Entertaining Angels

ENTERTAINING ANGELS

Heb. 13:2

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: AN EMAIL FROM GOD

1. One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the evil that was going on. He decided to send an angel down to Earth to check it out. So he called one of His best angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time.

2. When she returned she told God, yes it is bad on Earth, “95% is bad and 5% is good.”

3. Well, he thought for a moment and said, maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another point of view.

So God called another angel and sent her to Earth for a time too.

4. When the angel returned she went to God and told him yes, the Earth was in decline, 95% was bad and 5% was good.

God said this was not good.

5. So He decided to E-mail the 5% that were good and He wanted to encourage them, give them a little something to help them keep going.

6. Do you know what that E-mail said???? You didn't get one either, huh?

B. HUMOR: KID’S IDEAS ABOUT ANGELS

1. “Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.” Mitchell, 7.

2. “Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the kid get over it.” Vicki, 8.

3. “My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science.” Henry, 8.

4. “Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter.” Jared , 8.

5. “All angels are girls because they've got to wear dresses and boys don't go for it.” Antonia, 9.

6. “Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why but scientists are working on it. Olive, 9.

7. “It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to heaven then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.” Matthew, 9.

C. TEXT

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” Heb. 13:2.

D. THESIS

1 We’re going to look at Angels in the Bible and see how there’s even one thing better than entertaining Angels.

2. The title of this message is “Entertaining Angels.”

I. PEOPLE WHO ENTERTAINED ANGELS

This verse particularly refers to Abraham and Lot, Genesis 18:1-8 & Gen. 19:1-4.

A. POSITIONED AT THE PLACE TO RECEIVE STRANGERS

1. Abraham in the heat of the day, “sat in the door of his tent,” Genesis 18:1. In Gen. 19:1, Lot, at evening, “sat in the gate of Sodom,” where strangers were to enter.

2. They both positioned themselves, so that, if they saw any strangers, they might invite and receive them; and did so on the first occasion that offered itself.

3. Abraham prepared a dinner for the 3 Strangers to eat, and Lot prevailed on the 2 angels who visited Sodom to come spend the night at his house. In both instances it’s recorded that the angels ate food with them. Very interesting!

4. But the main point was, that both Abram and Lot intentionally were looking for someone to entertain/ bless.

5. If we’re not actively looking for people to witness to or people to show God’s love to, we’re not serious about obeying God in those areas!

6. So we have a DUTY, not only to be philanthropic, but WE MUST POSITION OURSELVES TO BLESS OTHERS!

B. REWARDS OF ENTERTAINING ANGELS

1. Both Abram & Lot were REWARDED for their kindness. Abram received the promise of a son within one year by Sarah. This was what Abram had been waiting for, for 25 years! It finally came when Abram was thinking of others & not himself.

2. Lot and his family were saved from the judgment and destruction of Sodom, being led out by the hand by the angels.

3. You can’t outgive God! If you sow kindness to others, a harvest of blessing will come back to you! “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days (after many days you may receive a return, NIV)” NKJV. Eccles. 11:1.

4. Isa. 58:6-7, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen…? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

II. IMPLICATION: ANGELS ARE AROUND US

A. ANGELS REALLY EXIST

1. The first implication is that Angels really exist. They are not mythical beings, but are as real as mountains and trees.