Psalm 10:1-14
"In every generation, there is a chosen one! She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness! She is the Slayer!"
I’ve got bad news Buffy; one is not going to be enough. If we are going to stand against the forces of darkness it is going to take more than one slayer. This past Tuesday has shown the world a new face of evil, but it certainly doesn’t register as the most horrific event in the history of the world. Even during the past quarter of a century the genocides of Eastern Europe and Africa eclipsed by many times the death toll of September 11, but this happened so close to home. I’m sure that significance of it happening on that date was more than coincidence, and in the western world 9-1-1 will have a very different meaning then it had on September 10. If evil had a face what would it be? In Buffy’s case it might look a little bit like this, this week popular opinion has decreed that it looks like this. In the past it probably looked a little bit like this. (photos of Idi Amin, Hitler, Stalin, etc.)
Unless you’ve watched the show at least a couple of times, you probably haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about. So here’s a quick synopsis: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," is an appropriate title, considering it’s main character is Buffy Summers. Buffy is a high school student with major problems, like bigger than no date for the prom and skin problems. Fate has decreed that she should be "the Slayer," a girl with special powers to rid the world of the vampires and demons that she regularly encounters. Unfortunately, this special gift got her into so much trouble at her old school that she was expelled. She was forced to move to Sunnydale, California. What she doesn’t know right away is that the quaint town of Sunnydale is actually "the Hellmouth." In other words, it’s where most of the supernatural action is going to be at.
On top of this unasked for job, Buffy must face the everyday pressures that every teenager must encounter. Not only does she have to worry about her SAT’s and her driver’s test, but she also has to deal with the issue of fitting in. Because she is so distracted with her slaying job, everybody thinks she’s kind of weird. And as a teenager it’s no fun for people to think she’s weird. Finally she finds a few people (the class outcasts, to a degree,) who accept her position in life. From there on all three of them manage to get themselves into weekly mishaps. And believe it or not, Buffy and her friends have saved the world more than once. So what can we learn from Buffy the Vampire slayer?
1) The Battle is Real. Evil is nothing new, and the battle against the forces of Darkness is nothing new, it didn’t start with Buffy the Vampire Slayer the Movie nor with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer the TV series. It is as old as time itself. When man and woman first decided that they had no need of God and his regulations, no need God and his direction. When they deliberately chose to disobey God they stepped from light into darkness and darkness became a force within this world. In the scripture that Bonnie read this morning we hear David asking why is there evil? Why aren’t wicked people punished? Questions that are still being asked today. I’m sure those questions occupied the thoughts of people around the world on Tuesday. Why God, Why?
Sometimes we forget the extent of evil, we forget how wicked mankind can really be. Society tells us that evil doesn’t really exist, but suddenly it becomes a reality as CNN plays the images of airplanes crashing into the World Trade centre over and over again.
Giles, Buffy’s watcher made a statement to Buffy once that said "Just because the paranormal has been more normal and less.. para lately, is no excuse for tardiness or letting your guard down."
The battle is real and the Church and the people who make up the church were told in Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. I know it’s a bit of a stretch but what can we learn from Buffy if we are going to win the battle?
First of all We Need our Watcher. Early in the first episode of the series we discover that Buffy and her mother have moved to Sunnydale and that in the move Buffy has hoped to put behind her the unwelcome discovery that she is a chosen one, a slayer. That hope is dashed as she meets the new Librarian of Sunnydale High School, Rupert Giles. Much to her consternation she discovers that he has been assigned as her new watcher. And well Buffy in her 18-year-old wisdom looks upon her watcher with disdain it becomes evident that she needs everything that Giles can bring to the table.
As Christians we have a watcher. And he’s not a British Librarian either.
It was the day before Christ was to be crucified, and he had gathered his disciples together in an upstairs room in Jerusalem. It wouldn’t be long and he knew it. For three years he had taught throughout Israel, for three years he had healed the sick and fed the hungry. For three years he pointed people to the Kingdom of God, but the time was coming, it wouldn’t be long now and he knew it. The end was in sight, it was time for the chapter to close on his earthly ministry. But how would he explain it to his friends? How would he explain that he was leaving? Would they feel deserted, betrayed? Would they be able to see that there was a much bigger plan a much longer story then they could presently see?
It was just hours before the arrest of Christ, the group had eaten what we call “the Last Supper”, had posed for the picture and now Jesus was explaining the events that were about to happen. Trying I’m sure to ease their fears, to let them know that whatever happened that he was still in control and that it was all part of the plan. But they are devastated, he’s their friend, their teacher, their mentor and they can’t even begin to comprehend what life will be like without Jesus as a part of it.
And so he tells them in John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
As Christians the Holy Spirit is our Watcher. He’s with us all the time, to guide and to protect, He’s the one that gives us direction and he’s the one who convicts us about our behaviour. And after the crucifixion had happened, and after Jesus has been raised from the dead, and after he had taught throughout Palestine for forty days he makes an incredible promise to his followers, a promise that’s just as real today as it was on that hilltop 2000 years ago this is what he promise us Acts 1:8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere.”
Power, what an incredible concept, power. For everyone who thinks that they don’t have what it takes to live the life that Christ expects of them, for everyone who thinks they don’t have what it takes to stand against the forces of darkness let me tell you this: You’re right, you don’t. But cheer up because the Holy Spirit has buckets of what it takes and he wants you to have it. This is one of my favourite scriptures; I love the very concept of the promise that when the Holy Spirit has control of our life you will receive power. Not you might receive power or you may receive power or there’s a chance you will receive power, but you will receive power. And not just a little bit of power, but wonderful, incredible, dynamic world changing power.
The power you need to conquer bad habits, the power you need to start good habits, the power you need to tell others about Jesus, the power you need to be everything that God wants you to be. The power you need to stand against evil. He doesn’t expect you to do it alone, as a matter of fact he doesn’t want you to do it alone, he wants to help you to do whatever it is you have to do.
Do you realize that you have the infinite power of almighty God in your life? That is His promise to you today. Let me come into your life and you will have power.
But Buffy doesn’t just have a watcher. The second thing we learn from Miss Summers is that We Need Our Friends. Within the first couple of episodes Buffy’s identity and mission are discovered by two of her classmates, Alexander Harris, or Xander and Willow Rosenberg. Now Buffy tries to protect her friends by leaving them out of the equation but soon discovers that she really does need others. More then once it is only through the help of her friends who call themselves the “Scooby Gang” or the “Scoobies” after the cast of Scooby Do is Buffy able to do the whole standing against evil thing.
Christianity was never meant to be a solitary religion. From it’s very inception it involved a group of people. Why? Because God knows that we need each other. Go back to the beginning, Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
In the bible, God’s word, we are told to pray for one another, we are told to care for one another, we are told to love one another, we are told to help carry one another’s burdens. Kind of a common theme there don’t you think.
If the church is God’s instrument for change on this world then we need to realize that the church is made up of people. Throughout the New Testament we see the church described as a body, or as a family. Both of which are multi cell, nowhere is our Christian life ever described as a solitary or monastic existence.
We need our friends, our fellow believers.
Our third lesson is We Need the Book. Often times when Buffy and Giles get stumped they pull out the book, the book of Vampyr which has all kinds of helpful hints on dispatching vampires. Kind of a Martha Stewart meets Dracula.
As Christians we need the Book. And that book is the Bible, the word of God. When Paul talks about the spiritual battle going on around us, he makes this statement in Ephesians 6:17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The interesting thing is that as he talks about the armor that a Christian needs he talks about the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the shoes of the gospel, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, which are all defensive armour. The only offensive weapon that he talks about is the word of God. That thought is reiterated in Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.
But the book is only effective if we know what’s in the book. And the only way we’ll know what’s in the book is if we read the book. Soren Kierkegaard the philosopher said “When you read God’s Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself, ‘It is talking to me, and about me.’’”
Don’t be afraid of it, it won’t bite you. Find a translation that you enjoy and read it. It’s full of mystery, intrigue, espionage, romance there’s something there for everyone. And don’t worry if you don’t understand all of it, Mark Twain said “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
The fourth thing that we learn from Buffy is that We Need the Cross. When Buffy is getting ready for another night’s adventure, getting ready to stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness! She makes sure that she has her “Slayer Bag.” It’s her tool kit with all kinds of nifty things like garlic and steak, no not that kind of stake. And other neat stuff, that one should have on hand. And in her bag she carries a cross, which of course we are all familiar with. As a matter of fact even the biggest pagan out there knows that vampires hate crosses.
In fiction the power of the cross is in its symbolism. In fact the power of the cross has nothing to do with the cross, and lots to do with what happened on the cross.
You see it was on the cross that the ultimate battle was fought and won, and it was a battle that was fought for you. Paul writes Colossians 2:13-15 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He cancelled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross. In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.
1 Peter 2:24-25 He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.
The power the cross has isn’t the power to repel vampires; it’s the power to change lives.
The Hymn writer penned these words
The Old Rugged Cross
Bennard, Rev. George
On a hill far away
Stood an old rugged cross;
The emblem of suffering and shame.
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best,
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
Do you cherish the old rugged cross? Have you embraced the power of the cross to wipe away your sins and to give you the power to start a new life. If not I’d like to pray with you and for you this morning.
A Matter of Good vs Evil, as we close this morning let me leave you with a thought from that great American Philosopher George Carlin who said “May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.”
PowerPoint may be available for this sermon, if interested contact me at denn@bccnet.ca
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