MORTAL KOMBAT
James Series 7: How We can Avoid the Devil’s Deception
INTRO: Okay, by now, we are all familiar with tools the Devil uses to deceive us. Can you list some (take some time and make a list)?
TRANSITION: Now let me ask you a question. Could the devil tempt us with GOOD THINGS? Tempt us with things that are actually good for us? Could good come from the Devil (pause for discussion)?
BIBLE VERSE: James 1:16
16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
MORTAL KOMBAT VIDEO GAME:
The story centers on the revival of the Dragon King Onaga, who attempts to conquer the realms featured in the series after defeating the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, the main antagonists in the previous game, and the Thunder God Raiden, defender from Earthrealm. As such, the surviving warriors from the previous titles join forces to confront Onaga.
Series co-creator Ed Boon wanted Deception to be an unpredictable fighting game that gave players new features "they could never imagine". In order to do it, the Midway Staff listened to fans on bulletin boards to know what to work on for Deception, such as the playable characters. Wanting to surprise fans as well as to make the game more deep, they added the puzzle and chess game.[10] Boon and John Podlasek supervised the staff, which was divided into teams to work on different areas of the game. A concern from them was to maintain the flavor from the MK series as they wanted the game's violence to make it a more realistic fighting game rather than "a fighting simulator".
TRANSITION: HOW TO FIGHT THE GAME OF MORTAL KOMBAT…HOW TO FIGHT THE GAME FOR YOUR SOUL…HERE ARE SOME “GAME TIPS” FOR YOU TO LIVE YOUR LIFE BY.
1. GUARD YOUR EYES
BIBLE VERSE: Job 31:1-4
I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then should I think upon a maid? For what portion of god is there from above? And what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? Is not destruction to the wicked? And a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
PASTOR STEVE STORY OF WORKER WHO CLIMBED STAIRS: I remember an old story a former pastor told me about a member of his congregation. This man worked in KC and had a fairly beautiful woman he worked with continue to flirt with him. It use to not bother him until he read Job 31. To keep his covenant, he would get to work 30 minutes early, then walk the stairs so that there was not way she could “happen” to run into him as she tended to do. That’s a man for you.
THE EYE ITSELF: The eye is an impressive organ. Next to the brain, it is by far the most complex part of the human body. Each human eye is very light, it weights just 28 grams, small in comparison to other vital parts. In a normal life span, it will be used to record 24 million images of the world, and somehow functions perfectly despite being composed of more than two million parts! When an image is spotted, scientists are able to correctly identify that we see the image upside down, but somehow the brain is able to flip it right side up. The eye is the only part of the body that is fully functional 100% of the time, it never needs rest (technically the eyelids need rest for lubrication and replenishment, not the eyes). Despite not needing rest, I do strongly suggest long periods of “shut eye” for the rest of body.
The eyes of animals are even more complex than the human eye. The eye of a hawk, strategically located on both sides of his head, allow her to see 280 degrees and are so precise it can pick up the movement of a field mouse over two miles away. The carpenter bee has compound eyes, which allows him to see in dozens of different directions all at the same time. The compound eye of the Antarctic Krill looks more like a microphone that our director of music Josh Moore would use on Sunday morning that anything else. I suppose some scientist would say it’s all from evolution; but as for me I don’t believe in chance. I believe in God’s providence and His word. What say you?
The Bible says a lot about our eyes. Matthew 6 tells us that “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” This means that not only should we guard our eyes, but we should produce light from out bodies out of the light that comes in. When we examine the objects that our eyes actually do see, perhaps…no…we should absolutely be far more judgmental on what we let in. I wish I had a dime for every time a person started a sentence to me by stating, “I know this is a bad movie, but…” But what? Sometimes I think we should just kick our “buts.”
SUMMERFEST STORY OF “LOOK NOT TOUCH:” Back in college, while I was working security, an older, “wiser,” security guard wanted to explain to teach a young Tom Papez a valuable “lesson” on how to look at the bodies of hot women while “getting away with it.” He went on to explain that he and his wife had made an agreement since it was “impossible” to look the other way. “Look but don’t touch” I believe was his phrase. That man was a fool. I thought that then and I think that now. For failing to control the eye is scourged in scripture and is wholeheartedly unacceptable.
Job 31:1 the Bible gets specific when Job states, “I made a covenant with my eyes.” Friends, we need to make a covenant with your eyes. We have to take the Bible literally and blot out those images and scenes that are unacceptable offerings of our eyes before the Lord. We are to be the light of the city, right? Doesn’t it all start with being the light of our body? I know you agree. Amen.
2. LOOK PAST THE SIN TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES:
BIBLE VERSE: 1 Corinthians 6:15-17
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. What know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SIN IS GREAT! Seriously, people looking for sex, do they see pregnancy? Do they see sexually transmitted diseases? Isn’t St. Louis significantly high in these areas? Seriously, people looking for alcohol, do they see drunk driving? Do they see losing their parents trust? Seriously?
THE LORD WANTS TO HELP: THE FRANKENSTORM
Amidst the continuing saga of the uber-force storms that have ravaged the western seaboard of our nation, the clouds that have been dousing the state of California in water by the bucket, scientists have been hard at work studying Pacific weather patterns attempting to analyze the worst case scenario.
Caught in the crossroads of these present unpleasantries is yesteryear’s yearbooks. And these books detail a different kind of storm, a different kind of weather tragedy, one that flooded according to most legends pretty much all of Western California.
According to all reports, 1861 brought our country more than just the Civil War, it gave us perhaps the greatest water event short of Hurricane Katrina. During a brief 23 day period, back to back hurricanes brought the Sunshine State somewhere around 8 feet of rain without any relief, including over an entire foot in the mountains just a bit northwest of L.A. The tropical event flooded out every city and ridge on the coastline, in fact, the newly elected governor had to attend his inauguration via rowboat. As modern day scientists begin to study the effects of a storm like that, they have given the disaster a name worthy of its nature—The Frankenstorm.
“It’s Alive!”
The Bible says a lot about storms, the eighth chapter of Matthew recalls a story about trouble on the high seas. It states, “Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"
As Pastor Jim Wheeler says here at 1st Baptist Church of Lake St. Louis states, “there are three kinds of Christians: those in a storm, those leaving a storm, and those going into a storm.” And how we respond to the storm is said to be indicative of our walk with the Lord. Or even more specifically, how we respond to the storm can serve as evidence if we even know the Lord.
But what about a Frankenstorm? What about a crisis so great as to leave devastation for years and years to come? Does the Lord really wish to help? Friends…dear friends…even the wind and waves obey Him! He absolutely does care. He absolutely does love. And he absolutely will be with those who call upon his name for he will never leave us nor forsake us. So if the tempests of life are battering at your boat and there is no ground to stand on, now is the time to come fully before the Lord.
3. RUN FROM OBVIOUS OPPORTUNITIES:
BIBLE VERSE: Romans 7:
Here is a look at the whole of Romans 7, which clearly illustrates the differences in which side a person chooses. Check it out.
On the one side On the other side
The one who agrees with and delights in God’s law (v.16, 22) Indwelling sin (v.17,v.20)
The one who hates sin (v.15) The flesh in which is no good thing (v.18)
The one who desires and wills to do good (v.18, 19) Ever-present evil (v.21)
"The inward man" (v.22) The "wretched man" (v.24)
The renewed "mind" (v.23, 25) The flesh that is under the law of sin and death (v.23, 25)
BIBLE VERSE: 2 Timothy 2:22
Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
BIBLE VERSE: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
EXTRA: Use this in your own knowledge if it is possible. If it needs to come up during the study, feel free to use this chart like the one above it gained from middletownchurch.org.
“The twin themes of Romans chapter 7 are 1) the believer’s relationship to the law and 2) the utter failure of the law to sanctify. Let us compare Romans chapter 7 with Romans chapter 6:”
Romans 6 Romans 7
Key Word in Chapter SIN (see verses 1, 2, 6, 7, 10-23) 11 times LAW (see verses 1-14, 16, 22, 25) 18 times
The Believer’s Relationship The Believer’s Relationship to Sin The Believer’s Relationship to Law
Dominion Sin has dominion (6:14) The Law has dominion (7:1)
Death I died to sin (6:2) I died to the law (7:4)
Freedom Free from sin (6:18) Free (delivered) from the law (7:3,6)
Newness Walk in newness of LIFE (6:4) Serve in newness of SPIRIT (7:6)
Fruit of the Flesh
Fruit of the Spirit (God’s LIFE) Romans 6:21
Romans 6:22 Romans 7:5
Romans 7:4
Sources:
Middletownbiblechurch.org. Romans Chapter 7: The Believer’s Relationship to the Law.
Steward, James Jr, Putting on the Big Chill, Sermon Topic: Addiction, November 2002.
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Keyword: Mortal Kombat Deception.