Songs of Resistance

Message Title: Songs of Resistance
Theme: Living the Resurrection
Season: Easter
Main Text: 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11
Scripture Reading: Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35
RCL Scripture: *Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35; 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11
Focus: Peter finishes his letter by restating his exhortations and encouragements.
Function: To learn the song of resistance by practicing spiritual disciplines.
Other Notes: END OF SERIES

SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 Let God rise up; let his enemies scatter; let those who hate him run scared before him! 2 Like smoke is driven away, drive them away! Like wax melting before fire, let the wicked perish before God! 3 But let the righteous be glad and celebrate before God. Let them rejoice with gladness! 4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides the clouds! The Lord is his name. Celebrate before him! 5 Father of orphans and defender of widows is God in his holy habitation. 6 God settles the lonely in their homes; he sets prisoners free with happiness, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 7 When you went forth before your people, God, when you marched through the wasteland, Selah 8 the earth shook! Yes, heaven poured down before God, the one from Sinai— before God, the God of Israel! 9 You showered down abundant rain, God; when your inheritance grew weary, you restored it yourself, 10and your creatures settled in it. In your goodness, God, you provided for the poor. … 32 Sing to God, all kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to my Lord. Selah 33 Sing to the one who rides through heaven, the most ancient heaven. Look! God sends forth his voice, his mighty voice. 34 Recognize how strong God is! His majesty extends over Israel; his strength is in the clouds. 35 You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries— the God of Israel who gives strength and power to his people! Bless God!

INTRODUCTION:

1. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: What songs do you remember from church camp or vbs?
   1. Kids:
      1. “I may never march in the infantry” …. Why are we sending kids to war?
      1. Superman – “thank you God for who I am, I don’t have to be a superman…” https://youtu.be/LV6w9lQON5c
      1. Hippopotamus – hip hip hippopotamus, hip hip hooray God made all of us…. https://youtu.be/mUg6JUk6iyM
2. The goal of church camp songs was to teach us concepts about God in entertaining ways in order for the words linger in our minds.
   1. Hymns were their own contemporary version of that – some songs were put to popular tunes of the day so that people would know the melody.

TRANSITION:  Peter is finishing his letter with a summary of his final instructions. Hopefully repeating things again will help the thoughts stick. Maybe if we put them to a tune? Let’s review Peter’s message:

MAIN TEXT: 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 ¹² Dear friends, don’t be surprised about the fiery trials that have come among you to test you. These are not strange happenings. ¹³ Instead, rejoice as you share Christ’s suffering. You share his suffering now so that you may also have overwhelming joy when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are mocked because of Christ’s name, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory—indeed, the Spirit of God—rests on you….⁶ Therefore, humble yourselves under God’s power so that he may raise you up in the last day. ⁷ Throw all your anxiety onto him, because he cares about you. ⁸ Be clearheaded. Keep alert. Your accuser, the devil, is on the prowl like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith. Do so in the knowledge that your fellow believers are enduring the same suffering throughout the world. ¹⁰ After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, the one who called you into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To him be power forever and always. Amen.

EXPLAINATION:

1. Ch 4: Continued conversation about faithful endurance amidst suffering
   1. No boasting for suffering for being a jerk
   1. Only commended for suffering on behalf of Christ
   1. as “stewards of God’s grace” (meme?)
      1. Vs 2. “As a result, they don’t live the rest of their human lives in ways determined by human desires but in ways determined by God’s will.”
         1. Ch 3: Don’t pay back evil for evil or insult for insult. 
      1. Put away behavior that doesn’t build up the community
      1. “Use your gifts to better the community”
2. Ch 5
   1. Final instructions: Ch 5 for leaders – set the example, “not domineering”
      1. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: List off from scripture (6-9)
         1. Humble yourselves
         1. Give God your anxiety (hint: saying “Calm down” doesn’t work)
         1. Stay alert – mad eye moody “constant vigilance”
         1. **Resist the devil
         1. **Stand firm
   1. Final encouragement: AUDIENCE LIST OFF AGAIN vs 10
      1. God’s will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you

INTERPRETATION:

1. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: What does the devil look like?
   1. Why would it make sense for the devil to not appear obviously evil?
   1. Picture1: Red guy with horns, tail, and pitchfork? – obviously evil
   1. Pictures 2: Cupcake, attractive person, open cash register – the desirable choice
2. Reality of Evil:
   1. I don’t like scary movies. –
      1. First, I’m super sensitive to the emotions in entertainment (music, books, movies, shows)
      1. Second, I don’t want to be desensitized to the presence of darkness
   1. This is not a judgement on those who like horror, thrillers, gore etc BUT
      1. Balance of awareness of evil vs. obsession with evil
      1. There are forces at work that want to prevent God’s plans from being fulfilled.
      1. As we participate in God’s work, we put ourselves at risk of these forces (frequently influencing humans to invoke suffering)
3. I want to be sensitive to these influences and avoid things that may desensitize me (unlike spicy foods we talked about last week I don’t want to build up a tolerance to evil).

APPLICATION:

1. While our minds may be filled with pictures of horror movies, I want us to turn back to the spiritual side of things.
2. How do we resist “the devil”?
   1. Prayer
   1. Honesty (confession)
      1. Confession is about honesty with God, ourselves, and others
      1. Keeping ourselves in the light
      1. Baby out with the bathwater rejecting this catholic practice
   1. Community- isolatin is at risk
      1. Accountability, encouragement, teaching/learning
   1. Scripture memory – like Jesus in the desert
      1. Not jewels in a crown like awana
      1. “create in me a clean heart” PS
      1. Sticker challenge – (get the stickers from my office)

CONCLUSION:

1. Psalm retelling God’s work & praising God – scripture teaches us
2. Church camp songs:
   1. Romans 16:19
      1. Be excellent at what is good, be innocent of evil
      1. God of peace will soon crush Satan, yes God will crush him underneath your feet
3. Resistance & Living the resurrection