Dear Friends,
As I’ve been digging into Revelation 12 this week, reading and meditating on the unseen spiritual battle that is behind all of the strife and tumult in our world, I came across an interesting observation made by a church historian named Alan Kreider. In his book The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=b308ab76ea&e=fbb0a4052b), the author talks about how Christians in the first and second centuries after Jesus was resurrected were very aware of the demonic power they were facing. Justin Martyr, one of the early church fathers, identified four primary lines of attack employed by the enemy in his day: Sexual compulsion, the magic arts, a desire to increase wealth and property, and hatred and violence.
Some things don’t change, do they.
As I reflected on those for categories, it was clear to me that at least three of the four are prominent in our world today. It was also clear to me that money, sex and power have always been fertile soil for the devil’s activities.
I don’t know how aware we are of the extent to which sexual sin has permeated our culture. The sexual revolution of the 1960’s opened Pandora’s box by normalizing and destigmatizing the practice of sex outside of marriage. It’s not that sexual immorality didn’t exist before free love became a mantra. What changed was that as a culture, we went from calling sexual immorality evil to calling it good and right. Today, our culture has become sexually obsessed. Decades ago, Christian journalist Malcolm Muggeridge said “Sex is the ersatz or substitute religion of the 20th Century.” In the 21st Century, sexual promiscuity has become something we expect and cheer for, rather than something that brings shame or guilt. And Satan is thrilled.
The desire to increase money and property – what the Bible calls greed – didn’t require a revolution to become fashionable. When, in the 1986 movie Wall Street, Michael Douglas’s character Gordon Gecko made the argument that “greed is good,” many people nodded and thought “he has a point,” forgetting that the Bible clearly tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. The concern in scripture is not having or acquiring wealth. The issue is loving it. When we love money and possessions, we have pledged our allegiance to a new master. And Jesus said no man can serve both mammon and God.
The other two areas that Justin Martyr identified as inflection points for demonic temptation were hatred and violence, along with “the magic arts.” While the practice of the magic arts isn’t necessarily prominent in our day, there are certainly people who have dabbled in or fully embraced modern day magic. Just a few years ago, NBC News published a story with the headline Why Paganism and Witchcraft are Making a Comeback (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=04ca48b61d&e=fbb0a4052b). While the numbers are hard to pinpoint, there are somewhere north of a million practitioners of witchcraft and paganism in the US today, and the numbers are growing. Behind that growth is a desire for spiritual power.
The desire for power is also behind much of the anger and violence we see in our world currently. Psalm 2 begins with the question “why do the nations rage?” The answer is because they seek their liberation from anyone and everyone who might try to exercise any kind of authority over them. They set out to break free from any bonds – especially the constraints that God’s law brings. On a personal level, the book of James says that the reasons there are fights and quarrels among us is because we desire and do not have. In other words, we want what we want when we want it, and if we don’t get what we want, watch out!
Justin Martyr’s point in the second century was that these four categories are the gateways or portals for demonic temptation and influence. Christians in his day were falling prey to these temptations. I think it’s safe to say Christians in our day are as well.
It’s one thing to think about these categories on a cultural level, and to point to all the people out there who are succumbing to these temptations. The bigger, and maybe more important question for us is this: Which of these four categories presents the biggest stumbling block in your life? If the devil was going to gain a foothold in your life, which pathway would he use for his attack? Is sexual compulsion or any kind of sexual sin a snare for you? Greed – a lust for money or property? Looking for spiritual power in your life apart from what Christ offers? Or are you easily provoked to anger or riled up by those who might rightly exercise authority over you?
As we dig into Revelation 12 on Sunday and take a closer look at the tactics of the enemy in the spiritual war that is taking place all around us in the unseen world, we won’t spend much time considering Justin Martyr’s observations about the four categories where Satan was gaining a foothold in his day. But as I stopped to meditate on those categories this week, it was good for me to examine my own heart and ask to what extent any of those four temptations have made inroads in my life. Maybe you would find it profitable this week to spend a few minutes asking yourself the same question.
If you are a college student or a young adult, we have lunch plans for you this Sunday. This is the final week for a time of fellowship and the opportunity to interact around the subjects addressed in JI Packer’s book Knowing God. Whether you’ve been part of one of these lunches this summer or not, you’re welcome to come and be part of the conversation after church this week.
A week from Sunday, August 18, we will once again be ending our service by baptizing new believers. We have two people who have indicated their desire to share their testimony of faith in Jesus with us that morning and to obey the Lord’s command to be baptized.
Have you surrendered your life to Christ, but never “taken the plunge” and declared your faith publicly by being baptized? Let me urge you to take this important step of obedience. Contact me, or Pastor Matt or Pastor Cole, and let’s set up a time to talk about how you can be included in this significant time of worship.
And of course, we’ll celebrate our baptisms with a family meal. So on that Sunday, once the service is over, we’ll have our end-of-summer, back to school, baptism celebrating Pulled Pork Potluck (you understand that potluck means you’re supposed to bring some food, right? See below here for details.
Our Roots Student Ministry gets underway for the fall on August 18 as well. We have a lot planned for students in the months ahead.
AWANA kicks off this fall on Wednesday, August 28. Are your kids registered yet? What!!? Why not? Click here (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=8afc5f7943&e=fbb0a4052b) and sign the kids up NOW! Like right now!
We still need your help as an AWANA volunteer this fall. If you’re wondering if you should enlist, the answer is yes! Let Laura White hear from you. Send her an email at laurawhite811@gmail.com (mailto:laurawhite811@gmail.com) or text her at 501.517.5799.
If you look at Redeemer as your church home, we’d love to add you to our online church directory.
You can do it yourself, or if you need help, contact Pastor Matt (mattgurney.rcc@gmail.org (mailto:mattgurney.rcc@gmail.org)) or Becky Perez (beckyperez.rcc@gmail.org (mailto:beckyperez.rcc@gmail.org)) for assistance.
Here's the report on our finances for the month of July:
July Giving:
$44,915
June Expenses:
$35,781
Year to Date Giving:
$241,000
Year to Date Expenses:
$324,000
Balance on Hand on 7/31/24
$65,979*
Two notes.
First, our year-to-date expenses includes more than $70,000 in annual giving for international missions and local ministries. In general, our monthly operating expenses for the church run between $35,000 and $40,000 per month.
The balance on hand number shows the balance in our church checking account. In July, we moved $100,000 into a church money market account to earn a preferred interested rate on that portion of our funds.
As always, thanks for your generous giving to Redeemer. And if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or Tim Friesen.
The ongoing charge given to God’s people throughout the book of Revelation is the exhortation to overcome or to conquer. But as Revelation 12 points out, our fight is not against flesh and blood. The devil is intent on seeking to destroy God’s work, His kingdom and His people. So how do we overcome in the face of such a fierce opponent? We’ll see as we look at Revelation 12 this Sunday.
See you in church.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Bob
Resource Info
