Theology

*27/05/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD.* TOPIC: *WHO ARE ANGELS?* SUB-TOPIC: *ANGELS OF HEAVEN* Matthew 24:36 *Unlike God, Angels are not omniscience.* Mark 13:32 indicates that even Jesus Himself did not know the *day and hour* of His return. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He voluntarily limited His use of His divine attributes (John 17:4,5; Philippians 2:5-8). Therefore He became hungry, thirsty and tired. Luke records that Jesus grew in Knowledge and wisdom (Luke 2:52). In this instance, Jesus surrendered the use of His divine omniscience. Acts 1:7 *Unlike God, Angels do not know times or seasons.* *It is not for you to know:* Jesus did not correct His disciples' views concerning the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel. Instead He corrected their views concerning the timing of the event. *times or seasons:* These words speak to the issue of timing differently. Times refers to chronology or the duration of time - ...

*21/06/2020* THIRD SUNDAY SERMON THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *WHO ARE ANGELS?* SUB-TOPIC: *CHRIST JESUS FAR SUPERIOR TO ANGELS.* Text: Hebrews 1:4 - 2:15 The Son is *better than the angels*, or higher in rank, because He sits at the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:3) and because of His eternal inheritance. The Son has obtained a greater name than the angels. The author of Hebrews uses seven Old Testament citations to explain why the Son is superior to angels. Angels are "sons" collectively, in that they were created by God (Job 1:6). In contrast, Christ is uniquely and eternally the *Son*. He is superior to the angels. *Today I have begotten You* probably refers to the day Christ sat down at the Father's right hand after He accomplished His work as the Messiah. On that day the eternal Son entered into the full experience of His Sonship. *I will be to Him a Father:* This passage quotes 2 Samuel 7:14 and is a prophecy of Christ as the eternal...

*20/05/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD.* TOPIC: *WHO ARE ANGELS?* SUB-TOPIC: *ANGELS AS SPIRITS* Zechariah 6:5 These chariots and their teams represented *four spirits of heaven*, probably angels. *Human* messengers compared to *spirit* messengers. Angel may refer to angelic beings (Zechariah 4:1,5; Genesis 19:1; Psalms 91:11), human messengers (Genesis 32:3; Deuteronomy 2:26), or ambassadors (Isaiah 30:4; Ezekiel 17:15). A special use is the manifestation of the Godhead known as the Angel of God in the Old Testament (Zechariah 2:6; Genesis 21:17; Exodus 14:19). In the Old Testament, prophets (Haggai1:13) and priests (Malachi 2:7) function as messengers from God. In Zechariah, angels bring revelations from God about the future and interpret the meaning of dreams and visions (Zechariah 1:14; 6:4,5). Jesus identified the messenger who prepared the way for the day of the Lord, forecast in Malachi 3:1, as John the Baptist (Matt...

*17/05/2020* THIRD SUNDAY SERMON THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD.* TOPIC: *WHO ARE ANGELS?* SUB-TOPIC: *ANGELS AS WATCHERS.* Daniel 4:13 Nebuchadnezzar had dreamt of an enormous tree that provided food and shelter for all. In his dream, he saw a *divine messenger* issuing a command for the tree to be cut down, its branches trimmed, its leaves stripped and its fruit scattered. Daniel 4:17 The point of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is that *the Most High rules* supreme in the world. Daniel 2:21 *Seasons* here refers to the events of history. Daniel 4:25 The tree represented Nebuchadnezzar at the height of his glory. The Most High had issued a decree that Nebuchadnezzar would be insane for seven years until he acknowledged God as the sovereign Lord. Daniel 4:32 *until you know:* Nebuchadnezzar would become insane, animal-like in his habits and senses. Yet in that condition he would learn more of God than he ever had before. In fact, the purpose of the judgment was...

*13/05/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE SUB-TOPIC: *ANGELS AND THE HEAVENLY HOST* Luke 2:13 *Heavenly* host refers to an entourage of angels. *Angels are innumerable servants* Daniel 7:10 *A thousand thousands ... Ten thousand times ten thousand:* The reference here is to innumerable servants. Revelation 5:11 John sees *thousands upon thousands and ten thousands times ten thousands of angels* surrounding the throne. This vision is similar to Daniel's vision of the countless multitudes before 'the Ancient of Days' (Daniel 7:9-10). The imagery suggests the infinite honour and power of the one who is at the centre of it all and whose praises are sung. *Confession* I command the innumerable angels and host of heaven to protect, guard and fight for me. In Jesus' name. Amen *Copyright 2020. The Ecumenican Church Nigeria.* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp: *+2348052366039* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com.* *#TEC*

*10/05/2020* SECOND SUNDAY SERMON SUB-TOPIC: *ANGELS: PRINCES OF KINGDOMS, STATES, NATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS.* Text: Daniel 10:10-13 1 Chronicles 21:1 Daniel 10:13 A war had been going on in the spirit world for the past twenty-one days - ever since Daniel began to pray. All the time Daniel had been wrestling with God in prayer, the *angelic messenger* sent to deliver an answer had been delayed by someone referred to as the *prince of the Persian kingdom.* Since Michael is referred to as *Daniel's prince* (Daniel 10:21), and another angel is referred to as the *prince of Greece* (Daniel 10:20), the *prince of Persia* must be an angel specially assigned to Persia. Since he resisted God's messenger, he must be a messenger of Satan, a fallen angel, a demon. Satan appoints special emissaries to influence governments against the people of God. Around the world, church buildings have been set on fire and Christians killed for no known crime except faith in Jesus. Such beh...

*06/05/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE SUB-TOPIC: *THE GOOD AND BAD ANGELS* Text: Revelation 12:7-12 *Michael* is an archangel (Jude 9). According to Daniel 12:1 he is a special guardian angel for the nation of Israel. Apparently he commands an army of *angels*. Michael and the heavenly forces are victorious, making heaven off-limits to Satan and his demons. Jude 9 Jude's description here is probably taken from an apocryphal book called The Assumption of Moses, written in the first century A.D. There is no record in the Bible itself of the archangel's encounter with Satan, or a detailed account of Moses' body (there is a reference to it in Deuteronomy 34:6). Although Jude uses an extrabiblical source to illustrate the arrogance of the false teachers, this does not invalidate the inspiration of this letter, and it does not mean the source from which Jude quotes was inspired (see Paul's use of pagan authors in Acts17:28; Titus1:12). The name *Michael*...

*03/05/2020* FIRST SUNDAY SERMON TOPIC: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* Introduction The English word "angel" derives from a Greek word used in the original New Testament, *aggelos* (the double g or gamma pronounced here as a hard "ng" sound, as in "angel"). This word means *"messenger"*. The Old Testament Hebrew word *malak* means the same thing. These terms are used in Scripture of human messengers as well as *spirit messengers*. Context determines which is intended. a. *WHO ARE THE ANGELS?* Angels are mentioned frequently in the Bible, but not for the purpose of teaching us about angels themselves. Rather we learn about their involvement with God and His purposes. 1. The word "angel" means *"messenger"* in both the Hebrew and Greek. 2. *Angels are not to be worshipped*. Judges13:16-18 *it is wonderful:* The word used here is related to the word for "wonders" (Judges6:13). The Angel's name is too w...