“The devil is in the Details” Sunday, 13 March 2022 10:00 a.m.
We are continuing our series today leading up to the Easter season entitled: “Resurrection: Power Over Death.” Last week we talked about the origins of death from the Garden of Eden; Death entered the world through the disobedience of one man - Adam; Death spread like a contagion because of the sinfulness of mankind; and Death has been reigning over our world. But thankfully, because of “one righteous act “of Christ; His death on the cross and His resurrection, Death has lost its “sting” … and one day death will be irradiated forever.
This week we turn our attention to the enemy who is behind all this carnage of death – Satan. John talks about the reality of the devil’s work as it pertains to sin which leads to death in his epistle.
1 John 3:7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
We have a designation in our criminal code called dangerous offender. It usually applies to people who have been convicted of murder and are intent on repeating the offense. For that reason, they are designated as dangerous offenders.
The devil is a dangerous offender. He has been a murderer from the beginning. On the occasion when he incited Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit by telling them a lie- that they would not suffer the consequences of their actions and giving them a false hope that they too would be like God himself; death ensued - and he has been murdering ever since.
But Jesus broke the devil’s power with regards to sin. How did he do it? Jesus shared in our humanity. He became flesh and blood; He was the sinless sacrifice who carried our sin. He became sin for us and by his death on the cross, God sees us now through the blood of Christ as righteous and holy. He destroyed sin’s power over us.
And by rising from the dead, Christ displayed His power over death as well. And gave us the hope of one day rising with Him. We need not be held captive by the “fear of death”, we have a hope beyond the grave…an eternity with Christ.
Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “The devil is in the Details.”
(Face covering requirements are in effect)
Kevin