GIVE THE DEVIL ITS DUE
A Sermon by the Rev. Dr. James G. Kirk
Harundale Presbyterian Church
Text: “You who were once…doing evil deeds.” (Colossians 1:21)
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Second
What we have in this reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians is somewhat the same situation we have in this country today. Paul is preparing his readers for his interpretation of homeland security. Christ is their security. He is the truth, the way to their peace and prosperity. Christ is over all rulers and dominions. Paul’s mission statement could be summed up in a verse or two: “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
There’s no doubt that there’s an enemy afloat. Paul says as much when he admits that his readers were once doing evil deeds. They could be seduced again by this enemy and so it’s imperative that Paul says time and again how in Christ the people will prevail. It’s the same that we hear today. If the people are vigilant, if they are observant of events around them, if they are ready to report any unusual or suspicious behavior than the country will ultimately prevail and the enemy will be thwarted in its attempts to destroy or harm the people.
It’s as though people are ready for
the next attack and there’s much speculation of where it’ll occur and what will
be its methodology. Will it be in
We live in the midst of much apprehension and seek comfort where we can find it. That comfort Paul sought in the risen Christ. God in Christ had subjected all thrones, dominions, principalities and powers to him before the world was created. “He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
Before all things were created, God in Christ, prepared the creation for Christ’s ultimate victory over the powers of evil. Then in Paul’s letter to the Romans we hear what God has done on the backside of the creation, again to insure that God in Christ will ultimately prevail. “What then shall we say about all these things? If God be for us who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things in him? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? If God justifies who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who sits at God’s right hand and intercedes on our behalf. What then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
So, there’s plenty of assurance to go around that ultimately God will be victorious. However, there’s a caveat to the hope that Paul envisions and that caveat’s what sorely needing our attention today. Paul goes on to write “provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
There’s a feeling going around our country today and that’s feelings of entitlement. People are entitled to all the comforts of life without having to make any sacrifices of any kind. Instant gratification seems to be the birthright of whole generations of our people today. If they want something they’re entitled to have it and nothing should stand in the way of people procuring whatever they want.
I know it’s very dangerous to say or try to explain how it was for my generation, but back then there was nothing wrong with saving for something we wanted! We put money away until we could afford to purchase that first car, the first home, the big-ticket items, or just something we wanted. Today, I’ve had young people sitting in my office about to be married who collectively are $60,000 in credit card debt. They’ve wanted something, they’re entitled to have it and there’s no thought to how they’re going to pay for it. When I point to them that they’ll spend the first twelve years of their marriage having to pay off their debt they don’t seem too alarmed. After all, if worse comes to worse they’ll just declare bankruptcy and start again!
Along with their feeling of entitlement goes what is perceived to be a complete disregard for cultural values. Bill Cosby has been criticized for his forthright candor about the situation with the Black community’s youth and their unwillingness or inability to speak what he considers to be the “Kings English.” That coupled with the fact that parents are more willing to clothe their children in the right tennis shoes rather than provide them the tools to read produces a situation, which I’ve perceived to be “the dumbing down of America.” The other day the BSO announced the challenge if faces at the box office with decreased interest in the arts and how it has to be more creative in marketing their yearly subscriptions.
A third malaise facing our country
today is the lack of respect for anyone in authority. Some talk has surfaced recently about
re-instating the draft. With the Armed
Forces spread so thin around the world, and the need for homeland security
having to deal with global terrorism, the idea of a national conscription is
bound to surface. The thought is that no
one would be exempt for whatever reason.
Every youth at the age of eighteen would have to serve for two years
either in the Armed Forces or in community service of some kind. They would go through basic training that
would be the same for everyone. They
would be accountable to whatever service they chose. They would be taught that to live in a
country that provides all of its people with a freedom that is unique to
Last week I said how sin is so pervasive and seems to permeate so much of what we do. Paul knew that and spoke out on how God had gone to such lengths ultimately to prevail. But you have to give the devil its due. We see time and again how people can lose their focus on what’s necessary and essential to live a life of faithfulness and responsibility. It’s time for people of faith to speak up and hold people accountable. Paul certainly wasn’t timid for the gospel. He wasn’t afraid to call the people back to the vision God had intended for them. We can be no less timid. These are perilous times in which we live. We know that ultimately God will prevail, that is the alpha and the omega of our confession. But in the meantime, we need to speak out when we see injustices committed, authority disregarded, values taken for granted and feelings of entitlement the order of the day. For only thereby we will continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel we’ve heard in Christ, the author and the finisher of our faith! Let us live into that faith.
Thanks be to God,
Amen