Don't Become the Lion's Lunch
1 Peter 5:8
A Sermon by Dave Redick
Hwy 20 Church of Christ, Sweet Home, OR
"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."
Introduction
A few years ago, a football player named Conrad Dobbler was featured in a popular television commercial, seen on many sports presentations. Perhaps you saw it. In the commercial, in a matter of a few seconds, he managed to incite a near-riot among a group of spectators. At his urging, one side would claim, "Less filling." To that the other side shouted, "Tastes great!" Then, as the controversy was about to turn into a fist fight, the camera cut back to Dobbler, who was quietly sneaking out through a back exit.
Like it or not, this tongue-in-cheek tactic concocted by Madison Avenue to sell beer illustrates an important spiritual lesson: your adversary isn't always the one you think. Those fans in the bleachers thought their opponents were those who disagreed with them. In truth, the entire audience had only one enemy: Conrad Dobbler. He started it. (1)
We Christians tend to misunderstand the opposition we face. We look at our boss, our co-workers, our neighbors, people in the church sometimes, with whom we have problems and reason, "If it weren't for them I could be happy." Any or all of these may be sore spots in need of attention, but they are not the root of the problem.
The whole universe is divided into two rival kingdoms: The kingdom of light ruled by God and the kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan. There is an incredibly violent battle going on between these two. People die in the fighting daily. You don't see it unless you look for it. You won't know it unless you're told. But it's there. This war - raging in the theater of the unseen spirit world. The Apostle Paul reminds us of it in Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
In this message I would like to focus on the ruler of the opposition in this battle, Satan himself.
Please turn with me to 1 Peter 5:8.
Peter says here,
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
If we're not careful, we'll become the lion's lunch (to employ Peter's comparison.) Let's look more closely at this passage. In it we see first,
I. An Adversary.
Those are Peter's words. He says, "Your adversary, the devil."
We don't know exactly where Satan, the devil, originated - or, more specifically, how he came to be what he is today. Certainly the devil was created by God because the Bible says that God is the beginning of everything. More specifically, we read in John 1:3, "All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being."
Some people think that causes theological problems with the nature of God. After all, how could God who is good, create something that is evil? The simplest answer to that, it seems to me, is that God created certain beings with the power of choice. Whenever there is choice, there is always present the possibility of making a wrong choice which would also be an evil choice. For one to do wrong when there is only right in the world, he would need only to do the opposite of that right, or, perhaps, to refuse to do that right. God does not have to do evil or even conceive evil for there to be evil present in the world. Paul calls man in Romans 1:30, an "inventor of evil." Apparently man has the power to bring certain evil things into being that have not been present before. If man has that power, certainly Satan does. You cannot pin Satan's evil on God.
Satan simply appears on the pages Genesis, the first book of the Bible with no detailed explanation of his origins. Some say he is a fallen angel. There may be merit to that explanation. I must say, however, that it is based upon scripture that has to be removed from its actual context in order to reach that conclusion. The passage is Isaiah 14:12, were we read, "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations!" A careful reading of the context of that passage indicates that it was spoken to the earthly king of Babylon, not the devil. If it does refer to Satan, it would have to be one of those passages with a secondary meaning. I've never been able to resolve the difficulty beyond that, so I'll stop there.
Though we don't know for sure where Satan came from, we do know where he is headed. In Revelation 20:10 we read these prophetic words: "And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
I heard a quote recently that I really liked. It said, "The next time the devil reminds you of your past, you remind him of his future."
The devil is called by various names throughout the Bible.
He is called "the serpent" in Genesis 2 and "the great dragon," and "the serpent of old" in Revelation 12 and Revelation 20.
He is called "the angel of the abyss," "Abaddon" and "Apollyon" in Revelation 9:11. The later two words mean "destroyer."
He is called "the accuser of our brethren" in Revelation 12:10.
In Matthew 12:24 he's called "Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." In 2 Cor 6:15, "Beliel."
Matthew 13:39 calls him "the enemy." John 8:44: "a liar" and "the father of lies."
John 12:31 calls him, "the ruler of this world," Ephesians 2:2, "the prince of the power of the air" and "the spirit working in the sons of disobedience."
Matthew calls him "the tempter" in Matthew 4:3. Jesus calls him "the evil one" in Matthew 13:19.
In our text here, Peter calls him "your adversary, the devil." That word "adversary" in Greek is ANTIDIKOS. It is a compound word: ANTI meaning opposite or against and DIKOS being the root word for right or just. It refers to one who opposes what is right or just. It was used to describe an opponent in a lawsuit during the first century. It was also used generally to refer to on who opposed in the sense of an adversary or opponent.
If you are one who zones out when someone mentions the meaning of words, let me remind you that understanding the precise meaning or words is important to our understanding of Scripture. Knowing something of the origins of words is sometimes helpful as well.
As an example, I'm told that Near the Temple Bar on London's Fleet Street, there used to be a tavern known as "The Devil and St. Dunstan." Many lawyers at the end of a day in court used to go there to unwind and imbibe. It got to be quite a custom, so much so that when one left his office to visit the tavern he would put up a sign that said, "Gone to the Devil" - "Devil" being the tavern's abbreviated name. The sign became so common in London that the words finally took on the meaning of "going to ruin." So today, when someone says, "he went to the devil," you'll know where the expression originated. Aren't words fascinating?
The devil, this adversary Peter refers to sets himself against all that is right and good. We need only look around us to see all kinds of opposition to what is right.. This is the devil's handiwork, though, like the commercial with Conrad Dobbler in the opening story, people don't usually realize it. They're too busy fighting each other.
But there is something more here. Peter says "your adversary." We shouldn't just think of Satan when we see evil in the world generally. We need to realize that he is our personal adversary as well. He has set himself up to oppose you. He is there trying to mess up those things that you want to do right.
Have you ever watched a lion stalk a herd of animals, say Wildebeests or Zebras on a program like NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DISCOVERY or the DISCOVERY CHANNEL? Have you noticed how, while they never take their eyes off the lion, the herd will continue grazing even while a lion is slinking around the edges of their number? They know he cannot attack all of them, so they don't run in terror. They know there is strength in their numbers. But when the lion finally selects the one that will be his prey and locks eyes with that animal, suddenly that animal will panic and run. As it runs, it further separates itself from the flock.
When you think with a "herd mentality," that is, generally, that Satan is at work in "the world," you don't get particularly excited, either. But when you realize that Satan has locked eyes with you personally and wants you to be his next victim, (the lion's lunch so to speak) you wake up. You sober up!
That's what Peter is trying to get his readers to do here. He says, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert..." The one who has set himself up to oppose and destroy you is prowling about. He wants you.
That brings us to the second part of Peter's admonition here. We see
II. A Destroyer.
"Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
Peter says Satan is prowling. He is seeking. He is devouring. Like a hungry, roaring lion.
A lion is much stronger than its prey. It is also more experienced. While an adult lion must chase it's prey and feed several times every week, the average animal of prey is probably actually chased by a lion just a few times in its lifetime (Once, of course, if it gets caught!) Consequently, it is not nearly as experienced as its predator.
The same is true with us and Satan. He has been prowling around for thousands of years. You and I are relative newcomers on the scene. We face a sleek, powerful, well trained predator who can overpower us quite easily if we let him maneuver us into a vulnerable position. One of the great truths about not getting devoured is over in Ephesians 4:27, where it says, "do not give the devil an opportunity."
A herd animal gives a lion an opportunity when it acts erratically and gets separated from the rest of the flock.
Don't give the devil an opportunity. Don't allow Satan to maneuver you into a vulnerable spot. He does that in quite a few different ways. We could spend several sessions even mentioning them. The one that is mentioned in the context of not giving the devil an opportunity in Ephesians 4 is one of Satan's most effective ways to get you out of a safe spot into a place where he can attack and overpower you. Hold your finger in I Peter and turn with me to Ephesians 4:26-27.
Why don't you all read it out loud with me: (Read together) "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity."
What gives the devil his chance to devour you according to these verses? Unresolved anger. Why? Because unresolved anger turns to resentment and resentment soon sours into full blown hatred. People who are consumed by hate do things they never would normally do that expose them to attack by Satan!
How can a person avoid such a risky thing? Get problems settled daily or at least very soon. Don't let them go on and on and fester inside you. That is exactly what Satan wants and if you allow it to happen, he will ultimately devour you!
There are a couple of things I'd like to mention while we're on the subject of just how powerful and experienced Satan is. Have you ever wondered why he is still so powerful? After all, wasn't the devil defeated by Jesus on the cross? Didn't He "crush the serpent's head" at that time?
Calvary was the definitive blow that sealed the devil's fate. When Jesus died on the cross, a cataclysmic thing happened: Satan was soundly and completely defeated. He was beaten beyond hope of recovery and he knows it!
But that may lead you to ask, "If Satan is defeated, how come he is still so powerful? How come he can still mess things up so badly and overcome unsuspecting and negligent people? If this guy has been so soundly defeated, why is he so strong?''
Again, Satan is defeated. But, like a person beaten in life, he doesn't want to go down alone.
During a recent season, the NBA's Dallas Mavericks missed the play-offs by a country mile. They were defeated long before the season ended. Still, during their final game, they played with a passion for victory. Why? Because dealing a late-season loss to a rival team might affect that team's chances of becoming champions. In other words, "we may not be going to the play-offs, but neither are you!" In the sports world, that's the way the game is played. (2)
Satan's goal is to rob us of our "championship bid"' and drag us down with him. His chances are destroyed, so out of spite and hatred for God and you as God's child, he wants to ruin your chances.
Satan knows God's plans for you and me, and he is committed to seeing that we never have a chance to realize or experience them.
That may lead you to another question: Why does God allow a defeated enemy to continue waging war? The answer is fairly simple: God uses these skirmishes to reveal Himself to man.
You'd have a hard time finding anyone today who does not know of General Norman Schwartzkoff. The man is a national hero thanks to success in the Persian Gulf War. But prior to that war, it's likely that you had never heard of him. Without the war, Stormin' Norman would be virtually unknown. (3)
Probably the reason why God is allowing hell to be hell today is so that you can know His name. Because you would never know His name if there were no war. You would never know His name if there were no temptation. You would never know His name if there were no opportunity to call on Him for help and consider what He says about resistance and victory. So He lets the war go on.
The "serpent of old" is a lot like a snake you and I might see today. If you've ever tried to kill a snake, you probably know that they don't usually die immediately. They usually twist and turn for some time before they're finally gone. During this time, though they are actually dying, they can still bite you if you get too close.
The same is true of Satan. He'll still bite you if he can. Or, in the words of Peter in our text, he will devour you.
III. A Need to Take This Issue Seriously.
Having said these things and seen Peter's admonition, we need to personalize them so that they are more than words in a book and a few stories told.
Are you alert or asleep with regard to your adversary? Are you watching for him? Do you interpret circumstances with a full view of who is probably behind them? Can you sense the predator stalking you?
You're at odds with someone. Is it really just an issue between the two of you, or is there a lion nearby, watching, waiting for the right moment to take one or both of you down while you're not paying attention? Christian, wake up! Think about this! It happens every day! Don't let it happen to you? Don't become the lion's lunch!
Perhaps you're married and you have your eyes on someone besides your spouse. Right now you're safe, so what can it hurt? Pay attention! The lion can use your growing feelings to split you away from the safety of God's people and devour you.
Maybe you're a Christian young person and you've got a boyfriend or girlfriend who isn't a Christian. You reason that you'll convert them, but you don't realize that it's going the other way. They're pulling you away. Wake up! Pay attention! Be sober! Don't become the lion's lunch!
You're mesmerized by some new friends that seem to have a lot more fun than those people at church. You won't fall away, of course. What could possibly be the danger of having a little fun, even if it isn't quite what a Christian should be doing? Wake up! Watch out! Don't give the devil an opportunity!
You're a "loner" by nature and you'd rather not be in church with the rest of these people. You'll just stay at home and worship God there where it's more comfortable. George Swinnock, using a different metaphor with a similar meaning to what we've been discussing, says, "Satan watches for those vessels that sail without a convoy." Wake up! You can't do it alone. If you try it, you'll soon be the lion's lunch!
Conclusion
As I sorted through what material I had on predators this week, in order to illustrate the truths of Peter's words, I came across this description. It doesn't involve a lion, but the need to be alert for predators is certainly in it.
The ancient sport of falconry employed trained hawks in the chase of wild game. When the "educated predator" was allowed to fly, however, it often flew too high for human eyes of its handler to see it against the blue sky. It was therefore not uncommon among falconers to carry a small caged bird called a Shrike. The hunter could then easily tell where his hawk was by watching the antics of the Shrike. It instinctively feared the falcon and always cocked its head to keep it in view.
You and I desperately need the sensitivity and perception of the Shrike when it comes to detecting our spiritual adversary. Do we have it? Are we keeping it sharp and available?
1. Anthony T. Evans, WINNING THE INVISIBLE BATTLE, http://www.gocin.com/urban/invbatl.htm [Return]
Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.
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All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.