Wilmot First Presbyterian Church

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Angelic Hosts

At first it appears the angelic hosts who appeared to the shepherd are sort of an exclamation point to the announcement of Christ’s birth.  It can look like the final act of a play when the whole chorus joins to bring it all to a rousing finish. [cue the angels on scene in 3, 2, 1…] “Gloria to God…la, la, la” [pan back, switch; camera 2 we need close up of shepherd terror but eyes brightening as the multitude of heavenly hosts confirms message] “Let us go to Bethlehem to see…” [camera 3 zoom confused sheep, rise over shoulder from confused sheep to distant shepherds hastening down the hill and… swing up to stars… fade to black.  Cut! That’s a wrap!  Good work!  Everyone, turn in your costumes to props before you head out!]

It can look like a play but it is doubtful in my mind the shepherds were going to be more impressed with a host of heaven than a single angel, especially when the Bible says the “glory” of the Lord was already around them (vs 9).  Did they need the crowd to convince them?  The word “angel” means messenger.  Angels have a couple jobs; Glorify God and deliver messages.  The angel hosts of Luke are not there to entertain nor impress the shepherds, nor us, nor anyone.  The angels are there because first and foremost, their job is to praise God.  Start of story, middle of story, end of story.

In that sense, their job is no different from ours.  A whole lot of people ask the question, “what’s my purpose?  Why am I here?”  Even 500 years ago they thought about that enough to make it the first question of the Westminster Catechism:

Q 1. “What is our chief and highest end?”

A. “Our chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever” (Rom. 11:36; I Cor. 10:31/Ps 73:24-26; John 17:22-24)

Humans and angels actually share the same purpose.  On the surface it can look like pandering to a god with a very tiny ego, until we realize the praise isn’t “for” God, it’s for us.  Praising God doesn’t make God more than God is, it makes us (and angels) what we find most fulfilling.  Contemplating and praising God is what completes both angels and humans.  The difference is that angels can more clearly see God’s glory and thus have no trouble doing what they, in their unfallen state, were created to do.  Still, even though angels are privy to the miracles that occur daily in this world, every once in a while God does something so grand, so profound, that I imagine the angels are shocked and perhaps even sing a little louder?  If there is a moment like that, then this moment when God breaks into flesh and sucks some oxygen into tiny lungs is such a moment.  This appearance of the angels in Luke that looks like a curtain call to bring down the house, is rather pure praise from the angels staggered that God would take on flesh.  God is “in the house” as they say.  The shepherds are just witness to the angels’ worship.

It is hard not to get caught up in performance and sometimes in performing for one another, even in worship.  Sermons and anthems and offerings and devotional meditations are all good things, but only in as much as they bring glory to God.  When we worry about singing off key, or not having the right words, or how we look…, we aren’t worshiping God, we’re performing for others.  When we want to sing our best to honor God, or have the right words to show who God is, or dress with care and respect out of reverence to God, we are in worship.  To the extent we get caught up in making actions about us, or critiquing what is offered, we stray from our purpose “to glorify God and enjoy him forever”.  I like to think the shepherds made their way to the manger singing along the way as the wonder and joy in their hearts poured out but I know they sang on their way home.  The Bible tells us the same glory (“doxa”) present in the angels was now being offered by the Shepherds (vs 20) who become in their own right messengers (angels) to those who encounter them.

Prayer: Almighty God, we can not even pray as we should, let alone praise You as we should.  Guide us in our prayers and guide us in our praise to that we can know our purpose, and our end in You.  We ask in the name of the Child of Christmas.  AMEN

Activity: Sing a favorite hymn loudly and as well as you can.