Entertaining Angels Unawares

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

You never know who or what you'll see and when.

We live on a dark country road, and last night I took the back road home. It's 11 miles to town that way, and nearly 2/3 of the way is dirt. I took our 5 oldest children to the opening of the fair in Yreka, and they did real well with all sorts of blue ribbons. My entry didn't even get an honorable mention...I've been shown up by my children.

Well, coming home we saw a man walking on the road, no flashlight, in the middle of nowhere. I stopped to see if he needed any help, and all he wanted was some water, of which we had none. I gave him a box of mints we had, and then went home, and packed him a bag of water, graham crackers, fruit, nuts, raisins, and a gospel tract.

By the time I went back out to find him, he was nowhere in sight.

Other Encounters

There have been other instances either in my own life, or the stories of others, of angelic encounters. I can't classify them as I could this one, which was likely just a vagrant man passing through.

For instance. There was one time where in college, I was driving a VW bus, and the engine seized up. I was headed from Azusa to Pomona, and managed to limp to the exit at Arrow Highway. Back then there was nothing there but for a gas station, now there's a huge Target strip mall in that spot.

The VW died completely at the end of the offramp. The service station was closed, and there were no cars on the road. I looked up and down both ways. This was in the days before cell phones. I dropped my head for a second and prayed, God help me.

I got out of the van, and started to try to push the bus by myself out of the road and over to the service station, but it wasn't going anywhere. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a guy pops his head around the front of the van and offers to help. I accepted his offer, and we pushed the van into the service station lot. Before I could set the hand brake, he was gone. There was no one anywhere on the street again. All I can think is it was an angel.

I don't know if it was, but I know that from the passage, we can't always tell by appearances who is an angel and who isn't.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, upon arriving at the sepulcher of Christ early Sunday morning, found a "a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment" who frightened them. I don't know about you, but getting to a tomb that is supposed to be occupied by a dead man, and finding a very alive young man sitting in the tomb at daybreak would frighten me too. Mostly because it is not what I am expecting to see.

The guy on the road last night startled me. I don't expect to see anyone on the road walking at night without a flashlight at least. I guess Mary and Mary were more than a little shaken, not just by his appearance, but by what He told them as well, because it tells us that "they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. "

What exactly did he tell them that might have scared them so?
he saith unto them, "Don't be frightened: You seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: Look at the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee: there you will see him, as he said unto you. "

He told them, Jesus told you what to do and what would happen, and you didn't believe it. In fact, the entire last chapter of mark focuses on not believing the words of Jesus Christ. You would think that there would be some credibility given to the words of the various witnesses, but each time there is a high level of unbelief. We usually only think of Thomas as the doubter, but evidently they all had an issue with belief. Maybe we do too.

Check it out

Mark 16:10 And she(Mary Magdalene went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
Mar 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he(Jesus) was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
Mar 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. (the road to Emmaus)
Mar 16:13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Mar 16:14 Afterward he(Jesus) appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided (charged with something wrong or disgraceful) them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Do You Believe?

Mark 16:16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.

These are harsh words, do you believe them? The words that follow are even more difficult for most of us, because He tells us the signs that will follow those that believe.

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

I need to pray along with the man whose child was possessed of a devil, Lord I believe, help my unbelief.

Mark 9:23-24 Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.

If someone were to ask me if I believe that the signs Jesus Christ said would follow those that believe, and if I have experienced any of them, I would cringe a bit, because I have not experienced all of them, only one or two. Let me ask you, have you experienced any of the signs?

• Have you cast out demons?


• Have you spoken with a new tongues?


• Have you taken up serpents?


• Have you drank anything deadly without harm?


• Have you laid hands on the sick and seen them recover?

Do you believe? For real? Or,do you need to pray, along with the man with the possessed son, Lord, help my unbelief?

That is my prayer today, for myself, my family, and the whole church of Jesus Christ. We say we believe, yet no signs follow us, we say we believe, but we are no better than the disciples who failed to believe all they had been told face to face by Christ himself. Oh God, please help us all to believe what you have said! Please help us to live believing, instead of making excuses for our lack of belief. Help us to quit saying that those things were only for the "early church" or those things were only for those who did not have the whole counsel of God in 66 books, and we no longer need the miraculous or the gifts. God, let me stand with those who believe you and what you have told us in your word, without excuse, without wavering, without doubt, without fear, and without question. Oh God our Father, help our unbelief!