Does Your Church Have An Angel?

Does your church have an angel?

Several times I've been told by members of one or the other congregation I served as pastor that they saw an angel standing next to me as I preached. How would you take that remark? True? Active imagination? Listen to John writing in the Revelation:

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, ... As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. - Rev 1:12, 20 ESV

What is this talk about the mystery? What is a mystery? In the Bible mysteries are generally secrets known only to the initiated. They refer to some hidden counsel or purpose of men or they hide the secret counsels of God, counsels the ungodly will never know. These mysteries are often within a saying of the Bible or seen in a vision or a dream. Listen:

And he (Jesus) answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. - Mat 13:11 ESV

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. - Rom 11:25 ESV

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages - Rom 16:25 ESV 

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, - 1Co 15:51 ESV 

But back to the angels of the seven churches. The word angel doesn't necessarily refer to those wondrous spirits who sang and shouted when the LORD laid the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4-7). The word can simply refer to a messenger. John the Baptist was the messenger / angel who prepared the way for Christ's coming:

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, - Mar 1:2 ESV 

Could it be that what is written in the next chapters about each individual church is actually addressed first to the pastors or overseers of those churches? That's the frequent application of this mystery. However, nowhere in the NT is the word angel ever used to point to an under-shepherd, a pastor. David A Huston agrees. He believes that the words of Rev. 2-3 are written directly to the members of the congregations, because the local assemblies founded by the apostles were led by teams of men called overseers, not by single pastors.

On the other hand, the word angel is used some 60 times in Revelation to speak about one of these great spirits. Sam Storms discusses a few other options, but finally takes the view that the LORD—through John—is addressing the guardian angels of these seven churches. He doesn't know why Jesus would do so, however, and ends up leaving the identity of these angels still a mystery.

There is a parallel in Daniel's prophecy about a strange man who comes to him to tell him of the angelic princes of Persia and Israel.

Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes (Dan.13:1), came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come." - Dan 10:12-14 ESV

Later in the Revelation we will see and hear about seven angels with seven trumpets or seven plagues or seven bowls of the wrath of God (Rev. 8:2; 15:1; 16:1).  Are they the same seven spoken about here? We'll deal with that later. For now, back to the question of guardian angels of local churches. We hear that little children have angels (Matt. 18:10). Indeed the apostles had guardian angels. Peter's angel got him out of prison (Acts 12:5-15). So if individuals have angels, why not whole assemblies or churches of believers? This brings us back to the question about who is being addressed in the following chapters, the angels or the entire congregation? Certainly the members of the church are held responsible. Why then are the letters address to the various angels of the churches?

Perhaps we are back to viewing the angels as the supervisors, the pastors of the seven churches. To come to that conclusion consider the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the OT. The prophet Haggai is called the angel  or messenger of the LORD.

καὶ εἶπεν Αγγαιος ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου τῷ λαῷ ἐγώ εἰμι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν λέγει κύριος  - Hag 1:13 LXX = Then Haggai, the messenger (angel) of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, "I am with you, declares the LORD." - Hag 1:13 ESV

Luther Poellot, in his 1962 commentary, says that in the Bible we read about God sending angels as messengers to men, but He never uses men to send messages to angels!

Conclusion: the letters are written to those holding the prophetic office, the shepherds of the seven congregations. They are the messengers who are to convey the messages to their congregants, messages containing both warnings (Law) and words of comfort (Gospel). These same messages can be applied to congregations of believers in our day. We'll talk about that as we open them up.

Let Us Start To Talk About The Two Kingdoms

We who are disciples of Jesus Christ are committed to the care of the whole person, physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. This is because the Spirit of the living Christ dwells in us, teaching us to love one another even as we are loved.

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. - 1Jo 4:19-21 ESV

Part of the vision of George P. Mitchell in developing The Woodlands, TX. in the early 1970s was to have the churches that grew up in that planned city to be in charge of what were and still are called human services. In the early years of my ministry as pastor of Resurrection Lutheran Church, Spring, 
TX.. the congregation sponsored the development of Living Word Lutheran Church in The Woodlands and I served on the initial board of Interfaith Ministries, a coalition of churches that continues to guide and supervise human services in The Woodlands. In this planned community of over 100,000 people

Interfaith Programs and Services are available to qualifying individuals and families who reside in The Woodlands and the South Montgomery County area with employment assistance in six counties. Most programs are free of charge and are funded by the generous financial support of corporations, congregations, foundations, civic groups and private individuals.

Interfaith of the Woodlands provides many services and events including The Woodlands Directory,  senior services including senior transportation, the Interfaith Child Development Center, child care The Woodlands, employment services, family services, a food pantry, job assistance, job counseling, crisis assistance, workforce services, and The Woodlands Golf Tournament. See our programs page for more information on all our programs.

Both Resurrection and Living Word also provide support and care specifically for individuals and families of their congregations, as well as cooperate with other churches of their denomination in deeds of mercy throughout the world. I could share many stories of how that was done during the years of my pastorates at both churches. 

I mention all this by way of introduction to a deeper look into the Biblical teaching about how we Christians, both in our vocations and in our gathered congregations, operate in what has long been called two kingdoms. The very use of that phrase, however, requires some sorting and defining, because for hundreds of years it has been the source of much contention and confusion. 

Let us start with the fact that in this world there is a constant battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil. Listen to our Lord

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." Knowing their thoughts, he (Jesus) said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. - Mat 12:24-28 ESV 

The kingdom of Satan, prince of demons, began to operate at the very beginning when the devil led Eve and Adam to rebel against their Lord God and their son Cain murdered his brother Abel. This kingdom and the spiritual forces behind it continue to cause suffering, sorrow, pain and death to the very present. Jesus openly accepted the fact that the world is under the control of this prince. Jesus came, as He said, to overthrow the rule of the prince of darkness and to establish the kingdom of God. When some Greeks approached Philip to ask if he would introduce them to Jesus, Jesus spoke about how he would overthrow the devil's rule by his death upon the cross.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." 

Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." 

Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. - Jhn 12:24-33 ESV

 The devil loses control of our lives when we come under the rulership and reign of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul writes that our heavenly Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Col 1:13-14 ESV

It is at this point that confusion about the two kingdoms begins. Permit me to return to a brief look at my story about The Woodlands and the churches of The Woodlands. That coalition of churches that guides the activities of Interfaith is made up of a very mixed group of Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Universalists, Christian churches of various denominations and several non-denominational churches. Not all by any means embrace Jesus Christ as God, Savior and Lord. Now the hard questions:

Are all those churches that reject the lordship of Jesus part of the devil's kingdom? And should we Christians reject them and refuse to cooperate with them in developing and supporting the various acts of mercy and care provided by Interfaith? There are some who say yes to that question. They do not support Interfaith and, in fact, have not located their church properties within The Woodlands.

It is here that I will continue this discussion in my next post.

How We Know The Love Of God

One of the most popular Bible verses of all time, memorized in Sunday School by thousands of kids, is from the third chapter of John. With this blog I conclude my meditations upon that chapter by taking a careful look at what Jesus said to Nicodemus.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. - Jhn 3:16-17 ESV

Who or what is this world that God loves? The Greek word is kosmos, a word we are quite familiar with, only we spell it cosmos. By this we usually think of the universe as a well-ordered whole. In the original Greek kosmos was also an ornament or decoration. Peter uses the word in that manner when he urges women to be less interested in outward adornment (kosmos) and more focused on the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4).

A third use refers to the people who live in this world, the human race itself. So the apostle Paul writes that . . .

in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. - 2Cr 5:19 ESV

The word is used again and again with this meaning in John's Gospel. For instance, the Samaritans tell the woman who met Jesus at the well,

"It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." - Jhn 4:42 ESV

But this is also the world of people that despises the Savior and rejects the light and salvation he brings. Immediately following the verses quoted above in John 3, we hear Jesus say,

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. - Jhn 3:19-20 ESV

Jesus is the light of the world that loves the darkness. He is the one who gives sight to the blind (John 9:39; 12:46). His life and teachings expose the world and the ruler of this world who dwells in darkness. All through the Gospel of John we sense this conflict building. As in modern cowboy movies the drama moves steadily toward that final scene in which the good guy and the bad guy come face to face. It is like Moses coming before Pharaoh to demand that he let the children of Israel go.

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'" - Exd 5:1 ESV

But this time it is not a mere messenger from the LORD. Oh no, it is the LORD Himself who has come to win freedom for His chosen people. Moses was given a glimpse of this when the LORD said,

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. - Deu 18:18 ESV

The good word this Prophet speaks is that God loves this world. He does not desire that it perish. This is why He sends His Son to save it. But to save it in a most peculiar manner. The cowboy with the white hat does not stand with his hand ready to draw his gun and drill a bullet into the heart of the dirty sheriff who has ruled the town for years. Instead he allows one of his own disciples to betray him into the hands of his enemies. And when they come for him in the garden Jesus says,

"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." - Luk 22:52-53 ESV

So the Son of God by whom all things were made, submits himself to them and to the power of darkness, the prince of the world, the spirit at work in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). They condemn him, beat him and nail him to the cross. There, at about the ninth hour of that dark day, the Prophet shouts out the decisive word of the LORD.

"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Mat 27:46 ESV, (Psalm 22:1)

Thus he saves the world, the entire world of men who live, have lived and ever will live. He does it not by killing this world's prince, but by being himself condemned and forsaken by God, by drawing the unspeakable burden of this world's sin upon himself until he finally can say,

"It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. - Jhn 19:30 ESV

The prince of this world lives on. Darkness is yet at work, but that final day is coming when that prince and all his minions will be cast out. For the Light has come, the Light of the world and whoever follows the risen Savior "will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). John pulls it all together in his beautiful letter, words with which I complete this brief study of John 3.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation (all atoning sacrifice) for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. - 1Jo 4:10-16 ESV

Deliver Us From The Evil One

In a previous post I discussed briefly a believer's spiritual wrestling. I continue that discussion today, focusing again on Ephesians 6:12. There the Apostle Paul teaches that each one of us must wrestle with the rulers and authorities of this world, especially the decisions, laws and rulings that touch directly or indirectly upon our personal spiritual lives. Behind such authorities, Paul writes, are the

"the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places"

 These are strange phrases, often overlooked, but vital to our spiritual lives. Recall how we daily pray the prayer our Lord taught, "but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13). A better translation would be, "but deliver us from the evil one." To speak about the evil one helps us to focus upon the fact that the need for deliverance is personal, not vague and abstract, i.e. "evil". There is one who is determined to enslave us in endless darkness.

John emphasizes this as he writes about our Lord's triumphal ride into Jerusalem (John 12:12-19). Recall that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead just prior to this and also recall that Mary, Lazarus' sister, had poured precious perfume on his feet while Jesus and His disciples were gathered for a meal at Mary, Martha and Lazarus's home. Mary had been saving the ointment for his burial, but decided to pour it on his feet at this occasion. She knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem.

Among the crowds gathered for the Passover Feast were some Greeks who asked Jesus' disciples to introduce them to Jesus. Jesus saw this as a sign of what was about to occur. He would be soon lifted up on the cross and by His cross would gather all men to Himself (John 12:20-32).

Among those comments John records these words,

"Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

The Greek word for 'world' in this passage is kosmos. It's part the complex word Paul uses in Ephesians 6 when he speaks about the kosmokratoras, the world rulers or, as the ESV translates, "the cosmic powers over this present darkness." In other words, we live in a world hostile to Jesus and His disciples. It doesn't matter what part of this world you live in. Everywhere you go you will encounter powers and rulers working to overthrow the Gospel and the church of Jesus Christ. We live in a hostile spiritual environment.

You  will encounter this hostility, mockery and false teaching in every aspect of human life. You will meet it in literature, music, the arts, politics, science and philosophy. Everywhere you turn, on all sides, expect to find what Jesus and His apostles call "this present darkness." Expect it. Do not be surprised by it and above all, be on your guard. Behind it are spiritual forces and rulers and behind them is the devil, the world ruler himself, the enemy of Christ and of all those who are in His kingdom and under His rule.

So every day we pray, "deliver us from the evil one and lead us not into temptation." And Jesus, who has called us out of darkness, taken us with Himself into His death and brought us out again into life and light, will hear our prayer and deliver us from the temptations of the evil one. 

The ROH Project

Yesterday was our nation's birthday. In his speech to the nation our president talked about what we have inherited because of the sacrifice and commitment of millions who have gone before us to make this land the envy of people around the world. The USA is to our modern world what Rome was to the world of NT times.

That leads me to another thought: the title and theme of both this Blog and the monthly Ezine posted on our website by the same name speak about heritage. We have inherited so many spiritual blessings because of the labor of those who have gone before us. However, just as eternal vigilance is the price of our national liberty, so vigilance is also the price of our freedom in Christ. This is why several of us began the Reclaiming Our Heritage project, now approaching its second birthday. We believe that the task of Reclaiming Our Heritage in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a never-ending journey. The world we live in is ever at work, under the leadership of the prince of this world, to erode and destroy this wondrous heritage of grace.

This was further driven home by the growing attention being given to 2012 and apocryphal events connected to it in large parts of the Christian community. Consider, for instance, the millions of books sold in the Left Behind series. July 4, 2009, according to some, was to mark the beginning of a 3 1/2 year countdown to Dec., 2012 when the world is to come to an end or the Antichrist is to be elected, etc., etc. We Lutherans have ever had to challenge this approach to Holy Scriptures in the name of the Gospel. In turn, we are being challenged for closing our eyes to the momentous events in current history (1947, the founding of Israel, UFOs in Roswell, NM, planet X, etc.) that all point to the imminent Second Coming, Rapture, Armaggedon, the Millenium, etc., etc.

In Mark 12 we read that Jesus was also challenged on every side for his teaching, e.g. about paying taxes to the Roman government and about the resurrection from the dead. One of the scribe/theologians underlined Jesus' answers by complimenting him for telling the truth. Jesus, in turn, told the scribe that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. Jesus' answers shut all the rest of them down for the moment. Then he deepened his answers with a challenging question for them to answer.

I invite you to read that chapter, because it is high time that we Lutherans loudly proclaim clearer and wise answers to the growing confusion about the end times. Such theology ultimately leads believers into the sin of pride for being in-the-know. In days gone by, this was called the heresy of gnosticism. Many others are thereby captured by the giant called Despair and locked in the Doubting castle.

There are other similar theological questions that beg to be answered. Answers from God's Word must be provided to Christians tempted by lust, pride, despair and doubt and many other modern sins.

This is why I pray that the Reclaiming Our Heritage project grow and expand. In turn I challenge other Lutheran pastors and teachers to join me on this Blog, to lift up the peculiar Lutheran emphasis upon grace, faith and the Word of God. Lutherans also emphasize the correct division of Law and Gospel. More and more it seems that we are among the few who do. Witness the vast confusion of Law and Gospel in the multitudinous teachings about the End Times.

If you relate to what I am writing and would like to contribute to this Blog as well as to the ROH Ezine, please let me know. I can easily change the photos, add more links and bios, share the password and open these pages to those of you who agree with the Lutheran perspective. I'd love to hear from you. I also thank those Lutherans who are laboring diligently in other areas of this vast and complex cyberworld.