The Good Guys Series

SERIES: ANGELS and DEMONS

(freely adapted from a series of the same name by James Merritt)

“THE GOOD GUYS”

LUKE 2:13-14

OPEN

Angels are the subject of endless speculation and fascination. It's easy to find books, songs, seminars, pins and paintings about angels. So what are they and why do they exist? Angels are 100% pure spiritual beings. They were created by God and for God’s purposes

Here we are in the 21st century, the most technologically advanced time in the history of the world – iphones and ipods and instantaneous communication with cell phones and Facebook and Twitter. Yet, one of the latest Harris polls found that 7 out of 10 adults believe in angels.

You can count me in that number. I may not believe in angels for the same reason that you do. I don’t know why you believe in them if you do. But I agree with Billy Graham, who wrote in his book about angels: “I am convinced that these heavenly beings exist and they provide unseen aid on our behalf. I do not believe in angels because someone has told me about a dramatic visitation from an angel, impressive as such rare testimonies may be. I do not believe in angels because of the sudden world-wide emphasis on the reality of Satan and demons. I do not believe in angels because I have ever seen one, because I haven’t. I believe in angels because the Bible says there are angels and I believe the Bible to be the true word of God.”

Max Lucado describes the process of studying angels as “biblical whale-watching.” He said, “Angels surface just long enough to grant a glimpse and raise a question but then disappear before we have a full view.”

And it’s true. Whenever you read about angels in the Bible, they appear briefly. They have some short dialogue – they have a few lines to say - and they’re back out of the scene again. Their appearances are generally brief but they are many.

The Bible has a lot to say about angels. The word “angel” appears in the Bible over 300 times. And the word itself means “messenger.” There are some things about angels you may or may not know. There could be some things you have believed all your life but they may or may not be correct.

We sometimes tend to think that angels are eternal that they’ve always been around - like God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Angels are not eternal beings. Angels are what are termed “aeviternal” beings. That’s a big word. But it has a simple meaning. An aeviternal being is a being that has a beginning but not an ending. It is a created being but it is immortal – it cannot die. They were created but they were created to be immortal. They have a beginning but not an ending.

Furthermore, the do not have bodies like we do. We see them pictured that way in books and movies but in reality, they have no bodies. They’re not like human beings. They can’t die.

One time when Jesus was talking to His disciples about the resurrection that we would all experience one day, He said in Lk. 20:36 – “and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.” Angels can’t die. They’re 100% pure spiritual beings.

Here’s something else about angels. We tend to think of angels as male beings because they’re constantly picture that way. Even in the Bible, they appear to be male but they’re not. They’re neither male nor female. They’re genderless beings.

The Bible teaches that angels rank below God but in some ways rank above us. Ps. 8:4-5 – “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” The psalmist said that the angels are below God but in some ways above us.

How are angels higher than we are or above us? Here are three ways angels are above us: Number one, angels are stronger than we are. Not only is one man no match for one angel. A million men are no match for one angel. We’ll talk about this a more a little later in this message.

Angels are unbelievably powerful beings. Now, they’re not omnipotent like God, they can’t do just anything but they’re very, very strong.

A second thing about angels is that puts them above us is that they have knowledge we don’t have. They see things we can’t see. They hear things we can’t hear. They observe things we can’t observe. They can go places we can’t go. But understand this, even though they know more than we do, they’re not omniscient like God does - they don’t know everything like God does.