Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from Romans 5. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- Warfare and strife, jealousy, envy, animosity and malice, have long been themes in human existence. In the past 70 years our own peaceful and peace-loving nation has been involved in WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Viet Nam War, the Gulf War, the war in Afghanistan, and we have engaged in other military actions, and have considered many others. In my lifetime we have been engaged in war many years longer than we have not been involved in military engagements.
- It is no different in our personal lives – which are also filled with conflict, anger, contention, animosity, hurt feelings, malice, revenge, and hatred. Oh, we learn to manage these things, and to at least behave in a civil manner – and to at times overcome such wicked sin, but we are still plagued and afflicted by these things. Living in a sinful world, we cannot avoid them.
- Perhaps we wonder where all of this began, and why it is so pervasive and seemingly impossible to avoid. After all, there is really no need for such wretchedness – as Rodney King cried out: “Why can’t we all just get along?” The answer has always been right before our eyes – and also in the consciousness of humanity. The fight, “THE GREAT COSMIC BATTLE” began right at the beginning – in the wonderful garden God created for Adam and Eve.
- And it is not that this conflict will continue forever, for the answer to Mr. King has also been provided – in God’s gift of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the future, when He returns in glory, the battle will end – at least for those who are returned to God through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the principle message of our text. But let us recognize that:
I. The Real War Is Between God And Satan, Good And Evil
A. The First Round Took Place In The Garden – When Adam And Eve Fell
OT Lesson: “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
1. From this fall came huge consequences for humanity – misery, work, ruined hearts, and death
OT Lesson: “To the woman God said, ‘I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.’ And to Adam God said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, “You shall not eat of it,” cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.”
2. But in comparison To Christ’s victory over the devil, the devil’s victory in the garden was small – for Christ’s victory has brought salvation and renewed life for all
Text: “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. . . . the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. If because of one’s man trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”
B. So In The Wilderness The Victory Belonged To Christ, And Also To Us
Gospel: “Then the devil left Him, and behold angels came and were ministering to Him.”
Statement: Because we still see the consequence of human sin dominating human life and behavior – in our own lives as well, we may tend to think that sin still has the greater victory. Nothing could be further from the truth. No matter how much sin there is, it is all covered over, paid for, cleansed away by the blood of Jesus Christ – our justification and God’s free gift of righteousness. To think that sin prevails is to think that Christ was defeated, and still lies dead. This is preposterous – as all shall see when Christ returns in glory.
Application: So it is essential that we understand the nature of “THE GREAT COSMIC BATTLE,” how it is going, Who is winning, and where things are headed! We must derive our information not from how our individual skirmishes are going, or even how mankind’s corporate history seems to be going, but rather from God’s Word, from what Christ accomplished in the wilderness, and especially and ultimately from what He has accomplished for us on the cross, in His death, and in His resurrection! Things may at times seem dark and dismal, and it may seem like God has taken His time wrapping up this “GREAT COSMIC BATTLE,” but this must never cause us to lose heart! It is ridiculous to think that God is not going to prevail!
Transition: All of this is of critical importance, for as the preeminent creatures of God:
II. We Too Are Part Of This Great Cosmic Battle
A. First Of All We Are The Prize, What Is Being Fought Over
So Jesus warned Simon Peter of the devil’s desires:
Luke 22:31,32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
So Peter, based in his own experiences of the treachery and violence of the devil, warned us:
1 Pet. 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
But Jesus clearly asserts God’s will and His plan in winning this battle over us:
John 3:16 “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
So also the apostle Paul asserts God’s great victory in this battle:
1 Cor. 5:19 “For God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”
1 Tim. 2:4 “God wills all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
B. And We Also Are Privileged To Participate In The Great Cosmic Battle On God’s Side, The Winning Side
1. We are justified in Christ, made righteous
Text: “one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men . . . by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
2. We now reign in life by faith in Jesus Christ
Text: “If because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”
3. So we are even now the evidence of the ultimate victory of God’s love, His salvation, and His gift of faith
Eph. 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.”
Our redemption, and our salvation, having been brought to faith by God’s gracious blessing, makes us “to the praise of His glorious grace.”
4. And we who are believers and disciples of Jesus bring this same Word of Life and victory to others, to the whole world
2 Cor. 5:19,20 “God has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Statement: If we think the battle lost, then we of all people are the worst of losers – dedicating our life to God. But Christ is the Victor, and God, and no one will ever take this from Him. And we are the precious spoils of war that God has won, through the blood of Jesus, and no one can snatch us from His hand! And by His grace, love, and power, we are now also combatants – not fighting with weapons of sin, evil, and wickedness, but with weapons of love, goodness, and the Gospel of God. And in the end, we too will win and reign with God in glory – just as even now we “reign in life through Jesus Christ.”
Application: So we must not become depressed, or lose heart. It matters not what the devil has done, or even what victories he gains in our lives – Christ’s victory is ours, His righteousness, and we are justified forever. So let us press on!
Conclusion: We live by faith, and we reign by faith – by the grace and mercy of God. We may be bloodied, bruised, and battered – by the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. None of this matters – Christ has crushed the devil’s head; his goals are undone. He is a loser, an eternal loser!
By God’s grace, you however are winners – eternal winners, thanks and praise be God. So let us continue on, and fight the good fight! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.