Saints and Angels
Bible Studies
 
1. The Saints Above

•	November 1 = All Saints Day, the day for the commemoration of those who have died over the past year and all those who died
•	Ancient Christian custom: remembrance in Holy Communion of loved one who have died because both the living and the dead belong to Jesus the Lord of both (Rom 14:8-9)
•	Apostles Creed: communion of saints = community of holy ones
•	Earthly believers: the militant saints below
•	Departed believers: the triumphant saints above
•	All the angels who are called saints, holy ones in the Bible
•	All baptised believers as saints
•	Ephesians 5:25: Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless.
•	We as sanctified in Christ Jesus: 1 Cor 1:2
•	We as holy in Christ: Phil 1:1
•	Christ as our holiness: 1 Cor 1:30
•	Pictures and terms for saints who have died
•	Dead in Christ: 1 Thess 4:16; Rev 14:13
•	Being with Christ: Phil 1:23; see Luke 23:43
•	Asleep in Christ: 1 Thess 4:13-15; see John 11:11; 1 Cor 15:6, 20
•	Resting from labour: Rev 14:13
•	Away from the body and at home with the Lord: 2 Cor 5:8
•	State of the departed saints
•	Jesus in John 11:25: I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
•	Physically dead but spiritually alive in Christ
•	Their support of us
•	Hebrews 11:39-12:2: These (faithful witnesses) were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
•	Picture of journey of faith as a mass relay race
•	We as runners
•	Dead as spectators and barrackers
•	Reception of the prize at the end of the race
•	Prize as the resurrection of the body and reign with Christ
•	Picture of cloud around us
•	Glory cloud that revealed and concealed  God’s presence with his people
•	Cloud that covered the tent and led the people through the desert: Num 9:15-23
•	Ascension of Jesus into that cloud: Acts 1:9
•	Departed saints in that cloud: Rev 7:15
•	We as surrounded by them as they wait for us to finish the race and join them
•	Our contact with them and remembrance of them
•	Hebrews 12:22-24: 
But you have come
 to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, 
the heavenly Jerusalem, 
and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 
and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, 
and to God the judge of all, 
and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 
and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, 
and to the blood for sprinkling that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
•	Dead saints: spirits of the righteous made perfect
•	Our association with them in worship
•	Our link with them through Jesus and his blood
•	Remembrance of them with thanksgiving at Holy Communion: the incomplete circle around the altar
•	Heavenly members of our congregation: memorials for them in churches to remind us of that
•	Why were cemeteries traditionally located on the east, altar side of  the church?

2. The Holy Angels

•	Discuss why angels have become rather fashionable.
•	Have you had any experience of an angel visitation?
•	Connection of the angels with the life and work of Jesus
•	Appearance to Zechariah: birth of John the Baptist as forerunner of Jesus (Luke 1:11-20)
•	Appearance to Joseph: marriage to Mary (Matt 1:20-24) and flight from Egypt (2:13)
•	Appearance to Mary: birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38)
•	Appearance to shepherds on Christmas Eve (Luke 2:8-15)
•	Ministry to Jesus after temptation by the devil (Matt 3:11)
•	Comfort of Jesus in Gethsemane (Luke 22:43)
•	Appearance to women with message of resurrection (Matt 28:27)
•	Coming of Jesus in glory with the angels (Mark 8:38)
•	Holy angels as God’s secret agents: Psalm 103:19-22
The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his good will.
•	Word for angel in Hebrew and Greek = messenger
•	Mighty ones = champion soldiers
•	Hosts = armies
•	Servants = courtiers or attendants of a king
•	Involvement of angels in God’s rule over the world
•	Angels as God’s agents who enact his word
•	Angels as secret agents for goodness
•	Their access to God’s presence: see Luke 1:19
The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 
•	Angels as God’s messengers
•	Direction to Philip to meet Ethiopian (Acts 8:26)
•	Instruction to Cornelius to send for Peter (Acts 10:3-7, 22)
•	Rescue of Peter from prison (Acts 12:6-10)
•	Message to Paul about an imminent ship wreck (Acts 27:23-24)
•	Angels as soldiers in God’s heavenly army
•	Defeat of Satan and his dark angels by Michael and his angels (Rev 12:7-8)
•	Angels as spiritual body guards: Ps 34:7
The angel of the Lord encamps 
around those who fear him,
and delivers them.
•	Angels as spiritual escorts and guides in our journey through life: Ps 91:11-12
The Lord will give command his angels 
concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
•	Guardian angels: Matt 18:10
See that you do not look down 
on one of these little ones. 
For I tell you that their angels in heaven 
always see the face of my Father in heaven.
•	Little ones = children and new Christians
•	Highest angels = angels that ‘see’ the face of God who are called ‘the angels of Presence’
•	Greatest angels as protectors for little people in the church
•	Luther’s daily prayer: Let your holy angel be with me, so that the evil one may have no power over me.
•	The involvement of the angels in the divine service
•	Angels as liturgising spirits (Heb 1:14)
•	Adoration of risen Lord Jesus with the angels (Heb 1:6; Rev 4:9-11; 5:11-14; 19:4)
•	Praise of God with the angels: Heb 12:22-24
But you have come
 to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, 
the heavenly Jerusalem, 
and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 
and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, 
and to God the judge of all, 
and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 
and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, 
and to the blood for sprinkling that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
•	Joining with the choir of angels in the divine service
•	Song of the angels in Luke 2:13-14: 
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
•	Song of angels in Isaiah 6:3 and Rev 4:8: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; heaven and earth are full of your glory.