It’s a Wonderful Life: Part 3

Clarence the Angel: It’s A Wonderful Life Part 3

 Introduction:  One of the significant figures in the Movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” is Clarence…who is betrayed to us as an Angel…matter of fact the whole movie begins with people praying and angels responding…

So, I thought we would look at Angels and Third Heaven Activity this morning because as it pertains to the Christmas story and to our Movie…Angelic and Third Heaven or Seventh Heaven activity is happening a lot…

Now this will not be a full expose on Angelology…if you want that you can buy Dr. Michael Heiser’s book on Angels…good luck.

In 2017 Gallup Poll said:

  • 86% of Americans believe in Angels
  • 15% believe they are people who have died
  • 23% say they are just religious symbols
  • 7% believe Angels are a figment of mans imagination

Transition:  So, what I want to do is use the word of God as our backdrop and look at the subject of Angels…

Luke 1:11-13

 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, (ESV) Luke 1:18-20

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ESV

Luke 1:26-39

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. ESV

Heb 13:2-3  2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ESV

Acts 1:8-11  9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” ESV

  1. Angelic History
    1. Created by God – Hebrews 1 & 2 – before the creation of Mankind
    2. Angels have a Will – the ability to choose; physical being (body)…thought process and emotions

Ezek 28:14-19

4 “You were the anointed cherub who covers;

I established you;

You were on the holy mountain of God;

You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.

15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,

Till iniquity was found in you.

16 “By the abundance of your trading

You became filled with violence within,

And you sinned;

Therefore I cast you as a profane thing

Out of the mountain of God;

And I destroyed you, O covering cherub,

From the midst of the fiery stones.

17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;

You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;

I cast you to the ground,

I laid you before kings,

That they might gaze at you.

18 “You defiled your sanctuaries

By the multitude of your iniquities,

By the iniquity of your trading;

Therefore I brought fire from your midst;

It devoured you,

And I turned you to ashes upon the earth

In the sight of all who saw you.

19 All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you;

You have become a horror,

And shall be no more forever.”‘” NKJV

   Isa 14:12-15

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,

O Lucifer,* son of the morning!

How you are cut down to the ground,

You who weakened the nations!

13 For you have said in your heart:

‘I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;

I will also sit on the mount of the congregation

On the farthest sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,

I will be like the Most High.’

15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,

To the lowest depths of the Pit. NKJV_

  1. Lucifer fell with a third of the heavenly host with him….
  1. Different Kinds of Angels and Authorities
    1. Truth is I’d submit to you that the Word Angel is more of a Title or Job Description than simply a being…
    2. There are 3 Arch Angels Mentioned in Scripture: Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer…if we were to examine Jewish writings we would see a listing of more…but just using scripture as our backdrop, these are the three that are mentioned
  • There and other angels who have Territorial Responsibilities and assignments…
    1. Ephesians 6:12
    2. 2:1;2:8;2:12;2:18;3:1;3:7
    3. If you would permit me, I would propose to you that there is an Angel of not only Mont Belvieu but also this region!
  1. Different Kinds of Angels
    1. 6 tells us that Isaiah saw – Cherubim and Seraphim’s
      1. These verses right here is where we get the idea of all Angels have wings…which is more tradition than scripture…
      2. Actually in Scripture most of the time they didn’t know they were even encountering angels until they did something supernatural…
      3. Such as when Lot was in Sodom and He saw “the angels” at the gates of the city but didn’t know who they were, until they struck the whole city blind…
    2. 4:5 – 5:14 – Zoa or Living Creatures
    3. 1:8-11 & Rev.19:11-21 – Angelic Spirit Animals
      1. Arch Angels
      2. Common Angels
  • Demons

Transition:          

Heb 13:2-3

2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3  (They can and do sometimes, if not most the time, look like people) NKJV

   2 Cor 11:14-15

14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 1 NKJV

Most of the time Angels are unseen and the Lord prefers it that way…because we are prone to worship the wrong think and/or Person.

  1. Almost all the Patriarchs in Scripture Crossed Paths with Angels
    1. Adam and Eve
    2. Abraham and Lot
    3. Jacob wrestled with one
    4. Moses and the Children of Israel
    5. Joshua
    6. Rahab – a sinner, but in agreement with Joshua…this is a major theme will come back to.
    7. Elijah and Elisha
    8. Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, John the Baptist’s Father, Mary the Mother of Jesus, Jesus, Peter, John and the apostle Paul.
    9. Daniel and Paul see the Whole Council of God…So did Moses…but that is a whole series into itself…but check out these verses….
      1. Dan 7:9-10

9 “As I looked,

thrones were placed,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat;

his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames;

its wheels were burning fire.

10 A stream of fire issued

and came out from before him;

a thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;

the court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

ESV

  • Angels Purpose
    1. But let’s consider Clarence and see if it gives us a glimpse into the Purpose of Angels…or a few purposes…
    2. Do the will of Father God without hesitation!!!
      1. Throughout scripture Angels are sent out on assignments from the Lord
      2. This is vital information
        1. You and I don’t pray to Angels…we have one mediator between and man and God and that is the man Christ Jesus!
        2. You don’t worship Angels…a true Angel of the Lord will not receive your worship…
        3. Angels respond to God’s command not to mankind’s.
      3. To serve or intervene in Human Affairs

Heb 1:14

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? NKJV

Ps 34:7

7 The angel* of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,

And delivers them. NKJV

Ps 91:11-13

11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

12 In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,

The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. NKJV

  1. Angels are sent to minister to or on-behalf-of Believers
  2. Angels deliver God’s People
  • According to Ps.91:11 – Angels keep us
  1. According to Isa.6 – Angels bring what we need from God’s Provision to us…remember the coal.
  1. Angels also Wage War
    1. Isa.36 & 37 – Story of Hezekiah
      1. The Assyrian army is Conquering all the world as Daniel had prophesied, they had seized all of Judah and their sights are set on Jerusalem.
      2. Sennacherib King of the Assyrians sends Rabshakeh (a title, not a person name, a modern-day secretary of state) to work out Jerusalem’s surrender. This event took place in 701 BC and Assyria was on its way to conquer Egypt but to do this they had to march through Israel.
      3. Now Hezekiah was a Godly King, but he made an unholy agreement with Egypt. God had told him not to do this, but he did it any way out of FEAR.
      4. Egypt sent Israel mercenaries to fight with the men of Israel and these combined forces have just been slaughtered at Lachish and Rabshakeh is demanding the surrender of Jerusalem.
      5. Now Hezekiah is stuck and can only trust the Lord and Isaiah 37 gives us Hezekiah’s response
      6. Hezekiah is verse 1 of Isaiah 37 tears his royal robes off and puts on sack-cloth and ashes (a symbol of repentance). He then calls on the Prophet Isaiah and Shebna the Scribe along with the Elders of the Priest. (Isaiah 37:2)
      7. Hezekiah calls the people to prayer and in verse 36 we see where the Lord sends one Angel, not any Angel but the Angel of the Lord…(there is debate on who this Angel actually is…but we’ll use Michael, the Guardian of Israel) and the Angel killed 185,000 soldiers of the most powerful army on the earth at that time and he did it in one night.
    2. Getting Angels to Move on Your Behalf

Introduction:  Even though we may never see Angels, I want you to know they are working on our behalf.  These are some things I get from Hezekiah’s Experience.

  1. Must be in Fellowship with the Lord
    1. Angels respond in obedience to the Father’s command, not our need.
    2. Psalms 91:1&2
      1. Abides – fellowship not relationship
        1. Relationship – father/son…nothing will change that
        2. Fellowship – current communication, up to date relationship with
      2. Hezekiah Repented
        1. True repentance moves all of Heaven into yours and mine’s corner.
      3. Hezekiah consulted the Word of God
        1. He sought out the man of God
        2. Inclined his ear to what the Word of God had to say
        3. Your answer is in the Word, the Word of God
      4. Hezekiah earnestly prayed
        1. He sought God as if his life depended on it
      5. Hezekiah expected an answer
        1. He didn’t give up till he received an answer
        2. He sought God expecting to get God’s attention and the Lord sent an Angel.
      6. Closing
        1. To get Angels to move on your behalf remember these things:
          1. Be in Fellowship with the Father
          2. Repent
  • Get in the Word – we’re seeking Jesus not an Angel
  1. Pray – seek God’s face
  2. Expect an answer
  1. The reason I share this message:
    1. One I want us to begin to expect 3rd heaven activity
    2. If you notice in the Christmas story of Luke’s gospel…before the Messiah is born in a manger, 3rd Heaven activity began to increase in the earth…especially the activity of Angels…
  • So that tells me that before Messiah returns again…we can begin to expect 3rd heaven activity…
  1. God send the “Clarences” of Heaven to assist your people…

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