The Real Prince Charming

I. A Snake in the Grass

A. Text: Psalm 58:3-5

B. I want us to look at a word today. It’s a word that is often used too loosely among believers. It is one that we must begin to recognize and take notice of and know it’s really meaning. That word is: charm (charmed, charming).

C. No doubt you have told someone how charming they were. Or you may have had someone tell you how you charmed them. It was – most likely – meant as a compliment.

D. However, if we really knew and recognized the true meaning of the word – we wouldn’t have considered it to be a kind word toward us!

E. Consider some of the words Webster’s Dictionary uses to define the word ‘charm’ – lure; spell; entice; enchant; to conjure; to captivate; to entice; incantation; bewitch; to beguile; to hypnotize and mesmerize; exorcism; magic; sorcery – in essence to charm is witchcraft!

F. Paul was quite concerned for the Colossians, twice stating that he desired that no man would beguile (or charm) them with enticing words (Col. 2:4, 18).

G. Now, I ask you, is this something that you want others to say of you? That you are charming…. being translated…. that you are bewitching?

H. The word ‘enchantment’ speaks of fantasy. Think of the children’s cereal Lucky Charms, for example. This cereal’s mascot is a leprechaun. A character of fantasy who desires to find his luck by locating the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I. One of the items I bought my wife for our recent anniversary was a charm bracelet. While I was studying for this message – I took time to look at that bracelet again and was relieved to find that it only included hearts on it.

J. When charm bracelets first came out, most of them had specific items dangling from them such as a frog or an owl. Is it a coincidence that frogs and owls are two animals used often in witchcraft and they hang from a piece of jewelry called a ‘charm’ bracelet? Of course not.

K. Nowadays, jewelers will include just about anything on a bracelet. Most items today have nothing to actually do with ‘charm’ (or luck) such as hobby items and employment related items.

L. However, in the 50s & 60s, when charm bracelets were most popular, young girls would often collect the lucky charms totaling 13 altogether. Having 13 ‘lucky’ charms was supposed to eliminate the bad luck number of 13. The items that the charms would include were as follows:

1) A silver heart which spoke of love for the individual who would wear the bracelet.

2) A brass heart pierced by an arrow, which spoke of someone who was smitten by romance. (We’re going to look a little closer at that word ‘romance’ also later. We have to be cautious about who we are romancing!).

3) A horseshoe, which was supposed to attract good luck. Historically, the horseshoe was supposed to be magically protective. This was the reason many people would hang horseshoes over the doorposts of their homes and barns.

4) A gold wishbone set with a pearl, which was to symbolize wishes come true.

5) Another item is a silver horseshoe on which is placed a wishbone, a four-leaf clover and another wishbone.

6) A gold and green four-leaf clover, which represents good luck.

7) A brass heart padlock that represented faithful love.

8) A double gold horseshoe set with an artificial diamond to represent luck with money.

9) A silver spread of playing cards to represent luck in gambling.

10) A brass moneybag marked with the number ‘1,000’ to represent wealth.

11) A silver moneybag with a $ sign on it to represent fortune.

12) Another horseshoe, this one copper, with a four-leaf clover on it – again to represent luck.

13) And, finally, a silver horseshoe which, again, represented drawing, or attracting, good luck.

M. Now, this is not a sermon about, for, or against charm bracelets or cereals. However, it is to inform you that to be charming is not a compliment!

N. Satan is a deceiver and he desires to twist words and phrases to make us think it means one thing while it truly means another. Satan is the original charmer! Think about it:

II. A Crafty Serpent

A. Genesis 3:1 tells us that the serpent was more subtle than any other creation. That word ‘subtle’ means crafty, or deceptive.

B. In other words, the serpent – Satan the snake himself – ‘charmed’ Eve into eating the forbidden fruit!

C. In fact, in II Corinthians 11:3 Paul seems concerned that the church become like Eve for he said: “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”