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There's no point in coming to church on a Wednesday evening if there's no Gospel. There's no reason in coming here on Sundays if there is no Good News. And that Evangel is: Jesus Christ and Him crucified for the forgiveness of your sins and for the salvation and eternal preservation of your life; period. No Jesus; no Gospel; no nothing.

The way that the Lord tells you of Jesus is by the Word. By use of the terminology "word" we mean to understand God's full revelation of Jesus Christ, His Person and His Work, by way of Written Scriptures, which were written for your "hearing" and, by way of the "Word Made Flesh" applied to you in the Blessed Sacraments. There are many and complimentary names which describe those earthly givers of this heavenly Good News: Evangelist, Gospeler, Prophet, Preacher, and, Angel. Yes, Angel. Angels do more than adorn greeting cards and calendars.

The English word Angel comes from the Greek, "anggelos," and simply means "messenger." The word appears in holy writ almost 300 times. Angels are usually those spirit beings made by the Trinity during the original six-days of creation. These celestial creatures are an innumerable multitude. They sing praises to God and are your exemplar in worship. They obediently obey God's commands. They have proper names, such as: Gabriel, Raphael and Michael. But they have no purpose or worth in themselves. There are no angels because of angels; rather, there are angels because of Christ. They serve Him, and they serve you. They are messengers; they Gospel. They announce His Incarnation at the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin (for your sake as well as hers); they announce His birth to the shepherds; and to you. Angels did then, what pastors do now; what you all do when you tell others about the Savior in your daily vocations as priests of the New Testament.

One need not be a "spirit creature" to be classified as an angel. Luther himself, in the Smalcald Articles of our Book of Concord refers to Saint John as the "fiery angel." [SA Part III, Art. III. para 30] But today is not Saint John's Day. Today is November 30 and it is the Feast Day of the blessed Saint Andrew, Apostle of the Lord; and "angel" of the Lord!

But it's all about the Gospel. It's all about Jesus.

Why do we care about Saint Andrew as "angel?" Should we? Why do we sing hymn # 475, "Ye Watcher and Ye Holy Ones?" It's about the Forgiveness of Sins. When one is bought and forgiven by Jesus, it just naturally produces faith and works; belief and joy. Your joy in Jesus overflows in the family setting into which He has placed you. It's good to know your other brothers and sisters. "Ye watchers and ye holy ones, Bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones. Raise the glad strain, Alleluia! Cry out, dominions, princedoms, pow'rs, Virtues, archangels, angels' choirs. Respond, ye souls in endless rest, Ye patriarchs and prophets blest, Alleluia, Alleluia! Ye holy Twelve, ye martyrs strong, all saints triumphant raise the song. Alleluia!" [TLH # 475, ss 1,3]

Jesus hasn't just redeemed "a" sinner to make him "a" saint, but Jesus saves sinners and makes them a Communion of Saints; of holy ones.

It is salutary to remember your brother Andrew to whom and through whom Jesus showed great love and mercy. The Lord's bright light of grace is reflected from Andrew, as from the others, in a prism of beauty and peace. Andrew, the fisherman from Bethsaida of Galilee, was the brother of the more famous Simon Peter. Though not a member of the "inner three" (Peter, James and John) Andrew nonetheless appears in a number of the Gospel narratives. Andrew had been a follower, a disciple, of Saint John the Baptist. Andrew saw the light of the Christ reflected off of the Baptists' angel body, and from John's mouth as well; he heard the Good News from the lips of John "Behold the Lamb of God." Through the word, the same word that you have gospeled into your ears, the Holy Ghost drew this fisherman to the Nazarene. Andrew became the first of the twelve to be enlisted by Jesus, Who said He would make him and his brother "fishers of men." Andrew was not only a Disciple and Apostle, but also a Fisher. Yes. A fisher who used not bait, but Christ Crucified...no angleworm, but the One Who would be made a "worm" for your trespasses. This is what Andrew, an "angel-worm," a fellow sinner, believed, taught, and confessed. Christ Crucified for your forgiveness and freedom is what this "angel" preached.

Eusebius, the great historian, wrote that Andrew later went to Scythia (modern day southern Russia). According to tradition Andrew was martyred at Patias, in Achaia, in A.D. 60. This would have been a grace filled way to end his membership in the Church Militant. Andrew used by the Spirit, strengthened by the Christ, his Rock, was able to preach and teach and administer Christ Crucified during his lifetime, and was then permitted that rarer honor to preach Christ Crucified with his own humble and sinful body in a martyred death...crucified himself the same way his Master had been three decades earlier.

The greatest earthly deed done in un-faith is but a filthy rag. The humblest action done in faith, by a believer; the loneliest, most degrading and seemingly "loser-like" death, died by a believer in Jesus, a brother or sister of the Lord, is a testament, a preachment, a Gospeling of Christ Crucified Himself.

By his faithful teaching and preaching, by his perseverance in bloody death, the "angel" known to you as Saint Andrew shows forth the Christ. Peer with this Galilean fisher of men into the creche this Adventide. See the babe, have the Prince of Peace, believe in the Redeemer, the Christ.

In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost