Sermon Notes
Sermon: Angel Encounters by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: December 16, 2018
Key Scripture Passages:
Sermon:
Introduction: Angel Encounters
Have you ever encountered an angel?
There are times when the veil between the natural and supernatural world is lifted, and we are aware of the spiritual forces that are around us. Sometimes these encounters are direct, and, at other times, it is a fleeting presence. An angel encounter is life-changing. Yet, it is something that you really cannot describe. Well, you can try, but unless the listener has experienced it themselves, then they may not understand. It is a sudden knowledge and a heightened awareness that God is there and moving.
Historical Context
Throughout the Old Testament, there are stories where God speaks directly to people or stories of where God sends His angels to speak to His people (O.T. – Israelites, N.T. – Jews). God’s angels have a variety of functions, but we often see them used as messengers in the Bible. We also learn that in the Old Testament that when the Israelites were following God, then God would bless them. However, if they were not following God, then God would punish them, and, more often than not, a part of that punishment was that another nation would conquer them and take them over. Towards the end of the Old Testament, we see the end of the Babylonian exile, and God is allowing the Israelites to return home. This was due primarily to Persia’s conquest over Babylonia. Persia was relatively tolerant of the Israelites. They let them return home, rebuild the Temple, and pretty much govern themselves as long as they did not rebel against Persia. The Persian influence lasted about two hundred years (536 B.C. to 336 B.C.) It spans a part of the Old Testament era and a part of the Intertestamental Period, which began around 425 B.C.
During the Intertestamental Period, we continue to see nation after nation holding dominion over the Israelites. From about 336 B.C. to 323 B.C., we have the reign of Alexander the Great. His goal was a unified culture, which included Greek culture, language, and religion. This process, known as “Hellenization”, had long-lasting effects and was still evident in the New Testament era. While the Jews adopted the Greek language and were bilingual for a time, they struggled for a long time against the Greek’s polytheistic, pagan religion.
From about 323 B.C. to 198 B.C., Israel was dominated by the Egyptians. For the most part, the Egyptians tolerated the Jews, and the Jews adopted more and more of the Greek way of life. There continued to be a struggle between Hellenized Jews and Orthodox Jews. The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, was authorized during this time.
From about 198 B.C. to 165 B.C., the Jews came under the dominion of Syria. They were treated harshly, but they were still allowed to rule themselves under the High Priest. All was okay until the fighting for control between the Hellenized Jews and the Orthodox Jews got to the point that the leader of Syria, Antiochus Epiphanes, had to get involved. In 168 B.C., he showed up in such a fit of rage that he decided to get rid of anything and everything that was distinctive about the Jews. He outlawed sacrifices, circumcision, observing the Sabbath, feast days, and so on. Antiochus desecrated the Temple and built an altar for Zeus. He also destroyed copies of the Hebrew Bible, and many Jews died under his persecutions.
This led to the Maccabean Revolt led by an elderly priest, Mattathias, and his three sons, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon. Thousands of Orthodox Jews followed them. They had such success that by 165 B.C., they had retaken Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple, and restored biblical worship. The Jews lived independently under this Hasmonaean dynasty for about seventy years. During this time of independence is when we find the development and separation between two groups of Jews: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Maccabean Revolt is still commemorated by the Jews today in the Feast of Dedication, or what we know as Hanukkah.
This independence was short-lived when about 63 B.C. the Romans invaded Jerusalem through Syria and took it over. The Romans were still in power as the New Testament opens up. Now if we learn from the history laid out in the Old Testament, then we know that the Jews are not one hundred percent following God if they remain under occupation. History has shown that man cannot save themselves. While God and His angels may have interacted with the His people, there does not seem to be a record of angel encounters during this Intertestamental Period. This sets the stage for when the New Testament era begins.
Zechariah’s Encounter – Luke 1:5-25
The New Testament opens with the four Gospels of Christ, and, all of a sudden, after years of silence, we immediately have three angel encounters. The first is the story of Zechariah in Luke 1:5-25. He was a priest, and his wife, Elizabeth, was of Aaron’s lineage. In Luke 1:6, it says, “And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” Just like with Abraham and Sarah in the O.T., Zechariah and Elizabeth were of old age and childless. One day, Zechariah entered the Temple alone to do his priestly duties and encountered an angel of the Lord. The angel’s name was Gabriel. Can you imagine his reaction? Here no one was supposed to enter but himself, and no one had encountered an angel in a really long time.
The first words the angel spoke was “Do not be afraid.” He then foretold that Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son, who we know as John the Baptist. The angel said that John would bring many people back to God. Zechariah began questioning the man before him, perhaps not realizing that Gabriel was an angel. He demanded a sign, “How shall I know this?” Gabriel identified himself to Zechariah and rebuked his disbelief. Due to his doubt, Gabriel took Zechariah’s voice, and Zechariah did not get it back until the birth of his son, John. Zechariah had just had this incredible encounter with an angel of the Lord, and he was unable to tell anyone about it.
Mary’s Encounter – Luke 1:26-38
In Luke 1:26-38, Gabriel makes a second appearance. This time, he appears to Mary, Elizabeth’s much younger cousin. He came to her gently, saying, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” Yet, she was still afraid. Now remember, John had yet to be born, so no one knew of Zechariah’s encounter yet. Again, Gabriel says, “Do not be afraid.” He tells her that she will bear a son named Jesus, the Son of God. She knows even before conception that her son is the Son of God, the expected Messiah that the Jews have been waiting for hundreds of years.
Mary questions Gabriel as well, but she more wonders how is this possible, since she is a virgin. She was already betrothed to Joseph, and I have always wondered how she knew it would happen right then rather than after her and Joseph were married. Rather than punish her doubt as he did with Zechariah, Gabriel explains it to her and offers Elizabeth’s pregnancy as proof of God’s power and that nothing is impossible for God. But notice, Mary did not demand a sign. Also, what the angel said would happen to her posed a great risk to her. According to Jewish law, she could have been put to death for being pregnant before she was married. Yet, despite the risks and the impossibilities of the situation, Mary asked and responded to Gabriel from an attitude of humility and obedience. In Luke 1:38, Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Joseph’s Encounter – Matthew 1:18-25
In Matthew 1:18-25, we find our third angel encounter. This encounter is slightly different than the first two. First, Matthew does not tell us the name of the angel as Luke does. Second, the angel comes to Joseph in a dream. So, who is Joseph?
Joseph, from the lineage of David, is the man that Mary is betrothed to. He finds out that his bride-to-be is pregnant before their wedding. Now most men would be angry. And maybe Joseph is, too, but he is still trying to protect Mary to do some degree. He considers divorcing her quietly. However, the angel tells him, “do not fear”, and he continues on to tell him about the child that Mary is carrying. This child was Jesus, Immanuel (which means “God is with us”). This was the expected Messiah that Isaiah had prophesied about. When Joseph woke from his dream encounter, he responded with obedience. He married Mary, and out of reverence for God, he did not lay with her until after Jesus was born. Here we also see a glimpse of the Levitical marriage laws that we discussed with the genealogies of Jesus. Jesus would have been Joseph’s legal son but not his biological son.
God is on the Move
What can we learn from these angel encounters?
First, angel encounters do not happen very often, but they do happen. Angel encounters are unexpected. The person is often left in awe of what has occurred, and these encounters change the course of their life. God is always on the move.
Second, from Zechariah’s angel story, we learn that God moves in our lives, even when we doubt Him. Gabriel said this is what is going to happen, Zechariah doubted, and God did it anyway.
Third, from Mary’s story, we learn that God moves in our lives even when things seem impossible or the risks insurmountable. Sometimes what we feel God is telling us or calling us to do is full of more risks than we can handle or just downright impossible. But just as the Holy Spirit was with Mary, God is with us throughout the process.
Fourth, from Joseph’s story, we learn that God moves in our lives in such a way that weaves our story with the lives of others. Joseph’s story and life is entwined not just with Mary and Jesus, but also with Zechariah’s, Elizabeth’s, and John’s. Also, as we learned from the genealogies, this marriage had to happen so that this child was born, and then this marriage happened and on down the line. It all led up to this moment of Joseph marrying Mary, and Mary having Jesus. God sets the stage of our lives long before it happens. God has a plan for you, for me, for all of us.
The story of Christmas, of the birth of Christ, is one full of hope. Even in the silences, even amidst the doubts, even in the face of impossibilities or risks, God is always there, working in our lives. Even when we do not recognize it, God is always actively moving in our lives. We have the assured hope that He is always with us no matter what. Jesus was called Immanuel, God is with us. The Christmas story, and really the entire Bible, is about God walking this life alongside us. These three angel encounters propel the Christmas story into motion. They are a reminder that God will reveal Himself to us when He thinks that we are ready. Are you ready? God may not always come to us through His angels. But we should always be ready for a God encounter.
Further Suggested Study:
Sermon: Angel Encounters by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: December 16, 2018
Key Scripture Passages:
- Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38
Sermon:
Introduction: Angel Encounters
Have you ever encountered an angel?
There are times when the veil between the natural and supernatural world is lifted, and we are aware of the spiritual forces that are around us. Sometimes these encounters are direct, and, at other times, it is a fleeting presence. An angel encounter is life-changing. Yet, it is something that you really cannot describe. Well, you can try, but unless the listener has experienced it themselves, then they may not understand. It is a sudden knowledge and a heightened awareness that God is there and moving.
Historical Context
Throughout the Old Testament, there are stories where God speaks directly to people or stories of where God sends His angels to speak to His people (O.T. – Israelites, N.T. – Jews). God’s angels have a variety of functions, but we often see them used as messengers in the Bible. We also learn that in the Old Testament that when the Israelites were following God, then God would bless them. However, if they were not following God, then God would punish them, and, more often than not, a part of that punishment was that another nation would conquer them and take them over. Towards the end of the Old Testament, we see the end of the Babylonian exile, and God is allowing the Israelites to return home. This was due primarily to Persia’s conquest over Babylonia. Persia was relatively tolerant of the Israelites. They let them return home, rebuild the Temple, and pretty much govern themselves as long as they did not rebel against Persia. The Persian influence lasted about two hundred years (536 B.C. to 336 B.C.) It spans a part of the Old Testament era and a part of the Intertestamental Period, which began around 425 B.C.
During the Intertestamental Period, we continue to see nation after nation holding dominion over the Israelites. From about 336 B.C. to 323 B.C., we have the reign of Alexander the Great. His goal was a unified culture, which included Greek culture, language, and religion. This process, known as “Hellenization”, had long-lasting effects and was still evident in the New Testament era. While the Jews adopted the Greek language and were bilingual for a time, they struggled for a long time against the Greek’s polytheistic, pagan religion.
From about 323 B.C. to 198 B.C., Israel was dominated by the Egyptians. For the most part, the Egyptians tolerated the Jews, and the Jews adopted more and more of the Greek way of life. There continued to be a struggle between Hellenized Jews and Orthodox Jews. The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, was authorized during this time.
From about 198 B.C. to 165 B.C., the Jews came under the dominion of Syria. They were treated harshly, but they were still allowed to rule themselves under the High Priest. All was okay until the fighting for control between the Hellenized Jews and the Orthodox Jews got to the point that the leader of Syria, Antiochus Epiphanes, had to get involved. In 168 B.C., he showed up in such a fit of rage that he decided to get rid of anything and everything that was distinctive about the Jews. He outlawed sacrifices, circumcision, observing the Sabbath, feast days, and so on. Antiochus desecrated the Temple and built an altar for Zeus. He also destroyed copies of the Hebrew Bible, and many Jews died under his persecutions.
This led to the Maccabean Revolt led by an elderly priest, Mattathias, and his three sons, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon. Thousands of Orthodox Jews followed them. They had such success that by 165 B.C., they had retaken Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple, and restored biblical worship. The Jews lived independently under this Hasmonaean dynasty for about seventy years. During this time of independence is when we find the development and separation between two groups of Jews: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Maccabean Revolt is still commemorated by the Jews today in the Feast of Dedication, or what we know as Hanukkah.
This independence was short-lived when about 63 B.C. the Romans invaded Jerusalem through Syria and took it over. The Romans were still in power as the New Testament opens up. Now if we learn from the history laid out in the Old Testament, then we know that the Jews are not one hundred percent following God if they remain under occupation. History has shown that man cannot save themselves. While God and His angels may have interacted with the His people, there does not seem to be a record of angel encounters during this Intertestamental Period. This sets the stage for when the New Testament era begins.
Zechariah’s Encounter – Luke 1:5-25
The New Testament opens with the four Gospels of Christ, and, all of a sudden, after years of silence, we immediately have three angel encounters. The first is the story of Zechariah in Luke 1:5-25. He was a priest, and his wife, Elizabeth, was of Aaron’s lineage. In Luke 1:6, it says, “And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” Just like with Abraham and Sarah in the O.T., Zechariah and Elizabeth were of old age and childless. One day, Zechariah entered the Temple alone to do his priestly duties and encountered an angel of the Lord. The angel’s name was Gabriel. Can you imagine his reaction? Here no one was supposed to enter but himself, and no one had encountered an angel in a really long time.
The first words the angel spoke was “Do not be afraid.” He then foretold that Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son, who we know as John the Baptist. The angel said that John would bring many people back to God. Zechariah began questioning the man before him, perhaps not realizing that Gabriel was an angel. He demanded a sign, “How shall I know this?” Gabriel identified himself to Zechariah and rebuked his disbelief. Due to his doubt, Gabriel took Zechariah’s voice, and Zechariah did not get it back until the birth of his son, John. Zechariah had just had this incredible encounter with an angel of the Lord, and he was unable to tell anyone about it.
Mary’s Encounter – Luke 1:26-38
In Luke 1:26-38, Gabriel makes a second appearance. This time, he appears to Mary, Elizabeth’s much younger cousin. He came to her gently, saying, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” Yet, she was still afraid. Now remember, John had yet to be born, so no one knew of Zechariah’s encounter yet. Again, Gabriel says, “Do not be afraid.” He tells her that she will bear a son named Jesus, the Son of God. She knows even before conception that her son is the Son of God, the expected Messiah that the Jews have been waiting for hundreds of years.
Mary questions Gabriel as well, but she more wonders how is this possible, since she is a virgin. She was already betrothed to Joseph, and I have always wondered how she knew it would happen right then rather than after her and Joseph were married. Rather than punish her doubt as he did with Zechariah, Gabriel explains it to her and offers Elizabeth’s pregnancy as proof of God’s power and that nothing is impossible for God. But notice, Mary did not demand a sign. Also, what the angel said would happen to her posed a great risk to her. According to Jewish law, she could have been put to death for being pregnant before she was married. Yet, despite the risks and the impossibilities of the situation, Mary asked and responded to Gabriel from an attitude of humility and obedience. In Luke 1:38, Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Joseph’s Encounter – Matthew 1:18-25
In Matthew 1:18-25, we find our third angel encounter. This encounter is slightly different than the first two. First, Matthew does not tell us the name of the angel as Luke does. Second, the angel comes to Joseph in a dream. So, who is Joseph?
Joseph, from the lineage of David, is the man that Mary is betrothed to. He finds out that his bride-to-be is pregnant before their wedding. Now most men would be angry. And maybe Joseph is, too, but he is still trying to protect Mary to do some degree. He considers divorcing her quietly. However, the angel tells him, “do not fear”, and he continues on to tell him about the child that Mary is carrying. This child was Jesus, Immanuel (which means “God is with us”). This was the expected Messiah that Isaiah had prophesied about. When Joseph woke from his dream encounter, he responded with obedience. He married Mary, and out of reverence for God, he did not lay with her until after Jesus was born. Here we also see a glimpse of the Levitical marriage laws that we discussed with the genealogies of Jesus. Jesus would have been Joseph’s legal son but not his biological son.
God is on the Move
What can we learn from these angel encounters?
First, angel encounters do not happen very often, but they do happen. Angel encounters are unexpected. The person is often left in awe of what has occurred, and these encounters change the course of their life. God is always on the move.
Second, from Zechariah’s angel story, we learn that God moves in our lives, even when we doubt Him. Gabriel said this is what is going to happen, Zechariah doubted, and God did it anyway.
Third, from Mary’s story, we learn that God moves in our lives even when things seem impossible or the risks insurmountable. Sometimes what we feel God is telling us or calling us to do is full of more risks than we can handle or just downright impossible. But just as the Holy Spirit was with Mary, God is with us throughout the process.
Fourth, from Joseph’s story, we learn that God moves in our lives in such a way that weaves our story with the lives of others. Joseph’s story and life is entwined not just with Mary and Jesus, but also with Zechariah’s, Elizabeth’s, and John’s. Also, as we learned from the genealogies, this marriage had to happen so that this child was born, and then this marriage happened and on down the line. It all led up to this moment of Joseph marrying Mary, and Mary having Jesus. God sets the stage of our lives long before it happens. God has a plan for you, for me, for all of us.
The story of Christmas, of the birth of Christ, is one full of hope. Even in the silences, even amidst the doubts, even in the face of impossibilities or risks, God is always there, working in our lives. Even when we do not recognize it, God is always actively moving in our lives. We have the assured hope that He is always with us no matter what. Jesus was called Immanuel, God is with us. The Christmas story, and really the entire Bible, is about God walking this life alongside us. These three angel encounters propel the Christmas story into motion. They are a reminder that God will reveal Himself to us when He thinks that we are ready. Are you ready? God may not always come to us through His angels. But we should always be ready for a God encounter.
Further Suggested Study:
- Matthew 1:18-25
- Luke 1:26-38
- Other Bible stories that include angel encounters
RSS Feed
