Sermon Tone Analysis

*1 Peter 1:12 (ESV) \\ **12 *It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

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·         The seven words at the end of verse 12 are; “Things into which Angels long to look,”

·         I can’t tell you why these words in general and the subject of angels in particular has caused such a conviction within me but it has

·         I’ve been guilty at times of using mathematical words and math expressions as though all who hear it understand fully what I am talking about mathematically

·         Dwelling on these words or expressions can pull some away from the message instead of helping to understand the message better

·         Now Peter is writing to a variety of suffering and hurting saints but these elect individuals are blessed by what Peter is talking about and blessed by who he is talking about

·         He speaks, in these opening words, of election, the Holy Trinity, rejoicing, salvation, a living hope and the resurrection of Jesus Christ not in an elementary way but he speaks to hurting people who have a knowledge what he’s talking about

·         We can compare ourselves in the 21st century to the first century Christian and say we have it very good in comparison to them

·         But you have to agree that with all of these freedoms, opportunities, and advantages,  we have become soft in our Spiritual learning and weak in our Spiritual doctrine

·         Last week I pointed out that most of you have heard very little within the church on the preaching or teaching of angels

·         And yet if you watch television or look at movies there have been shows and movies concerning angels Hollywood style; ‘touch by an angel’, angels in the outfield’, I don’t remember the name of one movie but it presented  an angel that is looking for a man who is half angel and half human

·         This angel, who is named either Gabriel or Michael,  is angry with God because he loves the humans (this angel refers to humans as monkeys) more than God loves the angels

·         Even John Travolta played an angel in some movie

·         Now with this exposure along with other things, I have not heard any questions from young or old about what does the bible say about angels

·         In fact we soak up this exposure and call it entertainment

·         The first century saint definitely didn’t have the distractions that we have today

·         In fact this letter from Peter may have been the only thing available to read, to examine, to study, and to discuss and talk about

·         And this letter and the rest of Scripture didn’t have to compete with radio, television, I-pods, internet, play stations, game boys, or just the noise level of the 21st century

·         What we do here on Sunday may be a small part of our existence but back then it may have been their entire existence or at least the focal point or the central part of the things they did

·         Today as a spiritual leader I barter and negotiate for your time and attention back in the first century the people yearned to hear from the spiritual leader and would drop anything and everything for that opportunity

·         Last Sunday we looked at ‘Who are these angels’ and why are they mentioned in this letter

·         Today I would like to look at what they do beyond the obvious.

·         I pray that it is obvious that the angels are in heaven praising, worshipping and adoring God almighty.

·         I want to step away from Peter for a moment to do this.

·         So open your bibles to the book of Hebrews 1:14, this is what God says

 

*Hebrews 1:14 (ESV) \\ **14 *Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

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·         The first question one should ask is who are the ‘they’?

·         Listen to the context and it should be clear

·         Again, this is what the Lord says

 

*Hebrews 1 (ESV) \\ **1 *Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, *2 *but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

*3 *He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, *4 *having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

*5 *For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”?

Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

*6 *And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

*7 *Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

*8 *But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

*9 *You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

*10 *And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; *11 *they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, *12 *like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed.

But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

*13 *And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

*14 *Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

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·         Therefore the ‘they’ here in verse 14 are angels.

·         It is, and so it should be, a wonderful thing to know that you are not alone

·         It is also wonderful to know that all the bases are covered

·         Every saint should know this and from time to time be reminded of this

·         God has His Spirit in you so you are covered internally and He has His angels around you, therefore you are covered externally

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

·         ‘Those who are to inherit salvation’ included us who are saved and know it this day but ‘those who are to inherit salvation’ also include those who have not professed their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior at this moment.

·         Listen to this from Revelations 5:11

*Revelation 5:11 (ESV) \\ 11 *Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,

 

·         For the sake of those who are to inherit salvation, there are enough angels to go around.

In other words, no elect individual is left out

·         Thank you Lord!

·         Scripture gives evidence that angels help prepare some saints for salvation

·         In the book of Acts; /(just go into the reading)/* \\ 1 *At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, *2 *a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. *3 *About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”

*4 *And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?”

And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

*5 *And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter.

*Acts 10:1-5 (ESV)*

 

·         Here is a man that is a trained soldier.

Fear and terror are not the usual words to describe him

·         Until he deals with God and His angel;

·         He is a devote man (but a soldier) who fears God and when the angel comes in a vision he is terrified.

·         Cornelius later describe the angel as a man in bright clothing

·         Angels can be used in the same way today in the field of preparation

·         What is so unique about dreams and visions is that you are not in full control.

And when something like this happens, you remember it very clearly

·         And in most cases you must act on it because the dream or vision stays in your conscience state

·         Other accounts are Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph in the Gospel of Luke

·         You are not alone and God has it all covered and it is completed correctly and in order.

By His timing and in the place of His choosing.

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

·         What else do ministering angels do?

Well, they protect the saints

·         I need to be very clear here and you need to hear me well on this point;

·         There are good angels and there are bad angels

·         There are angels who did not fall away from God and there are angels who have fallen

·         The Devil, Satan, Lucifer is a fallen angel and he has other fallen angels that do his bidding, they are called demons, evil spirits, principalities,  and cosmic powers over this present darkness.

·         If the fallen angels could have their way, they would kill all the saints who are alive at this moment

·         But angels are watching over you, protecting you from danger seen and unseen danger.

·         Crime is real, so why have you remained protected?

·         These streets are evil, so why have you remained protected?

·         Why have our children remained protected?

·         *Be a fence all around me every day*

·         In addition to lost angels, there are lost humans who also do the bidding of the Devil

·         Why are they kept away?

Because what may look like easy and innocent prey got angels watching over them

 

*Psalm 91:10-12 (ESV) \\ 10 *no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.

*11 *For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

*12 *On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

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·         You heard a testimony just last week about how our sister was in an accident that she shouldn’t have walked away from but God had angels watching over her

·         Why is this so needed today because there are people who will say it is due to the rabbit’s foot, the medallion they wear, the horse shoe hanging in their home, the horoscope, everything and anything besides giving God the glory

·         Glory to the Father, Glory to the Son and Glory to the Holy Spirit!

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Yes they are!

·         Angels gives guidance in Scripture like when Philip was told by an angel to go down from Jerusalem to Gaza.

It was there that Philip meet the Ethiopian and the Ethiopian was saved

·         Angels minister to the saints by bringing comfort; Jesus was ministered to by angels in the wilderness and in garden of Gethsemane, Paul was comforted by an angel in a storm at sea, at night saying “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar.

And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.”