11-5-2019

Good Morning All,

   Ephesians 6:12; “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

    When you teach confirmation class to junior high age students, you invariably visit about their ventures into competitive events.  It is oftentimes the boys who complain the most.  It seems that they always play against a football team that has a player who is “just a monster!”  They run across another young man who has had his growth spurt a little early and literally stands as a man among boys.  He might be 6-8 inches taller and 50 pounds heavier than they are.  This usually adds up to a long and unproductive game.  I try to get them to understand that he won’t always be so much bigger than they are but that can be little comfort for the game next week.

    In some ways, this is our struggle in life.  It is not a fair fight; we are greatly out powered by our enemies.  Our enemies are much stronger than we are.  Sin, death and the power of the devil far exceed our miniscule efforts and soon we are lost.  Our battle is not with the loud mouth down the street or even a governmental act; our battle is with forces beyond us.  In a recent article I read, the author suggests that the words “sin” and “death” should be capitalized in the New Testament.  This is to be done in order to recognize the power these twin evils hold over creation.  Everything dies.  People die, trees die, animals die; every last part of creation dies.  Everything in all of creation is subjected to the power of Sin; that wretched state where everything that exists is subject to random, chaotic events; events which destroy, without any rhyme or reason or predictability and alter creation.  We are all subject to these powers and we, in our own being, are unable to withstand let alone defeat these powers.

    We cannot win on our own.  Eve tried it and failed as have all her descendants.  We truly have only one hope; we need someone who is bigger than the enemies we fight.  We need Jesus.  This is why God sent Jesus to fight for us and to defeat the enemies we face.  We cannot do it but Jesus does.  Jesus defeated the power of Death and Sin by rising from the grave that first Easter morning.  It is a defeat that our enemies do not take kindly and they continue to fight, to lash out at creation in a gasping attempt to claim one more victim.

    We remain safe by clinging to Jesus.  We remain safe by remembering that we cannot defeat these powers, only Jesus defeats these guys.  This is part of what Paul means when he writes, “the good I would do; I do not and the evil that I do not want to do; I do.”  Left to our own power and devices; we fail.  But for us fights the Valiant One; He has placed us on His side and defends us.  We do not fight; we cannot win; we can only cling to the true Victor who has declared us his beloved children.

Father of all mercy; defend us by your great power.  Keep us ever in your loving kingdom.  Be with those who are especially under attack.  Send your Spirit to bring them peace.  Keep their eyes ever focused upon your mercy and your hope.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret