they appeared in the Latin Vulgate now throughout all of history hundreds of years.

The church recognize that these books were not authentic.

They were not breathed by God. Jerome himself spoke about them as being a kind of second canon.

The secondary canon, but then later on during the time of the Reformation. These books were used against Luther and so forth.

And then, the church unofficially recognize them. That is the Catholic Church recognize them as being fully authoritative. So that's why there is this disagreement that still exists until this day.

But the bottom line, the answer is yes. The canon of Jesus is the same as ours, the one that he referred to in the Apocrypha was never a part of the Old Testament canon. Thank you Dr. Luther for that lesson in history. If you'd like to hear your question answered.

Go to RTW offer.com and click on ask Pastor lutes or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337.

You can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 in Bible times, angels or messengers to God's people, and they've been charged with the task of watching over believers in this life will never know how often they've protected us from harm. Next time I'm running to win more about God's angelic host and how they care for.

As we learn more about the angels. We appreciate will discover that they are far from being aloof and uninvolved running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life for Dr. Erwin lutes or this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the Moody church