Dakota Community Church
May 4, 2008
Love & War
Jesus said we are supposed to turn the other cheek when an enemy strikes us, right; but what about all that Old Testament talk about mighty warriors and the armies of God, and how does modern conservative Christian teaching about patriotism and serving God and country tie in? Is there a contradiction here?
I want to begin today by stating that I am not trying to make political statements or to judge anyone or any group. This is a place of grace; we all need it desperately, so I don’t want to inspire division.
I do want to preach and teach on this important aspect of human life and I will not avoid it simply to keep our comfort zones safe and unchallenged.
Joshua 6:20-21
When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.
Judges 15:14
The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.
1 Samuel 15:2-3
This is what the LORD Almighty says: ’I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ "
2 Samuel 23:8-10
These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. Next to him was Eleazar ... then the men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
Matthew 5:38-39
You have heard that it was said, ’Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.‘ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
John 14:8-9
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
John 14:11
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.
So what of this contradiction?
Exodus 15:2-5
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
1. We are created in the image of a warrior.
Remember the “Epic” series we did by John Eldredge?
We were born into the middle of an ongoing spiritual rebellion that has resulted in a war.
Our God is a warrior for all that is right and true and beautiful and holy because of all these things have come under attack.
Genesis 2:15
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Most of us have the idea that Adams was charged with making sure that the garden did not become overrun with weeds.
There were no weeds before the fall, Adam was to look after the garden, to guard it against attack, it wasn’t long until an attacker showed up and Adam failed his charge.
We are created in the image of a warrior but since the fall we have lost sight of the real enemy.
Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
Genesis 4:8
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let’s go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Genesis 4:23-24
Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
Genesis 6:11
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.
The fallen warrior in us turns on our fellow man.
For all of our wisdom and technological advances we cannot stop killing each other.
Worldwide in 2006 there was 1.5 trillion dollars in military spending. How much is a trillion?
If you had gone into business on the day Jesus was born, and your business lost a million dollars a day, day in and day out, 365 days a year, it would take you until October 2737 to lose a trillion dollars.
A million seconds is 12 days. A billion seconds is 31 years. A trillion seconds is 31,688 years.
1.5 trillion dollars on military in 2006! That is insane!
It would take about 3% of that amount or $40 billion to feed and house the world’s poor for a year.
U.S. military spending alone in 2007 would feed the worlds hungry 15 times over!
This degree of insanity requires a supernatural explanation and the Bible provides it. We are created in God’s image to join God in His battle against evil but we have turned on each other because we do not believe in the existence of our spiritual enemy. We attack the enemy we can see and that we believe in.
2. God’s battle is our battle.
Luke 11:14-23
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons." Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.
Jesus said the kingdom of God has come when the strongman is overcome and what he has stolen is divided up.
The problem with our western form of Christianity is that we see it as a legal contract.
“A” happened, so “B” had to take place in order to restore “A” and all I have to do is sign my agreement to “B”.
The problem is we use this to excuse ourselves from having to do anything else. We are like people on a picnic outside Auschwitz. Just because it is a lovely day and you are safe and happy does not mean it is alright to ignore the horrors of the war all around us. We must allow our lives to be changed by the gospel.
Christians cannot continue to live exactly the same as those around them who do not know the truth. We are in this war and we are the only ones who believe this enemy even exists.
1John 5:19
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Ephesians 2:1-2
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
John 12:31
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
John 14:30
I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
John 16:11
… and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
We must join God’s battle and stop participating in the enemy’s battle.
What does that mean? How do we do it?
Is it about a political party?
Is it about marching and protesting?
Is it about flag waving and patriotism supporting the good side? – NO
It is about doing what Jesus did.
Healing the sick, feeding the hungry, setting free the oppressed, loving and forgiving and laying down of self for another.
3. We need to eliminate “friendly fire” casualties.
Like Jesus we must attack the real enemies, the ones with no flesh and blood, and we must love and serve the victims of the warfare, even if they don’t realize they are victims.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Taking racism as an example, who are we for and who are we against when we encounter a racist situation?
- The minority?
- The abuser?
The people are both victims of the real forces of darkness at work behind the power over system of this world.
Does it have flesh and blood? If it does it is not your enemy!
Are you a soldier of love?
Only love can conquer evil.
This message inspired by a series by Dr. Greg Boyd of Woodland Hills Church, 2008/03/02
PowerPoint available free of charge on request - dcormie@mts.net
