This Sunday we wrap up a four-week series about angels. I wanted to “open a door” for you, so to speak. I wanted you to get a glimpse of a supernatural world we hardly think about as we go through daily life.
But when we draw near that door to look in on angels, we discover that they’re crowding around that door to look in on us!
We read in 1 Peter 1:12 that all the things God does to save his people “command the interest” of angels. That’s how JB Phillips paraphrased two Greek words. The first word literally means “boiling over.” It was used to speak of “longing” or “desire.” The second word has the idea of bending over an object for close inspection. So, the angels never stop gazing in fascination at what God does to save his people.
During the late 1500s, the Italian Renaissance artist Jacopo Tintoretto completed a painting called “The Last Supper.” I’ll include an image of the painting in this post. In the scene, Jesus is gathered with his disciples for their last meal. But notice that above the table, in the wisps of smoke from an oil lamp, angels appear. They’re bending low to the scene, curiosity on their faces, as they marvel at what God the Son is about to do.
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Angels saw the saving death and resurrection of Jesus. They see the Holy Spirit draw people to that salvation through the witness of ordinary people like us. They gasp in amazement at how God preserves and develops the faith of the people he’s saving. Angels look at all that and they say, “Wow God! You’re amazing!”
This Sunday, I want to give you three practical things you should do with this knowledge.
So, would you forward this email newsletter to someone? Maybe someone you used to see at Hillcrest but you haven’t seen in a while. Or maybe someone you think might be interested in joining you for our last Sunday in this fascinating study of angels.
See you at 10am this Sunday!
Tom
Tom Goodman serves as pastor at Hillcrest Church in Austin, Texas. His sermons are available on YouTube and the HillcrestToGo Podcast and you can find him on Facebook and Twitter. If someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, sign up here to receive Tom’s weekly devotional in your email inbox.