St. Michael and All Angels

Grace, Mercy and Peace from God our Father, His Son our Lord, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

        Children think differently than adults. Even the children know this. Sometimes the adult is astonished at how innocent and untroubled the simple thoughts of a child can be. Adults may even laugh at the way a child perceives the world about them.

        In a similar way, the child is often baffled by the outlook of adults. How can these grown-ups not understand how simple everything is? Adults worry too much and have little faith that everything is going to be alright; especially with God in control.

        This difference between adult thinking and child thinking is God’s way of protecting the younger while giving hope to the older. St. Paul says in his first letter to the church in Corinth:

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. [1 Corinthians 13:11]

We all know and experience the change in our understanding as we grow and mature. The young wish to speed up the process in order to understand more quickly while the mature seek to return to the simple child-like comprehension.

        Some seek more and more knowledge thinking that it will give them fulfilment or peace only to find that same understanding brings fear or sadness. The prophet Daniel was given information about the future and knowledge of events in both heaven and earth; but it was not good news. The Lord said to Daniel:

“Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” [Daniel 10:14]

Hear what Daniel said after seeing what was to come:

‘When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength.”’ [Daniel 10:15-16]

Like a parent who keeps fearful things from their child, God gives us only what we are able to bear.

        We must understand that even the terrible truth that comes from our Lord is necessary for us to recognize his will. Earthquakes, catastrophes, wars and rumors of wars will come to pass, but the end is not yet. [Matthew 24:6] Jesus tells us,

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” [Matthew 24:7-8]

From where does the beginning of sorrows come? The great terrorist, Satan, the devil, the deceiver of the whole world. He has brought ruin to God’s creation but he cannot prevail. He knows his time is short. He has been cast down from heaven but now he has come down to earth in great wrath. [Revelation 12:9, 12b]

        Now we witness the terrible acts of men. We see the destruction by those who live by the darkness. Their malevolence is great and frightening – and they are merely men. It is true that they are guided by the heart and hand of the Lord of Lies, but we have yet to see the true master terrorist in all his might.

        The power of the devil is great here on earth. We see it every day chipping away at our families, our neighbors and our nation. It seems more and more people are turning away from the truth and the light to be swallowed up in the rising darkness.

        If there were a definition of terror, this would be it, because this terror strips away our faith and hope. This terror kills, not only from the outside, but also from inside the very depths of our hearts. As Jesus told his disciples

“…do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” [Matthew 10:28]

        And so, we seek out our savior. We seek out our defender and shield. We pray and plead for one to deliver us from evil. And who is it who stands before the great dragon to be our protector? Is it the angel Michael? No. He was the vessel used by God the Father to cast the ancient serpent from heaven. Here, on earth, we look not to powerful angels wielding swords of fire, but to a Lamb.

        This is not an ordinary lamb, weak, frail and unsteady, but the Lamb of God whose blood conquers the greatest assassin of all. Satan roams the earth like a ravenous wolf killing and maiming all it sees, but the blood of one lamb defeats him mightier and more swiftly than all the angels in heaven.

        The one true Lamb of God took away the sin, the evil, and the wrath of the fallen one. This servant of God did this without an army, without a sword, but by humbling Himself and becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. [Philippians 2:8]

        The greatest fear of Satan is no more. The only hold he had on us was death and separation from our Holy God and Creator. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, took away that death. His rise from the grave restored all God’s people to eternal life.

        All who call upon the name of Jesus Christ as Lord have their name written in the book of life. On the final day of our Lord, when he shall come in glory to judge the living and the dead, those who follow the Lamb will become like him, shining in his glory.

        Until that great and glorious day, we have a job to do. We are a community who has the gift of the saving grace of God Almighty. By the forgiveness of our sin by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are now set apart as God’s holy people.

        The disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” [Matthew 18:1] He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said, “whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 18:2,4] A child! Not a mighty angel who defeats the dragon with a sword. Not the greatest army of angels with power over heaven and earth, but a child who calls Jesus Christ his Lord.

        What does this mean for you and for me? We are the beloved children of our Father in heaven. “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us” [James 4:5] Even though we sin against Him, He gives more grace. [James 4:6a]

        We have been redeemed by Christ’s victory, therefore when we reach to God, He will draw near to us and the devil will flee. The love of God we now share is the wisdom from above. It is pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy, impartial and sincere. [James 3:17]

        Our curse began at the beginning of the world, but our blessings endure forever. The promise of God came to us when we were baptized into the family of the One True God. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit live in eternity where our home has been prepared.

        To paraphrase the words of the prophet Jeremiah, ‘The Lord gave us this knowledge and we know it, for He has shown us the victory of His Son. We humble ourselves before the Lord and he exalts us.’

        We have been given forgiveness for all of our sins and now we help one another by that same forgiveness our Lord gives us.

        We watch for the coming of the Lord. We proclaim the Good News of our Savior. We love, forgive, and have faith because his Word is the way, the truth and the life. In this is our validation. We do not speak for ourselves. We do not forgive sins by our authority.

        We have the power, through Christ, to forgive and to be forgiven. In our baptism, we were clothed in the garment of Christ, instilled with his faith and cleansed from our sin. When we receive his body and blood in Holy Communion, we are cleansed again through Christ’s atonement.

        Each day we are saved and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. As children of God we bring that salvation to all people through the forgiveness of sin by His Holy Baptism. We do not need the knowledge of the universe but merely the faith of a child

        It is through these sacraments that we are continuously renewed in the body of Christ. It is by his work that we are able to stand before all human kind and say,

“Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, [Revelation 12:10b]

Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! [Revelation 12:12a]

The deceiver of the whole world knows his time is short. And all children of God say; ‘Amen! Come Lord Jesus!’