And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for
behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord. Luke 2:10-11
The shepherds were literally in the dark! They were abiding in the fields by NIGHT when
the Christmas angels came to them.
Indeed this
is how it always is. We live in a sin
darkened world separated from the true light of God’s grace and mercy in
Christ. We only can learn of the light
and life of Christ if God sends to us His angels with the message of Salvation.
Our contemporary world is a time of great irony. We
are the most connected people in all of history. Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Youtube, email, and texting
occupy our generation in ways that our parents and grandparents could have
never imagined. We learn of births and deaths, tragedies and triumphs at almost
the speed of light. Our friends and
family (and possibly the government?) can track our every action and learn of
our every thought.
Yet we also live in a time when we have become the
most disconnected from God in living memory.
People claim to be spiritual but not religious. They claim to know God but not want to be
associated with His people, the Church. Our comedians and entertainers are
proud of their foul and vulgar language. Those who claim to speak for God
distort or destroy His commandments. God’s plan for marriage is gleefully
corrupted before the altars of once faithful churches. Even many preachers who claim to still
believe the Bible have turned the Gospel into a rule book. They have made it
into an owner’s manual for life rather than the divine message of God’s abiding
love for sinners and the work of Christ for our salvation.
Yet this is no surprise to us who know the Bible.
Advent and Christmas are a time of celebrating God’s love and mercy coming into
darkened hearts and minds. To make this happen God sends angels just as He sent
the Christmas angels to the shepherds.
The Advent/Christmas story is full of angels. Indeed all of the scripture is abounding in
angels. Angels are messengers. Many of
the angels in the Bible are the divine messengers of God. Many are human messengers of sin and grace.
The Old Testament prophets were angels foretelling
the time as Isaiah says: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great
light” (Isaiah 9:2). John the Baptist was a human messenger, an angel in God’s
plan, who prepared the way of the Lord.
Divine angels appeared to Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, and shepherds. An
angel in the form of a star guided the wise men from the far off eastern
realms. Without God’s human and divine angels no one would know: “unto
you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Yet there is still work for angels. On many days as I watch the news or read
facebook or follow twitter or go to the movies or learn of repugnant laws and
court rulings, I am reminded of the darkness around us. Oh that God would send angels.
Wait, He has sent angels and He still sends
angels. Even today He sends faithful
messengers of sin and grace who proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins
through faith in Christ. These angels not only include pastors and
teachers. These angels include you!
God has placed in your life people who dwell in the
darkness of sin. They will never know
the light and love of God’s grace unless God’s messenger brings them the
message. Paraphrasing Mordecai’s words to Esther, God may have placed you where
you are to be a Christmas angel for your loved ones.
Pastor Quardokus
