The Angel Is Here
This blog post is Part 2 of our Christmas series entitled "It's Christmas Y'all!" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN.
Message Date: December 8, 2024
Click here to listen to this message
I am going to ask you to consider several questions as it relates to Christmas. After considering all 4 of these questions, I will then offer you the answer.
What is the most popular Christmas tree ornament of all time? What object appears on more Christmas season wrapping paper than any other object? What Christmas tree topper is the #1 selling tree topper of all time? What (or who) appears in more Christmas-themed movies than any other?
The answer:
What is the most popular Christmas tree ornament of all time? An angel. What object appears on more Christmas season wrapping paper than any other object? An angel. What Christmas tree topper is the #1 selling tree topper of all time? An angel. What (or who) appears in more Christmas-themed movies than any other? An angel.
The Angel is synonymous with Christmas. Even in mediums and settings that ignore or omit the Savior of the world from any recognition of or correlation to December 25th, the angel still finds its way into a prominent place and display throughout the season of Christmas. Too, angels adorn necklaces, earrings, bracelets and countless tattoos. Throughout history, angels have beautified statues, buildings, and monuments. Just this week, I preached the funeral of a very special lady, and while at the cemetery, I took a quick look around at the tombstones near the location of her burial, and I counted on 23 burial memorials images of angels.
Originating out of LA in 1946, and now with a membership of more than 6,000 people, members of the world’s oldest and largest motorcycle club who mostly wear leather and drive Harley Davidson motorcycles and frequent backroads around the globe in massive weekend cross-country expeditions have the word “angel” in ink on their bodies, their goggles, their bikes, and their leather jackets as proud members of a motorcycle club with 592 charter clubs in over 66 countries known as “Hell’s Angels!” There is a professional baseball team, the Los Angeles Angels. In Chicago, there is a minor-league baseball team, the Chicago Angels. And for soccer fans, there is the Angel City Football Club on the West Coast, which is the highest-valued women’s professional sports team in the world!
Angels are so very much a part of life here on earth. They have touched hearts and inspired minds and have drawn people to reflect and reconsider so very many things about life andand the supernatural. Angels have represented forces for good over evil and have, in profound ways, motivated people and religions and both generations of humans of faith and of little to no faith to think about the dynamics in the heavenly realms and the life ever-after. And, during this most wonderful time of the year, images and portraits and holiday decorations including angels are seemingly everywhere.
It is hard to watch any form of entertainment this time of year and not be exposed in some way to an angel. They are in movies, they are themes of movies, in commercials, on billboards, the subject of books and of course, including the Smith family favorite Christmas movie we journey South to see almost every Christmas season at the historic theatre in Franklin, TN, the classic 1946 movie featuring the great Jimmy Stewart, “It’s A Wonderful Life!” Wikipedia defines an “angel” as:
Angel / Wikipedia/ = A spiritual heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings.
Angels, throughout history, have been called or labeled as protectors, messengers, and overseers. They command power, prestige, awe, respect, and reverence. They too reflect understanding and authority, and both compassion and consolement. Perhaps this is why we often call someone who does something amazing or something that offers to others grace and mercy an “angel” or an “angel in disguise.” Angels are mentioned throughout the entirety of the Bible, even as early as the Creation story detailed in Genesis 2. Genesis 2:1 reads:
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. Genesis 2:1
Now, there is no mention here of an angel. But we do read in the Creation story that the creation of the heavens is made complete including its “vast array.”
Vast array / Hebrew / saba / n.m. = angel army; angel troops; angel warriors
So... though not a specific mention of an angel, we do know that heavenly angels are as hosts in heaven; as warriors of the Lord armed and ready to battle for the people of God. So, we see this first reference of angels here in the origin of creation described in the book of Genesis. On 300 different occasions from Genesis to Revelation, angels are referenced in the holy Scriptures. In Luke 12, they are called “angels of God” and “sons of God.” In the book of Job, angels are referred to as “sons of the mighty.”
As we will see today, angels too are called “heavenly host,” “holy ones,” and “holy watchers.” In the Old Testament book of Daniel, they are designated as “rulers.” And look at how they are referenced in Psalm 29:1:
Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Psalm 29:1
Though there are more than 300 references to angels in the Scriptures, only on 5 occasions are we made privy to the names of these angels: Gabriel, Michael, Abaddon, the Lord Himself, and the angel Lucifer, whom Scripture reveals to us, as a dark and gruesome reality. Today I want to highlight 4 moments in Scripture where 4 angels interact with humans. Though not all 4 of these encounters occur during the events surrounding the birth of our Savior, you are going to see today that all 4 encounters absolutely possess a commonality that points directly to this most wonderful time of the year.
As you read today, I want you to do so expectantly drawing your attention to one very specific hope that the angel offers in these 4 encounters to people who are wrestling with life’s challenges.
The first angel to which I draw your attention in Scripture is the origin of angels being introduced to us as a humanity. Here, we specifically read of an angel who appears, and then who speaks. This event is recorded in Genesis 16.
Genesis 16:1-10
Now, what is happening here? Well, you may recall that we have studied all of this during our series on Moses, From Fear to Freedom. Abram was promised by God that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Remember this:
Genesis 15:5-6
So, in chapter 16, we read where Abram and Sarah were yet to have a child – an offspring. So they take matters into their own hands and Abram sleeps with, and then impregnates, another woman, Hagar, in an attempt to have a son. Interestingly, an angel appears for the first time in the Bible at a time when two people have strayed from God’s plan. They took matters into their own hands, they tried to have a child on their own terms, and now everyone involved is hurting. And here, just as only God can do, the angel, and, not just any angel, but notice what Scripture says...
Genesis 16:7
“The angel of the Lord” appears and speaks into this hurt. Both Abram and Sarah have stepped outside of God’s will, inviting Hagar to do the same. This action, allowing a maidservant to hopefully bear a son in place of Sarah, is one that was common among Eastern practices of this time. However, it was not ordained nor approved by God. It was God’s plan to fulfill His promise through Abram and Sarah, not Abram and Hagar. They all sinned by trying to circumvent God’s plan and will. However, God still steps in, offers hope, and conveys His message through His messenger... an angel. You know what I am already seeing in this story, y’all:
Even when you fail; even when you sin; even when you run; God still offers grace and mercy and hope and peace.
Notice, Hagar, Scripture says is running:
Genesis 16:7-8
Hagar is on the run; not running to a holy God, but instead running away. As I studied this passage this week, I was reminded y’all that often the easiest thing to do when life’s plans go south... is to run. Let me ask you this morning.. are you running? Running from something? Running to something? So very many times in Scripture we come across stories of people who are on the run. Afraid. Broken. Pursuing their own way rather than God’s! And we too, as is the case here when the angel of the Lord steps in, always see that God is still going to do what God has planned to do! If you are running, I encourage you this Christmas season... slow down... better yet...stop running... and let God capture you... and do in your life what He desires! You see... I am too reminded this morning y’all...
Even when you fail; even when you sin; even when you run; God still keeps His promises.
The first time we read of an angel in the Bible, we do so hearing that God has come to complete His promises – the promise made to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob that God will establish a nation whose descendants are as numerous as the stars in the sky! God will still do what God is going to do with Abram and Sarah. They will in fact soon have a son, God will keep His promise, and this promise will usher in the coming of the Christ.
In the Gospel of Luke, we read the proclamation of another angel, angel #2 in our discussion today. And we quickly come to understand that this angel has come to make the most important of announcements! This time, and with this angel, we as humans are told the name of this angel. His name: Gabriel. Gabriel comes to fulfill exactly this... announcing the Advent! Do you recall from our time of teaching last week what the word Advent means:
Advent / Latin/ adventus/ verb = the coming
Let’s read:
Luke 1:26-38
The angel, Gabriel, only appears in one other book of the Bible – the book of Daniel. His appearance here in Luke 1 reveals that God is fulling His promises made so very long ago, specifically to Abram, Issac, and Jacob. The same promise of which the angel references, as we just read, in Genesis. The connection to all of this is amazing y’all! Remember last week I shared several verses with you that detail the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, and the words he spoke of the Christ child who would one day come to fulfill every promise made by God and recorded in the Old Testament. Well, the prophet, Isaiah, also prophesized that a messenger, or angel would one day come to announce the arrival of the Savior. Look at what Isaiah said would happen 700 years before it in fact did!
I was the first to tell Zion, Look, here they are. I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news. Isaiah 41:27
Who is this “messenger of good news” to which Isaiah refers? The angel of the Lord, Gabriel, who comes to give this great news to Mary! Interestingly, are you seeing a pattern here among the people to whom these angels appear? The first angel to appear, appears to a woman who is with child. And she is dealing with the reality that there are those in her life who are mistreating her – speaking against her! And the angel of the Lord appears to her and speaks of the promises of God!
Secondly, we see that a young girl, Mary, though looked upon by us, the Church, followers of Jesus, as the holy mother of the Savior... However, it is critically important to note that, to others within this day and time, Mary would not be viewed through the same lense of purity. As a matter of fact, there of course had to be those who thought and said and most assuredly spread some of the most horrible things that can be said about this woman – a young woman pregnant; a young woman from a small town of which everyone knew her name and her family and her story; yet too, a young woman, with child... just as Hagar. And still, once again, appears an angel – Gabriel, who speaks directly to her confirming the promises of the Lord, just as did the angel who appeared to speak with Hagar in the book of Genesis. Look again at what the angel, Gabriel, says to Mary:
Luke 1:31-33
Gabriel states that God will keep His Word to bring the Messiah to sit on the throne of David! Still, there is another encounter with an angel, angel #3. This angel appears a husband-in-waiting - Joseph. Not surprisingly, just as was the case with Hagar and Mary, when this angel visits Joseph, he too is dealing with a vastly arduous life situation involving a baby.
Matthew 1:18-19
When we are first introduced to Joseph, he is having marriage problems – tribulations so very grim, Joseph has already made the decision to divorce his young wife, Mary. Yet again... after an angel of the Lord appears, Joseph reconsiders this decision and his union with Mary is restored. What is fascinating in this moment, are the words the angel uses, more specifically, the name the angel of the Lord uses to call Joseph. Read with me:
Matthew 1:20
Do you see the name: Son of David! Why is this so very important, Church? Well, once again, the angel of the Lord offers a remedy to humanities hurts, in this instance, to Joseph, just as He did with Hagar and Mary, and now, offers the same promise He offers to Mary that a Savior, a descendant of David is coming to the change the world! David is a descendant of Abraham, Issac, & Jacob! The proclamation of God to fulfill His Word in the Advent, in the coming of the Messiah. “Where,” might you ask, “is this Old Testament promise from God of the coming of a Messiah? He made this promise to King David in 2 Samuel:
The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you. When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 2 Samuel 7:11-13
So now... on three occasions, three angels have transformed the story of three people... and have done so reminding these three people... “It’s Christmas, “Y’all! The Messiah is coming!”
Lastly, one more appearance of an angel. And this time, this appearance is unlike any the world has ever seen before! This angel appears this time to multiple people, yet still people, like Hagar and Mary, and Joseph, who would be, and who most assuredly already had been, looked down upon. These people, this group of men, would have been the recipients of verbal condemnations simply over the circumstance... of their occupation. For these men were considered to be the lowest of humanity on the earth. To whom do I refer? Shepherds.
The “men of the field,” or shepherds, of these times would have received very little, if any, education. They were considered to be illiterate with knowledge. They too were considered “outcasts,” often living out of the cities, eating off of the land, and rarely finding themselves in social or public gatherings in and around the city, in homes, and most certainly in the Temple. Shepherds were not only considered social outsiders, they too were labeled spiritually unclean. Shepherds had to constantly care for the sheep who were under their watch, and were, therefore, not able to adhere to the incessant amount of ceremonial practices and performances and cleanliness stipulations that Pharisees ad nauseum imposed on the people.
So, during a normal night, something most “un-normal” happened. Just as was the case with Hagar, Mary, and Joseph... unexpectedly, an angel of the Lord appears. And in an instant, while shepherds were “keeping watch over their flocks at night,” everything changes.
Luke 2:1-15
What a most beautiful moment in history y’all... the moment the “less than” received the “more than;” the moment when an angel appears to a group of outcast men while living out in a field... their lives will never again be the same! And this angel, an angel of the Lord, proclaims “good news of great joy!” And did you notice... good news of great joy that comes for humanity where... in the town of David!
Luke 2:4
Now... we do not know how many angels appeared on this night. Notice how Luke 2:13 describes this moment:
Luke 2:13
Scripture reveals that “a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel!” We do not how many shepherds were in the field on this night. We too do not know the names of these shepherds in the Bible. From time to time, God has revealed to us the names of shepherds in Scripture... Adam was the first shepherd in the Bible. He was given the responsibility of taking care of earth’s first animals. We too know that, on some level, and in some way, Abel, Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob, Rachel, Laban, Jacob's sons including Joseph, Moses, David, and Amos were, at some point in their lives, shepherds. Here in this field, near Bethlehem, on this night, I am sure you would agree with me that these shepherds saw the sight of their lives.
Now... to best position your mindset to understand what I vehemently desire you gather from this moment in Scripture, I want to end our time today by briefly focusing on one shepherd. And to help you do exactly this, I want to give this shepherd a name! So... let’s call him: Riko! Say this name with me: Riko! That sounds like a good Israeli shepherd-boy name, does it not...? Riko it is! Now I want you to imagine for a moment two extremes...
Extreme #1: How Riko felt about himself before the night the angel appeared to him in the field.
Extreme #2: How Riko felt about himself after the night the angel appeared to him in the field.
Again, I remind you, shepherds in this time had no seat at the table in any home of luxury in all of Jerusalem. So Riko was rarely, if ever, invited into the home of anyone. Riko did not hold a seat on the town’s city council. I presume Riko was never invited to join anyone for coffee, or any number of social gatherings. Riko was looked down upon. Riko was an outcast. Riko was a low life. Riko was a shepherd. I too postulate that Riko, in possession of such knowledge, thought very little of himself.
Allow this image to consume your mind... an image of Riko... dirty, sweaty, smelly, tired, not just tired, but potentially exhausted from the routine and mundane of the same old “same old” every single day... Night after night out under the stars, in fields along the West Bank of Jerusalem; lying on his back half awake, half asleep; from one day to the next; with the sounds of sheep grazing nearby; and the smells associated with sheep grazing nearby; feeling the easternly breeze off of the Mediterranean Sea; too feeling the hard, dusty ground on his back as he tried to get a few minutes of sleep before having to chase away a predator, or rally back a lost sheep or gather around himself the flock during a long rainy, night of lightening and storms...
I suppose there were so very many times when Riko thought... “How did I get here? Why did my life end up like this? How can I ever, ever climb my way out of this horrific job of smells and dirt and loneliness and isolation and no friends and no reputation of worth and no value...?” Riko had to think of himself and to himself, “My life is worthless! I am worthless! If I disappeared, no one would even notice; no one would even care; no one would even miss me!” But then... everything changes on the night that the field outside of Bethlehem went ablaze when an angel appeared, “...and the glory of the Lord shown all around them!” In that one moment, Riko’s life changed forever! And once again, another angel points to the promise made to David that the Messiah is coming!
Luke 2:10-12
After that encounter with an angel, and then with, as Luke 2 describes, a “great company of heavenly host” appeared, Riko was a new man. I have to believe that for Riko, and for every shepherd out in that field that night, their lives were never the same! What a story to tell forever! I love the line in that most special movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” when Zuzu Bailey says: “Daddy, every time a bell rings, and angel gets his wings!” Well, I do not know about that. But y’all... What has been a most wonderful realization for me this week, are these two realities:
When the angel is here:
1. Life gets better.
2. God gets glory.
We have seen that over and again in Scripture, the angel of the Lord appears to empower people’s lives and to confirm God’s promises! If Hagar, Mary, Joseph, and Riko were here worshipping with us today, I surmise they would undoubtedly agree! In all four of these stories, did you receive the common hope to which I referenced earlier? In each of these four encounters with an angel, there is a life story of challenge, hurt, fear, and uncertainty. And to each person appears an angel who offers the same hope: The hope that rests upon the throne of King David – the hope that offers the answer to all of humanities hurts. From the line of Abraham, Issac, and David, a King is coming!
He is the Messiah... Lord Jesus... the Christ!
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:7
The message of the angel in its simplest form... “It’s Christmas, Y’all!” In our study today we have seen with these four stories, when the angel speaks, he is always pointing humanity... to the Advent - - to the coming of the Messiah. Just as the great company of heavenly host lit up that Bethlehem sky that night, and directed all of humanity to know:
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14
_________________________________
Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.