The angel said to the shepherds: "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Amen.

My friends, you've probably noticed that angels are prominent in the Christmas songs we've been hearing today. Not only so, but later on we'll hear some more words that angels were instrumental in bringing to us: the words of the Hallelujah Chorus. Some two hundred years ago George Fredrick Handel took those words from Revelation chapter eleven, verse fifteen. It reads: The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." Those are the words of the Lord at which we'd like to take a closer look briefly this morning.

Let's start with those first words: The seventh angel sounded his trumpet.

The book of Revelation is built on a framework of seven visions, and most of them have seven components. That number seven is a significant one. It represents the unity of the Three-In-One God with people from the four corners of the world-- through Jesus Christ.

Here it was the seventh angel ... who sounded his trumpet. In ancient times, the trumpet was an instrument less of music, and more of war. It sounded the call to battle. The Bible connects the trumpet's call to Christ's second coming. All of that means, I suppose, that when we hear a trumpet in church: we ought to ready ourselves not only to celebrate Christ, but also to battle against Satan.

Now, when the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven which spoke. These loud voices-- they may be angels, they may be saints, they may be creatures, or most probably: they may be the sum total of all of them.

And what did they say? -- "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ."

As to the kingdom of this world: we're used to thinking of God as the ruler of this world. And that's not wrong. The psalms say many times: "The Lord reigns." But the Bible also teaches something else. It calls Satan "the prince of this world". You'll recall, Jesus himself confessed: "My kingdom is not of this world."

And the fact is that as a part of the kingdom of this world, there was a time that you and I weren't letting God rule us. The Bible says: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."

Nevertheless: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ."

And very really, that began at the first Christmas. On the first Christmas, God invaded not only the Jewish state, but the entire world. Then God grew up-- rendering to his Father his perfect life that now counts as yours. And God ministered-- delivering to us the truths by which we truly live today. And God died-- surgically removing our sinfulness. And God rose-- showing us the eternal future that belongs to us in his name. And God sent his Spirit to spread his word to all the world: such that it reached you in your baptism, and it's reaching you now in his Word.

And that's going to become perfect and permanent, official and final, at the last Christmas. On that day, when Christ returns: you won't sin; you'll serve God perfectly; you'll never die; and you'll enjoy the blessings of life in his very presence perpetually.

And-- and: He will reign for ever and ever-- and you, alongside of him!

My friends: What a reason to celebrate! What a reason to sing! What a reason for you and me to join the saints and angels who are, at this very moment, cascading their choruses upon Christ!

What a reason to rejoice! What a reason to live! What a reason for you and me to give up our sinning and serve the Savior with all our fervor forever!

After all: He will reign for ever and ever !

Amen.

The angels said to God in the presence of the shepherds: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men: on whom his favor rests." Amen.