4th Sunday of Advent - The Angel Candle
Scripture Hebrews 13:2
Luke 2:9-14
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Matt 28:1-8
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So, the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
|
JESUS BIRTH
|
|
JESUS DEATH/RESURRECTION
|
|
|
Angel announced his birth *
|
Lk 2:9-14
|
Angel announced his resurrection*
|
Mt 28:1-8
|
|
Announced to just a few men
|
Lk 2:17
|
Announced to just a few women
|
|
|
Afraid, excited, hurried, told others
|
|
Afraid, excited, hurried, told others
|
|
|
Mary of Nazareth was the first to know God’s son would be born & first to see him
|
|
Mary of Magdala was the first to know Jesus had risen and was the first to see him
|
|
|
Joseph of Naz was chosen by God to care for Jesus at his birth.
|
|
Joseph of Arimathea was chosen by God to care for Jesus at his death.
|
|
|
Sign he is the messiah: find a babe wrapped in cloths lying in a stone feeding trough in a cave carved out of the rock.
|
Lk 2:7
|
Sign he is the messiah: find cloths but no body on a stone slab in a tomb carved out of the rock.
|
Lk 19:41
|
|
Herod: upset at Jesus birth – believed he might be a messiah/king, tried to have him killed, and killed innocent babies in the process.
|
|
Pilate: upset at Jesus life – believed he might be the messiah but had him killed, saving the life of a guilty man in the process.
|
|
|
Physically helpless: first trip to Jerusalem held by Simeon, who was looking for the messiah, and dedicated him to God
|
Lk 2:25
|
Physically helpless: last trip to Jerusalem unable to carry his cross they had Simon of Cyrene, just passing through town, was forced to carry it for him.
|
Lk 23:26
|
|
He was laid in a manger
|
|
He was laid in a tomb
|
|
|
Miracle conception brought about his life
|
Isa 7:14
|
Miracle resurrection brought him back to life
|
Mt 28:6
|
|
Wise men saw a great light, followed it to see the new king.
|
Mt 2:2
|
Wise man sought his followers to destroy them and was blinded by a great light which caused him to see Jesus as king.
|
Acts 9:3
|
|
Came to earth alone
|
|
Went to Heaven alone
|
|
|
Jesus was taken away to Egypt – a foreign land until the proper time to return home.
|
|
Jesus was taken home to heaven until the proper time when he will return to this foreign land
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
God used a messenger angel to announce the coming of new life through Jesus
|
|
God wants to use you to announce the new life in Jesus that has already come
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONCLUSION
Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Hebrews is a tremendously well crafted sermon with the climax being chapter 11 & 12 with the hall of faith. Then there is chapter 13. This is a sermonic technique – Preach and Prescribe. Chapter 13 is a prescription for daily living giving several practical admonitions for living a Christian life. The first in vs 1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. (Describe how that looks in practical ways)
Vs 2 reminds me of an OT story: Gen 18:2-10 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way — now that you have come to your servant." "Very well," they answered, "do as you say." So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread." Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he said. Then the Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."
Genesis 19 – Crazy Lot story. Lot showed hospitality and the wicked did not. They rescued Lot and made the wicked lose their sight.
Angels are champions for us and all around us. We can know this because of how they respond when someone puts their trust in Jesus for the very first time.
Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
No comments:
Post a Comment