There’s one scene in the book of Acts that has always fascinated me, because it showcases both the power and the limitations of angels.
One night, as the apostles sat on a cold prison floor, an angel swung open the door to the jail and “brought them out” (Acts 5:19, ESV). The angel told them, “Go and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life” (v. 20).
Angels are so powerful, they can burst through man-made barriers with no effort whatsoever. It’s as though the walls of that prison were made of butter, not brick. In other biblical accounts, they rolled back a heavy stone (Matt. 28:2); removed thick chains (Acts 12:7) and even closed the mouths of lions (Dan. 6:22).
Angels are mighty spirit beings who command attention. They’re not cuddly cherubs, but they are glorious creations called to worship and war in the power of Almighty God. But it’s important to note that, despite all their astonishing attributes, not everything is theirs to do.
There is at least one critical thing angels cannot and will not do, which is witness to the saving grace of Jesus in their own lives.
Angels testify to the glory and creation of God, but God has called you and me to bear witness to the grace of God. The angel commanded the apostles to go do what he couldn’t do—speak “all the words of this life.”
We’ve been given something angels have never experienced—the forgiveness of our sins. At the cross, the angels stood amazed by the love God demonstrated for sinful people through Jesus’ death. Angels can only admire what God has done in saving us and giving eternal life to all who believe.
God could have written His message of Good News in the sky or delivered it through a majestic angel. But He chose people like you and me. We must never expect an angel to do what God has told us to do. We are the ones called to proclaim His amazing grace to the ends of the earth. {eoa}
Jack Graham is the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church and the host of PowerPoint Ministries. Follow him @jackngraham. To learn more about angels, read Pastor Graham’s book “Angels: Who They Are, What They Do, and Why It Matters.”
