WHO IS GOD ?
CONCLUSION :
By : Pastor Mike

Brothers and Sisters in Christ , in this final sermon , I'd like to talk about God' s Agents, i.e., ANGELS :

Angels are included in the descriptions of all that God created , " Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. " ( Psalm 148:2 ) ; " For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him " ( Col. 1:16 ) . There are hints that they witnessed the world's creation : " When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? " ( Job 38:7 ).
No matter how close to God angels may be , they share with humankind the status of creatures , but as wholly spiritual creatures they are free from many human limitations , such as death ( " Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." Luke 20:36 ) . They do not marry ( " For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. " Matthew 22:30 ) , so they could be regarded as sexless ; in all biblical appearances of angels in human form they were taken to be men , never women or children . Their ability to communicate in human language and to affect human life in other ways is basic to their biblical role . Their power ( " And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. " Matt. 28:2 ) and awesome appearance ( " His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men." Matt. 28: 3-4 ) sometimes tempted people to fear or worship them , but the New Testament does not condone the worship of angels ( " Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels . . " Col. 2:18 ; " And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. " Rev. 22 : 8-9 ) . Though angels are stronger and wiser than human beings , their power and knowledge are also limited by God ( See Psalm 103:20 ; Matthew 24:36 ; 1 Peter 1: 11-12 ; 2 Peter 2:11 ) .

RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST :

The apostle John had a vision of angels surrounding the throne of God ( " And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne  . . . " Rev. 5:11 ) . Paul once gave a particularly solemn command to Timothy , in 1 Tim. 5:21 ; " I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels . . . " . Christ became " . . .  so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. ( Hebrews 1:4 ) ; " And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. " ( Hebrews 1:6 ) ; " But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? " ( Hebrews 1:13-14 ) .

FALLEN ANGELS :

Before Christ's final victory  , Satan ( literally , " the adversary " ) must first be conquered . On earth Jesus cast out demons " by the spirit of God " ( Matthew 12:28 ) . When His disciples discovered that the demons were subject to Him , Jesus said , " . . I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. " ( Luke 10 :18 ) . As His crucifixion drew near , Jesus said , " Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. " ( John 12 : 31 ) . Many indirect references identify Satan as an angel who sinned because of pride , and Revelation 12:7-9 describes war in heaven , in which the archangel Michael and his angels fought against Satan and his fallen angels ; " And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. " .  Although Christians are warned to be on guard against Satan , who is still the " prince of the power of the air " ( Eph. 2:2 ) , there is no biblical basis for excessive fear of the devil or evil spirits .

EARTHLY FUNCTIONS :

Meanwhile , " And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. " ( Hebrews 1:7) ; " Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:" ( Psalm 104:4 ) . Angels appeared to many of God's people in the Bible to announce good news ; " And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. " ( Judges 13:3 ) , warn of danger ; " And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. " ( Genesis 19:15 ) , guard from evil ; " Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. " ( Daniel 3:28 ) ; " My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." ( Daniel 6:22 ) , guide and protect ; " And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them " ( Exodus 14:19 ) , nourish ( See Genesis 21: 14-20 ; 1 Kings 19: 4-7 ) , or instruct ( See Acts 7:38 ; Galations 3:19) . When Christ came to earth as the Savior , angels heralded His birth ( See Luke 2:8-15) , guided and warned His parents ( Matthew 2:13 ) , strengthed Him when He was tempted ( 4:11 ) and in His last distress ( Luke 22:43 ) , and participated in His resurrection ( Matthew 28:1-6 ) . Jesus spoke about the guardian angels of little children ; " Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." ( Matthew 18:10 ) . Philip was guided by an angel ; " And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. " ( Acts 8:26 ) . Apostles were rescued from prison by an angel ( Acts 5:19 ; 12:7-11 ) . In a frightening situation , Paul was encouraged by an angel ( Acts 27: 21-25 ) .

ROLE IN JUDGMENT :

Christians expect angels to accompany Christ at His triumphant return ( See Matthew 25:31 ; Acts 1: 10-11 ; 1 Thess. 4:16 ; 2 Thess. 1:7 ) . Angels will participate in the last judgment , even as they have exercised God's judgment before . It was an angel who struck Herod Agrippa dead ; " And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. " ( Acts 12: 21-23 ) . The Destroyer , whose "passing over " the Israelites as he struck down the Egyptians is celebrated in the Jewish Passover ( See Exodus 12:21-27), may have been a " death angel ."

THE HOLY SPIRIT :

Since New Testament times , many of the works previously entrusted by God to His angels have been part of the Holy Spirit's function in the lives of believers in Christ . In His guidance , illumination , protection , and empowering of Christians , the Spirit nonetheless may continue to emply angels for the sake of God and His people .

May The Lord Continue to Bless and keep you ALL - ALWAYS -
Your Brother in Christ
Pastor Mike