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Thank you. Angels are all over the Christmas story.

Regardless of what gospel you're reading that story in, you will find angels here and there at key points.

They are there to bring a message. That's what they are, essentially, messengers from God. They announce things. Sometimes

they act on God's behalf. And yet we are told in Scripture that there are matters of man's

salvation into which the angels cannot look because they are not men.

They are angels.

And they bring a message of good news and hope and great joy in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Welcome back to Issues, Cedar, coming to you from the studios of Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, Illinois, on this Christmas Day. I'm Todd Wilkin. Thanks for tuning us in. We're going to

study the Christmas hymn Angels we have heard on high. Dr. Arthur just joins us. He's Professor of

New Testament at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, seasonal pastor at Grace Lutheran

Church in Naples, Florida,

and author of the two-volume Concordia Commentary on Luke and the book, Heaven on Earth,

The Gifts of Christ in the Divine Service.

Dr. Just, welcome back.

Wonderful to be with you on this Christmas Day.

How would you explain the role that angels play in the Christmas story?

Well, you have to go back to the announcement of the angel Gabriel to Zechariah in the Holy Place,

...