1 Peter 4:12-19; 5:6-11

"Resurrection Realities - on Satan" (6th of 6 part series)

The Seventh Sunday of Easter (Series A) Our Redeemer Lutheran Church 5-4-08

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. … Early on a crisp September morning in 1944, two cyclists who had taken cover in a small French town near the Luxembourg border decided that it was at last safe to venture out into the open countryside. The nighttime rumble of tanks had died away. They could smell the smoke of cooking fires from the resting troops, they noted the usual scattering of grimy, mud-stained vehicles which included trucks, trailers, canons and a few big M-4 tanks. But the Frenchmen suddenly stopped in their tracks as their eyes became wide in astonishment. For they saw four soldiers walk over to a monstrous tank and, with one man at each corner, they picked it up. Yes that's right, they picked up the tank! But, you see this was no ordinary tank and these men were from an American outfit known as the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and they were special all right. You see they specialized in impersonating other troops as they used inflatable rubber guns and rubbers canons and rubber trucks and rubber tanks. Couple that with show-business theatrics and amplified recordings, the 23rd kept the Nazis fooled and confused on many a battlefield.

Well this morning you and I, we meet another impersonator, another fake, another one who with careful staging and show-business theatrics attempts to keep us along with the rest of the world, fooled and confused on this battlefield. And he of course goes by several names: Lucifer, the Destroyer, the god of this age, the Accuser, Satan. But in our epistle reading Peter simply calls him the devil. "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Now some would say the devil is not real - he's just been made up to represent the totality of evil in the world. But don't be fooled. Don't be confused. For the devil is real. Satan is at work. … Consider for a moment the latest letter we received this week from Beth Heiney, the wife of our Together-In-Mission partner, Rev. Tim Heiney, serving in Guinea. For in asking for your prayers Beth writes, "A while back I wrote that we felt that something was going on spiritually to be experiencing the types of trials we were seeing here. We've seen many missionaries and local church workers suffer sickness, family loss, discouragement, loss of property and more. This week we heard from someone very reliable that there is an incredible amount of sorcery going on in the upper levels of the government in order to hold onto the power that they have. This person shared that there is a continuous flow of animals being brought for sacrifice, and that even human sacrifice is being done in order to hold onto the power that these people have. The greed for money and power is insatiable and people are suffering. Those in power perform magic and sorcery to hold onto the money and power they crave no matter what the cost to others.".. Yes the devil is real, the devil is at work, and yes he "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Although notice our reading says, "like a roaring lion." For you see there is only one true roaring lion described in Scripture - the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" to be exact. And who is this "lion of the tribe of Judah"? Why it's the Lord Jesus himself. And so Satan comes Peter says, "like a roaring lion." In other words he tries to fool and confuse - he comes as an impersonator. For Satan knows we don't tend to be led astray by something that is obviously evil - with magic and sorcery, with horns and a pitchfork in hand. No he usually comes in a way that looks godly, good, noble.

Consider these examples. Just a couple of weeks ago our nation of course hosted Pope Benedict XVI. Probably most of us saw pictures or video of the hundreds of thousands of people who lined streets, filled churches and stadiums for the chance to hear or just to see the pope. And of course the pope symbolizes the Catholic church and I suppose for many he even symbolizes the whole Christian church. But is this office, this highly respected office - the papacy - - the "Holy Father" as the papacy asks to be called - is it of God? Or is it one of Satan's attempts at masquerading as something godly, good, noble?

Well, what does the papacy teach? Well to begin with, it teaches that it is the "sin of presumption" to believe you are saved. Never mind that Jesus said "It is finished." there on the cross. Never mind that Jesus has saved you personally through the waters of Holy Baptism. No, it's a "sin" to believe God's Word that you are saved - at least according to the papacy. The papacy teaches that the interpretation of Scripture is solely entrusted to the pope and his cardinals. It teaches that Mary was sinless, a perpetual virgin, queen of heaven, co-redemptress with Christ. The papacy teaches that salvation includes the Muslims, that after death we go to purgatory to finish our "cleansing" from sin. The last pope, John Paul, said evolution is compatible with the Biblical account of creation. But what if all this doesn't sound right to you? That it doesn't agree with Scripture. Well too bad the papacy says. In fact the official Catholic catechism says, and I quote, that "the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered." In other words, it's not "Scripture alone" as we would say as Lutherans, it's "the pope alone".

So what's our response to this as Lutherans? Well in the Smalcald Articles, one of our confessional documents as Lutherans, it says, "It follows that all the pope has done and undertaken from such false, mischievous, blasphemous, and arrogant power are devilish affairs and transactions. He roars like a lion in them, crying out that no Christian can be saved without obeying him and being subject to him in all that he wishes, says, and does. In fact the Smalcald Articles add that the papacy is the antichrist. .. Yes brothers and sisters, the devil is real, the devil is at work, and yes he "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." …

Or consider this. Now I imagine all of us have heard of the events that have taken place in Texas regarding the polygamist sect known as the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And probably all of us - along with most people - would say this is obviously evil. Although obviously some have drank of their Kool-Aid and believe this is the way of salvation.

Although when you get right down to it, the main-line Mormon church based in Salt Lake City - despite it's appearance as good and noble with its championing of family values and even using Jesus' name in their official name - really isn't any better in regards to their dangerous teachings. .. Several years ago when my family and I were moving out to Oregon to begin my vicarage assignment, we stopped in Salt Lake City at the Mormon temple. Quite a place but really when you got right down to it, quite sad really. For in front of their temple they have a ten-foot high granite slab with the words "The Way" engraved on the top of it. Now as a Christian I would say this would be a great place to put a verse such as John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." Or Jesus word from John, chapter 11, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." But no, what do they have there? The 10 Commandments. The law. Obey the law and god will reward you with eternal life is the message. Never mind the fact that the law only condemns - never saves. Never mind the fact that we all fall short of the glory of God - never mind the fact that we are but "poor miserable sinners who deserve nothing but God's temporal and eternal punishment" as we earlier confessed here this morning. No. Instead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints directs you to the law - to yourself - not to Jesus' blood and righteousness. And that's the work of the devil. Yes, brothers and sisters, the devil is real, the devil is at work, and yes he "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." …

Although we don't want to discriminate here so we'll give equal airtime to Lutherans. And in fact according to some studies, approximately 50% of Lutherans - yes Lutherans - we who emphasize over and over again that we are saved solely through faith in God's grace in Jesus and His cross - but 50% of Lutherans have swallowed Satan's lie that if you live what we would call a good life, try your best - you will be saved. Sounds good to our ears, sounds godly, noble, but in all truth this is absolutely 100% opposed to what Scripture teaches that salvation is found in Christ alone. Such thinking, such teaching basically says to Jesus - "We don't need you. We don't need your cross and resurrection. Thanks but we can do it on our own." Yes the devil is real, the devil is at work, and yes he "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." And he does that with anything - no matter how godly or good or noble it may appear - anything or anyone that distracts us from Jesus and His cross. ...

So what is Peter's response to this? He says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Resist the devil, stand firm in the faith." … "Be self-controlled and alert. Resist the devil, stand firm in the faith." … Dear brothers and sisters, "stand firm in the faith." For you have been given the good news of Jesus who lived, who died, who is risen and now ascended for you. Yes stand firm in the faith for Jesus has come to you in a very real and personal way and put His name upon you, claiming you as His own through the waters of Holy Baptism. Stand firm in the faith for Jesus bids you again, again and again to come and hear, taste His Word of forgiveness and life. Stand firm in the faith for with His own blood Jesus has written your name in heaven's book of life. Don't let anyone or anything try to tell you otherwise. Resist the devil, stand firm in that faith.

Luther describes this "standing firm in the faith" in this way. He says, "a Christian is like a traveler who stops overnight in an inn where all the people are thieves and murderers. In order to survive he must arm himself and stay awake all night." ... Yes we are in a spiritual battle. And so "we must arm ourselves and stay awake." We must arm ourselves with the sword of truth - the Word of God. We must stay awake - being alert against the devil's attacks - examining every teaching and all of life in light of that Word. For yes we live in dangerous times; yes to be sure "the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." To be sure.

But also to be sure, while the devil prowls and roars and looks - impersonates - he is defeated. Jesus has redeemed us from Satan's jaws. Jesus has defeated Satan with His cross. Jesus has conquered Satan by His resurrection. And so we know, looking to Jesus, we have nothing to be anxious of or to worry over. Trusting in Jesus, we know we have nothing nor no one to fear. No, not even the devil and his deceptive ways and teachings. We trust in Jesus and we know that by Him and in Him, our sin is forgiven, salvation is secure, heaven is our eternal home. Yes that's the reality of the resurrection. That' the ultimate reality of the fact that Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.