Resist the Roaring Lion

Last weekend, I completed Hunter Safety Classes. It was me and about thirty 11 and 12-year-olds.

On the last day, we were given instructions on what to do if you spot a bear while hiking or hunting ... or for me -- biking.

• If you spot a bear, walk quickly and quietly away.

• If the bear sees you but seems disinterested, stay calm and walk away. Never turn your back on the bear.

• If the bear becomes interested and begins to approach, back up slowly, avoid eye contact, and speak in a soft monotone.

• If the bear continues to approach, stand your ground. Be prepared to use bear spray.

• If the bear makes physical contact, drop, and cover. Lie flat on your stomach, interlace your fingers, and place them on the back of your neck. Do not fight back.

That's for a bear that is acting in a defensive/aggressive manner. But if the bear is not defending anything -- like its cubs or kill -- and it's interested and deliberately approaches you, then it's a predatory bear.

• Do not back away. Instead, stand your ground.

• Make yourself look as big as possible. Hold your arms out, use your coat, or stand on a rock or log.

• Yell at the bear in a loud, firm voice.

• Use rocks and branches to deter the bear.

• Use bear spray or a weapon to protect yourself.

There were grizzly attacks last week in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. So, these instructions are necessary. I'll be honest with you. When we watched the video on encountering a bear, I thought, "If a bear wants to gnaw on me, I don't care if it's a defensive or predatory bear. I'm assuming it's predatory. I'm going to fight back!"

There are plenty of physical predators in Wyoming that will enjoy you as a meal -- grizzlies, mountain lions, and wolves. St. Peter writes about a spiritual predator who also wants to make a meal out of you. "Your adversary, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

The Devil is like a lion looking to devour you. With his hellish demons and worldly followers, they'll stalk and surround you. Sometimes, they'll come straight at you with bold and blatant attacks. Other times, they'll fake and feint, then strike from a different direction. Like real-life lions, they'll pick on the young, weak, and alone first.

They'll come at the elderly. So, even though they know better, I've heard the elderly Christian say as they near death, "Do you think I've done enough good to get into heaven?" They'll come at the injured. I've heard Christians in the hospital after their surgeries or parents who have suffered a miscarriage, "What did I do wrong that God is punishing me like this?" They'll come at the young. They'll use temptations that older Christians don't deal with as much -- anxiety, sexuality, social media, identity, and inclusiveness.

People in our nation have become captured by the Adversary. Because they will not listen to God's truths, their conscience, and even sound logic, they will listen to whatever is popular in the culture at the time. They are listening to what the Devil and the world are whispering into their itching ears. They have turned away from God's truths to the popular myths of this current age. The institutions of American culture have been taken captive to these dangerous philosophies -- public schools, universities, government, military, Hollywood, music, news and media, etc. First, they tolerate, then accept, and then promote. Finally, they will persecute those who disagree.

These issues of believing the Devil's lies aren't just "out there" in the world. They're also in here -- within our own hearts. We've bought into these lies that the Devil tells and the world promotes because we have lost God's holy image. Therefore, we're susceptible to these lies because our sinful nature is hostile to God and his truths. At the same time, we are naturally inclined to the Devil's untruths because they are scratching our itching ears. In addition to believing these lies, we also don't stand up for God's truths. Instead, as Christ's modern-day disciples, we are often drawn away from God's truths and his Christian Church. We want to belong. We don't want to be left out. We don't want to be weird. We want to appear "nice." Standing up for God's truths is hard. God's truths are polarizing. Sitting quietly on the sideline while other Christians are fighting is much easier and safer.

We show love to those who are trapped in the Devil's lies by ourselves first resisting the Devil and his lies. We submit ourselves to God, his will, and his truths. Then we share God's will and truths with others. We can't get upset at unbelievers. They are trapped. We work to free them from their imprisonment by telling them about a Savior and Conqueror who has come to set them free. We understand that most won't listen to us. Instead, they'll hate and oppose us. They refuse to love God's truth and be saved. Still, we keep on speaking the truth in love. We unleash the Holy Spirit upon them through God's Word. He's the only one who can convert them. He can replace their fallen human image with God's divine image won by Christ Jesus.

As we learned in our Everyone Outreach workshop, we are called by God to help others resist the roaring lion of the Devil. We call a sinner to turn from the error of his ways. Why is that loving? You are being used by God to win a soul for heaven. We speak the truth in love. We speak the truth -- Jesus is Truth Incarnate, for he is the true Word in the flesh. We speak this truth in love for God so loved the world that he gave us Jesus. We speak this truth in love, even if it breaks the 11th Commandment of "Thou shalt be nice".

Peter is writing to Christians who are suffering from persecution. That's why he writes, "Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). Don't be surprised that the world considers you an enemy for speaking the truth. They try to win you over to their side through their falsehoods. You lovingly win them to Christ's side by speaking his truth. Peter writes, "Therefore humble yourselves under God's powerful hand so that he may lift you up at the appointed time" (1 Peter 5:6). Remain humble as you speak to others about their sin. Remind them you were once trapped in sin and unbelief like they are. Remind them, also, that you remain a sinner. You appreciate the love and forgiveness of Christ so much that you want to share this freedom with others.

As a church, we cannot be silent about where we see the Devil and his lies confusing people and causing chaos in our culture. We must be willing to speak up -- pastor, parents, grandparents, teens, and so on. Silence doesn't work. If Christians remain silent, then the only voices that will be heard are those of Satan and his followers. Perhaps we've gotten to this place in our culture where there is so much chaos and confusion in government, Hollywood, music, public schools and universities, etc., precisely because Christians and the Christian Church have remained silent for far too long. We must speak Christ's truths in our churches, schools, institutions, governments, and so on, so that we can combat the Devil's lies and unleash the power of the Holy Spirit. He's the one who changes hearts and minds through his Word.

The Devil is the ruler of this world (John 12:31). So, we must go on the offensive to break Satan's stranglehold on our culture. Jesus wants to use his Word to bring freedom for those enslaved in sin and hope for those deluded by temptation. It's not our goal to change the culture, but to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified into the culture -- then the culture will either reject him and continue in chaos or accept him and change for the better.

"You are from God, dear children, and you have overcome the false prophets, because the one in you is greater than the one in the world" (1 John 4:4). Though the pressures on us are enormous, we remember that we are from God. Jesus has already defeated the Devil and all his false prophets. We just need to witness that to people.

"So, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Keep on resisting the Devil. When you use God's Word, Christ's cross, and Christ's name, the Devil will flee from you. These spiritual weapons that we use to resist and terrify the Devil are God's Word and Sacraments. They appear foolish to the world, but they make the Devil scream and demons flee.

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight." (I know you're grateful I didn't sing that for you.) This song was written and recorded in 1939 by South African, Solomon Linda. Linda grew up as a herder who spent his time protecting the cattle from bush lions. His hauntingly hypnotic song contains two words, "Mbube Zimba". It's the cry of a child cattle herder pleading, "Lion, stop!"

Like Solomon Linda's original melody, the apostle Peter wrote about a lion that does not sleep. The Devil has been prowling and devouring unsuspecting victims throughout the world since the beginning. We should not be lulled into a false sense of security that we are safe in God's peaceful village. We need to be vigilant.

Peter says, "Be alert" (1 Peter 5:8). While hiking, biking or hunting, keep an eye out for predators. Look for signs like footprints, claw marks or scat. Although, I was advised that you can be alert and not spot a mountain lion. Unlike a bear that may be defensive or predatory, the roaring lion of the Devil is always predatory. He always and only wants to consume your soul. So, be alert.

Peter urges us to stay alert, have sound judgment, and stand firm in the faith. Stay alert because that lion masquerades as an angel of light. Have sound judgment because that old evil foe knows your weaknesses. Stand firm in the faith because one little word can fell him.

This roaring lion is vicious; but he has no power against the victorious Lamb of God. Jesus' crucifixion took the teeth out of the jaws of that lying lion. Our Savior's resurrection has shown the lion's accusations to be more "meow" than "roar." The Devil cannot tear us away from our Champion.

The next time Satan comes snarling, sing with Solomon Linda, "Lion, stop!" But sing it with the confidence of Martin Luther, "I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? For I know the One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ." Jesus removed the lion's teeth and made his bite nothing. Jesus turns the lion's gnawing into gumming. To him be the glory!

We heard Jesus pray, "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you. For you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to all those you have given him. This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me at your own side with the glory I had at your side before the world existed" (John 17:1-5).

Can you hear the certainty in Christ's voice? Can you feel the authority resonate with his words? Marvel at Christ's words even as his enemies prepare to arrest, torture, and kill him. Christ enters his passion as the victor. The cross is not Jesus' defeat. It's Satan's defeat! Christ receives his glory upon the bloody cross.

Jesus has authority. What does he do with it? He gives it to us! He uses his authority to give us eternal life, won by the glory of his completed work. On this post-ascension Sunday, Christ's promise to return to his Father has proven true. What comfort do we receive from Jesus' prayer for those left behind? We have the comfort of knowing that we are left in this world ... not as lion-bait ... but as victors over the lion. Resist the roaring lion. Wear the scars from the claws and gnawing with joy. Share in these marks of Christ's glory. As St. Peter encourages, "Rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:13). Amen.