Shepherd of the Springs
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

St. Michael and All Angels Sunday

Text: Matthew 18: 1-10

Theme: The Greatest in the Kingdom of God are accompanied by Angels

Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of God . . . . See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my father who is in heaven. (vss.4, 10)

This morning we observe that festival in the Church year that commemorates the contributions of God’s holy angels in the great work of redeeming his creation through the saving work of his Son. Angels often serve as God’s messengers. It was an angel that announced the entry of the Son into the world - to Mary, to Joseph, and the Shepherds. And when Satan unleashed his war against the baby Jesus, it was an angel who alerted Joseph and saw that Jesus was delivered safe from Herod’s army. Angels guarded the entrance to Eden when God expelled Adam and Eve after they fell into sin. Following the great temptation in the wilderness, Angels came and ministered to Jesus. At the end of times, it will be angels that sound the trumpets heralding his second coming and will serve as his heavenly entourage when he returns in glory, separating the sheep from the goats.

And here in our text, Jesus tells us that angels are assigned to God’s children and that we are not to take either the children or their angels lightly. Viewing the context of Jesus’ words here about children and their guardian angels, the whole matter flows out of a question put to Jesus concerning who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God. Perhaps there was an argument over which prophet or King in Israel’s history might be considered the greatest and they wanted Jesus to settle the matter. Or, maybe they had thoughts about themselves being in the number one spot. I am sure it was quite a surprise when Jesus responded by placing before them a small child. On the one hand, He tells them that unless people become like a small child, they will not even make it into the Kingdom of God. But then, Jesus also indicates that those who humble themselves like a little child will be considered the greatest in the Kingdom. Notice how Jesus closely connects the two thoughts. . . gaining entry into the Kingdom and being the greatest. Lets explore how this connection works and what it has to do with guardian angels.

Entering the Kingdom requires dropping all sentiments and beliefs in self-sufficiency. Little children just naturally realize that they lack the resources in themselves to be safe, secure, and have a future. They know that they are weak; that they do not have all the answers about life; and that they must depend on the wisdom and strength of those much greater than themselves who love them if they are to have a secure future. Because of sin, they certainly are very self-centered; but, they rarely think of themselves as the greatest, unless they have been terribly spoiled. Because it is the sinful nature that worships the creature rather than the creator, they often deify Dad and are quite convinced that their Dad can beat up your Dad and can fix anything in no time at all. But, Jesus is not making this as the contact point here. His point is that the child realizes that he must place himself (or herself) into a position of humble trust in the one who loves him and can take on all the evil forces in life and guarantee his safety and welfare. In short, the child realizes he needs a savior. . . one who is all powerful, all knowing and willing out of loving commitment to use these resources to keep evil at bay so that things can work out so the child can live happily ever after.

This is the contact point about entering the Kingdom of God. You must become what many think is childish. You must drop all sense of self sufficiency; you must recognize your sinful frailty and place your complete trust in the One Who is all powerful and all knowing and Who loves you. In other words, you must take the humble position that you are not and cannot, be the master of your destiny or the one who can secure your own happy future. There are forces of evil from within and without that would be your demise immediately if you were left to your own resources. Like the child you must trust that because the One who is God loves you - your spiritual Dad - everything will work out for your future safety and happiness . . . even though you cannot see or understand fully how this will be so. You just trust it. You just trust Him. You just trust that you are and will be secure.

For many grown ups such beliefs and attitudes are childish, meaning foolish. But, this is just what Jesus sets forth to us as how it is in the Kingdom of God. It is only as you become as a little child and cling to the childishness of the Gospel that you will enter the Kingdom of God. We enter the Kingdom by the humble trust that Christ is our Heavenly Dad-with-us and that He has overcome all the forces of evil. In His righteousness, you are secure. And about being the greatest? The greatest in the Kingdom is the child of God who acts very small - who simply trusts in the favor of God and the righteousness of his Son over against all that may be threatening in life. In their baptism, these are the children of God. In your baptism, so are you. In Christ, you are the greatest in the Kingdom of God.

And do you know who hates this fact with a hot, consuming jealousy - a jealousy that he also has for God’s Son? Yes, it is the Devil; that once great and magnificent arch-angel who rebelled against God out of his jealousy concerning the Son of God and his plans for you and me in his Kingdom. And in our Baptism we have become the objects of his hatred and spiritual terrorism. He is out to destroy you. As we have said before, the alarms go off in Hell when we are baptized. The evil powers and principalities of Hell are out to destroy you. They hate what you have become in Christ and all that you have in your baptism that they forfeited in their rebellion against God.

Spiritual warfare against such great and evil forces is where our baptism has placed us. As the angels ministered to Christ in the context of his spiritual warfare with the devil in the wilderness and in the garden, so also the Father has dispatched for each of us, his children, an angel to minister to us in our spiritual warfare with the Devil. St. Paul wrote in Ephesians, we are not just contending against flesh and blood, but with evil powers and principalities. As the Lord has given us His Spirit and His Word, He has also given us a wise, loving, and powerful angel to be our protector and companion - serving us from the unseen realms in our spiritual journey. You have one, and he is constantly looking out for you.

He has already kept you from so much harm that would otherwise have been your undoing. The angels sing the praises of the Son and they protect his humble children who are on their way to their heavenly home, keeping them safe from all harm and danger. To keep things straight in your understanding about the Kingdom of God and where greatness lies . . . look through the eyes of the small baptized children that you see around you in Christ’s Church, and for some, in your families right now. Such as these you must be to enter the Kingdom of God - humble, trusting ones who look to the Father and the Savior for their safety and welfare. These are the greatest ones in the Kingdom, clothed in the righteousness of Christ with the full inheritance of the Kingdom. Be like them . . . always be like them so you can be among them in God’s Kingdom. And trust that like them, you to have a guardian angel who is looking out for you as God’s powerful and devoted sentry - 24/7. They sing God’s praises; they sing the praises of the Son; and they see to it that in Christ you will be delivered to His Kingdom as one of his greatest sons and daughters.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. A-men.