Angels And Jesus
- Details
- Sunday Morning Service
- Pastor Jeremy Richards
- Copalis Community Church
- 22 February 2026
It is interesting that we live in a society that is seeking so much the spiritual without the gospel. They want to see some spiritual power, but they just don't want it connected with the Bible.
This week, I'm not sure when it happened, but President Obama had made a comment recently that he believed aliens existed. And that caused a tremendous firestorm. Because if the President believes. Or did I say angels? I meant to say aliens.
Okay, I did say aliens. And so the whole world was like, well, if the President of the United States feels that aliens exist, there must be reasons he feels they exist. And an interview that kind of was off of that. He said, what was the first thing you wanted to know when you became president? And he said, you know, I don't know whether he was joking or not, but what he said is, where are the aliens?
Right. And what he found is, is there is absolutely zero evidence for aliens that he found while he was president. While he was president. But he said, nonetheless, I still believe that aliens exist. We just have no evidence.
And there probably will never be any evidence that aliens exist because the universe is so vast that even if they did exist, that we would never be able to see that they existed. This is what he said. But he went on to say that he thinks they probably did exist because the universe is so big now. Isn't there some sort of logic class that people used to take a long time ago? Just because the universe is big, does it mean something is true?
Not necessarily. If that were true, and I said, yeah, the universe is big, therefore this must be true. You might question me, right? Just because the universe is big does not mean that the miraculous thing that we see happen on Earth life and intelligent life exists other way. And he said, there is no proof for that.
But it is interesting that individuals are still very much aware and seeking the interference in their lives or the perspective of seeing an alien. And millions of people claim to have had an experience with an alien. They said they've seen them, talked with them, had interaction with them. But none of these aliens has left as much as a postcard or a stamp or a business card or a hair or anything. There is zero reliable physical evidence that something physical visited Earth.
Nothing. And that's what the President said. But there is a desire, and it may be what individual some have said is that this visitation is not a physical one, but a spiritual one in which there are and is spiritual beings possibly visiting the Earth, having interaction. They are what the Bible does not describe as aliens, but describe as angels. And you can agree or Disagree.
I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree that aliens are angels or not. So please don't change your opinions based on me. But what I do know is people are desperate to try to find some spirituality in something beyond our normal physical sphere. They're looking for something, desiring for something, wanting to hear a voice, wanting to get direction. We are looking for, you know, sending out our signals into outer space, trying to receive these radio waves back from this society.
We're desperate for them to communicate with us, to tell us something that we don't know. Strange. In Hebrews chapter one, we're going to see that the Son of God is different from the angels, that if individuals are looking for an angel. If you've got your telescope on the top of your roof, you know, pointed into outer space and you got this sign, you know, speak to me right, you're looking for this angel. You know, tell me something.
Well, there is greater reason from a biblical perspective to point that telescope towards the sun and have him speak to you than an angel. That's what I'd like you to say. If you are looking for spiritual direction or if our society is looking for spiritual direction from these extraterrestrial, spiritual, the spiritual dimension beyond our own. What I hope you can see and logically realize is the voice of the Son of God has a greater respect associated with it than angels.
So we're in Hebrews 1, 3, 4.
It says in chapter one of Hebrews verse four, speaking about the Son having become so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Here the author of Hebrews starts off verse four declaring that the Son is so much better than angels. Angels have some value. They have some power. They have significance, without a doubt.
But he is saying that Jesus as the Son is so much better. Now, in our language, those word means that is a lot better. They are not comparable in the way that we would compare two equal things. He is so much better. So I'm going to look at maybe three different things that we might be able to get the perspective that the Son of God is actually so much better.
And by recognizing the value of his person, we might put aside the things that are weak and embrace the strong. When you have a problem, you don't automatically seek out the thing that is the weakest. You seek out the thing that is most appropriate to answer to your situation. And here the Bible is saying that Jesus is so much better than the angels. Number one, we're going to look that the angels only have limited power.
Their power is not based on something they have inherent to their person. Right? It's like you and I, we think we're so tough, right? We're so strong, we walk around and then an individual's back goes out, right? And you can't do anything.
Right. And we recognize, you know, that strength I have is not really inherent to me. It's based on my body working. Right? Well, angels, if you remember, in Jude, it says, I'm just going to turn there in Jude, there's only one chapter.
I think it was Michael in disputing with the devil over the body of Moses. It says in chapter one, verse nine of Jude, it says, michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation. But said the Lord rebuke you. He is demonstrating that Michael, obviously we have two names of two angels who demonstrate superior authority under the ministry of God the Father. We have Gabriel and Michael.
If you remember, the angel Gabriel came to Mary, right? Excuse me, Joseph, I can't remember. No, not Joseph, Mary's uncle. And told him about what was going to happen, right? That his wife, who was barren, was going to have a child, right?
And Zacharias said, you know, he doubted it. The angel kind of stood up straight and said, look, I'm Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God. I was sent to tell you good tidings and you didn't believe me. Therefore you're going to be mute until the baby's born, right? These angels, these two angels have significant authority in their responsibilities.
And it says even Michael, that great prince in Daniel, who stood up against the devil, that was the only one to stand up in this spiritual battle. These two individuals, even Michael, dared not bring a reviling accusation, but said, the Lord's authority rebuke you. He didn't have anything of his own nature, of his own substance, of his own power that he could bring to fight against the devil. No. He brought the badge with him.
No. By the authority of the Lord, I rebuke you. Jesus, on the other hand, when he was in the desert for 40 days, right it different, he didn't draw on any other authority, right? He was tempted for 40 days without food or water and being weakened and tempted by the devil, you would think he was at his weakest point. In chapter four of Matthew, we see that Jesus doesn't address the devil based on anyone else's authority.
He doesn't have to say, thus says the Lord, or in God's Name do this? No. By his own authority. He says in chapter 4, verse 10. Then Jesus said to him, away with you, Satan.
For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve. Jesus does not draw on anyone else's authority to rebuke the devil because he has all authority to rebuke the devil in a similar way. He does not have to draw on anyone else's power to heal people. He always just heals them. He doesn't have to draw on anyone's power to control physical elements.
He just says simply, peace, be still and it stops. Angels, on the other hand, are dependent on God's authority, but Jesus has his own authority as God. My point in going through this exercise is to get you to get ourselves to understand. If he is so much better than the angels, why do you put so much significance on angels?
Angels are also able to be deceived. Angels are not a source of truth. They have the ability, just in a similar way to you and I, to be able to decide between right and wrong. We see it appears that a third of the angels made a decision to corroborate their power with that of the devil and were cast out of heaven. They are deceivable individuals.
They have the right, it appears, to make a decision based on what they believe. And therefore they must be careful. We must be careful on who we listen to. It is not just because it's an angel that it should be listened to. If you remember in the book of Galatians, he says, Paul says, but even if we or an angel from heaven preach to you a different gospel than what you have already received, do not believe him.
We see that individuals in many major religions have their foundations from an individual receiving a message from an angel.
Joseph Smith, for example, in America, in New York, had the visitation of an angel named Moroni who supposedly showed him where there was a treasure chest. And in that treasure chest he found two golden tablets of which no one has ever seen. And in that chest he found the Urim and the Thummim by which he was able to decide decipher what was written on the tablets. We have to be careful. Muhammad got a vision by an angel and received his doctrine from an angel.
You and I have to be careful what we receive from angels. But on the other hand, the Son of God is so much better than the angels. While angels can be deceived, Jesus Christ cannot. He describes himself as being the way, the truth and the life, that in him there is no deceit, that his voice is Always one that can be listened to and trusted because it never lies and cannot. Angels, on the other hand, can be deceived.
You and I, if we're to look at things carefully. In this mind boggling retreat from biblical Christianity, people are beginning to embrace ang angels and by doing so are leaving the voice of the Son of God. My purpose here, hopefully today is to convince you that the voice of the Son of God is so much better than that of angels. He should be listened to. I'm not negating the work that angels have and do and display within biblical context.
I only believe it needs to be used in biblical context. The next thing is angels are not deserving of worship. Angels are not deserving of worship. In Revelations we see John, after having received a vision of an angel, is so emotionally and physically the pressure on him, so much as he experiences this visitation that he falls down and worships the angel. The angel immediately cries out, see that you do not do that.
Worship God alone. Worship God. Jesus, on the other hand, from the beginning of the Bible until the end, willingly receives worship and as his correct due.
I like the picture that Ezekiel, Isaiah and John given revelation of the cherubim, these four angelic pictures, beings who are closest to the glory of God, right? And it's fun to look at their different descriptions that they're obviously the description that Isaiah and Ezekiel and John give are obviously describing the same individual, the same group of angels, and yet it is from a different perspective. That is neat to look at that they see him differently, just like you and I might see something differently and describe it differently. There's no collusion, but you can sure see that they're describing the same thing. These four angels, one with a head of a lion, an eagle, a man and an ox, full of eyes roundabout with wheels flying.
And even though this picture of these cherubims is so impressive, the focus is obviously this place above these cherubim where the glory dwells, this bright image of glory that rests that these images four cherubim surround. And it is the glory of the Lord, his very presence dwelling between these cherubim. In John, we see this same picture and we see the throne of God there. And in the midst of these four angelic beings, we see the Lamb there, the Lamb and the very center of the glory of God in that place. And then we see the 24 elders, the cherubim and a multitude of people all fall down and worship the Lamb.
The glory that is associated with the Son of God, the Lamb of God, is of such tremendous Value that multitudes and multitudes, thousands times thousands, all the angels, and even those four closest angels to God's presence all fall down and worship the Lamb of God, the one looking as though he had been slain. And you and I, if I could convince you of something, if I could speak to you clearly, I would say to you that that worth that angels have, though substantial, does not compare to the value of the Son of God.
In my weak process of thought, I would strongly encourage. Don't waste your time intruding into those things that are not seen, which says in Colossians and the worship of angels. Why waste your time when we have an available Son of God who is quietly knocking at the door of your heart, who, who knows everything and always will lead you with his voice of grace and peace, that we should listen to him. Not only is he so much better than the angels in every way, more substantial, more holy, more available to you and I, but he also has a name that is greater than the angels. And this is going to be something that the author spends the rest of the chapter talking about.
Jesus name is so much better than the name given to the angels. And we may have a little bit of a debate right now. How do you say Jesus name? We're going to Israel. And they like to say that name, Yeshua Hamashiach or something like that.
Forgive me, just sorry. And sometimes we say Jesus Christ. They like to say it in the Hebrew context. Right? And there's some debate.
No, you've got to say it like this. Well, this name that Jesus has is more than just how it's spelled. His name is so much greater than our English translation of it. We see from the beginning that his name is wonderful. From the beginning, if you remember, his name is treated a certain way.
Even from the first time we see this angel wrestling with Jacob, right? And they wrestle at this brook and they wrestle all night. And finally this angel of God touches Jacob hips and draws and pulls, shrinks the muscle there. And then the angel changes Jacob's name. You will no longer be called Jacob Jacob, but Israel.
And then Israel, newly named, says, what is your name? And I believe the Son of God says, why do you ask about my name? We see later on when this same angel of God appears to Samuel, Samson's parents. And of course, he was revealed to Samson's mom first, then his dad. And the thing he asks is, what is your name?
What is your name? He wants to know, tell me your name. The angel responds, why do you ask about my name? Seeing it's wonderful. We see that Moses a little bit later at the mountain, he says, show me your glory.
The Lord responds, no one can see my glory, but I'm going to hold you in this place. And as I go by, I'm going to pronounce my name to you. I want to talk to you. I want you to tell you my name. And you might get a little mixed up, but it says the Lord.
The Lord, merciful, compassionate, forgiving. He pronounces his name. If you just know my name. The name of the Lord is of such value. Throughout the Bible we see that it is a regular revelation of what God's name is.
He is called the Branch in Jeremiah. He is wonderful counselor, Almighty God, Prince of Peace. In Isaiah we see that over and over his name has such value. His name is who he is. We get to Revelation and he appears to John.
I'm just going to turn there to kind of work towards finishing in chapter 19, verse 11. We see towards the end, from the beginning, yes. His name, this marvelous, powerful, this living name, who he is. We see now with the end of the age. He's still talking about his name in chapter 19, verse 11.
Now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. And him who sat on it was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
He was clothed with a road dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that he would strike the nations and he himself will rule them. With a rod of iron he himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He's the Alpha and Omega. He's the beginning and the end. In him all things consist. He has a name that is so much better than that of the highest angels. You and I live in a society that seems to have gone crazy looking after and trying to find a cornflake that looks like.
Like an angel that goes travels land and sea. Because the sun shone through a window and had an apparition in it. And everyone wants to go into that bathroom to try to get a vision, a picture of what happens when the sun shines through a window and gives the picture of an angel. We've gone crazy. We're out of our minds.
We've left biblical thinking and are chasing something that is a fantasy. You and I have been dominated by a thinking that this immoral and unstantiated world has put forth. And it's time to wake up out of our sleep and recognize that the Son of God has a name that is so much better than any vision or angel.
Not only does he have a name that's so much better, he's also available that he hears our cries, he loves when we come to him, and he is always willing to speak into your life with grace and peace. He smooths over those rocky things. He gives peace to the troubled soul that is full of churning waves. He takes individual sinners like you and me and he cleanses us with his own blood. How much more should we demonstrate a different kind of spirituality than our paganistic neighbors who are looking for angels?
Shouldn't we display that there is a real God and He is near to those who call upon him? It is my hope, my encouragement, that in the midst of all this turmoil that you see around, that it would be your desire to call out to Jesus Christ. He has a name and he responds to your and I's cry. Let's pray. Oh Father, I want to ask forgiveness for such hype that our culture puts on so many worthless things.
But at the same time, Lord, forgive us for not calling out to that one name that is near to us, that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow, whether in heaven, on earth and all confess to the glory of the Father that Jesus Christ is Lord, we thank you in Jesus name. Amen.