WEBVTT
STYLE
::cue {
color: #ffffff;
}
00:00:01.290 --> 00:00:03.038
In the name of the Father and of
00:00:03.044 --> 00:00:05.630
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
00:00:06.050 --> 00:00:06.910
Amen.
00:00:09.410 --> 00:00:11.774
Some of you will know that I was
00:00:11.812 --> 00:00:13.342
Dean of Chapel when this
00:00:13.396 --> 00:00:15.230
space was dedicated.
00:00:16.450 --> 00:00:18.270
That I was part of
00:00:18.340 --> 00:00:20.800
the acquiring of
00:00:21.810 --> 00:00:22.830
sculptures,
00:00:24.290 --> 00:00:26.786
that I was part of the committee
00:00:26.818 --> 00:00:28.470
that prepared the windows.
00:00:29.130 --> 00:00:30.774
I'm very blessed to have
00:00:30.812 --> 00:00:32.741
had that happen to me.
00:00:32.876 --> 00:00:35.110
And today I'm honored to present
00:00:35.180 --> 00:00:37.170
a message on the praise
00:00:37.250 --> 00:00:38.570
of angels.
00:00:41.340 --> 00:00:43.960
If you want to learn how to
00:00:44.030 --> 00:00:47.544
pitch a baseball or to
00:00:47.582 --> 00:00:49.400
paint a portrait,
00:00:51.040 --> 00:00:53.756
you can learn a lot from someone
00:00:53.858 --> 00:00:56.190
who has been doing it for years,
00:00:56.880 --> 00:00:58.220
for decades.
00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:01.820
And in the case of angels,
00:01:02.400 --> 00:01:05.200
centuries and millennia.
00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:09.248
Revelation five gives us a
00:01:09.254 --> 00:01:11.440
picture of heavenly praise.
00:01:13.620 --> 00:01:15.280
So do these windows.
00:01:17.960 --> 00:01:19.840
They depict angels
00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:21.008
with instruments,
00:01:21.104 --> 00:01:23.168
as though they were accompanying
00:01:23.264 --> 00:01:24.100
singers.
00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:29.640
Some might say too many angels,
00:01:30.060 --> 00:01:32.164
and their wings are extending
00:01:32.292 --> 00:01:33.400
everywhere.
00:01:34.860 --> 00:01:37.336
But an artist had to figure out
00:01:37.438 --> 00:01:40.068
how to give a picture
00:01:40.164 --> 00:01:42.300
of spiritual beings,
00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:45.790
agents and messengers of God.
00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:50.764
So he uses clear glass for the
00:01:50.802 --> 00:01:54.508
spirit beings and colored glass
00:01:54.684 --> 00:01:56.560
for the human forms,
00:01:56.900 --> 00:01:58.930
the flesh and blood world.
00:02:00.580 --> 00:02:02.828
And the angels with instruments
00:02:02.924 --> 00:02:06.276
are there to draw us into the
00:02:06.298 --> 00:02:08.020
heavenly celebration.
00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:10.783
Who are these heavenly
00:02:10.832 --> 00:02:11.840
musicians?
00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:13.360
What are their instruments
00:02:13.440 --> 00:02:14.660
symbolize?
00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:17.636
And what is their special
00:02:17.738 --> 00:02:20.650
vocabulary for praising God?
00:02:22.620 --> 00:02:24.200
The Bible doesn't tell us
00:02:24.270 --> 00:02:26.148
much about the angels.
00:02:26.244 --> 00:02:27.480
We do know that God
00:02:27.550 --> 00:02:28.650
gives them power.
00:02:30.060 --> 00:02:34.812
No lion harmed Daniel when the
00:02:34.866 --> 00:02:37.500
angel held the lion's mouth shut.
00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:41.180
After Pentecost
00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:43.976
when the apostles were preaching
00:02:44.008 --> 00:02:45.020
in the temple
00:02:46.480 --> 00:02:48.620
and were thrown into prison,
00:02:49.200 --> 00:02:51.996
god sent an angel during the
00:02:52.018 --> 00:02:54.360
night to open the prison doors
00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:56.468
so they could return and can
00:02:56.554 --> 00:02:58.100
speak words of life
00:02:58.250 --> 00:02:58.960
in the temple.
00:03:01.690 --> 00:03:03.274
We also know that God sends
00:03:03.322 --> 00:03:05.230
angels with messages
00:03:07.010 --> 00:03:10.222
to Abraham when he did not
00:03:10.356 --> 00:03:13.070
sacrifice his own son Isaac.
00:03:14.050 --> 00:03:15.786
God sent Gabriel,
00:03:15.898 --> 00:03:17.662
who announced that God would
00:03:17.716 --> 00:03:20.458
bless and multiply
00:03:20.554 --> 00:03:22.350
Abrams offspring,
00:03:23.250 --> 00:03:25.526
as many as the stars and as
00:03:25.548 --> 00:03:27.510
the sand on the seashore.
00:03:29.050 --> 00:03:30.630
In Caesaria,
00:03:31.530 --> 00:03:34.470
an angel said to Cornelius,
00:03:35.610 --> 00:03:37.190
go fetch Peter
00:03:38.270 --> 00:03:39.690
from Japa,
00:03:40.030 --> 00:03:42.026
and he will explain that the
00:03:42.048 --> 00:03:43.994
gift of the Holy Spirit is now
00:03:44.031 --> 00:03:46.490
poured even on the Gentiles.
00:03:48.750 --> 00:03:51.194
We also know that angels
00:03:51.242 --> 00:03:53.550
continually praise the Lord.
00:03:55.490 --> 00:03:56.800
Some do not.
00:03:58.050 --> 00:04:00.442
Satan and his group rebelled.
00:04:00.506 --> 00:04:02.438
They lost their place in heaven
00:04:02.554 --> 00:04:04.814
and are destined for eternal
00:04:04.862 --> 00:04:07.293
fire that God has prepared
00:04:07.341 --> 00:04:08.100
for them.
00:04:09.430 --> 00:04:11.426
They have no interest
00:04:11.608 --> 00:04:13.220
in praising God.
00:04:14.550 --> 00:04:16.438
Now they come among us,
00:04:16.603 --> 00:04:19.640
disguised as angels of light,
00:04:20.409 --> 00:04:23.270
prowl around and entice us into
00:04:23.340 --> 00:04:26.278
disobedience and away
00:04:26.364 --> 00:04:27.320
from Christ.
00:04:27.870 --> 00:04:29.740
We need to resist him
00:04:30.750 --> 00:04:33.340
and to repent when we fall
00:04:35.230 --> 00:04:37.770
for repentance leads to joy.
00:04:39.390 --> 00:04:41.754
When Jesus told about the woman
00:04:41.802 --> 00:04:44.734
who lost the coin and
00:04:44.772 --> 00:04:46.159
then found it,
00:04:46.850 --> 00:04:48.320
he also said
00:04:49.570 --> 00:04:52.678
there is joy before the angels
00:04:52.714 --> 00:04:55.342
of God over one sinner
00:04:55.486 --> 00:04:56.690
who repents.
00:04:58.870 --> 00:05:00.834
Because Jesus has rescued us
00:05:00.872 --> 00:05:02.354
from the power of sin and paid
00:05:02.392 --> 00:05:04.610
the price for our forgiveness,
00:05:05.450 --> 00:05:08.054
we want to join the angels and
00:05:08.092 --> 00:05:09.909
celebrate this victory.
00:05:10.730 --> 00:05:12.933
These windows remind us,
00:05:13.132 --> 00:05:14.919
even urge us,
00:05:15.450 --> 00:05:18.700
to express joyful praise to God.
00:05:21.789 --> 00:05:22.202
Now,
00:05:22.256 --> 00:05:24.570
notice that some of the angels
00:05:25.070 --> 00:05:27.450
play stringed instruments,
00:05:28.430 --> 00:05:31.530
harps, other plucked strings,
00:05:31.970 --> 00:05:33.710
even violins.
00:05:34.930 --> 00:05:37.230
And like David's harp
00:05:37.890 --> 00:05:40.234
which could cause an evil spirit
00:05:40.282 --> 00:05:42.202
to depart from a troubled
00:05:42.265 --> 00:05:43.470
King Saul,
00:05:44.130 --> 00:05:46.734
the angelic instruments provide
00:05:46.852 --> 00:05:48.334
rhythm and pitch to
00:05:48.372 --> 00:05:49.789
accompany singing.
00:05:53.090 --> 00:05:55.546
God instructed King David
00:05:55.738 --> 00:05:56.998
to organize
00:05:57.084 --> 00:05:58.754
Levitical musicians
00:05:58.882 --> 00:05:59.730
to play liars
00:06:00.330 --> 00:06:02.954
and harps and also symbols.
00:06:03.082 --> 00:06:04.206
There is one in one
00:06:04.228 --> 00:06:05.390
of those windows.
00:06:07.890 --> 00:06:10.602
So that they could lead the song
00:06:10.666 --> 00:06:12.206
of Israelites in the
00:06:12.228 --> 00:06:13.470
temple ritual.
00:06:14.370 --> 00:06:14.990
In fact,
00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:18.410
Psalm 150 calls for trumpets,
00:06:18.490 --> 00:06:20.266
harps, stringed, instruments,
00:06:20.378 --> 00:06:21.898
pipes, symbols,
00:06:21.994 --> 00:06:24.190
and everything that has breath
00:06:24.610 --> 00:06:26.550
to praise the Lord.
00:06:27.210 --> 00:06:29.254
Revelation five has
00:06:29.292 --> 00:06:30.790
a similar vision.
00:06:32.490 --> 00:06:33.634
Before the Lamb,
00:06:33.682 --> 00:06:35.430
the four living creatures,
00:06:36.890 --> 00:06:38.854
the 24 elders,
00:06:38.982 --> 00:06:40.474
each hold a harp and
00:06:40.512 --> 00:06:42.010
a bowl of incense.
00:06:42.990 --> 00:06:48.202
And many angels join myriads and
00:06:48.256 --> 00:06:50.814
myriads and thousands and
00:06:50.852 --> 00:06:52.510
thousands of angels.
00:06:53.650 --> 00:06:55.354
So as redeemed sinners,
00:06:55.402 --> 00:06:57.194
we too want to participate
00:06:57.242 --> 00:06:59.390
in these heavenly songs.
00:07:00.530 --> 00:07:02.110
So angels
00:07:03.170 --> 00:07:07.330
strum and felt lead our singing.
00:07:09.030 --> 00:07:12.290
Other angels play trumpets.
00:07:13.510 --> 00:07:15.606
Recall that when Israel made it
00:07:15.628 --> 00:07:17.654
to Mount Sinai and they were to
00:07:17.692 --> 00:07:19.746
receive the words of the Lord,
00:07:19.938 --> 00:07:22.230
they experienced thunder,
00:07:22.970 --> 00:07:25.074
saw lightning in the clouds,
00:07:25.202 --> 00:07:27.754
and heard the voice of an
00:07:27.792 --> 00:07:30.490
exceedingly loud trumpet.
00:07:33.070 --> 00:07:35.930
God instructed Moses that only
00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:37.754
the priests could play the
00:07:37.792 --> 00:07:40.890
silver trumpet or the Ramshorn
00:07:41.810 --> 00:07:43.306
to warn Israel,
00:07:43.418 --> 00:07:46.270
or to gather Israel to sound
00:07:46.340 --> 00:07:47.950
forth at the feast
00:07:49.010 --> 00:07:51.242
at the offerings of peace,
00:07:51.306 --> 00:07:52.830
or burnt offerings,
00:07:53.510 --> 00:07:55.246
or when moving the ark
00:07:55.278 --> 00:07:56.450
of the Covenant.
00:07:57.830 --> 00:07:59.566
So it's not surprising
00:07:59.678 --> 00:08:01.010
that at Jericho,
00:08:01.510 --> 00:08:04.226
when the seven priests led the
00:08:04.248 --> 00:08:06.440
procession around the city,
00:08:06.970 --> 00:08:08.885
and on the 7th day,
00:08:09.068 --> 00:08:11.490
they blew seven Ramshorn's,
00:08:11.570 --> 00:08:13.270
and the people shouted,
00:08:13.610 --> 00:08:15.320
the walls came down.
00:08:18.039 --> 00:08:20.090
And when Jesus comes again,
00:08:20.860 --> 00:08:22.650
the trumpets will sound
00:08:23.580 --> 00:08:24.890
for his return.
00:08:25.500 --> 00:08:27.688
And we look forward to that day,
00:08:27.774 --> 00:08:30.330
and we say, O Lord, come soon.
00:08:30.960 --> 00:08:33.576
Let us hear those angelic
00:08:33.688 --> 00:08:34.620
trumpets.
00:08:35.680 --> 00:08:39.180
So the images of angels with
00:08:39.250 --> 00:08:41.256
instruments remind us of God's
00:08:41.288 --> 00:08:43.463
nearness and invite
00:08:43.511 --> 00:08:44.680
us to sing praise.
00:08:44.760 --> 00:08:46.924
They help us remember the
00:08:46.962 --> 00:08:48.380
words of the Lord.
00:08:49.280 --> 00:08:51.484
It's not surprising then that
00:08:51.521 --> 00:08:53.436
when Paul instructs his
00:08:53.538 --> 00:08:56.036
Colossian Christians, he says,
00:08:56.098 --> 00:08:59.396
let Christ words dwell in you
00:09:00.250 --> 00:09:04.266
richly teaching and admonishing
00:09:04.458 --> 00:09:05.440
each other
00:09:07.650 --> 00:09:10.874
and singing with thankfulness
00:09:11.002 --> 00:09:12.800
in your hearts to God.
00:09:16.550 --> 00:09:18.370
Angelic songs
00:09:19.350 --> 00:09:21.298
teach us something about the
00:09:21.384 --> 00:09:24.290
heavenly phrase vocabulary.
00:09:24.870 --> 00:09:26.546
In Isaiah six,
00:09:26.728 --> 00:09:28.666
the seraphim called to one
00:09:28.688 --> 00:09:31.414
another holy, holy,
00:09:31.542 --> 00:09:34.330
holy is the Lord of hosts.
00:09:35.070 --> 00:09:36.938
The whole earth is full
00:09:37.024 --> 00:09:38.250
of his glory.
00:09:39.970 --> 00:09:43.674
Holy refers to divine
00:09:43.802 --> 00:09:44.910
perfection,
00:09:45.570 --> 00:09:47.002
God's essence.
00:09:47.146 --> 00:09:49.680
He is unlike anything else,
00:09:50.530 --> 00:09:52.320
totally different.
00:09:53.830 --> 00:09:57.026
But holy also extends to what is
00:09:57.128 --> 00:10:00.610
consecrated to God and to those
00:10:00.680 --> 00:10:02.994
who trust in the Lord and are
00:10:03.032 --> 00:10:04.660
called out of the world
00:10:05.290 --> 00:10:06.390
the church.
00:10:07.530 --> 00:10:08.790
Ecclesia.
00:10:10.010 --> 00:10:12.610
Once a rebellious and unclean
00:10:12.690 --> 00:10:14.630
people, we now,
00:10:14.700 --> 00:10:17.026
because of Jesus perfect
00:10:17.148 --> 00:10:20.358
obedience and bloody sacrifice,
00:10:20.534 --> 00:10:23.514
stand purified in
00:10:23.552 --> 00:10:24.730
God's presence.
00:10:25.790 --> 00:10:27.366
By faith in Christ we're
00:10:27.398 --> 00:10:28.534
declared holy.
00:10:28.662 --> 00:10:30.522
In baptism we receive
00:10:30.586 --> 00:10:32.030
the Holy Spirit,
00:10:32.690 --> 00:10:35.486
and by Jesus word we are
00:10:35.508 --> 00:10:37.150
led by the Spirit.
00:10:38.610 --> 00:10:39.674
in the Te Deum
00:10:39.722 --> 00:10:41.706
then we incorporate the angel
00:10:41.738 --> 00:10:44.110
song Holy, Holy, Holy.
00:10:44.190 --> 00:10:46.014
Lord God of Sabbath,
00:10:46.142 --> 00:10:48.194
heaven and earth are full the
00:10:48.232 --> 00:10:50.130
majesty of your glory.
00:10:51.430 --> 00:10:53.165
Before we receive the Lord's
00:10:53.198 --> 00:10:54.226
body and blood in
00:10:54.248 --> 00:10:55.665
the Holy Supper,
00:10:55.858 --> 00:10:59.746
we sing angelic words holy,
00:10:59.938 --> 00:11:01.590
Holy, holy.
00:11:02.090 --> 00:11:04.200
Lord God of power and might,
00:11:04.569 --> 00:11:06.310
heaven and earth are
00:11:06.380 --> 00:11:08.250
full of your glory.
00:11:09.790 --> 00:11:11.530
There we have the second
00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.050
word glory.
00:11:14.590 --> 00:11:17.100
The angels in Isaiah six
00:11:18.670 --> 00:11:20.346
and those who announced the
00:11:20.367 --> 00:11:22.310
birth of Jesus to the shepherds
00:11:22.390 --> 00:11:24.270
sang of God's glory.
00:11:25.490 --> 00:11:27.770
That is His splendor,
00:11:27.930 --> 00:11:30.266
His radiance, His reputation
00:11:30.377 --> 00:11:32.270
by His mighty acts.
00:11:36.310 --> 00:11:38.766
jesus death established
00:11:38.798 --> 00:11:39.810
his glory.
00:11:41.030 --> 00:11:42.814
He was raised by the glory
00:11:42.862 --> 00:11:43.678
of the Father.
00:11:43.774 --> 00:11:45.742
His body became glorified.
00:11:45.886 --> 00:11:47.726
He was taken up in glory,
00:11:47.838 --> 00:11:49.186
and He now sits at the
00:11:49.208 --> 00:11:50.610
right hand of glory.
00:11:51.990 --> 00:11:55.234
He is the Lord of glory and
00:11:55.271 --> 00:11:57.886
will come again in glory.
00:11:58.078 --> 00:11:59.800
And we who have new lives
00:12:00.170 --> 00:12:02.410
through Him we will appear
00:12:02.490 --> 00:12:04.270
with Him in glory.
00:12:07.030 --> 00:12:09.182
Third word is worthy,
00:12:09.326 --> 00:12:10.626
and it shows up in
00:12:10.648 --> 00:12:12.020
Revelation Five.
00:12:12.390 --> 00:12:14.450
It is the new song
00:12:15.670 --> 00:12:19.330
about the Lamb. He is worthy.
00:12:19.670 --> 00:12:22.386
Not the elders, not the 24,
00:12:22.488 --> 00:12:24.766
not the living creatures,
00:12:24.958 --> 00:12:26.342
not the angels,
00:12:26.446 --> 00:12:28.266
not any of us who've been
00:12:28.288 --> 00:12:29.980
made righteous by God.
00:12:30.510 --> 00:12:32.234
We deserve only shame and
00:12:32.272 --> 00:12:33.930
dishonor and punishment.
00:12:34.910 --> 00:12:36.454
Only Jesus,
00:12:36.582 --> 00:12:38.930
the lion of the tribe of Judah,
00:12:39.030 --> 00:12:40.938
the root of David.
00:12:41.114 --> 00:12:44.510
The lamb is worthy.
00:12:46.050 --> 00:12:48.762
By His dying, by His rising,
00:12:48.826 --> 00:12:50.874
He rescued us from everlasting
00:12:50.922 --> 00:12:51.990
damnation,
00:12:52.170 --> 00:12:53.938
and we become His people
00:12:54.024 --> 00:12:55.860
priests to our God.
00:12:56.790 --> 00:12:59.810
The new heavenly song is about
00:12:59.880 --> 00:13:01.970
the very worthy Lamb.
00:13:03.430 --> 00:13:06.322
So as a light from above streams
00:13:06.386 --> 00:13:08.214
through these clear glass and
00:13:08.252 --> 00:13:09.990
colored glass windows
00:13:11.050 --> 00:13:12.870
be filled with joy.
00:13:14.330 --> 00:13:16.982
Let the angelic musicians remind
00:13:17.046 --> 00:13:18.810
you that God reigns,
00:13:19.230 --> 00:13:22.330
and he is nearby with his mercy.
00:13:23.230 --> 00:13:25.606
And now, already here on earth,
00:13:25.718 --> 00:13:28.022
in concert with the angels,
00:13:28.165 --> 00:13:30.154
let your voice sound forth and
00:13:30.192 --> 00:13:32.617
praise for Christ
00:13:32.784 --> 00:13:33.782
with the Father
00:13:33.846 --> 00:13:36.246
and the Holy Spirit is worthy
00:13:36.358 --> 00:13:38.550
of all glory and honor,
00:13:38.630 --> 00:13:40.300
forever and ever.
00:13:40.830 --> 00:13:42.530
Amen.
00:13:43.830 --> 00:13:44.930
The peace of God,
00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:47.262
which passes all understanding,
00:13:47.326 --> 00:13:49.102
keep your hearts and minds
00:13:49.246 --> 00:13:52.210
through Christ Jesus. Amen.