Characters Of Christmas - Angels Series

Characters of Christmas 2 Angels

- Read Luke 1:1-38

Last week we began a series called, Characters of Christmas, and we looked at Elizabeth and Zechariah, the parents of John the Baptist and relatives of Jesus’ mother Mary. This morning I would like us to examine a second group of figures that play an important role in the Christmas story, and they are angels. In this account we are introduced to an angel who plays an important role in both the announcements to Elizabeth and Mary, the angel Gabriel.

This morning we will not have time to do an extensive study on angels, as perhaps we may take the time to later in 2024, but this morning I would like to examine them briefly. First I want you to know that angels existed before man.

I. FACTS ABOUT ANGELS

1. Angels existed before man.

> Genesis 2:1 So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed.

> Colossians 1:16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.

Angels have not existed forever. They are created beings, created by God, but they were created before mankind was.

And since they are created beings, created before men were, you do not become an angel when you die.

It breaks my heart when I hear people tell children that when they die they are going to become an angel. What a bunch of foolishness.

I remember the year after my dad was killed we went to the annual law enforcement memorial event in Washington DC, where they honor law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty the pervious year. We were surrounded by people wearing pictures of their lost loved one, calling them their guardian angel.

Or, you go to a funeral and someone says, “Well, I guess God needed another angel in heaven.”

How sad is that? God doesn’t need to take a loved one in order to have another angel in heaven.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:3

> 1 Corinthians 6:3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life?

How in the world are we going to judge angels if we are angels? No if you want to comfort someone who has lost a loved you you tell them the truth. You tell them that if their loved one was a follower of Jesus Christ, that they are now in the presence of Jesus Christ Himself, for we are told in 2 Corinthians 5:8, that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

You want to comfort me, you tell me that my loved one who is gone is now present with the Lord, and you tell me that if I am a follower of Jesu Christ, that when I leave this world that I am going to be in the same place and that I will see my loved one again. And on that day, according to Revelation 21:4, Jesus will wipe away every tear.

Ruth Fles called me yesterday and told me that my friend Jim passed away yesterday. I cried a bit.

Last night at Christmas in the Country, when I saw Teri, I just went up to her, we hugged and cried a bit together.

Back in the day, Jim and Neil and Teri would go out to eat together almost every Friday night. After Neil passed, whenever Jim would come down, Jim and Teri and I would always make a trip or 2 to a Chinese restaurant to eat together. Now he’s gone. So we hugged and cried together a bit.

You want to help dry my tears, don’t tell me some foolishness about God needing another angel in heaven. You tell me that Jim is now with the Lord and that someday I will be too. You tell me about reunions, and seeing old friends and family members again. You tell me about seeing Jesus, and being healed, and not having to struggle with sin anymore, and having a new body. No, you want to comfort me, you tell me about a God Who loved me so much that He sent His Son into the world, to pay a price for my sin, so that one day I can join Him in heaven. Don’t tell me some foolishness made up by someone who doesn’t know their hat from a hole in the ground.

Angels existed before men.

2. Angels are powerful

Second, I want you to know that angels are powerful.

- Read Luke 1:19-20

Some of you know that I don’t care for pictures depicting angels as women, or plump little babies with wings and such. Some much of what passes for art these days depict angels as girly men. Nothing could be further from the truth. Angels are powerful.