COVID-19 has been front-page news for most of us for about 6 months! Now, the virus has been around a little longer than that, but for most of us, it was about 6 months ago (March) that it smacked us in the face, and life took a major shift! It was in March that everything was shutting down fast! Working from home quickly became the everyday norm for many of us! Saturday, March 14th was the last in-person worship service before we moved to online only! By the 3rd week in March, school was online-only, most (if not all) major sports (college and professional) had suspended their seasons. No one could buy toilet paper or hand sanitizer! Grocery stores were lean on inventory. And everyone was staying indoors and wondering what they were going to do with nowhere to go, and no end in sight! Many people were wondering how are we going to fill all of our time stuck at home?
And then on March 20th, millions and millions of Americans had their answer of how they were going to fill their time! Does anyone happen to know what I may be referring to that happened on March 20th?
• March 20th is the day that Nexflix released the documentary Tiger King! And over-night, in the middle of a pandemic, our nation had something else to talk about.
o And no, I’m not going to ask you to raise your hand if you’ve seen it, and please know that me referencing this documentary today is in no way an endorsement or a recommendation for you to watch it because it isn’t!
? All I’m going to say is that I had no idea that on our planet, there were scenarios and circumstances that could provide the content necessary for a documentary like the Tiger King.
I think there has always been a fascination in our world with Lions and tigers! Long before the Netflix documentary Tiger King, people have been fascinated with these animals (I think especially the lion).
The lions are always one of the major attractions at any zoo. Visit any zoo with lions and just watch people. They’re captivated! And the closer people can get the better! It’s exciting for many to be in such close proximity to an animal that can be so dangerous.
The lion is called the “King of the Jungle” for a reason! It has earned that reputation for its ability to hunt, stalk, pursue, pounce, destroy, kill, and eat just about anything it wants! No matter how you look at it, lions are extremely dangerous animals. Why is it that we are so drawn to dangerous things? Why do we sometimes want to be so close?
This fascination with lions is not a modern trend. No, for thousands of years, people have been captivated by them. I wouldn’t be surprised if even Adam and Eve (in the Garden of Eden) saw a lion and was like, “Whoa! Just look at that thing!”
There is a cave in southern France called Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc. This cave was only discovered in 1994 and many believe that this cave contains the oldest cave drawings and cave paintings in the world. How old are they? Well, that is an ongoing argument among the experts in that field. But they all agree that this cave art is thousands of years old. Besides the cave art, they also found other interesting things, like bones and artifacts; including what they believe is the oldest preserved human footprint anywhere in the world.
The theory is that a mudslide covered the entrance to the cave shortly after that footprint was made (all those years ago) and this mudslide made the cave completely inaccessible and undisturbed for all these years preserving all the cave drawings and paintings inside.
They’ve been able to catalog many animal species drawn on the walls of this cave; even animals that are now extinct like woolly rhinoceros and mammoths! My understanding is that as they went deeper into the cave, they came to the end and discovered what they call the gallery of lions! Obviously, they were fascinated with the lions which says to me that this is one animal that has been making lasting impressions on people since God created them.
Even in Scripture, there are amazing accounts of lions! There is Daniel in the lion’s den! David killed a lion with his bare hands! There is Benaiah, who went down into a pit, on a snowy day and killed a lion. Why are these incidents so incredible to us? It’s because the lions are supposed to win! Let’s face it, Daniel wasn’t thrown into a den of baby kittens! No, he was thrown into the den of lions so that they would tear him apart and eat him!
Lion’s have a ferocious nature, as well as the ability to sneak up on its prey and pounce before they ever knew what hit them. These animals have been striking fear in people for thousands of years. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that when Peter is trying to warn the church about how dangerous the devil is, he compares the devil to a ferocious lion.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
8 …Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
This is the image right here that I believe best captures the true nature of the devil. [SHOW PIC OF FEROCIOUS LION]
Not this: [SHOW PIC OF TRADITIONAL PITCH-FORK, HORNED DEVIL] When Peter wrote his warning to the church, he was not trying to get them to picture some man with horns, a creepy smile, holding a pitchfork! No, this image (or impression) of the devil comes from our imaginations! This picture of the devil doesn’t stir any emotions in me. This image doesn’t make me nervous or concerned, or even cautious. That’s because this image of the devil is not what Peter is describing.
No, this is what Peter is describing! [SHOW PIC OF FEROCIOUS LION AGAIN] The devil is like a ferocious lion who is looking to sneak up on you, catch you off guard, overpower you and take you out! Straight up, there is no other way to understand Peter’s warning—the devil is out to get you!
• Last week I asked you if you believed Peter when he said that the end of all things is near! [Expound]
• I want to ask you again if you believe Peter when he says that our enemy, the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour? Do you believe him? Do you think about this reality very often?
• Has the Coronavirus, and everything going on in our country in the last 6 months made you think about the devil a little more than you used to?
You know, we’re concluding today our series called COVID and the Christian. We’ve been addressing this question: How should we as Christians be living out our faith during this historic moment in history? The book of 1st Peter has been our guide to answering this question because the teaching Peter gave to the 1st century Christians who were experiencing days of great trouble is just as relevant and applicable to us today in our troubles as it was to them.
Peter knows that the devil is an opportunist, just like the lion is! The Christians in the 1st century were experiencing great hardships and Peter knew that the environment was ripe for the devil to do what the devil does.
It’s no different for us! I believe that the Coronavirus has created an opportunity for the devil to do what the devil does. Many Christians have not been at their best lately! Worry, and despair has crept its way into many lives these past few months. So has aggravation, disgust, and far-reaching negativity. Gossip and slander (with a good dose of accusations and judgementalism) have created a ripe environment for the devil to sneak up and to catch some Christians off-guard.
Because the devil is an opportunist, he wants to catch you at our weakest moment. When you’re frustrated, angry, tired, or perhaps in the wrong place with all the wrong people… These are the opportunities that the devil and his cohorts just drool over.
Let me give you an example of how the devil is an opportunist. In Matthew 4, Jesus heads out into the wilderness where he will fast for 40 days. Even though Jesus was fully God, he was also fully man. You know after 40 days he was tired, famished, and weak. It was then that the devil famously presented himself to Jesus and three times tried to tempt him to sin… Why did he present himself to Jesus when he was tired, famished, and weak? Because he’s an opportunist. He felt his chances were better than if Jesus had been rested, well-fed, and strong.
If you’ve read Matthew 4, the devil was unsuccessful! Jesus commanded him to flee with the word of God!
We learned in our Revelation series that the devil has an endgame! It’s clearly stated in Revelation 12:9
Revelation 12:9 (NIV)
9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.
He hates God, and he hates you for joining God’s family! So, his overall goal is to defeat God’s plan and purpose by all possible means! And don’t think for a second that the Coronavirus hasn’t been the devil’s playground!
And how does he do it? Let me just give you a few examples from Scripture:
? Satan is a liar and a deceiver (John 8:44; Rev. 12:9)
? He disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15)
? He blinds the minds of the unbelieving (2 Cor. 4:4)
? His strategy depends upon deceitful schemes and snares (2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:26)
? We are constantly bombarded by “deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1st Tim. 4:1)
? He works through false prophets (1st John 4:1-3)
? Satan is the source of all of the false religions and behind idolatry (1st Cor. 10:14-22; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:36-38)
? Satan can empower people and demons to work miracles to deceive people (Matt. 7:21-23; 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 16:14)
This list probably sounds scary, but let me remind you of something today:
? Satan is powerful, but he’s not all-powerful!
? Satan knows a lot, but he doesn’t know everything!
Here’s something that I know! Satan has already fought and lost! His fate is sealed! He’s headed for the Lake of Fire and he knows it. It’s just a matter of time until God puts a stop to his schemes! He was defeated through Jesus Christ!
1 John 3:8 (NIV)
8 …The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
Satan’s ultimate doom is determined! He will lose and we will be vindicated! But in the meantime, he will stop at nothing to turn this world away from God!
So, Peter challenges the church to do what?
1 Peter 5:9 (NIV)
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Even though he is ferocious! We are to resist him! How do we resist him? For that, let’s expand out a little bit and read what else Peter wrote. Look back at the second half of verse 5:
1 Peter 5:5b–9 (NIV)
5… All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith…
The bible is full of teaching on the devil’s tactics and how to defeat him! Which one of those tactics does Peter zoom in on here in his letter?
Clothe yourselves in humility…
Interesting! Humility has something to do with resisting the devil! What is humility? It’s the opposite of pride! Pride says, “I’m better than you! I’m more important than you! Look how great I am! No one is better than me!”
But humility considers others more important. Humility says, “you before me!” Pride would say, “love me” but humility would say, “love my neighbor.” Pride would say, “Do for me” but humility would say, “Do for others!”
And Peter is like, clothe yourself with humility! Humility is actually a great defense against the devil! Here’s why: When you’re humble, it’s like God’s very character stamped on you! Humility is part of God’s character!
Psalm 113:5–6 (NIV)
5 Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, 6 who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
The word “stoops” is the same as “becomes low.” – It’s another way of describing God’s humble character. God is high and great! No one is higher or greater! Sits enthroned on high! – Yet, he humbles himself and pays attention and loves the things which he created… That’s us! God is humble!
When aspects of God’s character are stamped on you (like humility) – Satan can’t break that! And it like identifies you as Satan’s complete opposite! There is nothing humble about the devil. In fact, it was his pride that got him on the “outs” with God.
Isaiah 14:12–15 (NIV)
12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
This is just my opinion:
• Pride says: “I know everything there is to know about COVID-19! Everyone else is wrong. I know best and if you see it differently, then you’re an idiot.”
• Humility says: “I don’t know everything there is to know about COVID-19! I’ll learn all I can and make it a matter of prayer and do my best to make decisions based on where I sense God is leading me.”
• Pride says: “You see things differently, then we can’t be friends. In fact, you’re probably not even a Christian, because anyone with a different view than me is just wrong.”
• Humility says: “We don’t see eye-to-eye, but I still love you as a brother or sister in Christ. Our agreement or disagreement on the issues of the day won’t stop me from aggressively loving you like Jesus.”
When Peter tells the church to clothe yourself in humility, he’s telling the church to wrap up in or put on the very character of God! It’s like an armor that not even the sharp teeth of the devil can’t penetrate.
I could point you to numerous places in the bible about defeating the devil, -- like Ephesian 6 where Paul warns the church to put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's scheme! We should pay close attention to that.
But here, in the middle of extremely difficult days, Peter highlights humility in our war against the devil!
If I could sum up what Peter is teaching the church into a singular thought it would be this:
Truth: Humility before God and toward others is the best offensive and defensive game plan in resisting the devil!
Humility is the Best Offensive game plan: Because moving forward in life with a humble heart before God and others is always right in God’s eyes! It’s what He desires! It helps you have the kind of love, trust, submission, and harmony that Peter writes about throughout his letter!
Humility is also the Best Defensive game plan: Because humility puts you in a position of trusting God to help you defeat the devil! The devil is out to destroy your faith, and he’s very aggressive! Humility says, “God I trust you; I’m submissive to you; you’re more powerful than the enemy and I need your strength to defend myself against him!
You have everything you need to win! Don’t ever forget that!!!
I want to end this message the same way Peter ended his letter by saying,
1st Peter 5:14
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
