What amazing powers the disciples had! They could heal the sick and cast out demons! Who wouldn't be impressed? But that's not what Jesus tells them to be glad about. “Rather,” the Lord says, “rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” This is an admonition by our Savior that the big deal is not what is going on behind the scenes but what He has accomplished for them. On the day we celebrate the Lord's gift of angels, it's good to remember that. All around us, angels are made into more than they are and they are described and pictured and thought about in ways that are contrary to God's Word. Angels are portrayed as cute little babies with wings or else as spirits that whisper to us and talk to us and tell us things we couldn't learn anywhere else. Angels are seen in ways as mild as figurines and decorations all the way up to dangerous as some in some false religions and spiritualities in which communicating with angels and listening for angels is the big deal. On this, the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels, let us thank God for His angels but give all glory and honor and praise only to our Lord Jesus Christ.
The world has all kinds of false notions about angels but the Bible teaches us clearly what angels are and what their purpose is: they are ministering spirits, created by God, for the purpose of serving His church. Behind the scenes they do battle with the evil one's forces and they protect us from harm and danger. In some important places and times, the Scriptures reveal the presence and preaching of the angels: in battles of God's people against their enemies in the Old Testament, announcing that Mary would be with Child, singing the birth of the Savior, ministering to Jesus in His battles with Satan, announcing the resurrection of Christ, and setting the apostle Peter free from prison. But notice in all of those instances, that the angels aren't simply doing random things. They are serving God's people so that the witness of the true God remains, so that God's Word is proclaimed and preached and believed. Angels don't care for us just because; they care for us because the Lord has commanded that we be looked after because the devil is trying to draw us away from Jesus.
When the preachers came back to Jesus, they were pretty impressed with themselves that even the devils submitted to their authority. They could cast out the devil and his demons! But notice what Jesus says. He turns them away from being impressed with themselves, even from being impressed with their power over the evil one, and turns them to rejoice in their salvation. Christ says that He Himself saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. The big deal is how that happened. What caused it. And that is the Gospel, the Good News. And that Good News is simple: The Son of God—not an angel—became man and gave Himself into death on the cross for our sins and then rose again the third day. It is Jesus, and Jesus alone who has accomplished our salvation. The angels announced it. But all they did was point people to Jesus' Word. The big deal, even for the preachers Jesus sent out, is that by His death, their names were written in the Book of Life. As the reading from revelation says, they overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony. It is the preaching of this crucified and risen Son of God that delivers us from the devil and his evil ones.
We learn from this that the messengers aren't the big deal. Today, we thank the Lord for His angels who guard and protect us and serve His church. But we don't worship THEM. We rejoice that the Lord's salvation has come to us through His Son Jesus Christ. Now that you are baptized, your name is written in the Book of Life. Your name is written in heaven as one of the Lord's own dear children. And to those who are His dear children He sends His holy angels to guard and keep, to watch over and protect. Here is our repentance, on the one hand: thinking the Lord isn't watching over us and giving His angels to care for and protect us; thinking that angels aren't real or not important gifts from our Father in heaven. On the other hand, we ought to repent if we give glory and importance to the angels beyond what the Lord has given. The Lord provides His holy angels for us because we are His people and He wants to keep us in the faith. It is not by the angels that we are kept in the faith but in the Word. Ye the angels fight for us to keep away the evil ones who would tear us from Christ's holy Word. So rejoice today in the things you are always to rejoice in: your crucified and risen Savior, Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, the preaching of the Gospel and the Holy Supper of Christ's body and blood. These are the gifts that save you. And because you are receivers of these gifts in Jesus Christ, know also that you have the Lord's holy angels ministering to you and protecting you, guarding you from harm and danger. Without the holy angels to protect us, can you imagine what more terrible things would happen in our lives each day? But the Lord has given His angels to care for us.
We must realize, as Christians, that when something bad could happen but is prevented, that is the work of the Lord's angels to guard and keep us. Away with all such notions of “luck” and “coincidence” as if the Lord isn't caring for us. When some disaster is averted, we ought to stop and thank God for the protection of His holy angels. It's true, though, that bad things do happen. There our Lord is simply teaching us to trust in Him all the more. But above all this is the Lord's one goal: your salvation. That your sins are forgiven in Christ and He brings you to heaven, carried by the holy angels on the day of your death into paradise with Jesus Christ. St. Michael's day reminds us of these two things: First of all, by the power of the Gospel and the fighting of the heavenly armies of angels, Satan's power has been thrown down. He has been cast out of heaven and He can't accuse you anymore. And secondly, your names have been written in the Book of Life. It is for you that the angels care, because the Lord has made you His own. Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ for these holy angels by which His church is protected and served as we await our Lord's glorious return. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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